8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
After last weeks sudden influx of first time sailors we were back to our normal average group of Junior Sailors ( 15 ) and with Casey starting to settle into her new role as class teacher at the white board it certainly gives me time to run around fixing rigging , tying knots and finding parts so that we can get all the boats on the water .
With Andrew away sick it was up to Casey to set a course across the channel and with the winds favoring the n/w we originally set the course close as we thought the wind would pick up but you guessed it it didn't and yes the outgoing tide increased and nearly everyone started drifting south . The winds were very shifty so it was hard sailing for this group with everyone at times managing to sail back up but then the wind would change and they would drift south so out came the tow ropes for some towing practice . Edwina on the laser with a couple of first timers actually nailed the conditions and tacked her way back up to the club Charlie and I were very impressed ! I also heard a rumour that there is a new system of picking up the buoys but to learn it you will have to ask Addy and Casey ?
10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
As expected this session only had a few starters mainly due to Com Games and School Holidays but the crew who did go out faced really tough conditions with heaps of tide and again very shifty winds from the N/W. It was interesting to see how everyone coped with these conditions but to everyone's credit the remembered our previous discussions over the last couple of weeks so there was a lot of tacking with everyone having to sail away from the club all the way to the bridge before tacking to lay the marker near our beach . Ok there was a lot of early coaching but the girls especially started to get it right while we sat back and watched . Addy hadn't forgotten her gybing lessons with Charlie at the sailing camp and neither had Eddy with some really precise gybes especially at the club house buoy . Caleb struggled at times but once we had him pull his sail on harder he started to stay on course , it sure beats running aground .
1.30 pm Open Racing;
With the wind settling in from the N/E and the tide actually running out harder than what I thought I set a course in our channel including windward leeward and triangles . With the start line down near runners and winds around 10 knots it was a hotly contested start with everyone right up on the line and of course pat coming across on port and tacking at the last minute it was definitely close . Steve shot out in front early ( must have been my comments about a bigger paddle ) with Peter right on his tail and Tom third . The guys stayed this way all the way to the end with Peter chasing Steve while constantly covering Tom so who finished first just ? Peter then Steve and Tom , apparently Steve made a blunder down the other end which allowed Pete to just get him at the end and no Steve wasn't happy . It was nice to have Pat back after working most Sundays and he was going well and in front of Casey until the fateful tack where you guessed it he missed the hiking strap and all we saw was a pair of arms and legs going over the side and yes we did laugh because it was very funny ! Casey tried her new 4.7 which she has just brought for Youth week so she was a bit slow at first but once she eased everything away she went coming over the line first in Youth right behind roger . It was also nice to see Trish back out racing as she has been back and forth to Sydney on family matters , yes she did have a swim but got back up and continued on .
Upcoming ;
John Murphy Invitational Midwinter Cup , Thanks to our current and new sponsors and supporters this Event is looking at being the biggest in the Events history with bookings already being taken so don't forget to get your name in fast if you are using a club boat as they will be taking up fast . Check the website for details or Australian Sailing !
Pan Pacific Masters Games ;
Now that the Commonwealth Games are over the event organisers and Paradise Point Sailing Club can continue on setting up this event starting on the 2nd of November and completing on Sunday the 11th.
Volunteering ;
If you would like to help out at either of these events just let us know at the sailing club as all help is greatly appreciated .
CU on the water
John Murphy