Author: TVSC

On Sunday, 13th June, 16 boats across 7 classes from the Tweed Valley Sailing Club competed in a Pursuit (handicap) Start Race. The slower boats started up to 32 minutes before the quickest, giving all competitors a chance at being first over the line.

Competitors were greeted on the day by sunny skies. A light East Nor’easterly breeze, an outgoing tide and a staggered start suited those with experience and an understanding of the river.

Phoebe, Ben and Kim in ‘Neil Armstrong’ (Corsair), Rose and Anthony in P6 (Pacer) and James McKay and Ari Manu Gorman in ‘Snark’ a unique home built timber craft were the first to start with Kate Yeomans in ‘Bluey’ (Laser) starting a full 32 minutes later.

Phoebe, Rose and James tussled for the lead ahead of the chasing fleet for much of the three-lap race. As the race progressed, it became clear that round-the-world sailor Andy Lamont in ‘Monopoly’ (Corsair), father and son team Adam and Zack Andrewartha in ‘No Sweat’ (NS14), club enthusiast and hardworking volunteer Craig Foley and crew in ‘Gidget’ (Corsair), and acclaimed sailor Kate Yeomans in ‘Bluey’ were all sailing well and moving up through the pack.

Competition was closely fought but in the final throes enthusiastic onlookers watched on as ‘Monopoly’ with Andy Lamont, club regular Maddie Lyons and Justin Harman who had come all the way from Lismore for the race, came through for a win, followed by Andrew and Zack Andrewartha in second. In third place was Dave Robinson in ‘On and Off’ and in fourth was the ‘Snark’.

Next, In a flurry of finishers was Bluey’, ‘V2.5’ Mauri Meyer, ‘Neil Armstrong’ and ‘Rolling Stone’ Monique Smith.

Results are here.

Overall, the day was deemed a success by all.

Meanwhile, our Catamaran sailors were at the Gold Coast Catamaran‘s Bad News Regatta, held at the Alley in Currumbin. A great fleet size but day two was cancelled due to the lack of wind.

See you in two weeks time.

Matt Andrews

The Tweed turned on another fine winter’s day for the 25 skippers and crew competing in the 4^th race day of the Tweed Valley Sailing Clubs’ winter series on Sunday. With the promise of a fresh southerly, the fleet of 13, comprising 4 Lasers, 4 Corsairs, 2 catamarans, and a MG, NS14 and Taser prepared for the two races on the Fingal reach of the Tweed River.

The course was set, and the start boat in position, when disaster struck for Adam and Zack. Unfortunately, they tore their jib, ending their race prior to getting underway. The rest of the fleet jostled for position in preparation for the starter’s gun. The start was intense, and the first leg closely contested, before the lead boats could break free. Strong gusts up to 20 knots kept all sailors intensely focused. Though a few Laser sailors rinsed off their boats, and themselves, before recovering to complete the two-lap race. The wind eased in the second race, though racing was similarly competitive. The post-race “analysis” contained the usual good-hearted “what if” and “if only”, with another fun race day enjoyed by all!

In the Corsair division, Monopoly (Andy, Maddie and Melissa) was the champion boat, passing Go, and leading all the way to the finish, to be first in both races.

Dreadnought (Peter Fell) came out with all guns firing, similarly won both races in the Laser division. The multihull division was dominated by Sledder (Dave and Sid).

In the overall handicap point score On and Off (Dave and Cooper) won the monohull division in their NS14, followed by team Monopoly and Sledder winning the multihull division. We look forward to the next TVSC sailing day on the 13^th of June.

A sunny but cool day greeted the keen sailors for the third day of the winter sailing series on the tweed river at Fingal on Sunday the 16th. A shifty and gusty southerly of 8 to 15 knots promised some exciting competition for those who ventured out onto the river.
The first race of two supposedly “short” sprint races took over 80 minutes for the first boats to finish, but there was plenty of competition throughout the fleet between the nine single-handed lasers, four 3 handed Corsairs, a smattering of NS14 two-handed skiffs with a Taser as well, a Hobie 14 catamaran, a wooden classic Goat Is Skiff, and enthusiastic junior sailor Ari on an X3 3.1mtr dinghy.

The start of the race saw a number of Lasers side by side as they fought to get an advantage up the long first work, playing the shifts and asserting their right of way on starboard. Back in the fleet the Corsairs were pushing up the course as well and contributing to an unscheduled swim by Mauri in his Laser when he was looking well placed after a finely crafted start from the port end of the line.

The rounding of the windward mark didn’t all go according to plan with Peter having to perform a 360 degree turn after causing another Laser to have to avoid him, and Andy hitting the mark due to the tide and having to do a turn as well.

Close racing throughout the fleet followed on through the next eight legs of the course with one of the NS14s seen to have their work cut out with main, jib and spinnaker proving a handful in the gusty conditions.

The NSW Maritime launch was there keeping an eye on proceedings at the ocean end of the course while the fleet spread out over the race course.

Over the length of the race, the lead changed several times, but first over the line at the end was Peter in a Laser, followed by Kate in a smaller Laser rig, then Wayne (visiting from Harwood), Craig and Mauri. Further results of the race can be seen here.

Due to the extended length of the first race, a quick start for those who finished early was implemented for the second promised race, with a shortened one lapper on offer. The best start appeared to be had by Andy in a Laser who sailed straight from the finish of the first with perfect timing to blitz the field from the pin end and take the lead, closely followed by Kate and Wayne in Lasers. The changing nature of the river asserted its dominance on the way upwind with most boats hitting the sandy bottom with their centreboards as the tide fell and sailors tried to get out of the tide in the shallows on the western side of the Tweed.
The end of the second race ended in a little confusion about the number of laps required, but Kate in an under-canvased Laser showed the boys how to sail and took the finisher’s gun, followed by Andy and Wayne.

A special shout-out to Amber sailing her first race flying solo in a Laser, and Wayne making the trip from Harwood to see how we sail in the “little” river. We should all be out there again in two weeks on the 30th.

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Words by Peter Fell.