Hi Everyone , As you all may have guessed there was not only no Sunday program last weekend but even our Saturday sessions were cancelled due to both rain and high winds . On Sunday morning the wind speeds at 7.00am were reaching 17 knots at the club and around 20/24 at the seaway and by lunch time the rain was coming through in heavy squalls and the winds were reaching on land 20/25 knots and on the water we estimated gusts in excess of 30 knots and by mid afternoon the seaway was recording 40 knots plus so it was definitely a wild few days on the water.
  
I have to admit both of our senior instructors and me  were thinking of going out mid morning just for some speed reaches but then we got the first of the heavy wind bursts and decided we didn't want to break gear or for that matter people so the plan was scrapped so we took Casey's dog Russell for a walk instead not as exciting as speed reaches but just as wet when it started bucketing down . Lets hope that this wild weather is over so that we can get some good sailing in before Christmas.
  
Broadwater Speed Limits :
Ron and I attended a Gold Coast Waterways Authority meeting on Monday night and one of the main topics was speed limits but sadly like many previous meetings in regards to this issue there is still no firm decisions on reductions and if certain factions get their way there will basically be 40 knots over the whole Broadwater which is in my opinion and I am sure the opinion of all of our senior racing sailors who have already had close encounters on the water absolutely crazy so its definitely one topic Paradise Point Sailing Club needs to keep monitoring . 

2018 Pan Pacific Masters Games 
This Event will mean that there will be no Junior Sailing or club racing on Sunday 4th and 11th of November due to these Sundays being the final race days and presentation of medals . This is a fantastic sailing event and is run via age groups whit sailors in their seventies still competing so if your kids are in need of a sailing fix bring them done after lunch and they can watch the final race and presentations and maybe cheer on some of our club sailors who will be up for medals . The canteen will be open and I believe there will be a sausage sizzle.  For entries and more event details, click here.
  
​Summer Holiday sailing camps;
Please check the front page for the summer holidays junior sailing camp dates we have quite a few on so if the kids are keen book them in for one of the summer camps maybe they would like to invite some of their friends along and show them their sailing skills 

CU on the water
John Murphy 

Hi Everyone Summer must be finally coming because we are now starting to experience the afternoon thunderstorms which always go with the warmer temperatures but luckily for us Gold Coasters we generally miss the worst of the storms with the worst of them either going south or north around us so we end up with a lot of rumbling and a bit of a light show . With these conditions generally the days are fine like yesterday which allowed Trisha to practice for the upcoming Pan Pacific Masters Games  in perfect 10/15 knot winds and blue skies .
8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With for most of or juniors starting back at school on Monday we didnt expect many starters but as usual we were wrong with 12 junior sailors signing on for the session and gearing up and heading out to rig their boats . Unfortunately as the sailors rigged up the wind speeds started to top out at around 15 knots which is above our 8.30 class safe wind levels so we quickly rigged two lasers and Declan and Casey took everyone out in turns so at least they had a sail . It was pretty quick out there as one of the twins on Declans boat fell out then Declan capsized with the other twin so once Charlie deposited the deserter back on board off they went again . As usual Caseys crew just cruised and I believe even Athenia actually woke up while she was out there and realiused she was cold and had to come in . Charlie ( not bratton ) was a bit disappointed at first as she wanted to sail her friend in the Bic but she still had fun helping Casey sail the laser while her friend just enjoyed the ride . Opps I nearly forgot Charlie,s brother Taine sailed too or was it yelled for most of the session well either way he had fun .
10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
Well firstly big news for Eddy she finally had her brand new turbo kit fitted to her boat but she wasnt allowed to play with the strings just just sail the boat and while Eddy was getting her new rigging everyone else was rigging up in their Tera,s and Open Bic . We all sat down to discuss conditions which had actually backed off from the earlier class to around a solid 12 knots so there was a bit of nervousness from some of our newer sailors but still everyone launched and went out to tackle the reaching course with the emphasis on both boat speed and tacking . Alex and Lucas struggled at first but after giving Alex the tip off main on before you tack he was off and we finally got Lucas to face the front well that was after his first solo tack attempt didnt end well .
Tain and Tom who seem to enjoy sailing together also had a good session with really good team tacking just remember boys crew goes first ! Well now we have the girls so how did Eddy go with her new rigging ? well judging by the smiles I would say excellent OK there was an early capsize due to that pesky main sheet on transom problem but then she was off and flying so well done Eddy . Last but not least Addy in the Bic well what can we say she just flew around the course and even did a few gybes but I think they were to impress her dad who was finally allowed out after his broken arm incident and dad was suitably impressed as well.
1.30 pm Open Racing ;
With people coming to me for advice on sail choice which as time went on I changed to bigger sails as the conditions slowed I set off and layed a course starting at the Canal and heading up wind into the s/e wind to A mark situated at Runners then a third mark half way up Soverign . With a good fleet at the start line and yes still no Sarah Cooper but thats another storey Addy and I managed to start everyone in Rescue four . The start was stolen by Matt who just swooped in on port right on the hooter while everyone else started on Starboard and managed to stall each other out . Tom took off with Matt right with him while the rest of the fleet argued over places in the first couple of laps in our channel then as everyone rounded A and headed up towards Soverign and a perfect reach opportunity you guessed it Casey just took off and just flew past Matt and was on the hunt for Tom . Charlie had a good day as did Simone but Ben said he struggled with sail set and just couldnt get her going ( know the feeling ) Kaleb pulled out as he was just to slow in the 4.7 as the winds dropped as did Trisha but at least the were out there . Who crossed the line first Tom or Casey ( radial ) Tom but he was definitely looking over his shoulder with Casey finishing only 1 minute behind . I mustnt forget Olie our lone Bic sailor on the day yes he did have a good start but without competition it was a lonely sail but he completed the course even if the main wasnt really on on the upwinds but hey he had fun so well done Ollie .
Upcoming;
The next major Event is The Pan Pacific Masters Games November 2nd to 11th and with the competitor numbers slowly increasing its look like we will get some good sailing in both the dinghy and multihull sections but we are not really sure how we will go with the windsurfers as numbers are still low but we will keep pushing it all the way to the end .

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Well this weeks news letter is going to be a bit short thanks to the cancellation of both the 8.30 am class and the 10.30 class as well , why did this happen well to put it in laymans terms it blew a gale and bucketed down rain. The wind speeds alone where way above our individual session limits of 12 knots for 8.30 and 16 knots for 10.30 with winds at the seaway at 7.00 am around 24 knots and to top it of it was cold . 
  
I actually posted on Facebook and our website at around 6.30 am that everything was cancelled which seemed to work well except for one or two people who turned up anyway but soon agreed that it was way to windy and wet .
  
At least while I was at the club waiting for those sailors who didn't see the posts  I had the chance to watch some great sailing clips on Facebook especially some big boat sailing in wild conditions which relates to some wild high speeds oh yeah and the odd crash but hey that's sailing right! . What did your other instructors do instead ? well Casey said she was going to study ? and Charlie just went back to bed and me well you guessed it I went to Bunnings !!

Ok just a few reminders ;
On Saturday the 6th of October,  there is the Tastes of Paradise festival in Paradise Point and we have teamed up with Mano's Italian Restaurant to decorate the restaurant in a nautical theme so come over and check the night out its usually great fun !
    
​Pan Pacific Masters Games: During the games the club will not be conducting juniors or Club Racing on Sunday the 4th of November or Sunday the 11th of November but everyone is invited down both to check out the sailing and also to check out the afternoon presentation of medals to the successful sailors.  Don't forget if you're available to lend a hand, let us know.  We need canteen coverage and the usual rescue boat and launch area coordination.  Click here for more details on these events.  #PPMG18
  
Try Sailing Day Hospital Fundraiser:  9th of December 
This is a yearly event at our club where the main focus is to show people our sport of sailing and how much fun we have with it but its also an opportunity for our community club to raise much needed funds for our local Gold Coast University Hospital who use the money we raise each year to help purchase much needed equipment for the Hospital. After my recent visits to the Hospital and the excellent care I received I am even more passionate in my support of this Club Event so Invite all your friends and family along and donate your $2.00 to this worthy cause.  Sailing is a sport that can be participated in at all ages.  At our club we support kids from as young as 6 year old to adult including many masters sailors.  Come down and give it a try.
  
Club Christmas Party:  16th of December
We are looking at the Paradise Point Bowls Club again for this gathering as everyone has so much fun with the barefoot bowls especially the Adults who were the hardest to get off the greens when it was time to sit down for dinner at the last gathering for the Midwinter Cup.  Not only was the food great but the company was a lot of fun.

Club Pontoon:  If you watch Facebook you would have seen our pontoon has a large crack in it caused by grounding at low tide which I only noticed last Sunday while checking the weather, but thanks to Brett Meadows Marine it is still serviceable thanks to some rushed temporary repairs we just need to keep our fingers crossed that we don't get anymore storms until we can effect permanent repairs so fingers crossed 

Ok CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , I thought summer was fast approaching with the temperatures slowly on the rise but this week Monday and Tuesday was feeling like July again with all the junior sailors at this weeks camp wearing wetsuits including the Instructors . It was so cold that I went back to wearing my winter offshore sailing jacket although it didn't stop both the juniors and the instructors jumping in the water and sailing with our new young sailors . Just to clarify the jumping in the water statement Eddie , Addy , Brendan and Declan jumped in the water not Charlie and me although we did get wet anyway as the conditions deteriorated by each afternoon with high winds and very choppy water .


8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With the sun shining and perfect conditions for our beginner fleet consisting of 12 budding sailors including a few newbies the boats were quickly rigged and everyone moved into the class area for the pre sail briefing . I was impressed by all our previous weeks sailors and their being able to point out the wind direction and where the no sail zone is . The conditions were excellent with a wind of around 3/5 knots which was definitely a lot slower than last week where everyone had both towing and capsize practice where this week it was all about trimming the sail to get the best results  Daniel and his crew were just cruising in the taz and Ciarna and Zoe showed good skill with both of them having a go at steering around the course with some very good tacks and sail trimming to catch the best amount of wind . There was a bit of towing as well as the outgoing tide increased and everyone started drifting south but then the wind picked up and everyone sailed back up to the capsize area and yes you guessed it they all started capsizing which rounded out a great morning session .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With this class rebuilding again as others move on to racing it is attracting a very keen group of level three sailors who are up for the challenge of this new learning curve in their sailing experience . Guys like Tain and Tom who only recently moved up plus Alex absolutely enjoyed the conditions with the winds at a consistent 4/6 knots meaning they could hike out more and gain more speed through the tacks . The wind speed did improve as well during the session  making it important for everyone to hike out and keep the boat level right Eddie ? which gave everyone more speed resulting in better tacks and gybes . There was the odd mainsheet tangle and letting go of rudders resulting in the odd coming together but overall I think everyone was pretty happy with their efforts on the day .

1.30 pm Open Racing;
With what was looking like one of our bigger fleets ( 18 boats ) for Sunday racing and winds basically easterly it was a perfect day to run both channels starting down at runners and firstly doing a couple of laps of the soverign channel then rounding the day out with two laps of our channel finishing at the club . Everyone was keen to get going and with the OK dinghy sailed by Michael sitting right on the start line with less than thirty to go definitely made for a good start well except for Steve who got pushed out and had to come back and start again . With the ok slowly pulling away the race between the radials became a bit of an epic struggle with everyone seeming to have a go at leading the bunch . Everyone was giving their all with some really good speed shown but the battle allowed Michael to jump away in the lead and even though Ben (radial), Matt ( full rig ) and Casey and Michelle ( radial) tried to bridge the gap Michael sailed over the finish line with room to spare followed by Ben, Matt, Casey and Michelle . Everyone actually sailed well with even our relatively new sailors like Lance showing a big improvement well maybe stop letting go of the steering in the gybes right Lance !

Bunnings Fundraiser ;
I would just like to thank everyone who donated their time last saturday with our fundraiser and even though the overall customer numbers were down not only with us but Bunnings also on the day we still managed toraise money for more safety equipment for the club . A special thanks to Charlie B who went the whole day with me starting at 6.30 am and finishing at 5.00 pm truly a big day !

Pan Pacific Master Games only 5 weeks away and yes we would love some volunteers especially during the week so let us know if you are available .  Click here for event details.

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone,

We have a big weekend coming up this weekend with our annual Bunnings Sausage sizzle Fundraiser at our local Arundel store which if its anything like last year will be a big day for our fundraising efforts . Where does the money raised go ? well it goes to new PFD's and we are also looking at some extra helmets  due to the increase in our Junior sailor numbers . We have created a roster for the day but if you cant spare some time why not drop down and catch up and buy a sausage maybe even a drink .

As you all probably realise there was not much sailing last Sunday due to the winds reaching over 35 knots by lunch time which forced the cancellation of both the 10.30 class and Open Racing but we did at least make a start on 8.30 class .

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
Sunday started with light winds from the west so we thought we would at least be able to run this class successfully  especially since we had some of our keenest new sailors turning up at 8.15 am and signing on and straight outside looking for boats to rig which was a bit of an issue as Charlie , Casey and I had been taking our time setting so a bit of rushing around was in order . By the time the boats were rigged and the briefing done the winds had started to turn southerly at around 8/10 knots which was probably the strongest winds most of this current group had ever sailed in but we thought we should at least give them a try at the conditions . How did this go well lets just say that both safety boats were kept busy helping with capsized boats and people drifting into Public Nuisance and under the bridge right Daniel ! During all this activity you guessed it the winds really turned southerly and increased to around 15/17 knots so everything was put on the shore well except for Charlie who took a couple of keen sailors out for a blast in the laser radial I was actually keen to have a go but Charlie beat me too it and the best part was to see the smiles on the crews faces after Charlie had taken them for a fast ride across the Broadwater .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
Well as you can guess by this time the winds had increased to twenty knots and with quite a few concerned faces from the group this session was cancelled as not only was it way past this groups wind limits but it was quite choppy as well so there was smiles all around but you know I think if I had said yes we go in close to the club they probably would have given it a try but there is always next week !

1.30 Open Racing;
With the winds by 11.30 reaching 33 knots at the seaway and after some discussion around should they go and chance breaking gear everyone decided that again there is always next week . We let everyone know but I think most people already knew the outcome by just looking at the weather updates . By 12.30 it was definitely over 30 knots and very choppy which made even getting the inflatables on their trailers difficult plus then we had to winch up Public Nuisance on her bridle as the winds were really buffeting her . Speaking of Public Nuisance and her aversion to low tides in the Broadwater we are looking at Saturday lunch time sailing in October as the tides are very favourable for sailing her . The plan is to if the winds are suitable sail her out the seaway into deep water where she can stretch her legs so  yes we will be looking for experienced crew to come along so if anyone is keen let me know as we can comfortably take six crew , should be a great experience and fun !

Upcoming ;
November is Pan Pacific Masters Games and we are looking for some volunteers both weekends and week days to help man the safety boats so if you have the time just let us know at the sailing office no boat license is needed but is definitely an advantage and the duties are mainly fleet control so just making sure everyone has safety support on the water . The event is on from Friday the 2nd of November until Sunday the 11th of November not including Monday the 5th which is a rest day ( 9.00 AM UNTIL 4.00 PM )

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Yes I know the newsletter is a day late but I totally forgot yesterday as I had the painters in from 7am repairing and painting my kitchen walls and by the time they finished I then had to lock up and leave to shop and such . Please be reminded that the club access will be restricted on Sunday due to a sporting event that will restrict access from the south but by looking at the course map you should be able to gain access from the north side of the club . We will have a volunteers list for our Bunnings fundraiser on Saturday the 22nd of Sept so if you can spare an hour or two and support this yearly important event just let us know on Sunday or even during the week.

Sunday Juniors 8.30 am ;
Well I think we can officially say winter is over as the mornings are definitely getting warmer now all we have to do is get the water temperature up a bit more and we will definitely be heading for summer . With perfect conditions with the winds from the n/w / n / n/e yep that's right it was shifty we still managed to set a good course which ended up basically west so up and down in front of the club it was perfect for everyone to practice not only tacks but also gybes . Daniel and his brother sailed the Taz and I must say once the wind came in they sailed it well ( no jib ) as did Taine who seemed very comfortable hanging over the side of his Tera and still sailing around the course . Jamie and Jack with some coaching also managed to make this sailing thing look easy just cruising around the track as did Zara who is improving especially with her steering . Ciarna now always turns up with a smile is improving each week and I cant wait for her to try a bit more wind to let her feel the difference a bit more speed makes !

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
This class is each week attracting more of our original 8.30 class sailors so its really starting to build and is looking very positive for summer especially if we can throw in some practice racing and because of this possibility, it was decided that we should ( well I decided ) that we should practice triangles . After some discussion in the class room around how to attack the course I sent everyone off to give this course a try and I have to say that everyone actually managed to make it around even the new x 8.30 class sailors before the coach boats managed to get out there and support everyone . Ok for most it was a bit sloppy at first with some flapping sails (right Charlie & Mason) over pointing (Eddy and Alex) but with the two instructing boats out there we really did sharpen up everyone's sailing by the end of the session with everyone really looking comfortable towards the end . Oh and yes Addy was out there as well and she was doing it so easy I made her go in the opposite direction which I thought might slow her down but after one coaching lap away she went . Well done everyone and thanks to mother nature for the great sailing conditions.

1.30 pm Open Racing;
Conditions were perfect for afternoon racing with S/E winds yes it had swung right around from the morning and the outgoing tide starting to slow so we set a course starting down at the canal with a top mark near Runners and then a third mark two thirds the way up Sovereign . The winds were around 8 knots with the occasional extra puff so it made for excellent racing conditions . Casey took off again to lead the pack and slowly built a good lead against all the radials ( yes she sailed radial as well ) which was never headed must have been the radial training on Saturday right Case ? Matt went well in the full rig and Torin in the only 4.7 held his own against all the bigger sails . The legs from the A mark to C mark were the best with everyone able to gain maximum boat speed and it really looked like fun from the safety boat . Teegan and Ollie sailed Opti and Bic respectfully with Ollie starting slow that was until a sloppy tack caused a capsize which seemed to wake him up and slowly he started moving forward in his boat and caught Teegan and came home in front again he even went back for his hat so well done Ollie . Just to keep everyone up to date Casey finished first Matt second and a great race for Michelle coming in third . A special thanks to Peter for the use of his boat as a starting platform while Sarah Cooper is out of action ( steering ).

Don't forget everyone that if you can spare some time on Saturday the 22nd of Sept for our Bunnings Fundraiser Barbeque just let us know at the club . The barby hours are from 7.30 am until 4.00 pm and its always a lot of fun !

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi everyone , Wow we have already reached September and with heaps of sailing already completed at the club with school groups / school holiday sailing camps / Regatta s / Sunday Juniors and both club events and club championship racing it has certainly been a busy year for our sailing club . Next on the list is our 3rd term school holiday camps which we have been receiving bookings for since early august then we have our annual try sailing day plus summer school holiday camps including Sunday juniors and racing and finally our club Xmas party which I believe the committee will make a decision on at our next meeting on Saturday week . I should also put in a get well for Addy's Dad Glen who fell from the work truck and broke several bones in his wrist arm and elbow so he will be out of action for at least 3 months , Glen has been helping on Sundays especially with racing so get well soon mate.

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With perfect blue skies and light s/e winds plus being fathers day Casey safely made it into a parking spot with her brand new license I was a bit worried that she wouldn't make it because her smile was so wide her eyes looked closed ! We didn't really expect many starters being fathers day but we still managed to have 8 sailors on the day with a couple of newbies thrown in so while Torin and Addy sailed with the new sailors Casey and Charlie and I manned the safety boats . Captian circles ( Athenia ) jumped on with Addy and they took a new girl for her first sail while Torin took a couple of the boys out on the laser and with conditions perfect with winds around 4/6 knots it was perfect again for steering practice with Dan and Ethan have a good sail and we even had Athenia steering with Addys help in nearly straight lines between the buoys , all in all a great session .

10.30 Sunday Juniors ;
With no chips break because Charlie wasn't allowed any because they were taking dad and granddad out for lunch ( should have seen the devastated look on his face ) and with a healthy number of training sailors rigged and ready we had a sit down and discussed the days course and training exercise . As the winds had started to increase to around 8/12 knots still from the S/E I decided that we would all work on boat speed as conditions were perfect , Ben was determined to sail the laser which dad and I thought might be a bit much on the day but determination one out and he proved both of us wrong by really listening and flying around the course ok he did capsize but all he did was laugh and climbed back on board and off he went again . The girls ( Addy , Teegan and Abby just cruised around the course and didn't even look like capsizing well except near the end when Abby went for a swim near the bridge oh well someone had to fall in , I can only see a bright future for the female sailors with the skills and keen attitude .
1.30 Open Racing ;
Well I could just say Casey just took off from the start and one by nearly a lap but it would make a very short news section . So with conditions now up around 15/18 knots and very choppy conditions I set a course in our channel with triangles and windward leeward and started out in front of the club . There was a bit of confusion at the start probably because Sarah Cooper wasn't out there due to mechanical problems so we used Peters boat which seemed to throw a few people off allowing Casey to get a good jump at the start . Michelle made an optimistic choice going radial which proved to much by the last lap where she just had no strength left so pulled out and try as hard as they could Steve , Kate , Roger and Torin just couldn't catch Casey with even Torin pulling out near the end after throwing up ! We had both Addy and Teegan on the start boat which was great as they watched Casey tack / gybe and generally not make a mistake , she even had a cheer squad on the shore with all her rello's having a picnic on the shore near Allisee .

Upcoming ;
School Holiday sailing camps Sep/Oct
2018 Pan Pacific Masters GamesPan Pacific Masters Games  2/11 Nov 
Bunnings fundraising barby 22nd Sept ( volunteers needed !!!
Try Sailing day 9th of December 
Xmas holiday sailing camps 

CU on the water
​John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Well this weeks news about sailing is going to be a bit short due to some very welcome rain over the weekend but unfortunately very little wind to go with it . To be honest we werent even sure if anyone would even turn up at the club but as usual whenever we think that it usually turns out that we were wrong!
BIG NEWS our own Casey Evans passed her driving test on her first go so congrats Case like everything you do you always try your hardest !

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
As I just mentioned despite the light rain and virtually no wind six budding new sailors signed on for this session and were all keen to get going so with a bit of rushing from Casey , Charlie and I we pulled some boats out from the cage which we usually would already have out and thankfully managed to rig the boats in no rain . The wind was very light and variable for the first 40 minutes but then it settled in from the S/E at around 2/4 knots making it absolutely perfect for steering practice after some earlier mucking around and falling out of boats . Once the wind settled in Daniel got going well as di Ethan and Tj but I have to say the most improved was Levi  who with his little brothers help really improved over the session and when his crew jumped out because he was to cold he then had a go on his own so well done Levi .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With the rain returning at the end of the early class we were sure that no one would turn up but we forgot about Addy who even without her support crew ( Dad broke his arm during the week ) rigged her boat and was keen to get out there . The wind had settled from the S/E at only 2 knots so after some convincing Charlie and Casey took Addy out for a training session working on closehauled and roll tacking and gybing which it was perfect weather for . Luckily for me I got to stay on shore as I had a bit of an eye infection so I just squinted from the shore . It was a good session for Addy as both Charlie and Casey gave her advice on improving her tacks and gybes with Charlie being the most vocal considering his years of experience in the Open Bic when he was a lot smaller !

1.30 pm Open Racing ;
Well by the time people started to turn up for the afternoon race the conditions actually got worse with more rain and virtually no wind , Steve did try to convince everyone that it was going to get up to 20 knots but had little success in convincing everyone so it was decide to cancel racing for the day , what happened to Steve,s 20 knots well it arrived on Monday ? I have to admit it was nice to pack up early for a change especially as my squinting was starting to hurt my eyes .

Upcoming Events ;

Pan Pacific masters Games 2/11 november booking can be done online through the Pan Pacific Masters Games Website 
Combination Try Sailing and Hospital Fundraiser 9th of December . This year in conjunction with the Gold Coast University Hospital we are looking at expanding this Event by inviting other coast hospitals to attend and hopefully to also expand the on water activities 
Club Christmas Party ; 16th of December 

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Lets see if I can remember everything that happened over the last week mainly because I have a bit of a headache due to six stitches in my forehead from sun cancer removal . I thought that it would just be a freeze job but the doctor said to be safe he should cut it out wow it was certainly a new experience which I dont want to repeat so even more covering up from now on .Anyway lets see how I go .
​
The club AGM was held last saturday wher the present committee was re elected ( Simone Doherty Secretary , Andrew Roake Treasurer , John Murphy President ) we also elected Ron Beswick and Robert to the committee to help with club administration so welcome aboard guys .

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With our usual blue skies and cool mornings everyone was just a bit late turning up but everyone soon got into rigging even the three brothers who only started last week ( Ethan , Tj and Daniel ) were keen to rig up two Tera,s two give it a try . The winds again were from the W/N/W at around 4/8 knots and yes the gusts were a bit sharp at times so everyone had to keep their concentration going to avoid a capsize . Josh captained one of the brothers ( ethan ) and really showed him the ropes with some good sailing including some good control in the gusts as did Lucas I think we might have to look at moving these guys up to 10.30 class soon . Mary cruised around and even gave her sister lucy a ride for a couple of laps by the way Lucy is only 4years old but because big sister sails she is keen to give it a try . Then we have the giggle twins Athenia and I think its spelled Cianna ? and once we finally got them off the beach with Cianna steering they actually sailed well with Cianna steering and Athenia giggling their way around the course oh and yes they did lots of swimming in the cold water ? and of course giggling so well done girls its just great to see you enjoying yourselves .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors :
With all the keen 10.30 class boys and girls rigged and ready we kept the same course as the 8.30 group but just extended it across the front of the club . The wind conditions were increasing in strength so their was a bit of trepidation from some of our sailors who are still a bit nervous when conditions get windy from their bad experience a couple of months ago at another venue but as I said to them all the difference at P.P.S.C. is that we are very good at support and rescue of our sailors which seemed to give them confidence to hit the water . Mar and Eddy decided to sail the laser together just because of the gusty bits and did well showing good team work around the buoys , Addy was keen to practice gybes and all she had to do was avoid Ben and Mason in the Taz who were occassionally out of control or capsized in between sailing pretty straight lines . Abby who is now over the broken arm really showed everyone how it is done even when I had her tacking on my whistle as even tha didnt fase her style . Towards the end of the session the gusts became very nasty with one really strong one catching Mary and Eddy out with a hooked mainsheet sending them in the water really quick ,Mary came up with the same look I had the previous week which said holy hell this water is cold !
1.30 pm Open Racing;
With the westerly winds increasing and a predicted storm for the afternoon I set a course in our channel just to be safe with some triangles and windward leeward legs . We only had a small fleet and nearly everyone went 4.7 even charlie or as he is now known as ( Captian squishy pants Addys name for him ) why because of all the capsizing he has been doing lately. We finally got everyone under way after two recalls yes two which we didnt think would happen as their were only 6 boats at the start line we didnt even have the recall flags out but finally we got everyone under way . Yes Charlie capsized at the start line but got up and off he went but he wasnt the only one to capsize as everyone else including the 420 went for at least one swim well except for Greg who just smoked the course . The best racing was amongst the 4.7s with Kate Casey and Roger having turns at the lead with Charlie holding up the rear due to another capsize . The race between the three sailors went all the way to the line and with 30 metres to go iut was Roger , Kate and then Casey but mother nature intervened and gave Casey a burst sending her over the line with one metre of her boat just in front of Roger and Kate coming in third , how close was it ? well there was only 4 seconds between second and fourth absolutely great racing .

Upcoming ;
Pan Pacific Masters Games 2/11 November , This is always a fun and friendly event all we need now is good weather 
Try Sailing Hospital Fundraiser 9th of December ( yes volunteers will be needed )
Club Christmas Party 16th of December ( booking essential )
Bunnings fundraising Barbeque date to be fixed 

Hi Everyone , I often say to all the sailors at the club this time of year that they should wear a wetsuit as the water is cold but around half the time people don't take much notice and suffer the consequences probably because they think what would john know ! Well I can officially say that last Sunday it was definitely cold because I fell in much to everyone's joy , all the mums and dads plus everyone on the water must have been looking at me just at that moment so all I could hear was laughter yep that's right no sympathy just laughter!

8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
Everyone for this class must have been like me and not wanted to get out of bed making us a bit late to get under way , the winds were getting up there a bit but everyone was still keen to give it a go so we set a reach across the N/W wind which being westerly ranged from 4/10 knots with some really strong bullets . Jack and Dean came in early after being hit by a few really sharp bullets nearly capsizing then at one stage then on the flip side Alex just cruised around as did Josh that extra weight always makes a difference . We even had Mary's little sister on the safety boat with her best mate Athenia , she wouldnt get on our boat with Charlie and I then we realised we didn't have Athenia  so we called Casey over with Athenia and she jumped straight on board and who knows she might even join her sister Mary out sailing soon .

10.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
As the morning moved on the winds did increase so we decided where possible to get everyone to two up sail as the conditions were just getting a bit difficult for everyone with the bullets beginning to increase in sharpness and strength . We increased the course length just to give everyone more maneuvering room which paid dividends with some of the worst gusts right at the rounding buoys making it just tha bit tougher rounding the marks . I did at one stage see Eddy cop a really nasty bullet probably around 16/17 knots right on the turning mark but true to form she held it and kept going until she had rudder trouble and had to come in . The worst of it for the Laser that Eddy was sailing was that she had to cope with no turbo vang as both our units had been stolen the previous Saturday so we just couldn't tighten the rig enough to suit the conditions . Amongst the Teras Lucas and Mason went well managing to keep control in some of the worst gusts but even they looked a bit shattered by the end so well done everyone in tough conditions .
 
1.30 pm Open Racing ;
With the early conditions giving everyone a heads up as to what to expect out on the course especially as the wind speeds increased everyone downsized to either radials or 4.7 well except for Charlie but that's another story.

We set a course starting down at Runners with a top mark up at the canal so everyone had three laps of that section before heading up the Sovereign channel then a run back to the start finish line . With the gust around 25 knots there were dramas from the start with the start boat just after the 4 minute flag dragging its anchor and within seconds we were a good 60 metres away from the line so with a quick reset we gave it another go with everyone lining up perfectly against the raging current for a clean start . Just to be different I made everyone observe the nav marks which actually worked out well as the wind began to swing more west bringing with it some really fast reaching and the occasional capsize . It was actually great watching everyone absolutely flying along with some good tussles especially between Greg and Tom and Casey and Kate oh and Steve before he had a swim. The award for the best performance has to go though to young Caleb who because of the vang theft I mentioned earlier absolutely struggled to keep the boat up resulting in nine capsizes and then a broken mast then he gave in and we towed him home , well done mate !

In regards to our stolen turbo kits I would like to thank Performance Sailcraft Australia for the really great deal on two new units so at least our up and coming junior laser sailors can continue working on their skills in Lasers even in windy conditions , Thanks Jason and Chris.
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Upcoming;
Pan Pacific Masters Games 2nd to 11th November ;
Just a reminder that the early bird discount offer for this event closes early 2 September , this is always a great event so why not give the boat a polish and join in the fun.

Bunnings barbeque fundraiser TBA 

CU on the water
John Murphy