Day 8 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here.
We also have a working bee on Saturday, from 9 am.
John is running Juniors Sunday morning, starting at 8.30 am. He’ll also support any juniors or learning adults with their racing in the Juniors and Green Fleet in the afternoon. (Please select Green Fleet on skippers registration if you want to be included.)The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
Tweed Valley Sailing Club held their annual Tumbulgum to Fingal passage race on Sunday, the 13th of August, timed to coincide with an outgoing ebb tide to make the passage slightly easier considering the traditional lack of wind in the early morning and upper reaches of the Tweed River.
The early morning held the promise of a glorious day in the northern rivers as sailors arrived early at the Tumbulgum launching place, rigging and then gently placing their boats on the grass or launching and tying up to a pontoon before driving their empty trailers to Fingal. The sailors were then dropped back at Tumbulgum for a welcome bacon and egg burger and hot beverage before the race briefing commenced.
The start was a short upwind leg before rounding a marker buoy and heading off down the river in a light and fluky breeze.
As the fleet sailed past the sleepy village of Tumbulgum and then under the road bridge, colourful spinnakers and gennakers made an appearance, and the faster RS100s and Lasers started to break from the rest of the field of corsairs, sabres and modified Hartley.
The fleet leaders were going through the narrows of Stotts Island when a sudden strong wind change came in, causing the highly strung RS100s carrying gennakers to capsize and the lasers to hold on for dear life. The step up in wind speed and direction eventually filtered through to the whole fleet, making for many arduous tacks in the restricted channel as they made their way past Chinderah and under the M1 bridge before finishing in front of Fingal Boat Harbour.
The RS100s were first across the line, but it had been noted that a few (5) of the leading boats had missed a small part of the navigation channel in the confusion of the wind change and could not be deemed to have done the proper course. Of those that sailed the proper course, first on handicap was visitor Hariet Woodrow in a Sabre, followed by local John Hayward and crew Ari and Finn in a Corsair, then Michael Grace and crew in another Corsair. The handicap results for those that sailed the improper course was Lex Branch first in a laser radial, followed by Wayne Culph and Guy Forester in laser full rigs, their handicap trumping the speedy RS100s.
All enjoyed a great day after missing the last few years due to Covid restrictions, and we hope to make it a regular race in our calendar again. Many thanks to all our volunteers and helpers who made the complicated logistics work and kept the competitors safe on the water.
Day 6 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here.
John is running Juniors in the morning, starting at 8.30am. He’ll also support any juniors or learning adults with their racing in the Juniors and Green Fleet in the afternoon. (Please select Green Fleet on skippers registration if you want to be included.)
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
Day 5 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here.
John is back and is starting up our Juniors program again. On Sunday, he’ll support any juniors or learning adults with their racing in the Juniors and Green Fleet. (Please select Green Fleet on skippers registration if you want to be included.)
Our July School holiday juniors learn to sail course will be held from the 3rd to the 5th of July. More details are here.
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
With great weather over the weekend, the club ran a Juniors Day on Saturday, where Travis sailed his new Bic together with a couple of club Pacers on a marathon sail to Jack Evans boat harbour near the river mouth and back!
Hopefully, Juniors numbers will build up again after the School Holiday Learn to Sail Course on the 3-5 July. A few spots are still available (see ‘Events’ to register).
Introducing the Green Fleet
Junior sailors and adult sailors new to racing are being catered for in our Green Fleet.
Each Race Day any member, when registering can elect to start with the Green Fleet. Most participants will be hiring (at minimal cost) Club boats: Pacers, X3s or Manly Juniors. Members’ own boats can be used if they are of similar yardstick. An experienced Instructor/Coach will be on hand most days to give coaching during the Green Fleet race, as well as before and after separate briefings ashore. The Green fleet will have a separate start and course from the main fleet.
Club Winter Race 4, Sun 11 June ’23
A fine sunny day, with a light southerly breeze against an incoming tide, greeted a total fleet of fifteen boats on Sunday. Race Officer, Dave, elected to use a simple triangular course with three short races of one lap each. With the Green Fleet also racing on a reduced course, this kept the start/finish boat crew of Craig and John busy.
The RS100’s
The starts of all three races were hectic, with the current working hard to push the eager starters over the line early. Charlie on the Club Laser, at one start, added to the drama by running down the line on Port Tack with ten seconds to go! However, apart from one General recall, all boats got away with only minor incidents and not too much-heated commentary.
Look at the work of the amazing start team!
Most boats took advantage of the favourable tide, working upstream to the windward mark. Then spinnakers were set on the Corsairs and RS100s, much to the angst of the Lasers, who were at least holding their own listing to windward on the long downwind leg.
The wind-against-tide conditions truly made for some exciting conditions…
Lasers sailed by visitor Wayne, and Guy were first over the line in two of the races, while Dave, in his RS100, was the third winner. The rest of the sailors commiserated with each other around the barbecue after the race, thanks to Deb and Craig.
The laser’s with a variety of stances.
Green Fleet, Sun 11 Jun ’23
Three Pacers started on Sunday in the first of the Club’s Green Fleet ’Races’. Like the senior fleet, they sailed three, one-lap, races over a reduced triangular course, starting after the main fleet on a more relaxed starting line.
Finn gets across the line for the win!
Club Junior, Finn, with Mum, and Tegan as crew, excelled in the first two races, winning both from Peter, an experienced sailor visiting from Sydney! Well done Finn and Tegan! Deb and another visitor in the third Pacer rounded out the fleet.
Hopefully, we’ll see more of our club boats racing next time.
Day 4 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here.
John is back and is starting up our Juniors program again. On Sunday, he’ll support any juniors or learning adults with their racing in the Juniors and Green Fleet. (Please select Green Fleet on skippers registration if you want to be included.)
Our July School holiday juniors learn to sail course will be held from the 3rd to the 5th of July. More details are here.
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
Day 3 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here.
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
After a postponed event a few weeks earlier due to potential gale conditions, it followed that the rescheduled Peel Island Marathon began with a beautiful morning at the Cleveland Yacht Club as everyone gathered and rigged their boats in next to no breeze. There was a great turnout from the Tweed Club and the Corsair crews. Too many Hobies/Nacras, and then Adam and Zac in their NS14.
Very different conditions to to last year!
Once rigged, we had a briefing where men pointed sticks at whiteboards and waved flags. We got in our boats with a race time of 11 am and waited for some wind.
Keenas was pushed out of having a great start due to the sheer ability of None the Wiser & Exhale on the start line.
Skipper and Crew from Keenas
None the Wiser out in front with spinnakers out for a long stretch. Excellent trimming skills from Charlie A. Squirtle was hot in their tale, and it was cat and mouse for 3 hours.
A sample of the catering provided on None the Wiser.
Justin tried to sail the whole boat by himself for a while. Still, his defiant team put him in his place, and with excellent teamwork, sail trimming and the best catering on board, None The Wiser took out first place in the division, followed by Squirtle only a minute behind, then Keenas (pronounced Kee-nis) in third, then a few boats I don’t know, then Exhale in 6th.
The crew from None the Wiser sampling some of the catering.
Much fun was had, and many great prizes were given, including a smoothie voucher.
Day 2 of our winter racing is this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Skippers registration is here. Michael Spies, from SYC, will be racing with his NS14.
We have the Bunnings BBQ on the 20th of May. We still need more volunteers, especially for the afternoon shift. Please put your name and contact number into an available slot on the roster or contact Monique.
Our end of Summer Presentation Picnic is on Saturday at 2 pm. More details and an RSVP link are here.
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
Our winter season begins this coming Sunday! Briefing at Midday. Our winter series are generally handicap races rather than championship racing. If you’re unsure about racing, these are the races for you!
We have the Bunnings BBQ on the 20th of May. If possible, we’d like everyone to help out on the day. Please put your name and contact number into an available slot on the roster.
Our end of Summer Presentation Picnic is on the 13th of May at 2 pm. More details and an RSVP link are here.
The winter season roster is here (Everyone, please help out the day if you have time). Please check it to see when you’re rostered!
Please fill in this form for Sunday if you’d be interested in crewing (no experience necessary). A skipper may get in touch with you. Or come along on the day (the earlier, the better) to see if you can find a ride. Details on what to bring are here. Skippers, your list of the available crew is here.
