Racing

General Race Info
Current Duty Roster
Sign On Procedures
Race Course & Start Flag Sequence
Skippers – need crew?
Sailors – need a boat to crew on?
Club Boats
Beginners / Non-members
Race Series Competitions
Spectators
Facilities + Food & Drink Options

General Race Info

Any changes will be sent out the week before by email.
Location – TVSC Container, Fingal Head Boat Harbour.
Race Briefing – 12.00 (NSW) or 1 hour before first race start. Attendance is compulsory for all sailors and support team.
Usually TWO races per day.
First Race Start time – not before 1.00pm (NSW).
Second Race Start – ASAP after First Race.
Each race duration approx. 35 mins to 1 hour.
Time Limit for these shorter races is 1 hour 20 minutes.
All races to be sailed under RRS rules, except as modified at Briefing.
Race penalties: 1 penalty turn for touching mark, 2 penalty turn for ‘minor’ infringement, DSQ and retirement for ‘major’ infringement.
All boats are required to have third party insurance.
Event Registration is always here.

Please note the following waiver:

I acknowledge that my participation in TVSC activities is at my own risk and I hereby release TVSC, it’s members officers, servants and agents from any and all claims, costs, and demands whatsoever and howsoever arising from my participation.

Except where provided or required by Law and it cannot be excluded, I agree that TVSC is absolved from all liability for any injury to me (whether fatal or otherwise) or any damage to my property (except for willful damage) resulting from my participation in any TVSC activity.

In consideration of TVSC accepting this application, I (a) release and forever discharge TVSC from all claims that I may have or may have had but for this release arising from or in connection with my participation in any TVSC activity; and (b) indemnify and hold harmless TVSC to the extent permitted by law in respect of any claim by any person against TVSC or any members officers, servants or agents acting for TVSC arising as a result of or in connection with my participation in any TVSC activity whilst I am participating or at any time thereafter.

Current Duty Roster – Winter 2026

The club is run voluntarily by its members, who support their club in many different ways. If you would like to be part of the club, please consider getting involved in a support role – training is given.

Safety boat drivers just require a power boat licence. A knowledge of sailing is a bonus but is not essential.

Current Duty Roster here

Note to sailors – if you sign up in advance for an onshore or safety boat duty you still get points towards the Club Pointscore Series (average points for the
series).

Sign On Procedures

Skippers sign on & pay $5 per boat race fee – before rigging your boat.

Check you sail number is correct on the sign on sheet & note if you have a different number on your spinnaker.

Crew names must be in full and legible.

Non-members sailing for the first time must complete an indemnity form and Sail Pass at the sign on desk. This is only required once and covers you to sail 3 times with the club before membership is required.

Skippers to Sign off after the race.

Race Courses

The section of the Tweed River and positions of course marks and fixed marks for most club races are shown below – start direction depends on the wind direction. Races always start into the wind.

The positions of all Course and Fixed Marks shown above are approximate.
U – Southernmost Special (yellow) bouy near Ukerebagh Island
G1, G2 – Green Channel Lateral Markers
C – East Cardinal Marker
N,S,E,W – Orange TVSC flag bouys
S/F – TVSC Start/Finish Line

Courses:

All Vessels on permanent moorings must be passed to the East.

South/ S westerly: S/F, S, E, W, N, S, E, W, N, S/F – pass S, E to Port; W, N to Starb.

South Easterly: S/F (between U & G2), G2, U, G2, U, S/F all marks to Port.

Easterly: S/F, E, S, W, E, S, W, S/F. All marks to Port

Northerly/NE: S/F, N, W, E, S, N, W, E, S, S/F. N, W to Port; E, S to Starb.

Nor Westerly: S/F (between U & G2), U, G2, U, G2, S/F all marks to Port.

Westerly: S/F, W, S, E, W, S, E, S/F. All marks to port

For Green Fleet or non Pointscore boats (eg Pacers, X3s etc) a shorter course will be provided using an alternative rounding buoy (eg an S* Buoy near C instead of S), and there may be an alternative start procedure. Details will be given at Briefing.

The briefing will state the course, number of laps and divisions.

Start/Finish

The Start and Finish Lines are between the Orange Flag on the Start Boat and a Black and White buoy.

Start Sequence

Orange Flag on start boat goes up to show ‘on station’ and denote one end of the start line. Get ready for the start sequence.
Yellow Flag goes up at five minutes.
Blue Peter (P) goes up at four minutes.
Blue Peter goes down at one minute.
Yellow Flag goes down for start.
- The next division’s flag may go up at the same time, if there are multiple starts.

Skippers – need crew?

Let us know if you need crew before race day. If a crew co-ordinator is listed in the reminder email, contact them by phone or email us or contact the Duty Officer for that race if no crew coordinator is available. Otherwise, consult the list of people wanting to crew.

Sailors – need a boat to crew on?

With Corsairs in our fleet each taking 3 crew there is a good chance of getting a sail. Availability of crew spaces can not be guaranteed – we will do our best to get you on the water.

If you would like to sail contact the club before race day. If a crew coordinator is listed in the reminder email, contact them by phone or email us or contact the Duty Officer for that race if no crew coordinator is available. You can also list your details on this form, which skippers can reference to find available crew. (Please note that any details you leave will be visible to all skippers) If you can’t book in advance, just come down in time for the briefing – you might still be lucky.

Our safety boats also need crew and going out with them during the race is an excellent opportunity to watch and learn.

Club Boats

The club has access to a variety of sailing dinghies that can be hired by members with sailing experience or taken on long-term loan. Some of these have been donated to the club, and others are loaned by members.

These include two Corsairs, 2 Lasers, 3 Manly Juniors, 7 Pacers and six X3s.

You will need to hire in the week before to book a boat and arrange to come down and learn how to rig it as you need to be self-sufficient on race day. The race officer or committee member will need to approve the hire.

Beginners / Non-members

Newcomers are welcome. Beginners may be able to crew in races. Corsairs are ideal boats for beginners to learn how to become competent crew.

Learn to Sail Courses are run by experienced Club volunteers. These are usually run for 7-17 yr old children during School Holidays (not Dec/Jan) and for Adults in May and October. Registration will be available when posted on this website.

Experienced Sailors, new to the Club, or those who have completed a Learn to Sail Course are encouraged to become a Member or complete a Sail Pass to join in our races or, if not ready for racing, join our Juniors Sunday Mornings. Bring your own boat, or hire a Club boat if available.

When you arrive go to the sign on desk and complete an indemnity form and make sure you are on the crew available list.

Lifejackets and footwear are compulsory. Lifejackets and some boots are available.

You will need to bring:

in summer a long sleeved top and shorts are ideal
in winter a windproof jacket + 100% wool jumper or wet suit.
footwear you don’t mind getting wet (not thongs)
a change of clothes
sunglasses & a hat that will stay on (ideally tied on)
water bottle

We have TVSC caps, hats, t-shirts, polo shirts & sailing gloves for sale before and after races.

Race Series Competitions

Summer Pointscore

All 10 races in the Summer Series are part of the Club Pointscore Competition (with 1 discard) and all crew members on 1 boat get the same points. This means that you do not have to be a skipper to get your name on this trophy. Results are calculated using a yardstick based skipper handicap system.

Summer Series Class Championship Races

Lasers, OK’s, NS14’s, Corsairs, Multihulls and any class with 3 or more boats sailing in at least 2 races of 5 each. These are run concurrently with the Pointscore races, 5 races for each class champ. Results are on scratch (ie actual finish times).

Chinderah Challenge

1 or 2 races held between January and March racing from Fingal to Chinderah and back. Prizes donated. Results on yardstick.

Winter Series

Six races for overall pointscore trophy.

Tumbulgum Passage Race

This is our big annual event. Held in July or August this is a marathon race from Condong via Tumbulgum finishing at Fingal attracts sailors from all over Northern NSW and SE QLD. Prizes donated by sponsors. Results on yardstick.

Forecast & Tides

If looking up forecasts and tides search for Tweed River – Cave Point.

High tide at Cave point (our race area) is about 1hr 15mins after high tide at the river mouth.

N.B. Fingal Head is not the same as Fingal Bay.

Useful links:

Spectators

You can view the race from many good vantage points along Fingal Road on the South side of the river (also from the Golf Course on the north side) between the Boat Harbour and the bridge.

The best places are at the start/finish line on the point by the boat harbour entrance or up at the other end of the course near 39 Fingal Rd – look for the orange marker buoy.

The TVSC will have a marquee up at the start line – you are welcome to sit there but don’t distract the timekeepers as they are recording lap times.

Facilities + Food & Drink Options

The club has a storage container (not a club house) next to the boat ramp which houses our 2 safety boats, + life jackets & other equipment including a fridge.

There are public toilets near to the boat ramp with an outside shower.

It is important to stay well hydrated to be safe on and off the water. Our race start is in the middle of lunch time – so bring a snack to have before sailing.

The TVSC Catering Team sell cold soft drinks, and water and there is a sausage sizzle after most races.

The Sheoak Shack café opposite the boat ramp car park is open from 9am on Sundays and does a good breakfast, coffee and toasted sandwiches and full lunch menu. There is a Fish & Chip shop down the road at Chinderah.

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