The fourth Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) program has wrapped up in memorable fashion, with participants completing the KISS Passage Rally from Royal Brighton Yacht Club to Queenscliff and back.
Fourteen weeks earlier, 43 women began the 2026 ORCV KISS program, drawn to the initiative through yacht clubs, social media and word of mouth.
The group represented 39 postcodes across Victoria, stretching from Queenscliff and the Bellarine Peninsula in the west to the Gippsland Lakes in the east and Albury to the north. Around 90 per cent of participants were aged over 40, 60 per cent were sailing novices and another 30 per cent had been sailing for less than three years.
Ten participants who were not previously connected with a yacht club also joined the ORCV.
Fourteen weeks of learning
Eleven boat teams were formed for the program, bringing together boat owners, female mentors and KISS participants.
Over the following weeks, the women took part in on-water training, knowledge webinars and a full-day interactive Safety Workshop at Elwood Sailing Club. The program covered everything from Category 5 audits and passage planning to navigation, radio operation and practical safety skills.
Participants from Gippsland were also able to complete their on-water training through Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club before joining Melbourne-based boats for the Passage Rally.
The culmination of the program was the 26 nautical mile passage from Royal Brighton Yacht Club (RBYC) to Queenscliff.
On Friday 31 July, RBYC Commodore Peter Demura welcomed around 70 KISS participants for an informal meal ahead of the rally, with free overnight berthing provided for visiting boats.
A slow passage to Queenscliff
Saturday morning delivered the cool and calm conditions that had been forecast.
The Rally Sailing Instructions allowed crews to use extras and also permitted documented periods of motoring to maintain their pre-determined Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).
That produced a variety of approaches across the fleet. Some crews opted for the sightseeing route, others took the most direct course, while spinnakers and Code Zeros appeared as crews searched for whatever breeze they could find.
By the time the fleet reached the Transit 1 turning mark near the centre of Port Phillip, around six nautical miles from the start, the wind had largely disappeared.
Most crews eventually turned to their engines for the remaining passage, with boats approaching the finish at West Channel Pile from a variety of directions.
The ORCV vessel MV Amalfi III, with captain Chris and Radio Operator Anne Hunting aboard, was stationed at the finish to signal and record each boat’s arrival.
The fleet then continued to Queenscliff Harbour and Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC), where the KISS participants gathered for their end-of-program celebrations.
KISS 2026 award winners
KISS Committee Chair Lee Renfree led the celebrations at QCYC. Renfree became the club’s first female commodore in its 60-year history in 2021 and founded the KISS training program in 2022.
The 2026 award winners were:
360Q Helm Perpetual Trophy – awarded to the nominated primary helm on the boat with the most accurate ETA for the Passage Rally: Pru Britton (ORCV), helming DuXelle (RYCV).
Searoad Ferries KISS Passage Navigators Trophy – awarded for the best documented passage plan and record of observations: Sarah Sheahan (ORCV), aboard L’Etoile (RBYC).
Queenscliff Maritime Museum KISS Passage Radio Operators Trophy – awarded for the best adherence to radio protocols and logging of relevant radio calls: Lou Rocchi (ORCV), aboard White Spirit (RBYC).
Yachtmaster Sailing School Encouragement Award: Madeleine Rode (ORCV), aboard Minna (HBYC).
Photographic Competition – awarded for the best photograph of onboard action during the rally: Next Page II (SYC).
A very different sail home
After Saturday’s light conditions, Sunday provided the KISS graduates with an entirely different challenge.
The fleet initially left Queenscliff in around 10 knots of northerly breeze, but conditions steadily strengthened as the boats made their way towards the top of Port Phillip.
After exiting the West Channel, the building northerly and short waves required crews to reef mainsails and change to smaller headsails.
With winds reaching 20–25 knots and occasional gusts around 30 knots, the KISS participants continued to take turns on the helm, supported by their mentors.
It proved a fitting final test after 14 weeks of training, with the women growing in confidence throughout the long day of tacking back up the bay.
One graduate summed up the transformation after arriving back at Sandringham Yacht Club on Sunday evening:
“15kn wind is slow and boring after helming in 20-25kn. I want to keep sailing!”
ORCV Commodore Cyrus Allen, who provided his Beneteau 50 White Spirit for the 2026 program, praised both the graduates and those involved in delivering KISS.
“Wow! What a spectacular weekend and wonderful way to end the KISS program for 2026. I’m so proud to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team who have once again delivered one of Australia’s premier women in sailing programs.
“The visible energy, enthusiasm and sense of achievement in the room on Saturday was wonderful to experience.
“I would like to wish each and every KISS graduate the very best in their sailing career. Whether that be cruising or racing, on the bay or beyond, there are no limits to what you can achieve. Fair winds everyone!”
What’s next?
The next opportunity for participants to put their skills into practice will be the ORCV Women’s Helm, Navigator and Radio Operator Race on Saturday 29 August, sailing from Royal Brighton Yacht Club to Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
The event is open to women in both racing and cruising divisions, providing another opportunity for the newest KISS graduates to continue their sailing journey.
Author: Rosie Colahan
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