“LEARN TO SAIL” COURSE · [email protected] CONTENTS 2. Club News 2. Race Reports 14. Upcoming Away Events 15. Marketplace . Richmond River Sailing and Rowing Club website:

Richmond River Sailing and Rowing Club website: www.rrsrc.com.au

P.O. Box 963 Ballina 2478

Newsletter Items, Idle Gossip, etc to Mark Pierce [email protected] (deadline midnight Tuesday)

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Club Newsletter 5/2/20

“LEARN TO SAIL” COURSE

Volunteers urgently needed,

especially this Saturday 8/3

The first 2020 “Learn to Sail” Course starts this Saturday 8 Feb. Volunteers urgently needed to skipper our expanding fleet of training boats (see Club News p2). We will have six Pacers, and two Corsairs requiring skippers. Arrive about 9-9.30. Please let Commodore Phill know that you’re coming.

Commodore Phill Robbins 0466668541 Vice Commodore Jonathan Horsley 0412798505 Rear Commodore Chris Hallett 0414866998 Secretary Nola Hallett 0414866999 Treasurer Col Woodbury Class Reps Gennakers – Michael Wiley Catamarans – Michael Cocks Trailers – Paul Morris Monos – Graham Hams Rowing Officer Graham Hams Website Admin Mark Pierce Publicity Officer Trent Morgan Training Club Committee

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CORRESPONDENCE TO: [email protected] CONTENTS

2. Club News 2. Race Reports 14. Upcoming Away Events 15. Marketplace

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CLUB NEWS

Receiving our new training boats from South Brisbane Sailing Club just I time for classes starting 8th Feb.

CLUB RACE REPORTS TRAILERABLES REPORT (thanks Matt) The forecast was for a fresh to strong northerly (again!) and just prior to the briefing it was averaging around 11 knots from the NNE. It was a flood tide with low being at approximately 9:00 with the high being around 3:00 so the course was set up near the mouth with an offset buoy at the top mark. The trailer sailers were to complete windward returns and to head to the finish gate after the 5th time around the top mark. With Andrew and Todd on duty we had 4 boats at the start line; eX, Serenity, Treasure Island and Spudgun . It was good to see Treasure Island back on the water. The wind had picked up and was fresh-15-20 knots. The start was just off the entrance to Mobbs Bay and was heavily biased toward the Rescue boat (port) end. All boats had a decent start on port tack with Spudgun able to create some separation to windward from the fleet during the first tack. At the top mark it was Spudgun followed by Treasure Island, Serenity with eX bringing up the rear.






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We decided to set the kite on the first run and managed quite well but looking back could see that no one else bothered. With the breeze increasing our kite was not seen again. Spudgun managed to increase its lead from Treasure Island and rounded the top mark with a comfortable lead. Looking back, we could see that Treasure Island was struggling to round the separation mark as it turned out had hooked either the top or separation mark around its keel. It took some time for them to extricate themselves and they did not continue to race although they did enjoy a little cruise around the river under main only.






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eX was looking good with the kites back on board and their main halyard problems sorted out but retired after the second lap for unknown reasons. Which left just 2 boats to successfully complete the race.

There was mayhem across the course in all fleets with 27 boats starting and only 17 completing their course. Meanwhile our brilliant resident photographer, Jane, caught the skipper of Serenity calmly standing on the foredeck snapping images of his crew steering downwind in 20-30 knots! (see pics). Good seamanship and boat handling in fresh conditions is the best racing technique when the breeze gets up and Serenity went on to win the (Champ day) Handicap race.

Spudgun finished about 20 minutes in from to Serenity which was enough to get the CBH win but not enough to win the Champ day handicap series. Thanks to Andrew and Todd for their duty officer efforts and of course Rolly for manning the rescue boat. I’d also like to thank Charlie who is proving to be an excellent crew replacement






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Gennaker report - 2 February 2020 A mixed fleet of two Formula 15’s, three RS100’s, a B14 and a 49FX fronted the starter in

what were, even by start time, increasingly difficult conditions. It wasn’t so much the

absolute wind strength which was the problem, as it’s inclination to alternatively hit you with

sudden gusts from random directions and just as suddenly leave you with a tea bagging lull.

The start was clean, even though many participants were taking it cautiously. Barry & Anna

in Secret shot through from a well-timed port tack start to take an early lead. They tussled on

port tack with Liam and Ewan in the 49er up along the lee rock wall on the right-hand side of

the course for half of the first work before both boats had to tack off from the wall.

Among the RS’s Garry in Hooray got the best of the start after Vincent in 5Buckarros tacked

into the lee of the bigger and faster 15, Second Wind.

In the meantime, Michael & Tara in Second Wind had taken a more conservative approach,

sailing left, away from the rock wall.

Vincent gets rolled by Second Wind just at the start






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It was soon after this that the attrition of the fleet by the conditions started.

The end of the 49er’s race came early when it tacked back onto port mid river and capsized

causing gear damage.

The end of the race for the 49er

Second Wind crossed tacks with Secret up the rest of the work, with the starboard right of

way often determining who crossed ahead to be fleet leader. The close race for the lead

finished when Secret capsized while tacking to the top mark and again while setting its kite

for the run, leaving Second Wind well in front.

Will & Chris in the B14 closely followed the 15’s for the first two laps until the crew suffered

from the lack of gloves and they withdrew. 5BuckaRooS led the RS’s around the top mark

and cleared away with kite up to round the bottom mark a good minute and a half ahead of

Hooray. But calamity struck Vincent at the second top mark turning, with a capsize in a big






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gust while bearing away. To make matters worse the mainsail pulled out of the mast track

forcing a withdrawal and a sail back to the club under a bare pole.

Dave in Wine Down, after seeing Vince in a pickle, and with the increasingly blustery

conditions and his fair share of swims, retired to the beach.

Second Wind auditions for a remake of an Alfred Hitchcock movie

Then there were three, with only Second Wind, Secret and Hooray still on the course in that

order.

Michael & Tara sailed conservatively and avoided any capsize throughout the race (although

not without close calls). Secret sailed fast, but was pushed into repeated energy sapping

capsizes (nearly a dozen according to post-race reports). Many of Secret’s capsizes occurred

through tacks, where the wind would fill the jib too soon and force the boat to bear away and






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become overpowered; the problem being exaggerated by the narrowness of the course and the

need for frequent tacks.

Secret shows why it stopped using the Kite after the first run

Second Wind continued to carry kites downwind until the closer reach to the finish whereas

Secret elected not to. However, Secret seemed to lose nothing for leaving the kite down,

making up a lot of the ground lost in capsizes.

By the last two laps, conditions had become intense; especially up the top end of the course

where the wind funnelled from under the Missingham Bridge, and a wind chop running

counter to the swells coming in through the heads, made for very difficult conditions.

As it rounded the top mark for the last time Michael and Tara in Second Wind thought for a

moment they may have lost it when the boat went bow down into a wave. Instead the wave

simply exploded into a shower of spray, threw the bow up and the boat went skipping along

the top of the water like a well thrown spinning rock; a rather unique experience.






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In the end only Second Wind and Secret survived in the Gennaker division. They finished in

that order.

Winners are grinners as Second Wind crosses the line

Hooray was unlucky in that, on the last windward leg, Garry capsized. In the process, he

lassoed his foot in one of the control lines. After a series of flounders and capsizes, Rolly and

Andrew in the rescue boat came to his aid. All 3 tried desperately to free Garry’s foot from

the turtled HooRay. At the very last moment before all were washed one the rocks, Garry was

able to unlace his boot and get free. With Rolly now having to save the rescue boat from ruin,

Andrew jumped overboard to help Garry hold Hooray off the rocks. Rolly now by himself in

the blustery conditions was having trouble getting a tow line to HooRay and radioed for






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assistance. Having finished their race earlier, Mike and Tara soon arrived in the smaller

inflatable and towed Garry and his boat off the wall.

Garry would like to express a very big thank you to Rolly, Andrew (especially Andrew, who

did the jumping in), Tara and Mike as this incident could have ended badly without their big

efforts. Lesson’s learnt by Garry were;

1.Always carry a knife on your person, as you can’t always reach the boat knife,

2.Don’t wear Zhik laceup boots, as they are very hard to remove,

3.Consider, shorten and reroute ropes and lines that are potential lassos and traps,

4. You can never thank enough, the good people who keep us safe and let us all enjoy our

racing.

MONO REPORT (by Mark)

A very respectably-sized fleet of 9 Monos took on the challenge of a possible 20+ knot Nor’Easter.

Three Lasers, three NSs, and three Impulses battled with the gusty conditions. Kate took out the Yardstick-

adjusted Championship Series race by a two-minute margin from Trent and Daisy, followed by Cameron a

few minutes further back.






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Ian Michie (usually in a

Spider or A-Class Cat) came

a very respectable fourth,

especially as he was heard

to comment that he “hadn’t

sailed a Laser for 30 years”

The Race Committee set an

exciting course for us, and

my little Laser was planing

it’s heart out for two legs of

each triangle – very

exhilarating stuff - well

done, Committee ☺

.

Eight of the nine Monos finished, which was an indication of the polished sailing that the Mono fleet is

developing.






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That’s all the detail of the “nuts and bolts” of the race that I have. Trent was too far ahead to see what was

happening – and I was too far behind!

As always, the Mono sailors all hopped in and supported one another after the race. Dollies were willingly

taken out to boats as they came near the shore, and teams of three or four made very light work of the haul up

the ramp.

It was great to have Kate (in the blue Laser, below) race with us again. She certainly keeps us all on our toes! ☺






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CAT REPORT (no report this week, but a few nice pics)

● Did you hear about the rental boat that didn't allow dogs or women on board?

It was called the Cat-or-a-Man Catamaran






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Home & Away Events

If anyone knows of any events or would like an event posted please let me know - Ed

([email protected])

The Annual Regatta

Hosted by Big River Sailing Club 7/8 March 2020

Saturday: Registration Online and save at

https://www.revolutionise.com.au/brsailingclub/events/42179/

Beach entry from 10 am Sat 7th

Briefing: 12.30 NSW Daylight saving time.

Race start 1.30 pm.

Long course race start and finish at BRSC

Sunday: Two or three races. First start not before 10am

Approx. 4 pm Prize presentation.

Divisions:

1. Off the Beach Cats YS under 82

2. OTB Cats YS over 82

3. OTB Monohulls YS under 113

4. OTB Monohulls YS over 113

5. Multihulls

6. Yachts and TS CBH .710 and over

7. Yachts and TS CBH under .710

8. Junior Classes

Note: Minimum 3 boats comprise a division. 6 boats for a class division.

Cheaper Online Registration Closes Friday 6th March

Single Hander: $40 Juniors half price

Double Hander: $50 Single day half price

Three or more crew: $60

Beach/Late entry: Single Hander $45. Double Hander $60. Three or more $70







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The regatta will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules, the prescriptions of YA, and the

sailing instructions. All participating boats must have $5million public liability insurance. All

persons must be a current member of an AS affiliated club.

NB: Your AS number will be required to register.

Free camping on site.

New clubhouse facilities return to better than normal!! It’s finished. Yay.

Club catering for all meals available Saturday and Sunday.

Enquiries to Hariet 0409664511 or e mail [email protected]

To assist our preparations if not entering online, please RSVP your intention to attend. ☺

For Sale/Wanted/Free to a Good Home

If you have any sailing related items for sale or if you want to buy something sailing related and want it put in the newsletter please let me know – Ed [email protected]

FOR SALE

Impulse 694 ++ In very good condition ++ Craftsman built ply and glass sheathed hull With Bond mast and boom ++ Constructed 2017++ Includes registered trailer and beach dolly Barracuda sail – like new! Located Diamond Beach NSW $6000 ono Ph: Terry 0459217889




Documents

“LEARN TO SAIL” COURSE · [email protected] CONTENTS 2. Club News 2. Race Reports 14. Upcoming Away Events 15. Marketplace . Richmond River Sailing and Rowing Club website: