Racing

Table of Contents

General Race Info
Current Duty Roster
Sign On Procedures
Race Course & Start Flag Sequence
Skippers – need crew?
Sailors – need a boat to crew on?
Club Boats
Beginners / Non-members
Race Series Competitions
Spectators
Facilities + Food & Drink Options

General Race Info

  • Any changes will be sent out the week before by email.
  • Location – TVSC Container, Fingal Head Boat Harbour.
  • Race Briefing – 12.00 (NSW) or 1 hour before race start. Attendance is compulsory for all sailors and support team.
  • Race Start – not before 1.00pm (NSW)
  • Race duration between 1.5 and 2.5 hours
  • All boats are required to have third party insurance.
  • Event Registration is always here.

Please note the following waiver:

I acknowledge that my participation in TVSC activities is at my own risk and I hereby release TVSC, it’s members officers, servants and agents from any and all claims, costs, and demands whatsoever and howsoever arising from my participation.

Except where provided or required by Law and it cannot be excluded, I agree that TVSC is absolved from all liability for any injury to me (whether fatal or otherwise) or any damage to my property (except for willful damage) resulting from my participation in any TVSC activity.

In consideration of TVSC accepting this application, I (a) release and forever discharge TVSC from all claims that I may have or may have had but for this release arising from or in connection with my participation in any TVSC activity; and (b) indemnify and hold harmless TVSC to the extent permitted by law in respect of any claim by any person against TVSC or any members officers, servants or agents acting for TVSC arising as a result of or in connection with my participation in any TVSC activity whilst I am participating or at any time thereafter.

Current Duty Roster – Winter 2023

The club is run voluntarily by its members, who support their club in many different ways. If you would like to be part of the club, please consider getting involved in a support role – training is given.

Safety boat drivers just require a power boat licence. A knowledge of sailing is a bonus but is not essential.

Current Duty Roster here

Note to sailors – if you sign up in advance for an onshore or safety boat duty you still get points towards the Club Pointscore Series (average points for the
series).

Sign On Procedures

Skippers sign on & pay $5 per boat race fee – before rigging your boat.

Check you sail number is correct on the sign on sheet & note if you have a different number on your spinnaker.

Crew names must be in full and legible.

Non-members sailing for the first time must complete an indemnity form at the sign on desk. This is only required once and covers you to sail 3 times with the club before membership is required.

Skippers to Sign off after the race.

Race Course & Start Flag Sequence

The course for most club races is shown in the links below – start direction depends on the wind direction. Races always start into the wind.

The briefing will state the course, number of laps and divisions.

We use three minute start sequences.

  • Orange Flag on start boat goes up to show on station and denote one end of the start line.  Get ready for the start sequence.
  • Division Flag goes up at three minutes.
  • Blue Peter (P) goes up at two minutes.
  • Blue Peter goes down at one minute.
  • Division Flag goes down for start.
    • The next division’s flag may go up at the same time, if there are multiple starts.

Skippers – need crew?

Let us know if you need crew before race day.  If a crew co-ordinator is listed in the reminder email, contact them by phone or email us or contact the Duty Officer for that race if no crew coordinator is available.  Otherwise, consult the list of people wanting to crew.

Sailors – need a boat to crew on?

With 13 Corsairs in our fleet each taking 3 crew there is a good chance of getting a sail. Availability of crew spaces can not be guaranteed – we will do our best to get you on the water.

If you would like to sail contact the club before race day. If a crew coordinator is listed in the reminder email, contact them by phone or email us or contact the Duty Officer for that race if no crew coordinator is available. You can also list your details on this form, which skippers can reference to find available crew.  (Please note that any details you leave will be visible to all skippers) If you can’t book in advance, just come down in time for the briefing – you might still be lucky.

Our safety boats also need crew and going out with them during the race is an excellent opportunity to watch and learn.

Club Boats

The club has access to a variety of sailing dinghies that can be hired by members per race or taken on long-term loan. Some of these have been donated to the club, and others are loaned by members.

These include two NS14s, two Corsairs, a Tasar, a 470, a Laser, five
Sabots, two VJs, two Flying Ants, Manly Juniors, four Pacers and six X3s.

You will need to hire in the week before to book a boat and arrange to come down and learn how to rig it as you need to be self-sufficient on race day.  The race officer or committee member will need to approve the hire.

Beginners / Non-members

Newcomers are always welcome. Beginners can come to try sailing sessions on selected Sunday mornings and are also welcome to crew in races.  Corsairs are ideal boats for beginners to learn how to become competent crew.

When you arrive go to the sign on desk and complete an indemnity form and make sure you are on the crew available list.

Lifejackets are provided and you will need to bring:

  • in summer a long sleeved top and shorts are ideal
  • in winter a windproof jacket + 100% wool jumper or wet suit.
  • footwear you don’t mind getting wet (not thongs)
  • a change of clothes
  • sunglasses & a hat that will stay on (ideally tied on)
  • water bottle

We have TVSC caps, hats, t-shirts, polo shirts & sailing gloves for sale before and after races.

Race Series Competitions

Summer Pointscore

All 10 races in the Summer Series are part of the Club Pointscore Competition (with 1 discard) and all crew members on 1 boat get the same points. This means that you do not have to be a skipper to get your name on this trophy. Results are calculated using a yardstick based skipper handicap system.

Summer Series Class Championship Races

Lasers, NS14’s, Corsairs, Multihulls and any class with 3 or more boats sailing in at least 2 races of 5 each. These are run concurrently with the Pointscore races, 5 races for each class champ. Results are on scratch (ie actual finish times).

Chinderah Challenge

1 or 2 races held between January and March racing from Fingal to Chinderah and back. Prizes donated. Results on yardstick.

Winter Series

Six races for overall pointscore trophy.

Tumbulgum Passage Race

This is our big annual event. Held in July or August this is a marathon race from Condong via Tumbulgum finishing at Fingal attracts sailors from all over Northern NSW and SE QLD. Prizes donated by sponsors. Results on yardstick.

Forecast & Tides

If looking up forecasts and tides search for Tweed River – Cave Point.

High tide at Cave point (our race area) is about 1hr 15mins after high tide at the river mouth.

N.B. Fingal Head is not the same as Fingal Bay.

Useful links:

Spectators

You can view the race from many good vantage points along Fingal Road on the South side of the river (also from the Golf Course on the north side) between the Boat Harbour and the bridge.

The best places are at the start/finish line on the point by the boat harbour entrance or up at the other end of the course near 39 Fingal Rd – look for the orange marker buoy.

The TVSC will have a marquee up at the start line – you are welcome to sit there but don’t distract the timekeepers as they are recording lap times.

Facilities + Food & Drink Options

The club has a storage container (not a club house) next to the boat ramp which houses our juniors boats, 1 of the safety boats, the Access 303 Dinghy + life jackets & other equipment including a fridge.

There are public toilets near to the boat ramp with an outside shower.

It is important to stay well hydrated to be safe on and off the water. Our race start is in the middle of lunch time – so bring a snack to have before sailing.

The TVSC Catering Team sell cold soft drinks, water & juice and there is a sausage sizzle after most races. Cold water melon slices usually appear on hot days!  (Please note that our BBQ etc are not running during covid.)

The Sheoak Shack café opposite the boat ramp car park is open from 9am on Sundays and does a good breakfast, coffee and toasted sandwiches and full lunch menu. Food is also available from the Fingal General Store just around the corner and there is a Fish & Chip shop down the road at Chinderah.