Last weekend was a great weekend with just perfect conditions both on land and on the water with everyone enjoying their sailing on the day so fingers crossed we are going to have more of the same this weekend .
8.30 am Sunday Juniors :
Well it shaped up early as another great morning for our juniors even the water is starting to warm upand with everyone turning up right on time boats were soon of the racks and being rigged . Guys lake Ransom and Havoc were right into it with setting up their boats and as the numbers grew Charlie , Abby and I were soon busy getting the boats ready to sail and then all the team transfered them down onto the beach .
With the winds coming from exactly the wrong direction ( predicted n/e but came in s/s/e ) and somewhat stronger than the 2/4 knots predicted probably around 4/6 on average which made it a bit of a challenge especially with our new junior sailors who have been sailing in around 2 knots so everything was happening a lot faster so you guessed it there were a few capsizes . We had a new Instructor ( Mark ) on the safety boat learning our way of doing things with Charlie and Abby in control apparently there was veen some laughter as Charlie and Abbs made mark feel at home . Seeing that Mark was on board with the team I drew short straw again and did some tacking with Tristan and his mate in waist deep water and although it did take some time they soon got their timing right and had the boat tacking smoothly so well done boys.
10.30 am Youth Training :
With a few people missing we only had jack dean Ross emerson and Jade out for training . Once all the boats were rigged we all sat done for a debrief on last weeks sailing were the team sailed in very challenging conditions with that horrible westerly gusts and all making for a difficult sail . Both Andrew and I patted everyone on the back for their efforts , we asked what they thought the wind speed was and the highest guess was 16 knots so when we told them more like 18 the all looked pretty impressed with themselves . For training we set a triangle course with the focus on efficient mark rounding . The problem rounding was going from a reaching course around a buoy and going upwind to the next mark which did have everyone tacking to early at first but with Charlie rigging his laser and showing everyone how its done even with a passenger ( brendan ) they all soon got the sequence of sheeting on pointing up and then tacking . I was watching Jack at one stage and I have to say his tacking is becoming really smooth very similar to Jades style . Dean Emerrson ( laser ) and Ross soon had it down pat even though there was a lot of upwind tacking they all did well .
1.30 pm Open Racing :
With it being a non points race we didnt expect many sailors but we still ended up with seven starters and with the winds turning s/e at around a solid 6 knots we set a start down at the canal with a top mark at the yellow cross and a third mark on the eastern edge of our channel opposite the start buoy so yes triangles . Because it was non championship racing we decided on two short races and with everyone again behaving themselves at the start line they were soon off with Greg in the lead and the pack following close behind . Adrian actually had a great start on port but was bluffed by Greg who was coming on starboard but tacked away but Adrian had already tacked missing a perfect run to A . The funniest thing was Chris and Ben getting lost well Chris mainly who nearly sailed past the finish boat until our yelling and waving got his attention and they both managed to skim past the finish boat luckily with Chris,s boom just missing me in the bow . Race two was a bit slower as the wind dropped but Greg still managed to hold out Chris and Russell third which was a grteat result for Russell combined with his second p[lace in race one .
Upcoming :
Try Sailing Hospital Fundraiser 13th of December , we are already planning this yearly event so if anyone would like to volunteer some help just let us know !
Club Xmas Party 20th of Dec , we are looking for new ideas for this years xmas party so if anyone has any thoughts on a theme or venus this year lets us know .
CU on the water
J Murphy