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
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.
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!
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.
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.
A huge thanks to Club Tweed for donating most of our supplies for the BBQ today – HUGE, HUGE Thank You.
So many thanks to Commodore Bryan Townsend and his wife Muriel, who chased down donations and put together the whole day and STAYED the whole day! The oldest members of our club – and they were heading off to dinner with friends tonight!!! Great stamina!
To all the volunteers who made it happen today – up to 30 club members, including partners, gave their time today for our annual fundraiser. We have not increased our membership fee since the club’s inception in 2011, and the $5 racing fee is a cup of coffee for a few hours of great fun, skill, tension, aggravation and sheer exhilaration of racing fortnightly … plus great friendships created.
