​Hi Everyone , Firstly I hope everyone remembered to spare a moment yesterday to reflect on our armed services and the sacrifices they made to preserve this wonderful country we are privileged to live in ( LEST WE FORGET ) 

8.30 AM Sunday Juniors ; With the forecast predicting 10/15 knots we thought that the strong winds from Saturday had passed through but you guessed it by 8.00 am conditions were starting to reach the stage where a decision had to be made as to whether we let the kids sail . With winds gusting up around 20 knots and with around 20 keen sailors signing on we decided to rig lasers and myself , Charlie and Casey would take everyone for a sail . We gave everyone at least two goes with us so that they could get the feeling of speed and control that we experience . I didn't see anyone say no to a second go as the reach we set up was at times really awesome fun for everyone with lots of spray and speed , most of my crews were just laughing at the speed and spray , Charlie and I had no capsizes but Casey had one of those days with a capsize and then a broken mast but she did have 4 juniors on board at the time , there was a lot of laughing as they got the boat up and everyone climbed on board for another go . All in all it was a lot of fun even if it was a bit tiring for the Instructors .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
After finishing with the early group and drying out we sat with our keen group of 10.30 sailors and discussed the conditions ( 12/17 knots choppy ) and how we would set the rigs and what everyone should expect . We sent Addy and Eddie out on a laser yeas a laser in 17 knots! with Casey as ballast plus Abby on her own in a Tera and Ollie in his Bic and rounding out the group we put Torin on with mason as Mason wasnt strong enough to sail the conditions alone . Ollie decided to capsize on lap one but then got back on and took off around the course . Abbey continued her recent form and just flew around the course which included some really precise tacking . Both Addy and Eddie steered the laser while Casey sat up the front and both the girls really handled the conditions well in the laser and we could tell they were having fun because of all the squealing and laughing  True to the days form Casey also broke well actually bent the second  laser by bending its mast to resemble a banana .

1.30 pm Open Racing ;
With conditions now consistent at around 16/20 knots and very choppy water I set a course roughly from our canal down to runners comprising of triangles and windward leewards as the skies were looking a bit threatening and I didnt want everyone to far away from safety . With Tom's daughter, Tara borrowing my boat again we ended up with nine starters as Trisha and Torin decided it was just a bit to strong for them so they volunteered for the start boat .. It was a hotly contested start with Tara showing her skills being right in the thick of it amongst the adults . Peter fell and Tom battled it out for the whole race with several lead swaps especially on the upwind as peter had lost his clew strap in the first lap so Tom could out point him ..After her good start Tara fell back and Roger and Steve got her while Charlie after a bad start started making ground and Casey also after a average start just basically took of from second last to battling Steve for third overall . This battle went on throughout the whole race with Casey finally breaking away in the last leg to come home third behind Pete and Tom . Roger struggled with the conditions being so light but Tara came back in the second half once she let her rig breathe a bit gaining back lost speed . There was a large white flash at the finish line and it was Caseys smile as she truly sailed the fastest I have ever seen her sail great work Case !

Upcoming;
John Murphy Invitational midwinter cup : Entries are starting to flow in so it looks like being a great Junior regatta so don't forget to book a spot in either green fleet or open .We will have all our Bics ready for the competition as all the new replacement parts are now on their way .
Pan Pacific Masters Games :Again bookings are already being taken and the early bird price runs all the way to September so don't miss out !

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone With a perfect Sunday behind us even if it was a bit hot and a average week of weather this week with high winds and intermittent rain its pretty typical for this time of year weather wise but at least we can get some good sailing in.

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

High everyone , With Easter over and school just around the corner again its time to get back in the saddle and catch up with the news. With the club closed for the Easter break which was just as well considering the very average weather, we kicked off last week with a holiday camp with 8 junior sailors booked in and conditions forcing us to go behind Sovereign. We still managed to get some really good sailing in which included the usual capsizes, falling out of boats, general swimming and one episode of a mast falling out of a boat on capsize. This weeks camp started on Monday with a larger group and light winds and sunny skies allowing everyone to, with the help of our instructors and junior trainers, to basically get up to steering level then Tuesday with the winds back to 18 knots it was back to Sovereign where after a few early jitters everyone handled the conditions well, sure there were a lot of capsizes but there were also a lot of smiles none more than Addy who had Charlie for two days training her in both bic and tera . A special thanks to Abbey Ben Edwina and Aidan who acted as trainers while learning themselves and our Instructors Brendan and Charlie, absolutely great work everyone !

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
This session started very slow with only two sailors turning up originally then wham with one group of nine then another 6 flowing in making it a busy morning. Once we had everyone rigged and capsize was done for our new sailors we sent them out in a light S/E wind and with Andrew setting a long reach and \Casey manning the yellow boat everyone was off and running. Jack and Dean split up from the Taz and Jack had his first solo sail in a tera and according to Andrew absolutely nailed it . Charlie worked in the shallows showing some of our new sailors how to tack before finally setting them off around the course he should have also worked on the steering as well as there were a few collisions with other boats but as the winds were light it wasn't a problem just the odd capsize , at least the water is still warm .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ; 
With the winds increasing to around 6/7 knots and settling into the E/S/ E it was time for another go at upwind sailing but before I sent the crew out I sat everyone down and told them how I would sail a close hauled course and if i couldn't what my options were to get to the top mark ( tacking ? ) so after asking lots of questions to get everyone on the same page off we went. So how did everyone go ? well by the end of the session everyone for the first time was actually getting around the top mark OK yes we did follow everyone at first with Andrew coaching a few and Casey Charlie Brendan and me working on the rest . The best performance was from Aidan Ben and Mason who after many weeks of frustration made it around the top mark at least four times and by the fourth upwind we all basically stood back and watched . There was however one report of a blue whale trying to beach itself but it turned out to be Brendan jumping in to help Addy put her rudder back on ! why did her rudder fall off ? because Brendan while driving the powerboat got too close and capsized her with his wake so we told him he had to jump in and put it back on ( yes we were joking ) Charlie laughed so much he had tears in his eyes .

1.30 pm Open Race ;
With the winds still out of the s/e at around 8/10 knots I set a windward leeward and triangle course starting down at the canal and going all the way to Runners . I set the line just favoring a starboard start so a port start was possible which Casey took as a preferred option while everyone else crowded around the pin buoy . It was a great start for everyone even though Charlie came back as he thought he was over but he soon rejoined the race and off just behind the fleet . Tom and Greg had one of the best battles around the course I have seen in a long time so much so that after an hour and a half of racing less than five seconds separated them with Greg sliding over first and then Roger then Steve then Simone and Lance . First over the line in youth was Charlie in his new radial set with Casey in 4.7 less than two minutes behind and then Brendan who continues to improve with each race he just has to get his fat but over the side ( mums words not mine ) I just said but !

Upcoming
John Murphy Invitational Midwinter Cup 30th june / 1st July Bookings have already been taken ! its open up this year to include Laser Radial and Green fleet in Sabot , Opti , Open Bic and Laser 4.7

Pan Pacific Masters Games November 2018 and yes we have already started recieving bookings for this event too !
CU on the water
John Murphy