Hi everyone , Well its finally here the Yepoon Youth Regatta with our club being represented by Jade and Daniel in the 29er skiff as is Ross beedle and Gemma and Tristan in the open bic skiff and with blue skies and winds predicted to be between 10-15 knots its definitely sounding like a great week of sailing . Tristan was in the green fleet but its looking like he will be bumped up to open so at least he gets to sail with Gemma , Tristan was there last year but broke a bone in his hand the day before the start last year so lets hope he has no breakages pre racing this year . In am very keen to see how Gemma goes as her and I have been working together recently in preparation for yepoon and last weekend Tristan asked me for some training when he gets back from yepoon as well . I have to put this in and that is its Jades birthday thursday yep she is turning 14 still doesnt talk much but she sure sails well so have a happy birthday tomorrow Jado!.
Our one and only holiday sailing camp has had the dates changed to the 26th-27th tuesday / wednesday as the instructors only return on the monday so if you were thinking of signing up for the camp just remember its tuesday - wednesday these holidays 
8.30 am Sunday Juniors 
We had our usual group of early sailors sign on and boats rigged early then we showed them the rigg changes they had to make as the conditions were probably the windiest that they have experienced in their sailing so far with winds coming from the S/E at around 8 knots with an occasional gust of 12 knots . Charlie set a close course at first as everyone was a bit nervous not having experienced that much wind before and the speed associated with the wind . After some innitial trepidation and pep talks from me back on the shore we slowly got everyone going so charlie and I started to stretch the course out towards ephriam giving everyone more time to trim sails mainly to stop everyone from stalling out in tacks by not having enough sail on and loosing boat speed in the tacks causing the odd boat to drift backwards toward the pontoon but charlie and taylah were soon there telling that famous saying of mine yep rudder in the middle  and pull the sail on ! works every time . We didnt put Kirra in the bic again like the previous week because of the higher wind speeds so she was back in the Tera with the boys and you guessed in no gybes !
10.30 am Youth Training . 
Firstly I have to wish Zach and quick recovery as he is in hospital with a neck complaint and we will hopefully see him back soon so it was only The wetsuit twins Ollie Jack and Tj out there rigging boats to suit the winds which were then up around 10/ 14 knots e/s/e with an occasional gust up around 16 knots . We had a good talk about conditions and as most of the team are only new to the training group we banned gybes as it was just a bit too windy at the marks  and if we tried gybes charlie and Taylah would have had a busy time with multiple capsizes . Ollie actually took a friend out and did well despite the strong winds especially with the extra weight and he even tacked facing forward which means my little discussion with him the week before must have sunk in as he really struggled in the previous weeks course so well done mate . The wetsuit twins ( Leila and Halle ) both sailed well with good boat speed and great tacking actually at one stage Halle was plaining when she caught a big gust which looked awesome especially the look of shock as she surfed down the wave face . There were two capsizes one was Ollie and his crew yep accidentally gybed and Halle who had the distinction of actually breaking her carbon mast but to be honest it was ten years old and paper thin at the goose neck but dont worry Halle the new one is on its way!
1.30 pm Open Racing 
The next race for the open group is this sunday the 17th 

Upcoming
Yepoon 
Club junior holiday sailing camp 26/27 sept
Club marathon19/11
Club Xmas Party 17/12/23
​First Xmas holiday camp 18/19 dec 2023
CU on the  water

J Murphy

 Hi Everyone , Looks like summer weather is on the way as we are already getting the afternoon and evening storms with some great lightning shows but at least its all waiting until we have all gone home . Luckily in conjunction with this change in weather we are actually getting some wind especially in the mornings for the juniors so hopefully no more drifting south in the outgoing current , its was even trapping a few of our senior instructors especially when they were taking new sailors out for a run..
Just so all our sunday morning junior sailors know on both sunday the 17th and sunday the 24th things will be a bit slow as all the instructors will be away for those weekends so it will only be me a bit like the early days , luckily numbers at present are low enough that I can run especially the 8.30 class . Where are they going yes Yepoon is finally here so Tristan , Gemma , Taylor , Charlie Daniel and Jade will be in sunny north queensland and no I didnt forget Harvey and Reece they are not back from their overseas trip until october.so I should be one very tired instructor after those two weeks especially as we have a camp on the 25/26 sept.
8.30 am sunday juniors
With blue skies and the promise of decent winds we really didnt think we would get many sailors especially as it was also fathers day but we did get a couple of sailors  so while numbers were low we convinced Kirra to give a open bic a go and yes there was a bit of trepidation at first but with daniel helping her through the process she was soon out on the water . The reaching course was short at first  but once Kirra and the boys got the idea Charlie started lenghtening the course until they were sailing right over to the ephriam island side and going well . so what was Kirra,s verdict yep she was rapt! especially having no traveller to get caught on the back when tacking so I think she will be back in the bic again next time so we might have another sailor for 10.30 training soon.
10.30 am youth training 
This session is really going well as even with Gemma , Reece and Harvey missing we still had TJ Halle Leila Jack and Ollie out there as was Tristan but he was handicapped as he took dad for a sail for fathers day on a laser and yes it was very funny with 110 kilo sitting on the bow while 28 kilo tried to steer it . To keep working on everyone,s tacks and Gybes we set a triangle course agai and then had a discussion about which mark was a tack , which was a gybe and which one was a bear away nad after a loy of thinking and the occassional guess which we dont mind as it means they are at least trying we soon got it right.and headed out in around 6 knots from the east . So who did the best well it was actually leila and Halle followed by TJ and Jack while ollie brought up the rear . Ollie and I had a talk afterwards about his bad habit of facing backwards while tacking /gybing and sailing downwind so he has promised me that next week he is going to start facing the front , fingers crossed. Just in case anyone is wondering where was Gemma well it was fathers day so off with family anyway she now also trains on saturdays so she was fine .
​1.30 pm open racing
We had a good fleet and really good N/E winds around 6/9 knots and with my new crew for the day ( casey,s dog Russell ) we soon had a nice north course set up with the start down at runners and just enough outgoing tide . Even though he doesnt talk as much as Charlie Russell was vicious on the start line watching everyone come up to make sure they were on side . I am not sure how he would have called them back for being early but I think he bluffed them enough that they all behaved themselves even Greg was on side . Everyone took of well even though there was a bit of pushing at the start and soon settled it for the work to the top mark which was half way up of soverign island so a really good work . By the time they returned to the start finish line for a last work to windward Casey was just in front of greg ( 5 seconds ) but as luck would go just after rounding casey got a beautiful lift and whiit height advantage she just pulled away finishing 1 minute in front with Roger a close third then Lance John Brown and Mark Brown but mark said he let dad win as it was fathers day ? I would have to say the most improved sailor on the day was lance as he is really coming to grips with his sailing he was even pushing people at the start line so well done Lance .

Up coming 
Yepoon starting the 18/9
School Holiday Camp 25/26 sept
Club Xmas Party Sunday 17th of December

CU on the water
​J Murphy