Depending on the weather conditions there might even be an adventure sail down to the Seaway for our younger sailors and even if we cant sail we intend to take the safety boats down for a run so let us know if you are keen and we will add your name to the list , should be fun! .
Its also the time of year for local schools to have their annual try sailing day and last week we had Musgrave Hill and despite the weather they still turned up with 75 students so as we couldnt sail ( 20-30 knots ) we loaded successive groups on the rescue boats and took the for a trip around the waterways and you guessed it they all ended up wet not only from the rain but from Charlie and I splashing each other and generally having very wet fun . Did the kids enjoy it well yes even though in rained all the time and the winds were over 20 knots they all came back shivering but excited . This week we have Coombabah Primary ( 90 students )so we have our fingers crossed for better weather in no rain and safe winds .
8.30 am Sunday Juniors
With the weather totally reversed from what we suffered all the way until saturday sunday arrived with blue skies and light winds and we soon had 11 young sailors out on the lawn rigging boats and looking very excited about sailing . Ross asked to do the briefing and as usual he did a good job with me occassionally interupting in regards to safety protocols and more information , he even sailed a tera with leila .
Zack had trouble with boat speed and I think it scalled sand banks right Zack anyway Zack is heading off to 10.30 sailing in january as he just nails 8.30 . Most of the boys are coming along well and handled the slow increase in wind easily with Torsen like Zack just cruising as was orson . Leila had her first real go at steering and slowly got the concept even if she did fall out again while steering but I was pretty sure the instructor had a hand in it as when the gust hit he thought he was sailing his laser and didnt ease the sheet causing a round up and then Leila let go of the steering just as ross eased off and it violently beared away and no ross didnt capsize it he managed to save it and return to pickup Leila ! By the end of the session the predicted winds started arriving which had started at around 5/7 knots but by the end of the session were up around 12 knots , finally who sailed the best well I have to say Reece on the day as his handling of windier conditions improves every time he is out there so well done mate !
10.30 am Youth Sailing
With wind speeds increasing starting around 12/14 knots we had a briefing to discuss how we handle these conditions with tighter rigging and more mainsheet control . Reece decided it was too windy for him as did Gemma but with Gemma who had her boat rigged I offered her some one on one sailing close to shore which she gladly took and the rest of the team decided on start practice . Ross rigged a radial which was probably asking too much considering the winds were now around 16-18 knots but at first he did well with some really good tacks and gybes but after a visit to the rocky shore from a bad gybe where he cut his foot ( no boots ?) he dropped of a bit Harvey excelled as did Jade but unfortunately Dan tore his sail down near the tack so he pulled out early while Xavier did some capsize practice but it didnt deter him he just got the boat back up each time and took off again literally .. So how did Gemma go in her one on one well again there were quite a few swims mainly on the down wind as she generally managed the upwind gusty conditions well and again like xavier she would just get the boat up again and give it another go until on her last try she managed a good tack and bearaway and nearly made it back to me and only capsized when she hit the mud with her centreboard so again great effort Gemma .
1.30 pm Open Racing
The 2022 race season is officially finished but as we couldnt hold the marathon the week before due to wind conditions we thought wemight try again on sunday but you guessed it by 12.30 it was gusting 30 knots again so everyone decided it wasnt worth it well except for steve who apparently was desperate for a sail so off he went but again didnt last long and was soon back on shore . I asked him what it was like and he said he thought it was up around thirty which was great for a reach but hopeless when he tried close hauled and he definitely looked puffed at the end .
Upcoming
Club Xmas Party sunday 18 - 12 -22 12 noon start booking open now contact the club!
School Holiday sailing camps 12th /13th and 19th / 20th dec ( not many places left )
more camps in January.
Club Xmas Closure 21.12.22 reopen 4.1.23
Try Sailing Fundraiser Sunday 14th January 2023
Sunday Juniors resumes sunday the 8/1/23
CU on the water
J Murphy