SATIE - BOAT HISTORY

Mike Welsh purchased Satie after seeing the S80 at the Melbourne Boat Show in the Exhibition Buildings. Alistair Payne bought the boat from Swarbrick in W.A as a promotional boat in Victoria. Satie was immediately successful placing 2nd in the popular Marley Point race. Of the two popular designs at the time (the S80 and the J24), Mike went with the S80 thinking it may become popular due to larger cabin size than the J24 and the popularity of the design in WA. Initially, Mike raced Satie raced out of HBYC but then moved her to SYC.

Satie was very successful in the SYC races in Division 2 with multiple Club Championships. Mike also recalls taking Satie into Bass Strait as part of the JOG Championships, in a race from Queenscliff to New Haven. Satie led the fleet into Westernport Bay where the wind dropped out near Cowes. Satie made it around Phillip Island before the tide turned and swept the rest of the fleet back out into Bass Strait. Satie went on to win the race by a large margin.

Mike also recalls a race back from Geelong to RMYS one Australia Day weekend in a strong westerly breeze. Satie was surfing along under spinnaker passing many larger boats such as the Farr 1104's. Satie also won that race by a considerable margin. Mike and the Satie crew (which included his son Mark) were well known to push the boat hard in races, particularly downwind enjoying the planing ability of the boat. However Mike also recalls a time when they pushed a little hard and experience a wild knock down that send the entire crew into the water between P3 and Spoil Ground. Fortunately all crew held on and scrambled back on board and continued racing.

Satie was purchased by Hobsens Bay Yacht Club as a training vessel, including use by all-female team for women-in-sailing events.