Hi Everyone , I cant believe its almost October and people are starting to talk about Christmas already so its time to start planning next year especially with the way the club is increasing its numbers so we will have to look at more sailing ideas to keep the increasing number of juniors occupied in 2020 . If you have any thoughts just let us know and the committee can discuss them and go from there . The club has endorsed Casey Evans as the new club Secretary replacing Simone who has cited work committments for stepping down and Charlie Bratten isbooked in with AS to complete a PRO ( principal race officer ) course , its great to see these young club sailors putting their hands up in support of their club
 8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
Sunday morning started with the usual blue skies and some of our keen young sailors were arriving from 8.15 just to get their boat rigged early especially the Bic,s which are starting to become popular again with Cailem , Aithan and Jade really getting into them especially Jade whos general sailing is looking good we just have to work on the gybes ? right Jade . The conditions were perfect with winds around 4/6 knots from the N/W so yes a bit flukey at times but everyone was soon out there cruising around the buoys . Lucas and Jayden just continue to improve each week with their tacking becoming smoother with a good effort at facing the front speaking of wich Aidan still has a bit of trouble if not reminded and goes back to backwards tacking but we always seem to see it and remind him to face the front ! Jade took young willow out in the Bic and they actually sailed well together which is no mean feat in a Bic two up even if Willow did fall out at one stage but we knew by the smiling face that she was fine even if a bit cold .
10.30 am Training:
With the wind increasing to around a solid 6/7 knots from the N/E we set up a windward leeward course as part of race training which everyone seemed to negotiate reasonably easy so the previous weeks windward leeward training must have worked . We soon had everyone sailing down to the green channel mark and back with very little trouble although at times tacking at the green was a bit messy right Jackson . Aeriel was going well especially after we re set her hiking strap which was originally hurting herthigh muscles every time she tried to hike out which really affected her upwind  but on Sunday she was off and running . Addy had to pull out early complaining of a upset stomach but everyone else continued on in the perfect conditions .
Youth Racing : 
Yes it was also race day for the Youth and with only four lasers  ( Eddy , Nixon , Ariel and Jackson ) we set a narrow start line down at the canal and put the top mark near the club so a good upwind and fast down wind . Everyone was at the start line when Aidan dropped the flag and there was soon yelling of up up especially fro Eddy who pushed to hard and luffed up allowing the rest to get away , Nixon had to do a penalty turn which allowed Eddy back into third with Jackson and Ariel up in front . Eddy started to pull away from Nixon but half way up the track she got a heavy bullet and capsized resulting in Ariel first, Jackson second , Nixon third and Eddy fourth so all in all a good race . We did afterwards go for a reach down to the x mark where the winds were blowing around 15 knots which made for a fast ride in both directions for everyone just for fun !
1.30 pm Adult Racing:
With the wind really settling in tothe N/E at around 12/16 knots we set a course with the A mark at the top of Soverign and a Bmark at the top of Ephriam giving everyone a good work upwind and a wild ride downwind as the winds increased . Crash John lived up to his reputation whith he and Steve having a coming together at the start but from what Charlie told me the rest got away clean for the slog up to A .
Kate told me that she was really impressed with her sail as she was using a radial which by the book was a bit to powerful for her weight but she just compensated by dropping the main in the gusty bits . Greg was sailing well as was John with a few lead changes on the course but there was always that blond sailor 9 cASEY ) lurking in the background until she finally overtook them to take over the lead well until a very dodgy gybe put her in the drink allowing John to cross the line first with Casey second , Kate third then Steve . Where was Greg well his outhaul broke so that was his day done .

Upcoming:
October long weekend the club will be closed on Sunday so no Juniors or Racing
Holiday sailing camps : only one left thursday 3rd and Friday 4th of October booking esential

CU on the water
J Murphy

Hi everyone , Firstly thanks to everyone who let me know they were thinking of me during my recent illness itt always helps with recovery when you have support from as far away as South Africa with old sailing friends enquiring about my health so thanks again everyone for your great support . Last Sundasy was my first full day back and yes it was great to be on deck again even if I was a bit tired by the end of the day but by the same token I felt great being there doing what I love .
8.30 am Sunday Juniors : 
Sunday morning started with the usual blue skies and with everyone on deck to help we soon had everything up and running for what looked like a great day for sailing .We even had a new helper in Blake who just graduated to training at 10.30 helping with the new sailors and did very well for his first instructing day . With a mix of tera,s and Bics rigged and ready and a good group of 16 sailors including a couple of first timers all we needed was wind and you guessed it that was what was missing with only a light and shifty w/s/w wind that really tested everyone . We had a reaching course out there but with the shifty conditions it occassionally changed to close reach and broad reach which most people like Lincoln ,  caiden and Aithan ( bic ) soon mastered and were just cruising around the buoys doing both tacks and gybes which doesnt sound to hard but with the light shifty conditions it was a good show of their sailing skills . Unfortunately it didnt take long for people to become bored even with a shift in the original course toward the south for people asking the question ? ( can we go in ) so after 50 minutes we finally relented and sent them all back in and there wasnt a complaint among them .

10.30 AM TRAINING;
Luckily by the time everyone had their boats rigged the wind had shifted a little bit more S/e and increased to around 6 knots so we sent everyone out to innitially go around the buoys with tacking and gybing with the windward buoy in the middle of the no sail zone so Charlie and I in separate boats were soon coaching everyone when to tack on the upwind and you guessed it let sail out on the bearaway well that was except for Addy who with her recent away sailing experiences just nailed it and was soon bored ! I sent addy of to the second green mark in the channel as the winds were slowly turning more east while we kept working with the rest of the group . It was especially nice to see Eddy out there on her boat after her long illness and she was looking very happy even if she didnt look at the sail enough! Nick and Ariel improved as the session went on and seemed to really enjoy the coaching and even Jack and Dean ( Torin crew ) and Blake slowly managed to get their sailing skills going and everyone then joined Addy sailing down to the second green and back so all min all a great session . Addy  and I practiced a new technique called blind sailing although Charlie said she was occassionally peeking ? so if you want to know what the technique is just ask Addy

1.30 PM Open Racing;
With the winds turning east / north east we set a course in the main channel starting at the x mark and set two buoys just above Ephriam Island for a triangle . The winds were around 6/.7 knots with the beginnings of an outgoing tide so it was perfect conditions for a start which everyone successfully completed . Charlie borrowed my full rig sail and had a great start but was so busy telling everyone that they all caught him and next minute he was 6th . As the race progressed the winds increased  and turned more N/E and with the increasing tide it soon became a battle to get around the course . Chris in the MG slowly pulled away ( two sails ) but the interest was behind him with the slightest mistake changing who was in the lead Charlie did fight back to second but apparently the full rig caught him out twice and he had a swim , Matt was also up there for a while and Tom was fighting back slowly coming through the fleet but each lap things changed including conditions with the winds building making the upwind tough work . Simone pulled out just buggered and Ben broke his boom saddle which he found out when he tacked and his main sheet caught around his next and went round in a circle then capsized ( been there done that ) but the rest battled on with the first boat over the line finishing in 1hr 48 minutes ( I think they want Charlie back setting courses his werent that long ? ) . So Greg first yes Casey second and Charlie fought back for third then clipped the finish boat and capsized again ! great day of Racing !

Upcoming ;
October long weekend the club will be closed Sunday so no Juniors or Training
Holiday sailing camps are on with two camps being run with numbers already growing , all dates are on our website and booking is essential to secure a spot.

CU on the water

J Murphy

Hi Everyone , Iam not fully back but at least I managed to help with our 8.30 am class and the 10.30 am training guys last Sunday . If all goes well at the doctors of Friday I should be back in full swing the coming Sunday so fingers crossed for a good result.

8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
With everyone helping to get the club open we were ready early for this group . No sooner had we set everything they the sailors started to arrive and the boats were soon being rigged and taken down to the beach ready to launch. Andrew put me back in charge so I had to quickly check the wind and tides so that I could ask the right questions . Just like last week I couldnt believe how  they have all improved in their sailing knowledge with everyone who has been coming on a regular basis had i moved ahead in both their knowledge and skills .
Questions were being asked and answered well so in no time it was time to hit the water even little Milan turned up after a few months off and was soon on a boat sailing . The winds were a bit shifty out of the west so Charlie set a nice reach right in front of the club and everyone was soon cruising around the course . Young Jack and Dean again took new sailors out for a sail and even let them have a steer even if its always a bit dodgy which was occassionally confirmed by the look of fear on Jack and Deans faces when things got a bit out of control , they both survived and their were no swims. Another good performance was from Blake who really sailed well picking the shifts and managing to get around the buoys each time , I had him a bit worried as I said I wanted to see him after the session but it was only so I could tell him he goes to 10.30 am training next week the smile was precious!
 10.30 am Training:
Although a few were away we still had a reasonable group on the water and we soon had them sailing around the buoys on a reach tacking and gybing . The winds were coming up a bit with some bullets around 12/14 knots making the early reaches somewhat exciting . It was soon obvious that it was all to easy for this group so we set them off two the second green navigation mark so they had a broad reach down and a work back . The downwinds were a bit wild at times especially for those who let their sail out too far right Abby and Jackson? making the boat want to high side and throw them out . The upwinds were were also a challenge in the gusty and by now shifty conditions make for a few tacks on their way to the top mark bot Nick and Jackson struggled  in the lasers but they did make it then set for another broadreach back down . Young Jack was also giving it a go in the bic and for quite a while was managing to keep it up right but again like the others he let the sail out too far on the downwind and went in the drink twice by which time he was shivering so we pulled him off and Torin sailed his boat in yes Torin fitted in the Bic but only just. Finally returning to shore also gave them all a workout in the westerly with everyone at first trying to sail straight in but with a few tips from the training boat they sailed up toward the bridge then tacked for sure '

Upcoming ;
October long weekend we will be closed .
September holiday camp dates will be posted next week on our website ( ppscgc.com )

CU on the water
J Murphy

Hi everyone , finally the newsletter is back up and running your intrepid story teller thought he had caught a cold then Influenza then pneumonia and after that it was all down hill from there but after some great support from paramedics , hospital staff and members of the club I was able to get back last weekend and help mout with Juniors so I can at least write about that 
8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
With brilliant blue skies and conditions a lot warmer than when I was last there it was a perfect morning and to show it once all the boats were finally rigged and ready we found we had 18 budding sailors signed on for the session . I sat back and listened at Andrews briefing and was at times surprised at the answers given which yes were right which to me shows a willingness to learn . Even though we had blue skies there wasnt much wind through the whole session with just a light breeze at of the North/e . It didnt seem to wory people like Aithan and Jade in the bics as they cruised around the breaching course that Charlie set and even Blake was on his best behaviour as he was being tested for 10.30 class as he had already shown Andrew and I his knots on shore , so did he pass yes he did so he now moves up to the more interesting sailing aat 10.30 so good luck mate . There was quite a few new faces there as well mixed in with the now old hands with everyone pitching in to help out the new sailors .
10.30 am Junior Training :
I couldnt stay for long for this class as I was on doctors orders but I did watch their practice race start out the front of the club with 8 boats jockeying for the best spot on the line but Addy creamed them all with a brilliant start and just took off whit Abby soon to follow . Its pretty obvious that Addys recent away sailing adventures have really helped improve her sailing skills . 

i am back next weekend again and I will be staying until lunch time so I will be able to put more information in the next news letter then finally a week later back to a full rundown of the previous weeks activities .

MEMBERSHIP : most memberships have been renewed but if you arent sure ask at the office on Sunday

C U on the water 
J Murphy