Our next committee meeting is this Saturday, 10am at the Sheoak Shack Cafe, Fingal Head. All members are welcome to attend and contribute.
The agenda for the meeting is here.
Two Weeks until the Harwood Weekend – Bridge to Breakers Regatta (Away Event)
Hi Everyone,
What a great day on Sunday! Bill has a write up from the day on our website.
There’s no racing in two weeks time, as we’ll be at the Big River Sailing Club’s Bridge to Breakers Regatta. (Map Link) A two hour drive south.
Skippers must register online with the BRSC.
Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are here.
Due to Covid, a maximum of 70 boats will be permitted to enter.
As per other years, Saturday will be the long race, Sunday will be a series of short races.
Free camping with basic washroom facilities is available.
A group of Tweed Sailors head down on the Friday afternoon so as to not rush Saturday morning, but coming down Saturday morning is fine too. The Saturday night group dinner is limited to forty people this year, so we may not all fit in for that.
Skippers, if you’re heading down, please let Craig know what your crew situation is, so that he can help organise people who’d like to crew. If anyone’s interested in crewing, then please email the club and we’ll see what we can arrange, but it’s better to make arrangements directly with skippers where possible.
We would like to organise some juniors training days during the school holidays. If Adults and Skippers would like to volunteer their time, then please reply by email letting us know. We will try to firm up dates very soon. We aim to have three days in December and three days in January.
The Monomasters at Lake Cootharaba (Two hours north!) is on the weekend of the 5/6th of December too. A few Corsairs will be heading to that event. Our next club event race will be the NS14 Championships on that same weekend, the 6th of December.
Happy Sailing!
Racing on the Richmond River on Saturday and Championship Race at home on Sunday
The Tweed Valley Sailing Club conducted Race 8 of the Summer series on Sunday, with a strong wind forecast, 12 boats turned up to race. The weather kept other river users at home, and the sailors enjoyed a fun and windy afternoon sailing.
(Title photo is from the Saturday Start at Ballina.)
Racing was held over 3 laps of the long course which features “one mile” windward legs. It was hard work in the 20 knot Sou-Sou-Easterly breeze but boats were assisted to windward by a flooding tide.
It was a close 3-way battle for fastest today between 3 different classes, with the win going to Adam Hurt, sailing Impulse dinghy “Rosie”, completing the long course in 1 hour 12 minutes, getting home 1 min 30sec ahead of Kate Yeomans in a Laser and third was NS14 “On & Off” sailed by Dave Robinson & Joe D’Ambrosia a further 1 min 30 sec back.
Summer Handicap series top points today went to Kate Yeomans (Laser), 2nd went to Adam Hurt (Impulse), 3rd went to Craig Foley (Laser) and 4th went to Justin Johnson, Emily Johnson and Eden Johnson in a Corsair.
Class Championships were conducted for the Corsair Class (scratch race) and Single Handers competed in their Yardstick championship.
Getting points for 1st place in the Corsairs, “None the Wiser” (Justine Johnson, Emily Johnson & Eden Johnson), getting home 5 minutes before 2nd placed “Keenas”( Mark Reynolds, Vicky Von Bernard & Igor Prado) & 3rd placed, a further minute behind, “Minnow” (Frank Bolfava, Andy Locke & Lachlan McMillan) while 4th was “One too many” (Michael Grace, James Hay & Eoin Whatley).
It was a disappointing day for Corsair Class favourite “Monopoly”, after a very quick start and an apparent dominance of the fleet the yacht suffered damage in the rigging and was forced to withdraw without completing its 1st lap.
In the single handers yardstick championship, top points went to Kate Yeomans (Laser) 2nd was Adam Hurt (Impulse), and 3rd was Craig Foley (Laser)
On Saturday, four crews from the Tweed travelled to Ballina to compete in the River marathon race hosted by the Richmond River Sailing Club. Tweed boats performed very well; Corsair “Monopoly” (Andrew Lamont, Maddy Lyons & Clare Southwell) winning fastest corrected time in the mono-hulled Dinghy division, and Laser “Bluey” (Kate Yeomans) getting second place with Mark on Keenas in fourth. (Justin finished…eventually)
Next fortnight, TVSC will travel to Harwood to compete in the Big River “Bridge to Breakers” regatta. The next sailing event on the Tweed will be on Sunday the 6th of December at Fingal Head.
The Club currently needs Rescue Boat drivers. People with boat licenses are encourage to enquire and all training is provided. Contact club Commodore Bill Fenelon 0411 123 405
Race 2 of the Class Champs is on this Sunday
Racing is on this coming Sunday, the 8th of November
Briefing at midday, race start at 1pm (NSW Time).
Class Championship Race 2 for all classes except NS14s
One Long Race.
Full details and all registration links are on the event page on our website.
Also on the weekend, Ballina are having their Annual Regatta “Covid-Free-Air Regatta” and a few boats are heading down for the Saturday long race. All boats are welcome. Registration for Ballina must be done online before the event and all sailors must have an Australian Sailing Number or RRSRC issued Sail Pass. (So renew your TVSC membership today!)
For our Sunday Event:
All skippers, please register and pay online before the day
Everyone attending must fill in the COVID registration form.
For skippers looking for crew, the event page has a section for you to leave your contact details. There’s also a new page for people who would like to sail, to leave their contact details for potential skippers to contact them.
Again, all of the forms/registrations mentioned are linked from the event page.
People looking to crew:
If you do not have a boat organised but would like to crew, whether you have experience or not, one option is to fill in your contact details here. Skippers will be able to see the information and perhaps get in touch to arrange a spot before the day.
As a reminder, Memberships are due.
See you Sunday (or Saturday)!
Sailing on Sunday 25-10-2020
The Tweed Valley Sailing Club conducted Race 6 , 7 and 8 on Sunday, with expectations of a storm keeping many at home. 12 boats turned up to race and a very close eye was kept on the sky. It was very quiet on the river and the boats enjoyed a pleasant afternoon sailing.
Unfortunately, the first race of the day had to be abandoned, due to the wing mark detaching from its anchor and floating too far up river! Thanks go to Geoffrey and his daughter for locating it and bringing it back for the second race of the day.
Fastest today was NS14 “Flight 24” (Adam Hurt & Kate Yeomans) and 2nd; another NS14, Impulsive Matt (Matt Andrews & Melissa Le Roux). Results are here.
The big race today were Heats 1, 2 and 3 of the summer NS14 Class Championship.
Five of these high performance, 2 handed skiffs competed, and included a team from Brisbane. The Tweed River has a very competitive fleet of NS14’s which has developed over the years to be of very high standard, and is attracting boats from other clubs to compete; but today the local boats dominated.
Winning the NS’s, getting the bullet in both (completed) races; last year’s class champion “Flight 24” sailed by Adam Hurt from Fingal Head, teamed up this year with the clubs Laser champion, Kate Yeomans, getting home 30 seconds ahead of 2nd place “Impulsive Matt” (Matt Andrews & Melissa La Roux), 3rd was Brisbane boat “Need for speed” (Adam Humphries & Lucinda Jones) and 4th was “On & Off” (Dave Robinson & Cooper Robinson). “Blu Tack” also made an appearance with new owners, another Fingal team, Lucy Dyer & Simon Bicknell racing with the club for the first time.
Racing was on the short course and all boats competed very closely and separated by only seconds.
The Corsairs had a number of new to sailing crew who all had a great experience. Here’s new sailor Jack, recovering from nearly capsizing on a gybe.
The Tweed Sailing club supports regattas at other Northern Rivers clubs. Two club boats travelled to Harwood on Saturday for the Clarence River, Single Handers regatta. Congrats to Peter Fell on a fifth placing in the Impulses.
Next fortnight many club boats will travel to Ballina for their weekend regatta and saturday long-distance Richmond River race. If any Corsair skippers are intending to go, please get in touch so that we can organise things with crew. Registrations must be done online.
The Clubs next race will be conducted on the 8th of November on the Fingal Reach, starting at 13:00 (NSW). Spectators are welcomed.
A big fleet is expected for the 2nd heat of the 3-handed Corsair Class Championship and there could be many crewing opportunities available so people can join in.
The Club currently needs Rescue Boat drivers. If you have a power boat license and are interested in helping out, then please get in touch.
Summer Season Day 3
Racing is on this coming Sunday, the 25th of October.
Briefing at midday, race start at 1pm (NSW Time).
Handicap Racing for all boats except NS14s, which will be having their first class champs day.
Three Short Races.
Handicap Starts. (except for NS14s)
Full details and all registration links are on the event page on our website.
There is a Skippers Registration for all skippers (or boats) entering. Please register before the day. ($5 entry per boat.)
For skippers needing crew or people wanting to crew, there is a Skippers ‘Looking for Crew’ form on the event page. Skippers, please fill that in if you need crew. There’s also a link (on the event page) that lists Skippers who are seeking crew…(so maybe you’ve guessed what’s coming next already)…if you’d like to crew, then check that list and ring/email the skippers about a spot…and if you need crew…then fill in the appropriate form. (There may still be random spots free on the day, as that is life, so you’re very welcome to come along and try to get a spot.)
To comply with our Covid safe plan, everyone attending must register with the Covid safe registration page…too.
Again, all of the forms/registrations mentioned are linked from the event page.
As a reminder, Memberships are due.
See you Sunday!
A Long Race Start to the Championship Series
Last Sunday the Tweed valley Sailing Club hosted its first race of the Summer series. 18 boats raced on the Fingal Reach on the long Olympic course (3 laps with 1-n.mile windward legs) in lovely clear and sunny weather with a light SSE’ly breeze.
Monique Smith in her Laser “Rolling Stone” wisely opted to avoid the crowded boat end start line and sailed a fast windward leg to be first boat around the top mark. The lead changed a couple of times with eventual winners on scratch being 1st Impulse “Splitter”( Lex Branch), 2nd Laser “Bluey” (Kate Yeomans) and 3rd Corsair “Monopoly” (Andy Lamont, Melissa Le Roux and John Morgan). Lex’s morning training session paid off!
This race was the first heat of 5 for the Laser and Corsair Class Championships.
Fastest today in the Laser Class Championship race was “Bluey” (Kate Yeomans), beating 2nd finisher, “Rolling Stone” (Monique Smith) by 1 minute 30 secs & 3rd was ” Dreadnought” (Peter Fell) only 30 secs behind. This was a great result for Monique and her best ever in a Laser since switching from her Corsair.
In the Corsair Class Championship 8 boats were hustling for a good position on the crowded starting line. In the end, “Monopoly”(Andy Lamont, Melissa Le Roux, and John Morgan) lead all the way, and took the bullet for a convincing win, finishing 3min 30secs ahead of 2nd placed “None the Wiser” (Justin Johnson, Eden Johnson & Emily Johnson) and very close behind, only 15 seconds later, “Nimbis (Debbie Jones, Scott Jones & Renee Cohan). 4th was “Minnow” (Frank Bolfava, Andrew Locke & Brandon Locke) and 5th was “Keenas” (Mark Reynolds, Marg Walgers & Joe D’Ambrosia.)
The club today welcomed a new Corsair team sailing “Polly” (Greg Edds, Ulana Edds & Tom Edds) who travelled from Brisbane to race with us on the tweed.
The other race was the clubs’ summer Pointscore series, where every race counts, and is based on handicap.
Top points today went to Impulse class “Splitter” (Lex Branch), 2nd was Laser, “Rolling Stone” (Monique Smith) and 3rd was Impulse, “Rosie” (Adam hurt)
Junior sailors were well represented today with 3 teams sailing NS14’s. Todays top junior team was NS14 “Zazen” sailed by Tom Busbridge and Layla Schultz, just edging out on handicap, NS14 “On & Off”(Dave Robinson & Hugh Robinson.) while on NS14 Mantana, Tristen and Isabelle Pofandt, are still working out the rigging of these complexed boats and unfortunately missed the start.
Thanks to our support team who make racing possible; Race Officer Craig Foley, Geoff Colwill on our rescue boat and Time keeper Suzanne Blatcher, who was helped by Jack Tarrent who came down and volunteered for the day.
The clubs next event will be 3 short course races held on the Fingal reach on the 25th of October starting at 13:00 NSW time. The big race this day will be our premier contempory development class, the Australian NS14, racing the first 3 heats of their Club championship and concurrently the 4th heat of the summer point score. Crew positions are often available but this is on spec. Licensed and competent boat drivers are welcome to help by driving our rescue boats. Spectators can view racing close up from the river bank along the Fingal reach. All visitors are very welcome.
Welcome to the Summer 2020/2021 Season
Dear Members, Sailors, Friends and supporters,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 summer sailing series. And our 10th year of Sailing on the Tweed river.
Our seasons race calendar is now finalized and can be viewed at our club’s fantastic web site.
Please go to https://www.tvsc.com.au/events/ . Details on this coming weekend’s race are here.
Have a good look at our web site; for the Calendar, as well as results, on line registration and race fee payments, membership details, try sailing details and info about Juniors training. As well as a fantastic gallery of photos & videos from the club’s ten-year history.
Changes this year include registration On-line, via our web page. This is a part of our COVID safe plan and we request all participants to use this registration and payment portal to avoid physical contact on sailing days. (For each race day.)
People wishing to crew can also register their interest and Skippers looking for crew can also register their need. This will help Skippers find crew, and crew to find a berth.
Another change this year is every alternate fortnight, we will conduct 3 short races. NS14s will race their Class Championship on the short course and complete 3 races, adding up to a total of 15 Races over 5 events and allowing 3 discards for the series.
Some things haven’t changed. Racing will generally be fortnightly to avoid the Spring Tide, but some longer up river events will utilize spring tide weekends. This will include races, and lunch cruises.
There will be no scheduled races on Qld Public Holidays to avoid conflict at the ramp and with other river uses.
Racing is on this coming Sunday and is the first race of the summer point score series, based on handicap. Conducted concurrently this weekend will be the 1st heat of our highly prestigious Corsair Class Championship and we are expecting to see a big fleet of our One design 3 handed senior class.
Corsairs Class Championships and single handers will be conducted on our long Olympic course over 3 laps.
Also conducted concurrently this weekend will be the clubs Single Hander yardstick Championship series.
For this Sunday, the briefing is at Midday (NSW time – Daylight Savings Time) and Race Start is at 1pm.
Links to register your boat, covid registration, skippers looking for crew and crew wanting a spot, are all on the event page here.
We are looking forward to some good racing in our NS14 fleet, with two junior teams joining the fleet.
I would like to acknowledge the work of our management volunteers;
Once again, we will have the support of Suzanne Blatcher as time keeper and assisted by Gary McCrohan.
Bryan Townsend is our clubs Rear Commodore and is doing a great job looking after and driving our rescue boats,
Craig Foley is again our Treasurer, and has overseen this job well, and our club is in very good shape financially. Craig also is responsible for our fantastic web site and is holding the fort as Race officer in my absence.
Mark Reynolds is again our membership officer.
Gail Bernet has taken over the role of Secretary from Garry Bargh, Garry did an excellent job in this position and we wish him well in his new club. And we welcome Gail to the job.
Peter Ross is our Grants manager, and is busy applying for all sorts of grants to help fund items required for the club.
Monique Smith is coordinating our “She Sails” efforts and is now halfway through her first “Women on Water “sailing introductory course.
This year we say good bye to Alison Blatcher who had an enormous influence in our club fro its very early days and introduced the Corsair class to the Tweed. Alison was widely viewed as the Clubs Admiral and we are much depleted without her.
David Chester has vacated the Vice Commodore position, and we are now in search of his replacement. Please contact me if you would be interested in this position.
We are also very short of volunteers in other management positions.
We have had no nominations for committee positions and welcome any members who would like to join the committee.
We are also looking for volunteers to manage our merchandise, our Juniors Training, and Learn to sail coordinator’s.
Last season was cut short due to COVID, and we were forced to cancel our annual dinner. Although we managed to complete most of our programed races.
This season I am planning our biggest Presentation dinner ever to make up for this, and to celebrate our club conducting sailing events on the Tweed for ten years.
I look forward to seeing all our members, past and present at this dinner, to help celebrate this milestone, and we are expecting our first Commodore and founding member Hugh Millikan to travel from NZ to attend,
Let’s have a great summer on the water and enjoy sailing on the Tweed River. I look forward to seeing you and sailing with you this season.
Bill Fenelon, TVSC Commodore. 0411 123 405
Day 1 of the 2020 Summer Series
Tweed Valley Sailing club kicked of its 10th Summer Sailing series on Sunday with 14 boats sailed by 22 crew, in a perfect sunny afternoon on the Fingal reach of the Tweed River with a gentle 10 knot breeze.
This season represents a milestone and a big occasion for the club; conceived by a small group of totally inexperienced enthusiasts, with the dream of creating a sailing club on a River where the sport had been inactive for nearly 20 years since the demise of the very popular Tweed Aquatic club in the early 90’s.
Re-starting local sailing in humble circumstances, 3 boats competed in the first race at the end of 2010, and we didn’t know if it would survive a second year, but the sailing club prospered and flourished to become a vibrant and active sport alternative for the local community, conducting regular racing all year round in an unbroken run through to this Sundays Race. Of the people who founded the club and sailed that day back in 2010, 4 were sailing this Sunday, and many have stayed with the club throughout its years.
The TVSC has a unique racing fleet of mostly Australian designed, multi crewed single hulled sailing dinghies. The 3 handed Corsair class is a sixteen-foot, three handed sailing dinghy. The boat was designed by Australian designer Alan Payne who is famous for designing Sir Frank Packer’s America’s Cup challenge yachts Gretel and Gretel II. Some of these boats are now over 50 years old, but are ideally suited to the shallow Tweed River. They have flourished in our club since being introduced by original club member, Alison Blatcher, in our first year. Local sailors recognised its merits and our club adopted the class. We now have the largest fleet of Corsairs in Australia, we also have the top 3 Corsair sailors in the country including current Australian Champion Arron Hunt.
Another class raced is the Australian NS14 (Northbridge Senior); 14 feet in length, the class was designed in 1960, older than Corsairs, but being a development class, it has evolved into a modern contemporary racing skiff, raced by some of Australia’s best sailors. These are a very popular and nationwide class, with development in the early years happening right here in the Tweed, the class is raced in all the Northern Rivers. But TVSC has the largest fleet in country NSW.
Some members like to sail single handed, and the club also has a very competitive fleet of the Olympic Class Laser.
For a little club, existing only in a shipping container, we have been very successful and can boast some of our countries top racing sailors. We recently had a visit from Olympic 470 Gold Medallists’ Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan, accompanied by sailing legend Ian Murray. These guys normally hang out in the biggest European Yacht clubs, but they loved our little container in the bushes beside the Fingal boat Harbour and the crystal-clear waters of the Lower Tweed.
Race One of the 2020 Summer series included three short races. The fleet included 5 Lasers, 4 Corsairs and 3 NS14’s.
Making their senior sailing debut on NS14 Zazen, junior team, Tom Busbridge and Layla Shultz, raced as a team for the first time, and put in a great performance completing the races, but found the step up into adult racing a challenge, however they will only get better very quickly. Tom was ecstatic about getting over the line in front of Capers in race 2, beating fellow Junior Kynan Leuscher.
The next race will be Sunday the 11th of October. Briefing is at 12 noon and the race starts at 13:00 There may be several crew positions available, phone Commodore Bill Fenelon for details
The 7th annual Tweed River Passage Race.
Last Sunday, 14 boats with 28 crew sailed the longest course on the Tweed River, starting at Condong and finishing at Fingal Head. Traffic travelling along Tweed Valley Way would have been surprised to see a sailing race right beside the highway.
It was a perfect spring day, early light rain developing into a sunny day, but the fleet had to sail against a contrary wind.
Starting at 11am at Condong in 10knots of breeze, Kate Yeomans, sailing a Laser, quickly moved to the front and would lead the entire passage, arriving at Fingal Head in 3hours and 33 minutes. It was a dominant display from Kate, sailing with perfect power to weight ratio, beating 2nd place by 19 minutes.
The main group followed in a tight bunch, initially headed by Monique Smith, also in a Laser. Monique held a strong grip on 2nd until the Tumbulgum bridge. Winds swirling around the bridge pylons held her back, and in short time, three Corsairs slipped in front. Difficult winds are always a feature of this race, and although this year the wind was generally steady, there are sections of the river that have zero wind.
By the time the fleet arrived on the Fingal reach, six boats were closely bunched and finished within 8 minutes of each other after beating straight into the wind all the way from Condong.
Scratch; 1st Laser 179414 “Bluey” (Kate Yeomans), 2nd Corsair 848 “Monopoly” (Andrew Lamont, Craig Foley & John Morgan) & 3rd Corsair 396 “Nimbis” (Debbie Jones & Scott Jones), 4th Laser 207817 “Rolling” Stone (Monique Smith)
Yardstick (Corrected) ; 1st Laser 179414 “Bluey” (Kate Yeomans), 2nd Corsair 848 “Monopoly” (Andrew Lamont, Craig Foley & John Morgan) 3rd 125 class “Paper Plane” (Matt Andrews & Melissa Le Roux) 4th Corsair 396 “Nimbis” (Debbie Jones & Scott Jones),
Many other crews sailed this race for the first time. All deserve congratulations to mange to finish this difficult race.
The TVSC is commencing its Summer series next Sunday. All races start with a briefing at 12 noon. Race start is at 1pm (NSW Time).