John is running a school holiday sailing program from the 25th to 27th of September. Please see here for more details and registration.
Volunteers Wanted – Juniors School Holiday Course
Shout out to any experienced sailing members willing to help out with a 3-day Junior Learn to Sail Course during the week when the NSW and Qld children are both on holidays, commencing Monday 25 September to Wednesday 27 September, hours between 9 am and 3:30 pm. We require someone qualified to drive the safety boat, and other help on a sailing dinghy giving instructions to the children. A Working with Children card is necessary for anyone over the age of 18 years. Some of our current junior members may also be “helping”.
If you can help on any or all of these days please text John Hayward on 0431 025 497 within the next 2 days, as a matter of urgency, so I can set a limit of how many participants for the course, before I advertise it on the TVSC website.
Kind regards
John Hayward
Ph: 0431 025 497
AS Dinghy Instructor
Racing This Sunday
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.
Tumbulgum 2023
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.
Full results can be found here https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/75022.
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.
Words by Peter Fell
Sunday Morning Juniors – 23 July ’23
Sailing threes X3s and a Pacer, seven Juniors hit the water on a cool winters morning. However as the cloud cleared to a warm sunny day, they sailed confidently upwind into a light sou’wester, with the benefit of an incoming tide.
Tacking upstream, they were soon past Tony’s Island, then up under The Bridge to the ‘upper reaches’ of the Tweed, before easing sheets for a pleasant run back to Fingal. All boats returned to the beach without assistance. Well done Eva, Finn, Malu, Monty, Nathan, Tom and Travis,
Thanks to Adam, Lex and the parents who helped the kids to unrig etc, before the afternoon race. Next Sunday we might rig a couple of Manly Juniors? JH
Racing this Sunday
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.)
Our annual Tumbulgum passage race is just around the corner!
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.
Junior Sailing
Sunday 16th July 8.30 -12.00
Register here.
School Holiday Sailing Course
3,5,6 July 2023
Fifteen keen young locals turned up and signed on for a three day Sailing Course at Fingal. It was a chilly Monday morning.
After the safety briefing and a capsize drill demo, they trolleyed the club’s six Pacer dinghies down to the water, launched and boarded them to be towed by the two rescue boats around the Tweed River. Without sails, they soon had all experienced steering a boat with a rudder.
With a light sou’east breeze and no rain, conditions were ideal! Next, sails were hoisted ,and with one of our club sailors on board all youngsters experienced sailing for the fist time. Learning to raise and lower the centreboard and rudder, trimming and cleating the jib, trimming the mains’l, balancing the boat, steering a straight course using the tiller extension, and using teamwork to tack the boat onto a new course. Those who were apprehensive at first soon gained confidence.
Persistent rain was forecast for Tuesday, so sailing was postponed until Wednesday and Thursday.
With the sun shining and light winds, sailing practice continued after learning to tie a bowline and a few other sailor knots. The youngsters were gaining confidence so we introduced the skill of gybing. After one or two minor “booms” they soon learnt to duck!
We sailed to a distant beach where several of the youngsters braved the cold for a swim. On the final day, with most boats now sailing without instructors aboard, we set a triangular course, where they could practice the skills they had learnt. Some were now sailing two-up in our X3 dinghies! On the final afternoon the northerly wind picked up and some even practiced their capsize drill, after some thrilling rides!
Despite their ages (8-12 + one 15 year old) most seemed to have a great time and progressed well.
Well done! Barney, Bella, Cai, Eva, Floyd, Gabriele, Harry, Jonathon, Kip, Leonardo, Monty, Sufi, Tom, Vida and Wilbur (in alphabetic order).
Most of these Juniors will be now joining our fun Junior sailing sessions to practice their skills and, who knows we may have some Olympic Champions in this group! (Keep an eye on this website for the next Junior ‘Event’.)
Thanks to parents who helped the youngsters with launching, retrieving and putting the boats away. A huge thank you to those club members who were able to give their time to help out with, at times, a challenging group of youngsters! Thanks Kynan (all 3 days), Peter F, Peter R, Bryan, Karen, Kate Y, Monique and Tegan. And special thanks to other Juniors, Finn, Charlie, Ali and Travis who were given the daunting task of ‘Assistant Instructor’. You did well!
John H
PS. Thanks for photos!
2023 Tumbulgum Passage Race – Sunday 13 August
New start location: 8599 Tweed Valley Way, Tumbulgum, NSW
This iconic race is back! Long race of approximately 20 kms. High tide at 8:47 am (1.09m) at Tumbulgum. Race briefing at 9 am, start of race at 9:45 am.
Location open for rigging on the day only from 6:30 am onwards. No cars or gear are to be left on the property (it’s a private property) for the duration of the day. We need to leave the property as we found it soon after the race starts.
Dinghy owners will have to organise to have their cars and trailers back at finish at Fingal Boat Harbour, Fingal Road, Fingal.
Car pooling should leave from Fingal no later than 8:30 am to get back for briefing at 9 am at 8599 Tweed Valley Way.
Bacon and Egg Rolls available for sale before the start, and Presentation with Sausage Sizzle will be held as soon as practical at clubhouse after finish.
Fee entry only $25.00 per boat, with safety boats along the course to provide assistance.
To register click on the link:
https://www.revolutionise.com.au/tweedvalleysc/events/194761/
Any enquires can be directed to Bryan Townsend, Commodore, 0431 229 512.
Winter Race Day 5
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.