Many sailing enthusiasts travel from all over to sail on Lake Mulwala.
Darren and Tammy Ballard of Ballarat have competed in State and National titles at Yarrawonga since the early 1990s and can remember when the sailing club was surrounded by only paddocks.
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“We enjoyed camping at the club and the early morning bacon and egg sandwiches prior to racing,” Tammy recalled to the Yarrawonga Chronicle last week.
“Yarrawonga is a special place for us as we competed in our first State titles together on the lake and then later honeymooned here in 1999.”
This year’s 56th Australian Hartley TS16 National Championships on Lake Mulwala from January 3 to 7 was particularly special for the Victorian Ballard families, who had two father/daughter combinations sailing.
Top left Ralph Ballard and Darren Ballard in Jendarwen (circa 1980s), top right Georgie and Darren Ballard, 2022 in Dadning, Bottom left Darren and Cody Ballard, 2019 in Dadning, bottom right Tammy and Darren Ballard 2018 in Dadning. Photos courtesy of Tammy Ballard.
Ralph Ballard from Baringhup, who restores timber boats as a hobby, and his daughter Jennifer Brophy from Mt Egerton sailed ‘Emma’, a timber boat he resurrected. Emma was in such disrepair 12 months ago many said she would not float again, considering she had no floor due to rot.
Ralph learnt his boat building skills from his father, who helped him build his first Hartley “Jendardy” and second “Jendarwen” in the 1980s which Ralph sailed with his wife and then later his son Darren.
Darren Ballard sailed with his daughter Georgie, in “Dadning”, a boat built by Darren and Ralph, named after his late grandfather (Ralph’s father). Darren has previously sailed Dadning with his wife, coming 4th in the 2018 and 2019 Australian titles and 10th with their son Cody in 2020.
A third combination father/daughter of Martin and Mikayla Gregory on their boat Ancient Mariner (NSW) finished 18th, very pleased after only sailing for the first time on the boat a few weeks before the titles. They also came 2nd on Handicap to great cheers from the crowd that gathered at the presentation dinner.
This year’s event attracted 21 entrants with nine sailors from Victoria, seven from NSW and five South Australians.
Sailors at the presentation night.
For some, it was their first chance to get on the water in almost 18 months, for others a chance to see life-long sailing friends after the Covid lockdowns which delayed the titles by 12 months.
Successfully defending their title the Richard Hartley Cup on Sinister in 1st outright, were Peter Wilson and wife Gillian Wilson; 2nd outright on Pickled Pelican were Michael Simms and Peter Howitt of SA; 3rd outright were NSW pair Gary Willis and Eric Partland on Uncle Norm.
The races were conducted in a short course format taking the first competitors around 50 minutes to complete the course. Due to the weather interruptions, the sailors and race officers spent considerable time wet on and off the water as they waited for the storms to pass.
Along with the line honour placings, other awards included:
The Colin Martin for 1st on Handicap - won by Sandman and sailed by Paul Pritchard and his wife Judith (NSW). They also won the Best family trophy for first family boat on handicap; 3rd Handicap - KURDI II: Geoff Potts and wife Chris Hayden (SA); Qantas Trophy, for best first year skipper - Fire Truck: Brian Clark & Martin Burd (Vic); Host State Cup - for the highest finishing host state boat Hissing Sid: Pete Behrendt and Allan Obrien (Vic).
The Hartley TS16 is known as the original trailer sailor designed by Richard Hartley from New Zealand in the 1960s. The Hartley can be found in good numbers both cruising and racing in Australia and New Zealand and has recently seen a surge in racing numbers in WA and Qld.
Whilst the Ballards have had success at state and national levels in the past, sailing has always been “about family and friendship”.
In a Hartley however, one of their proudest moments came in 2018 when Darren and Tammy won the Best Family trophy in Dadning.
Darren’s own parents Ralph and Lorraine won this trophy in the 1980s and to complete this circle in a boat he made with his father is an achievement that will be hard to beat, unless perhaps he can go on to similar success with his children.
Dadning in full flight.
“We would like to thank the Yarrawonga Yacht Club inc. for their support in making this event possible and acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters the event has been held on, The Bangerang People,” Tammy concluded.
