Hi Everyone , One of our young sailors seems to have developed a taste for competition after competing at Youth Week and doing really well especially being the only girl in her division and the only green fleet sailor sailing in the Open division she is now off this weekend to Humpy bong sailing club to compete there as well so I am sure I am speaking for everyone in wishing Addy all the best for the coming weekend she was even practicing her gybes at training last weekend .
8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
Yes it was definitely cold last Sunday morning but the sun was shining and the forecast was for good winds throughout the day so we guessed that we would probably have around 12 sailors for the morning and as usual we were way out with 18 sailors turning up for both classes . The early group started with light winds mainly from the west so it was pretty easy to sail out and start reaching around the course even elizabeth who has been away for a while was straight back into it show good tacks and gybes . Addy captained a tera with two of our first time sailors and even had them steering by the end of the session well it was only blowing 3/5 knots but both her girls absolutely loved the challenge as did the boys on the laser with Torin who like most boys did nothing but argue wh was the best steerer . Aithan and Jade just cruised as did Carl being the most experienced sailors out there even if they did have a bit of trouble getting those pesky battens to pop in the light conditions right aithan ? but thats Bics for you . We said good bye to Carl as well as his family is returning to Sweden but he tells me that they are looking at returning in 12 months so hopefully we will see him again then and he can catch up on all that lost sailing time .
10.30 am Training :
After a few weeks break after the midwinter cup everyone looked keen on Sunday to get back out there 
with 8 boats waiting on the beach and nearly everyone at the briefing ( Abby ) where we discussed tell tales and would you believe I think they are starting to get the idea how they work so all we have to do now is transfer that to the on water section which is still a bit dusty at times . We sent everyone off down to the second green channel marker then a course between the green and yellow buoy with boat speed and tell tales the combination for the day . So how did they go well Abby just cruised and with a little prompting generated even more speed  with nice flowing telltales as did Alex in the Taz who had the Taz really hooked up and telltales flowing ( thanks to Charlie who stuck the telltales on before juniors ). Jackson had to borrow a club boat as dad was off fishing but even old bad decision was just cruising . Mason and Jade did struggle a bit but at least they were looking au at the sail and getting better boat speed . The best part of the session was when it was time to return and Charkie and I set a close hauled return from the canal back to the club and we were actually blown away by everyones efforts with everyone either making it straight back to the beach or very close so there were a lot of pats on the back for everyone back at the rigging area so all in all its looking good for the restart of youth racing on the 11/8/2019.
1.30 PM open racing :
With a dozen boats rigging on the beach it was a bit of a challenge in setting a good course with the winds around 4/6 knots from the N/N/W so Torin and I decided on a triangle course starting at runners for what was looking to be a tough upwind to A at the canal then a third mark back down on the west side near runners . Addy and I set a decent length start line but by the time the start came around it was looking like the wind just wasnt going to cooperate as it swirled all over the place and everyone just struggled through the line . Charlie had a rush of blood and decided to try and take casey up ( yes she was there hangover and all ) which ended with them both stalled out and everyone sailing away . Kate managed to just sneak in front on the way up with everyone behind her suffering some wild wind shifts like Greg who we saw going 90 degrees to everyone else at one stage just trying to find the wind . So can you guess what happened then yes the wind came up to around 12 knots and shifter N/E so the upwind became a really fast reach allowing Kate to just take off and never looked like being caught although Pete tried his hardest . So Kate was first with Pete second Steve third and Roger fourth , Casey managed to block Ben out after a mamouth battle on the last upwind with Greg just in front of them . We did have another boat out there which was Chris in his MG with superior boat speed came over the line first but he didnt sign on so hence Kate was first. 

Upcoming :
October long weekend 5/6/7 there will be no juniors that sunday as there was no club racing listed as well so the club will not be operating that weekend but members can access their boats if they want to sail.
Memberships and Boat storage are now due renewal forms available at the club office .

CU on the water
J Murphy

Hi everyone , Well its finally winter with the waters finally getting that winter chill feeling and the morning temperatures down around 3 degrees which just makes it that little bit harder when getting up at 5,30 in the morning , I have even started wearing my wetsuit bottoms mainly for the wind chill factor and even Charlie was complaining off the cold well he has been in Dubai and Italy for three weeks travelling around with his family so I suppose its understandable.

8.30 am Sunday Juniors:
This early session always amazes me with the turn out numbers especially this time of year with another great group turning up last Sunday which we didnt expect and with our group of instructors having to look for gear that was spread over the club from the Midwinter Cup it took us a while to rig all the boats as sometimes you just need an Adult look to find things . The conditions were perfect for our learner group with the winds out of the west roughly and a course set up and down the broadwater we set everyone off to do some reaching with tacks and gybes . Jack has really taken to the solo sailing thing and Dean o is getting very sharp with his crew especially in the tacks , Jade was just cruising as was cayden who also sailed solo and they both nailed the tacks and gybes plus general boat speed so well done guys . The winds did slowly turn s/s/w and at times had a few bullets in them which certainly got everyones attention but no capsizes although we did have one new 5 year old sailor who was out with Declan who had to come in as it was just a bit too much for her in the gusty bits but Iam sure she will be back for more as she likes sailing with Deco . Finally we even had a sailor returning apparently because his sister is out of action ( Eddy ) so now he can for now taking over the sailing duties for the family so well done Aidan!

10.30 am Training:
Well with no racing for the month of July for our Youth Sailors we thought we would at least get a reasonable crowd for training but we only had the usual suspects with Addy Abby Jade / Dean plus Jack out there for some training with Eddy still recuperating from her Illness she was just a spectator but she is looking better . We set a windward leeward which has always been a challenge for our group but it doesnt seem to be that way anymore well except for the first couple of laps were some coaching was needed but then people like Abby and Addy just took off around the course . The winds had swung s/e at around 6 knots so the top mark was down near the green channel mark so it was all about angles on the upwind which did challenge both Jack and Jade but as soon as they started following Abby and Addy the soon got the hang of it . Jade returned to shore at one stage as she was a bit confused but after Andrew had a talk and Deano jumped on away they went and managed to pick up the pace around the course . So when is Youth racing back its August with racing twice a month on the second and fourth Sundays .


1.30 pm Open Racing :
With quite a few people away it was only Russel , Greg , Steve ,Casey , Addy and a late starter Roger who we there for racing and after a discussion regarding the light conditions and small numbers everyone decide to do some practice starts instead so we set a very short line down at the canal with an upwind buoy about a 100 metre’s up wind and away we went .The guys really enjoyed it but both the girls soon started complaining about being tired from Youth week so they pulled out but not before Casey made us all laugh when she caught everyone on port at the start and got such a shock that instead of yelling starboard she just screamed at them all but they still got out of her way . The conditions started to lighten out after a while so we ended up only having about 6 practice starts well seven if you include the general recall yes I couldnt believe it but they were all over I suppose it shows how keen they are or maybe they just do it for me to keep me on my toes . Lets hope next weekends winds are more favourable .


Upcoming :
MEMBERSHIP AND BOAT STORAGE FEES ARE NOW DUE AND PAYMENTS MUST INCLUDE YOUR RENEWAL FORM AND STORAGE APPLICATION FORM WHICH CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE SAILING OFF OR ON REQUEST
OCTOBER LONG WEEKEND FIRST WEEKEND IN OCTOBER HOLIDAY MONDAY
TRY SAILING FUNDRAISER & XMAS PARTY DECEMBER
CLOSED FOR XMAS BREAK FROM THE 23RD DECEMBER

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Wow what a couple of weeks its been with rain more rain strong winds no wind good winds and then finally some sunshine , Not only was the changeable weather hard on our annual midwinter cup but also for our sailors who signed up for Youth week and Royal Queensland last weekend but despite all this both events were a great success . I would like to mention one of our sailors who’s goal this year was the Midwinter Cup she trained hard and sailed well only to be struck down a week before the event and had to sit there and watch everyone have an awesome weekend so from myself and everyone at P.P.S.C.we wish you a speedy recovery Eddy. Finally we had two sailors at Youth week Casey and Addy and to find out how they went you will just have to ask them on Sunday and yes we are very proud of their efforts .

8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
Well with the Gold Coast marathon on and rain absolutely bucketing down early it was always going to be a bit quiet on the day but luckily the rain cleared a light wind came up and we had a reasonable size group sign on for the learner session. As it was only Declan and I on duty the small numbers suited and with a 4/6 knot s/e breeze it was perfect for a reach out the front . We had a couple of first timers again so Dec,o rigged up the club laser and set off with his crew of three , the conditions were just right for him to let everyone have a turn at steering and mainsheet . Unfortunately as the session went on it started to cloud over which definitely made it much colder but everyone stayed out but definitely didn’t want to capsize although Jack and Dean were seen swimming afterwards ? They have both taken to sailing alone and Jack is going ahead leaps and bounds while Deano needed a bit of prompting from dad before he joined the group and really did well listening to his Instructor and tacking around the marks with boat speed and even facing forward so well don e guys.

10.30 am Training:
Well all I can say is we must have worn everyone out at the midwinter cup or the overcast weather kept everyone away as we had no takers for this session and Declan got so bored he fell asleep in a chair while the rest of us just chatted and checked on line to see how Casey and Addy were doing so that was Training for the day.

1.30 pm Open Racing;
With Peter Board on deck as the usual suspects were either away on holidays or racing elsewhere and me as crew we set a course in the Soverign Channel as the winds were perfect for a windward leeward course with a breeze of around 12/15 knots S/E with the occassional extra puff everyone lined up well for a clean start with Greg and Pete leading the way and Ben right behind them . Pete , Ben and Greg broke away out front with as usual Greg and Pete having a good tussle and Ben a dogged third well that was until a sneeky gust on the top mark bearaway and leaning forward to release everything caused a high side crash and a slow recovery allowing Kate in a 4.7 to take over third which she didnt relinquish .

Roger picked the wrong sail ( radial ) for the conditions and really struggled towards the end especially in the bullets and was looking decidely worn out as he went through the finish . The final placings were Greg who’s new boat is really showing some speed then Peter fell and Kate brought up third and there is even a whisper that she might join the club as she is hungry for points which are always available after racing thanks to Rons work behind the scenes doing daily results so that everyone knows where the are for the year .

Upcoming :
Our last two major events at P.P.S.C. are our annual Try sailing Fundraising day and of course our Xmas party and we are also trying to organise a club maintenance day and also safety boat crewing day as well which will both take place on a Saturday .

First Aid : A first aid course will also be conducted soon through surf Lifesaving Queensland so if you are interested in either an upgrade or learning how to do first aid just let us know and we can add you to the course .

Opps almost forgot a special thanks to Declans mum for opening the canteen last Sunday as originally it was not opening as Casey was competing in Brisbane and helping Dec and I pack up at the end of the day.

GET WELL SOON EDDY !

CU on the water
John Murphy

Well hi everyone I hope all our Sunday sailors survived no sailing last weekend and are ready to hopefully get back into it this weekend . Just a reminder also that the Gold Coast marathon is on this Sunday so the roundabout in front of the club will be closed until between 8/8.30 am before they will allow traffic through , you can park and walk accross for 8.30 class but everything should be ok for 10.30 class .

John Murphy Midwinter Cup :
This years Regatta had the biggest fleet in years with 34 entries with sabots and optis showing up in good numbers and our largest fleet of lasers but a little down in the Open Bic but all in all a good fleet . Mother nature certainly gave us some challenges with good winds at first then high winds and finally rounding out with light winds and that was only saturday then sunday was absolutely still until 10.30 ( 9am original race start ) when we finally detected some wind so it was a mad rush to get everyone out there for the last two races . The green fleet ended up with a paddling race as the conditions were just too difficult but the open fleet showed real skill sailing in what was originally very light winds . We couldnt single out any class as the best in the conditions as everyone showed not only skill but a heap of determination it the challenging conditions .

So how did our sailors go well in the green fleet our sailors had wins in both laser ( 1st and 3rd ) and Open Bic 1st and in the open fleet we had a second in lasers ( guess who? ) and a hard fought 3rd in open bic all in all a great result for the club . If you have been following facebook you can check out all the winners and some great sailing photos . We have to thank the Queensland Sabot Association for sending down a great fleet and RQ , Lake catharabah and SYC for also supporting this annual regatta and we look forward to next years event with everyone promising to return again.

Click here to visit the results.

Click here for photos.

Starting on the 5th of July is Youth week at RQ and we have two entries with Casey returning for her second time ( 3rd last year ) and Addy has signed up for green fleet open bic but her coach has told her not to go out if the weather is to rough which it is looking like for the first few days otherwise she will be out there soaking up the atmosphere so good luck girls and happy sailing.

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi everyone , with our annual Midwinter Youth Cup only days away it has been a bit of a rush getting everything ready for the two day event but with everyone pulling together everything is starting to fall into shape now all we need is for mother nature to slow up on the rain and winds . With 30 boats already registered we are looking for winds from 5 to fifteen knots so not only the open fleet sailors can have a good regatta but also our green fleet sailors can enjoy it also , so heres fingers crossed that its will be an awesome weekend .

8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
With good winds from the s/e around 6 knots it was a perfect start for our dedicated group of beginners . We set a nice reach in front of the club and told everyone to stick to tacking as occassionally there was the
odd 10 knot gust and considering the water temperature and no hot showers at the club due to the boiler breaking down we didnt want people capsizing . It all started out well with everyone just cruising around the course , Jade and Aithan were in the bics and sailing well especially Aithan who is finally gaining confidence with hiking out but Jade made a blunder while tacking by somehow getting her mainsheet caught on her neck which resulted you guessed it in a very cold capsize but with true determination and a warm up on shore she was soon back out there but nearly capsized again with the mainsheet caught again but managed to save it . Archie and co also went in and for two boys who are always asking when they can capsize the were soon back on shore warming up .

10.30 am Training:
With conditions getting more gusty we set the crew off on a longer reaching course again without gybes just to hopefully keep everyone from capsizing which was a pity as everyone wanted to practice for this weekends regatta . With most of the lasers out of action it was up to Abby to show the flag and she really did especially in the stronger gusts ( 14/15 knots ) where all you could hear was her laughing as her boat started humming and planing yep she was really going . Mason had some early troubles under the bridge but started to show some for once we towed him back out but the show off was Carl who finally after listening instead of talking at briefing just smoked it by hiking out keeping the boat flat and even threw in a gybe foe me just to prove he could . Not only were his tacks good but his general sailing in the difficult conditions really showed some form even his dad was smiling . Hopefully with everyone on deck next weekend we should have our biggest crew every in the Midwinter Cup so good luck everyone and dont forget to enjoy it .

1.30 pm Open Racing:
With only a small fleet of lasers to contest this club points race everyone looked pretty focused before the start and with the winds settling in from the s/e at around 10/14 knots the all lined up perfectly for the start and it was looking so good I didnt even have the recall flags out . As the time counted down there was the usual jockeying but again everyone was well behaved and virtually cracked the line as a group and off they went for a few triangles and windward leewards . Peter and Greg soon settled into a battle with Ben holding third and Kate and Casey starting their battle in 4.7s . Things were going well out front with the boys battling away until the second lap where both Greg and Pete missed the bottom mark B and after some yelling and horn blowing from the start boat the turned back and rounded the buoy but this allowed Kate Casey Ben and Simone to get away . The real battle was with Casey and Kate as the really stretched the 4.7s until Casey finally broke free and just took off . Ben held his position but Simone fell back into the clutches of Greg and Pete who both pulled out all the stops to catch up . I might be just a bit biased ( her coach ) but Caseys sailing was spot on just no mistakes and yes that smile was definitely there back at the beach .

UP coming ;
2019 John Murphy Midwinter Cup 29th - 30th of June casual volunteers needed
Reminder that Sunday the 7th of July is the gold Coast marathon so the roundabout at the club will not be open until around 8.00 am.
Holiday sailing camps ; we have two sets of camp dates 1st - 2nd and 8th - 9th of July

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , Well to start with this newsletter wont be the longest one I have ever written due to the fact that last Sundays weather was the worst for light winds we have had all year and I have just got my fingers crossed that it doesnt hang around for the midwinter cup in less than two weeks and speaking of which the entries are now starting to roll in with a good cross section of boats with Sabots, Optis, BICs and both Laser classes so yes lets have some wind!

8.30 am Sunday Juniors
Sunday started with the usual bright blue skies and surprisingly warm water but yes the slight breeze was a bit cool . We had our usual first time sailors who went with Torin and Declan on lasers with everyone else in Teras and bics . The briefing was done by Edwina and she did a great job talking about the course and conditions so yes here comes another assistant Instructor in the making . Charlie set a kind of a reach in the basically westerly winds well I say winds but probably should say zephyrs . It was a credit to everyone to at least give it a try and as usual Jade seemed to relish in the conditions as did Jack ( minus Dean ) yep jack is sailing solo and is really enjoying himself as is dean sailing with different crew . Being so light both Torin and Deco were able to get the first timers to even have a go at steering well lets face it not much can happen with an average wind speed of half a knot . Finally did anybody capsize at the end ? well the answer is yes of course they did , I think it was the most enjoyable part of the session.

10.30 am Sunday Training
By the time we started to look at this session you guessed it the shies had gone grey and the rain started falling and the slight winds we had for the early class just disappeared so with the Midwinter cup only two weeks away I decided to see how long I could hold everyones attention with the theory of how to start a race . I know I had set myself a challenge as for thr younger generation the are more interested in speed but knowledge equalls speed anyway. I was actually surprised with the level of attention as I did go fairly in depth with crowded start lines , best start line positions , wind angles and tactics and I believe despite a few people getting and going for a walk everyone actually did take this theory on board and yes the proof will be hopefully seen on the water .

1.30 pm Open Racing
Conditions hadn’t changed much over the morning but everyone was keen to have a sail well except for Casey and Charlie so with my trusty crew we set off in Sarah Cooper to check what was on offer and you guessed it not much was out there so with my experience I managed to set a triangle course just below the canal with an upwind towards the club . It was decided also that we would change it from a championship race to non championship which we would transfer to next Sunday . So that meant that people like Case could go up in sail size from 4.7 to radial . With a basically light westerly breeze we set everyone off in what was basically a two knot breeze so it was perfect for all the light weights . Kate broke away and just took off around the course and surprisingly at one stage the wind speed went up to around three knots but you guessed ity on the last lap heading for the finish it dropped out again so basically everyone just ghosted over the line well except for Simone who was right there but not exactly over the finish line and despite her pleas to the finisher ( Charlie ) she wasnt ticked as finished until he was certain she was over now thats one tough finish line scribe . We decided that we would hold a second race if anyone was keen and a few were and just for the fun of it we put addy on Caseys boat and Casey had a go on Gregs new machine . With Addy weighing 20 kilos she was right up there with everyone else but as the rounded the top mark the lightning appeared in the north so racing was abandoned . All in all though it was fun just cruising .

Upcoming
2019 John Murphy Invitational Mid winter cup 29th and 30th June
Youth week at RQ 5TH TO 9TH July
Pleas note that Club Membership is up for renewal as from the 1st of July and can be renewed either on line our at the sailing office .

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , With our annual Midwinter Youth Regatta now only 2weeks away we are still looking for help from volunteers in making sure we have a successful event so if yo have an hour or two to spare over the weekend just let us know by visiting the canteen on Sunday and having a chat with Casey and she can put your name down for whatever day and times suit you , even if you can only help with pack up on the sunday it would be great.

8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
Well with a slight nip in the air early but blue skies and light winds on the water it looked just perfect for this session and with a dozen budding sailors signing on and heading outside to start rigging their boats it was looking good for a great morning of sailing . OK you guessed it mother nature decided to turn the winds down low ok really low and with an incoming tide yes the bridge did come into play with nearly everyone drifting under the bridge at some stage but with Charlie in one boat and me in the other whenever anyone looked like going under the bridge we either towed or pushed them back out to the sailing area . With the really light conditions ( 1knot s/e ) Itold everyone who sailed solo to sit on the boom side and in that way the light breeze didnt need to hold the boom so that they could catch the wind and hopefully sail and I dont know what happened but at least half the fleet listened and after a couple of innitial laps Jade was the first to really get going followed by Aithan . Slowly everyone got the idea and we soon had less towing and pushing and more light weather sailing well I say light but really the wind was virtually still but they all managed a great effort at both tacking and gybing around the course . It was great to see a couple more young sailors asking for a go on their own and being such light windss it was a perfect day for mistakes that didnt result in capsize . Oh yes quite a few did capsize in the end yep we agree they are crazy!

10.30 am Sunday Training :
By the time everyone got rigged and we sat down for a briefing we actually had a light but consistant breeze ( s/e ) so at least it wasnt going to be as tough as the early session . We sent Jade of with Charlie to work on her upwind sailing as we had seen in the previous couple of weeks that she was struggling but with Charlie following her around the course which of course included an upwind she looked to be improving as the session went on . Addy was just off in the bic so we enchouraged the other Bic sailors to try and follow and watch how she worked upwind which over a few laps slowly worked and even though they couldnt point as high they at least did a reasonable job of the course . We had another new sailor in Jack who although he never says much at 8.30 class definitely looked excited about stepping into a Bic for the first time and after a few early hickups ( channel Markers ) he was soon sailing around the course . Abbey Eddy and Jackson in the lasers all did well mainly on the upwind but the top mark bearaways were a bit slow yep you guessed it they were all letting the sail out to slow resulting in their boats running wide around the top mark and then not letting their sails out enough on the downwind but a constant barrage of let the sail out from the safety boat slowly worked I thought !

1.30 pm Youth Racing:
With the adults off and away with Glen and Charlie in charge , we sat down for a briefing for the Youth race as it was going to be a serious upwind downwind course in around 4/6 knot winds so I thought I should target the action needed for a successful upwind and also downwind focusing on speed . Unlike previous weeks nearly everyone was at the start line on time well except for Jackson who started outside the line and had to come back and start inside the start area . Addy in the Bic just nailed the upwinds with good speed great hiking out and smooth bearaways . Abby and Eddy had a close race for about half the course then Abby started to pull away and Jackson with a good burst of upwind speed overtook Eddy who was just over pointing consequently slowing her boat . Jackson then caught Abby but after a bit of a tussle between then Abby again pulled away with both good upwind and downwind speed . In amongst the battle between the lasers Addy ( Open Bic ) just kept powering along with no mistakes and no capsizes which is looking good for the Mid Winter Cup in a couple of weeks .

1.30 pm Open Race :
After a good start and yes you are right no recalls which Iam now totally convinced they only do when Iam the starter just to make me work harder everyone headed of to A mark down at Runners in around 5/6 knots breeze.

In the Lasers Greg and Peter kept each other honest for at least half the race but with Greg in his first race in his brand new boat he slowly edged ahead which Iam sure brought a big smile to his face bring his new boat home first followed by Peter Murry Kate and Casey with Roger a DNF . Yep Casey was last and when asked what happened apparently sailing a radial is a bit different than a 4.7 so guess what her coach is now going to get her to start practicing in well that is after both Midwinter Cup and Youth week at RQ . Charlie and I kept in radio contact as we were both concerned about the wind dropping but both race groups wer lucky that the wind stayed around the 6 knots for both races . So where was Tom well he is off on a two month Bike ride around australia so have a great ride Tom and see you when you get back .

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone , With our yearly Youth Cup only weeks away and the current forecast for that weekend looking good for some exciting sailing all the bits that make these events are slowly starting to come into focus with the first thing being as a reminder for our great bunch of 8.30 am sailors that there will be no sailing on Sunday the 30th of June but dont forget to come along and cheer your Sunday Instructors on and yes you will finally have the opportunity to see them all really sail . Also dont forget that we have sailing camps on the 1st and 2nd of July plus the 8th and 9th of July with bookings already being taken for both camps so it should be a great learning experience again.

8.30 am Sunday Juniors:
Well the cooler weather is finally taking its toll on our Sunday numbers with only seven keen sailors signing on for their dose of Sunday sailing . The conditions were perfect with a roughly early westerly wind at around 5 knots with an occassional 7/8 gust and with smooth water and Sunny skies everyone hit the water for some tacking and the odd gybe . Aithen and Jade were in the bics again and to be honest they both had a few moments with the gusty bits but with the help of both Addy ( Jade ) and Eddy ( Aithen ) they both managed to improve with Aithen working on facing the front and Jade coming to grips with the bullets . As Jack was off sick Dean sailed with Archie and once they sorted out who did what they were off and just cruising with smooth tacks good steering and consistant sail trim . Blake and Caelan were a bit shaky at first as Caelen was steering but they soon had the course down pat with some good tacks and gybes and yes they still wanted to capsize at the end ? ok they had wetsuits on but it was still cold .

10.30 am Sunday Training:
Again we only had a small group of sailors for this session mainly all the crew who are entering the midwinter cup as they wnat the practice . We started with the pre sail briefing working on upwind and downwind sail set , rig set and weight position . I have to admit a few are now at least having a go at answering the briefing questions Ok we have to discount Charlie as he doesnt count . Now all we have to do is transfer the briefing to the water before we get out there ! We set a reach to start and then we sent nearly everyone off to the upwind downwind course . Addy just took off on the upwind as did Abby and Eddy ( in her new boat ) with Jackson now in a 4.7 rig not far behind but again at first the downwind still got everyone with not letting their sails out and not sailing around the downwind bouy hardening up then tacking that was until both Charlie and I started coaching them around the mark so tha the top mark was makeable in one tack not four so good work everyone as it looked really efficient towards the end with everyone sailing at good speed .

1.30 PM Open Racing ;
With the winds now coming from the S/S/E at around 7/ 9 knots we set a course starting the club side of the canal with the windward mark as usual down near Runners and a third mark at the top of Soverign making it a combination of windward leeward and a broadreach and windward return finishing at A mark . So how was the start ? well you would think with only seven boats at the line it would be pretty simple and you would be wrong yes a general recall this time started by Casey and Greg , everyone was so early we didnt even bother putting the flag up just sounded the horn as they all new they were over well except for Charlie and Simone . With a more orderly start the second time everyone was off but it was soon evident that we might have to shorten the course as the wind although still consistant dropped by a couple of knots really slowing the fleet down well except for Greg who just sailed away from everyone ? so how did he do it well he sold his laser last week so I offered him my boat which luckily for him is an X 2012 Perth worlds boat built for upwind and reaching ( my favourites ) . Greg said once he realised how high it could point he just let her go and she just cruised away and yes his new boat is coming with the same mast rake dimensions so look out . So obviously Greg was first with Russell second and Roger third and the overall point score for the year has Greg in front by one point over Casey and Tom third

HI Everyone , yes its only 4 weeks now to our annual Midwinter Youth Cup and we are already receiving bookings for the weekend event now all we need is plenty of sunshine and good winds hopefully around 10/15 knots which would just be the Icing on the cake . Two of our girls have just brought their own boats so they are really keen to test them out in the first of many future sailing events so good luck girls and I shouldn't forget the boys as there are some new purchases there as well . You can register either through our website or at the club office so see you there .
  
8.30 am Sunday Juniors ;
With perfect skies and great on water conditions it was surely shaping up for a perfect start to sailing for the day and with over a dozen starters the boats were soon rigged actually they actually rigged too many boats as we had one left over so that proves everyone was really keen to get on the water . Jade and Addy ( new bic owner ) had the club bic rigged and on the beach early and all the teras were right behind followed by Declan how was taking Nixon out and actually let him steer unlike last week when Charlie took Nxon out and wouldn't let him steer because he was chicken about get wet in a capsize and yes we did rubbish him , Nixon soon had the laser cruising and Declan retired to the bow and just cruised . Captain Blake had  a few accidental falls from his boat again so he was back in form and even his sailing was good so he has asked to try 10.30 training instead . Elizabeth sailed on her own and like Blake sailed well in the shifty conditions as did Jade in the Bic when Addy jumped off and she now tells me she likes the Bic ! now she has come to terms with its slippery hull . To be honest everyone sailed the 4/6 knots really well even if there was the odd pull the sail on !!! command from the safety boat followed by let the sail out ! Just so everyone knows yes everyone wanted free capsize time and yes wel all agreed they were crazy but I did notice everyone was soon up and sailing to shore and heading for warm showers .
  
10.30 am Sunday Training :
After a briefing to discuss last weeks training and a lot of rushing around getting Bics ready ( yes they are starting to show their age ) and even the TAZ as Alex didn't have a bic as one is out of action and our new girl Ariel trying lasers plus the usual crew we set everyone off out the front in S/E winds around 6 knots and the instructions were gybing only and yes there was the usual moaning about gybes but everyone went out and gybed . We then set the task for everyone to sail south ( upwind and then north)  as that was going to be the race course for the afternoon . Our new sailor Ariel soon got the hang of the laser and showed her skills from Optis and Sabots as did Addy in her Bic . The boys improved on the upwind as the session progressed as did Abby and Eddy but there was a little bit of luffing going on right girls . Ben showed improvement but still sails away from the marks a bit as does Mason who like the girls points to high and starts luffing so definitely some work to be done there . Alex was a bit worried sailing the TAZ but with the extra room and no Jib he was soon sailing around the course well and he told me after the session that he really liked the boat and might try it again as it was a lot of fun and a little bit less demanding than the Bic . 
  
​1.30 Youth Racing :
As usual we all sat down for a pre race briefing mainly about the current wind direction and course set up which was the same as the training session but further down the waterway and longer . The starts are getting better but still need a lot of work so there is a hint for next Sundays training with the best at the line being Abby and Ariel who after starting managed to luff each other up allowing the rest of the fleet to catch up which really made a race of it . Ariel with her extra racing experience soon pulled ahead and for the first time Jackson who is now in his laser with a 4.7 set was right there with them but the surprise package was Addy who stayed with the lasers nearly all the way which was really an extension of her earlier training session efforts yep she was really quick . The 4.7 set and a few rigging changes made all the difference with Jackson who came in second behind Ariel but was actually first as Ariel wasn't registered to race and Abby and Edwina then Addy were close behind . After the race I suggested to Ariel that she move up to Open as her racing techniques need to be tested in a stronger environment so with a smile she agreed so hopefully we will see her at the start line next weekend .
  
1.30 pm Open Racing :
It was a bit tricky setting the course for the open race because the wind speed was somewhat flukey around 7 knots and there were some definite short term direction shifts so to make the race as friendly as possible Charlie and I set a triangle course from Runners up to the canal with a wing mark to the east to make the triangle . Charlie was very happy as everyone told him he had set a good start line with the help of Glen and unlike the previous week the recall flags weren't needed as everyone was on their best behaviour . From where I was I saw that Greg soon pulled away with Tom also breaking clear followed by Ben who seems lately to have settled into third place when racing . Behind them there was some good racing but one lapse of concentration and you soon lost ground especially if you missed the shift or a hole opened up in front of you . In the 4.7 Casey also sailed very smart and fast against everyone with bigger sails so I have to give her a well done ( that's from your coach ! ) Roger also sailed well as did Simone especially as this week her vang didnt break unlike last week which set her back to shore for quick repairs . Lance is also moving up the fleet as is Laurie and I think Russell was just cruising and enjoying the great weather and was still smiling as he went over the finish line .

UPCOMING :
Just a reminder that Sunday the 7th of July is the Gold Coast Marathon so their might be some early delays getting to the club.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS AND ENTRY FOR THE MID WINTER REGATTA.

CU on the water
John Murphy

Hi Everyone. Our next big event this year is the upcoming Mid winter Youth Cup which will be held on the weekend of the 29th & 30th of June so put that in your diary as their will be no Sunday Juniors or Open Racing that weekend but everyone should definitely come down and check out the racing and support or group of sailors who are either returning for their second or third year and also our first timers . Fingers crossed that the weather will be great this year with a bit more wind and sunny skies . Also don't forget that registrations are now open and you can sign up on line or at the club.  This year this is a credit card option for payments as well as direct deposit or at the club office.  Click here to enter.  

2019 EVENT SPONSORS ; BENDIGO BANK , RONSTAN AUSTRALIA , PSA , MANOS RESTAURANT

8.30 AM SUNDAY JUNIORS :
With Blue skies to start the day we soon had junior sailors signing on and with the prospect of perfect winds everyone was in a hurry to rig their boats and get them onto the beach . We were a bit short handed with instructors as Eddy was away in Sydney and Declan was off with a football injury so Charlie , Addy and I were somewhat rushed off our feet just getting everything set but we soon had all the boats out on the water in what were perfect morning conditions with the winds out of the S/S/E at around 6/8 knots but with the occasional gust around 14 knots . Addy took Jade out for her first go in the Bic and like all first timers in the Bic Jade looked a bit overawed but with Addy's help she managed a few goes at steering and tacking . Dean and Jack took out an extra in Zander on the taz which proved a bit of a challenge as Zander had to sit in front of the centreboard which made the boat nose dive in the gusty bits but they still managed to get around the course without a capsize . Even Charlie got in the action and sailed with  Nixon a first timer on the laser but he chickened out on letting him have a go at steering mainly because he didn't want to get wet . Finally I have to mention Blake who everyone who sails with him knows has a habit of falling out of his boat accidentally ?? but last Sunday there was only the one swim so now we know the water must be getting colder!

10.30 AM TRAINING ;
With the conditions freshening and the winds now around 8/10 knots with the occasional gust it was looking good for some tacking , gybing and overall speed . We did have a few missing with the flu which I can totally understand having had a bout of it myself but we still had three Bics , one laser and a Tera out training which were reasonably testing conditions causing some frustration amongst most of the crew with capsizing and hitting sand banks pretty normal . Mason and Carl struggled at first but once we got them to sail our course things started picking up , what course did they try to sail well lets just say the sailed south then couldn't get back without multiple capsizes . The boys in the Bics are starting to come to grips with main sheet tension and balance which is only achieved by sitting on the side of the boat and to prove it to them we actually videoed Addy in broad reaching , close reaching plus tacking and gybing and then played it back so that they can get a better idea of how its done and yes she absolutely nailed it so well done Addy.
  
1.30 PM OPEN RACING ;
With conditions improving with the winds up around 12 /16 knots from the S/E we set the same course as the week before with two windward leewards two triangles and one windward leeward to finish , the only difference being that this week we had an outgoing tide ! So how did the start go well lets just say I called for the general recall flag at 30 seconds to go and yes we did use it as most of the fleet was way over , start two was much better behaved and everyone got away clean well except for Simone who snapped a vang fitting and had to return to the beach for quick repairs . The racing was looking good and with Charlie using my hull ( lighter ) he slowly came to grips with the extra performance and broke away and was matching the front runners speed well that is until he missed the hiking strap in a tack and had two swims . Matt did a Edwina and forgot to figure eight his main sheet so when he capsized it out she came so we had to hold his boat so he could re thread it .
Out front it was a three boat race between Greg , Peter and Tom with some tight mark roundings and some good covering with the end result being Tom first followed by Peter and then Greg . There was a couple of retirements with Maurie loosing it in a gybe and Matt pulling out with a lap to go after one too many capsizes .
Finally for the first time I can remember on handicap it was a tie between Casey and Tom who both ended up with the exact same times , and guess who has just brought a new radial sail so look out after youth week everyone she wants to go faster !

2019 MIDWINTER CUP ; Volunteers needed each day for on shore and on water help just let us know if you can spare some time 

CU on the water
John Murphy