We’re trying again for racing this Sunday, after last weekend’s was cancelled.
First Point-score race of the season and the first Corsair and Multi-hull Class Championship Race and some of the Race Training Junior graduates will also be racing for the first time (short course).
All the information you need for racing + links to forecasts etc is available here.
Briefing will be at midday NSW Time. (11am Qld time)
Please see the group email sent around for the full NoR.
Due to yet more heavy rain forecast for the afternoon, the decision has been made to cancel the scheduled club race.
A bit of a let down for the start of the Series but it is only 7 days until the next race – Corsair Class Championship & Overall Point Score (all boats).
22 boats competed in the Fifth Annual Tweed River Passage Race on Sunday, sailed in sunny conditions with a variable light Southerly breeze and a strong ebbing tide.
The race started with a light sou-westerly wind and the fleet quickly drifted away from the start at Condong, with all Corsairs setting spinnakers. The breeze came & went; the fleet remained tightly together as they drifted past Tumbulgum, but after winding through the Stotts island narrows, boats started to spread out. It was a day of light and variable winds which frustrated the fleet all the way down the river until it finally settled down at Chinderah. The final leg along the Fingal reach gave the fleet a steady breeze and an opportunity to set spinnakers and have a fast finish.
The fastest boat completed the river passage in 3 hours and slowest was 4 hours.
This year’s “winners circle” was dominated by visitors; line honors going to Southport Team, Jabin & Zac Crisp in NS14 1592 “Enter the Dragon”, completing the river passage in 3 hours 6 mins, although it took a long time to separate from the fleet, the freshening afternoon breeze in the lower river, gave them the speed to get ahead and win by five minutes.
Second boat to finish, 4mins 30 seconds behind, was Laser “T”, (Tom Slocombe), from Paradise Point and third placed Laser “Dreadnought” (Peter Fell) from Tweed.
4th was Tweed Laser “Bluey”, (Kate Yeomans) then 5th local Laser, Silent Partner”, (John Heywood).
The Lasers got 7 of the top 8 positions and enjoyed a very close race.
Yardstick Results, First Place went to Laser “ T”, (Tom Slocombe), 2nd was Laser “Dreadnaught” (Peter Fell), 3rd Impulse “Itchy Coo” (Tim Brown), 4th Impulse “Splitter” (Lex Branch), 5th NS14 “Enter the Dragon” (Jabin & Zac Crisp) and 6th Corsair “Swell Lady” (Monique Smith, Deb Flannery and Matt Andrews)
3 divisions of One Design mono hulled sailing boats competed, which included 12 single handers with results based on yardstick, (8 lasers, 3 impulses & 1 X3) 3 x 2 handed NS14’s and 7 x 3 handed Corsairs with a total of 41 sailors 7 rescue boat crew and 10 shore side support crew.
Our postponed Tumbulgum Race will now go ahead on Sunday, September the 9th. Please see our event page (or your emails) for the entry form and the revised Notice of Race.
Same Briefing and Start Times
Please confirm existing entries or send in a new entry form
The decision has been taken to cancel today’s Tumbulgum Passage Race and reschedule to next month. With a combination of severe thunderstorms in the area, and very heavy rain with winds up to 25 knots on the nose in the interests of all who would be involved on or off the water the decision has been made to reschedule the Tumbulgum passage race to next month.
The new date will be 9 or 23 September … and will be sunny with a great breeze.
All the best everyone and thank you to everyone for all their hard work.
Skippers – if you haven’t already done so please RSVP by tomorrow to say if you are planning to sail next Sunday – our catering team needs to know numbers for your free feed at the finish line.
We still need the following…
Fingal Set up team – to put tent up and carry chairs and BBQ and tables over to the point
Timekeepers tent at finish line will be set up early sunday morning
More people on the catering team – both start & finish
Photographers – ideally to be at the start and follow the race. Tumbulgum bridge is a great spot. Photos needed at end of day. Can save on laptop at finish line
Thank you !
See you next Sunday – if you’re not sailing come and wave from the river bank!
Four more trees and lots of lomandra planted and woodchip mulch spread, which looks fantastic!
Thanks to the Tweed Shire Council for the plants and mulch.
Container emptied, all sabots rigged and checked – repair list made or done on the spot.
Rails put up to hang life jackets – with a great salvaged basket rack underneath for footwear, new large hooks for sabots mast and boom sets.
Everything cleaned and sorted.
The 27 Buzzy Bees were: Adam Hurt, Franc Krasna, Kevin Bourke, Lex Branch, Taj Krasna, Aiison Blatcher, Monique Smith, Dave Chester, Matt Colnan, Matt Andrews (+ Mia & Aiden), John Hayward, Geoff Carter, Gary McCrohon, Mark Reynolds, Adrian & Anne Colnan, Lydia Salvagno, Camille Lettieri + Otto & Ramona, Marcela Piakova + Sid Willis, Kynan Luescher, Kate Yeomans, Andrew Jaggers.
Thanks to Monique, Camille and Suzanne for cake, banana pancakes and biscuits to keep us going.
Commodore Bill Fenelon is away again at the helm of tall ship “South Passage” this week sailing from Townsville to Palm Island and then around Hinchinbrook Island. Back at the ranch, down at Fingal the sailing club races go on without him.
Last Sunday afternoon a zephyr light breeze blowing with a strong incoming tide almost thwarted the first race of the final day of the Winter Race Series. 15 boats, including 7 Corsairs and 4 NS14’s, lined up for the downstream start with 36 sailors on board. Race 1 saw the early lead by the Lasers eroded by the NS14’s and Corsairs on the following legs. Lex Branch on Impulse “Splitter” had a very satisfying day with a first on scratch in race 1, 10 minutes ahead of half the fleet. Mark Reynolds, Matt Andrews & Charlie Grace were next taking 1st in their class on Corsair “Keenas”.
A light breeze was no barrier to having fun on the water with the crew of Corsair “Swell Lady” dressing up in an array of pink paraphernalia to entertain the fleet when the wind died. Even wearing a pink mohawk mask, ace crew, Deborah Flannery still managed to set their pink spinnaker to great effect giving them a well-earned 3rd place in their class in the 2nd race.
The single-handers came back again in race 2 with the first 3 places on scratch taken by Lex Branch, (first again) and then John Pring and Kate Yeomans on Lasers. Alison Blatcher, Liz & Oliver Grace got a 2nd in the Corsairs on Melita III and a 1st in the next race with Camille Lettieri taking over from Oliver. Russ Timbs with Rave Chester & Sid Willis also had an exceptional couple of races, leading the Corsairs for a long time in race 2 but the unpredictable Tweed River wind shifts took them down to 5th. The NS14s/MG14s were also struggling – Junior Tom Busbridge put in an excellent effort with on board coach Adam Hurt on “Zazen” to take 1st in their class in race 1 and was just pipped by Dave Robinson & son Cooper in race 2. Dave & Cooper also got a 1st place on handicap – a great result for them. New members Sandie Williams & Roger Clark got some on board coaching in the second race from ace sailmaker and usual Swell Lady crew, Matt Andrews and they took 2nd in the corsair class on club boat “Rockin’ Robyn”.
The Juniors put on a good show today too. Thomas Busbridge skippering NS14 Zazen and Kynan Luescher and Taj Krasna sailing a 125 for the first time. Taj & Kynan were so impressed with having a spinnaker to play with that they made the most of a the wind when it arrived and sailed passed the course mark and on up the river. The tide beat them trying to get back – our kind safety boat driver gave them a tow. These two 11 year olds likely won’t be crewing on the seniors boats in races anymore now they’ve proved themselves capable of handling their own boat, the river is theirs! The day finished with the usual sausage sizzle and plenty of time to sit around and chat. Our safety boat drivers and timekeepers were Bryan & Muriel Townsend, Geoff Carter, Suzanne Blatcher and Marcela Piackova. If you would like to join this friendly support team do get in touch – training given. If you would like to get involved with the sailing club, on or off the water please get in touch.
Our next event is the 5th annual marathon “Tumbulgum Passage Race” from Condong to Fingal Head on Sunday the 26th of August. Open to all entrants who can fit under the Tumbulgum Bridge! Following the race from the river bank makes for a perfect day out. Starting at Condong about 10am with breakfast available from 8am at Clarrie Purnell Park. Bring your camera, best photo emailed in after the race gets a TVSC T-shirt !
This is our main event of the year – all our visitors agree it’s well worth the trip.
The race starts near the Condong sugar mill and winds its way down to Tumbulgum and on to Chinderah and the finish at Cave Point in Fingal Head – the scenery along the way will make it hard to concentrate on sailing! It’s an excellent day out for spectators too – lots of cafes and watering holes at Tumbulgum, Chinderah and Fingal and great spots to view the boats go by.
Please get your Entry forms in asap – no payment required until race day. Class numbers will be taken from preregistrations (needed for prize ordering)
2018 Tumbulgum Passage Race Polo Shirts $25 & T-shirts $15
Pre-orders & payments needed by Friday the 3rd Aug at the latest – will be ready to pick up on Race day.