So were the forecasts again correct?  I think so.  I use Predict Wind and 12 knot Southerly easing was their prediction.  That was pretty much what the final two races were sailed in.
With both the scratch & handicap titles still open and all crews ready to attack a steadier breeze 9 boats lined up on yet another great start line.  The 'top guns' TBS, Firestorm & Runaway were close together, sailing hard on the Wolstoncroft side of the course and feeling pretty satisfied, until they made their way back towards Sunshine.  Matt, Troy & Mackenzie on Raptor were sailing well and holding a slight lead over Roger, Dom & Will on Devocean.  And they were about 100m in front of Firestorm.  Sweet!  As usual Stowe and Black Diamond were again upsetting the hierarchy too.  On the first run Tim, Hugh & Lennon on Stowe went hard toward the Sunshine side & once again were mixing it for the lead.  TBS did similar and rounded the bottom mark with Firestorm.  TBS sailed well but the weather was finally in the Firestorm go zone & Courtney, Dale & John sailed off to get the gun and seal the scratch title.  Col, Adam & Janine were missing the power of their now broken mast but again sailed well to finish 2nd, from Chook, Hayden & Adam on Black Diamond in 3rd.  Stowe continued to pick the breeze well & finished in a dead heat with Runaway for 4th.  TBS & Runaway were now tied on points in the scratch series.
Raptor took an easy corrected time victory from Devocean.  After that first lap it was not a surprising result.
The final race of the series started just like all previously - a long, even start line hotly contested.  All boats got away well but unfortunately a big blank after this as to who did what in this race because the breeze was so shifty and puffy.  You could dip the tuck of a boat and next time you'd cross 200m ahead.  It took max concentration all race.  Firestorm got the gun to claim the Coal Board shield. TBS seemed to be covering Runaway for most of the race but this is hard to do on a downwind finish and only 10 seconds separated them at the finish but TBS had done their job.  Black Diamond was back on form and finished 4th ahead of Stowe in 5th.  With a bit of separation in the fleet Firestorm took the corrected time honours for the race too.

In summary John, Dale & Courtney sailed Firestorm well enough in a range of breezes to win the scratch title from TBS & Range.  The Handicap title went to Andrew, Mike & Chris on Incognito, from club rivals Purple Haze with Stowe 3rd.

Finally praise must be given to SLMASC for hosting the VS nationals in a style that  suited the class well.  Relaxed off water, competitive on.  The key on water crew of Alf, Steve, Mark, Norm & Bob did an excellent job of setting true courses, fair start lines and coping with breezes from 5 knots to 25 knots.  Thanks guys.
Equal praise for the on shore crew of Marlene, Linda, Lynne, Kathy, Tracey & Wendy. 
Lunches were terrific every day, as were the afternoon nibbles with drinks on the verandah, only to be surpassed by the presentation night spread.  Thanks ladies.

It was the 75th time the VS national series has been contested so we reached a milestone that many other classes can only dream of.  I think it was one of the best but I've only sailed in the last 25 or so of those.  You'll have to ask Tim about the rest...

Once again the weather forecast was correct.  A fresh southerly was forecast and what did we sail in?  A fresh southerly.  Not as tough as on Sunday but enough to have the rigging area asking about whether racing would proceed.  But we are a skiff class and it wasn't crazy conditions, so the starting boat crew set the course & got us away on time.
Eight boats made the start for the first race of the day.  2 Sailors + 1 had shredded a mainsail the previous day so was gone for the series.  Raptor also headed for shore early after Matt had second thoughts about racing, much to the disappointment of Mackenzie...
A nice, long start line saw the fleet get away to a very even start.  I think all boats crossed tacks at some stage up the work & rounded the windward mark stem to tuck.  And all flew kites.  Wineglasses on a few gybes changed some places but everyone stayed upright.  Close racing continued for the rest of the race to the point that Runaway rounded the left hand bottom mark just before Firestorm rounded the right mark for the final beat to the finish.  The wind shifted left and Firestorm took a close win from Runaway.  TBS was a comfortable 3rd before Incognito crossed in an impressive 4th and for a probable corrected time victory.  Except that rival Purple Haze finished an equally impressive 6th across the line and once again took the handicap victory.  Three in a row!  Has Alex, Andrew & Rob peaked too soon?
Race 8 was similar, except this time TBS really found their mojo and sailed mistake free race for an easy victory.  Runaway kept them honest but (i don't think) crossed them in the race.  Firestorm was even further adrift in 3rd but unfortunately did cross both TBS & Runaway when on the first run they gybed onto port only to have to luff to avoid both.  They swum and started a long chase, eventually passing Incognito on the line.  But this time Incognito were not to be done on corrected time and took a solid handicap victory.  The ever consistent Tim, Hugh & Lennon on Stowe again crossed the line in 5th and scored a nice runner up place on handicap, which might prove crucial in the final wrap.
So going into the final two races the regatta is close.  Check the results.  But in summary Firestorm, Runaway & TBS are all still vying for the scratch title with just a few points between.  But the handicap series is even closer.  Hawkesbury hotshots Incognito & Purple Haze are tied on points with Stowe ready to claim the title should either falter.
The forecast for the final day of the regatta is another southerly.  Some models predict light to moderate, some fresher.  Let's just hope it is good VS sailing weather & we can all finish the regatta on a high.
See you tomorrow
​

A big day for all.  With 3 races scheduled the fleet assembled around the start boat for a Northerly course.  However just before the 5 minute signal the wind shifted 90 degrees.  Steve, Mark & various assistants on the start boat have been doing a great job all regatta and continued so, pulling up the AP and resetting the course.  So the early start now became a later than usual start, but the fleet was still keen.  Firestorm more so than others and drew a IR flag when the fleet got away in an 8 knot easterly.  But the breeze suited the lighter crews & Firestorm took the gun from TBS & Black Diamond.  Runaway had held a higher place all race but lost out down a competitive last run to finish a close 4th.  Check the race times!.
The lighter breeze was a welcome relief for some crews & kept the fleet close, with just over 10 minutes across the whole fleet.  And everyone finished.  This lead to close results on corrected time.  Andrew, Michael & Chris on Incognito finally got to enjoy the reward for all their hard work and won the race on handicap, a whopping 20 odd seconds ahead of club mate Purple Haze, who in turn 'did' Raptor by a huge 4 seconds.  Roger, Dom & Will were another 'lazy' 16 seconds further back in 4th.  These places might be important come overall results.
Second race for the day and the breeze had settled more in the ENE and was building.  Building enough for Michael, Peter & Murray on 2 Sailors + 1 to tear their mainsail in half & have another DNF.  A frustrating regatta for "the little master" but it was great to see the champ at yet another nationals.  The stories around the rigging area are legendary...
So back to the start & again it was keenly contested. This time it was Incognito to force a IR flag.  Once again Firestorm, Runaway, TBS & Black Diamond all swapped tacks and gybes at the font of the fleet, with Tim, Hugh & Lennon on Stowe again lurking ready to pounce on any mistake.  Plenty of passing but in the end Steve, Mick & Gabe on Runaway claimed another bullet, from Firestorm & TBS.
But once again the corrected time results were important.  And with less than 10 minutes spread across the fleet the results were always going to be close.  This time Alex, Rob & Andrew on 'The Haze' got the gong from Stowe, Incognito, Devocean & Raptor.
Third race for the day and the breeze was really freshening from the NE.  This time no early starters but also no early finishers!  Despite 15 - 20 knot gusts all boats finished & I think there was no swims.  Nice.  Again Firestorm, Runaway, TBS & Black Diamond lead the fleet, with Stowe again lurking.  Firestorm sailed a good final lap and got the gun from TBS & Runaway.
The fleet again finished closely so it was no surprise the corrected time winners were those with good handicaps.  And once again it was Purple Haze that got the victory, this time from Rog, Dom & Will on Devocean with Incognito 3rd.

Still four races left in the regatta so too early to call it but the scratch title looks like being a 4 way battle between race winners Firestorm, Runaway & Black Diamond and the comeback kings TBS.  The handicap title appears also to be a 4 way battle - Purple Haze leading club mate Incognito, with Devocean close behind & Stowe again lurking!!!

Southerly forecast for Wednesday.  Let's hope it has less bite than the last one...
it.

 Unfortunately the weather forecast was correct.  After a tough first day of racing a strong southerly wind was the last thing most of the fleet really wanted.  Great work and camaraderie from all concerned saw TBS roll up with a replacement mast, 2 sailors + 1 with a repaired mast, Incognito with a repaired rudder box, Raptor with a repaired rudder and the rest of the fleet with repaired sails or fittings of some sort.
So with the white horses running hard around Sunshine point Dale & Mark took a tinny out before the start to gauge the wind strength.  18 with gusts to 23 knots.  We didn't want another day with more boats broken than finishing so the skippers met and agreed to recommend postponing the start for an hour & reassess then.  
In this ensuing hour much testosterone kicked in and crews started recalling sailing in 'much worse'.  After another wind check reporting 17 gusting to 21 the concensus was "let's go!".  Raptor & Devocean decided to wait for another day so 8 boats left the shore.  Firestorm was first out and took it easy testing the conditions but Bob, Hayden & Adam immediately cracked the kite to impressively ran down the bay.  It was only when they took the rag off that they realised it was near impossible to get upwind so headed for shore.  Runaway and Stowe did likewise, as did Michael, Peter & Joey on 2 Sailors + 1 after breaking a tiller extension.
So with four boats still on the water Firestorm won a very uncrowded start & completed the course for a win.  But it was with much caution.  No spinnaker until the chasers flew one.  Cautious tacks and no gybes.  It was the hardest breeze I've sailed in quite a while & I'd reckon way more than 25 knots.  
Col, Adam & Janine sailed TBS home safely in 2nd, less than 24 hours after breaking a mast.  Well done!!!  They also sailed a conservative race without a spinnaker but also made it home without a swim.  The two lightest crews in 1st & 2nd demonstrates some good skills (and luck).
A bit further back, and with a bit heavier crew, Incognito had a few swims but persevered to finish the race.  But Andrew, Mike & Chris got the applause of all on shore when they cracked the kite down the final run and finished 3rd.  Awesome!!
Race 4 was postponed and is rescheduled for 1355 on Tuesday.  But was that the only strong breeze for the series?  Not by the forecasts...

For the 75th time the VS 15'skiff fleet has gathered for the national title series.  South Lakes has hosted several series in the past so the crews were looking forward to another successful series.  But after the first two races in the series some are thinking this is a series to remember for the wrong reasons.  But let's start at the invitation race...
Friday saw 9 boats rig ready for the Sid Peare Invitation Trophy.  There is a lot of history behind this trophy so it is well sought after.  As in recent years it is a 'two buoy' handicap race, whereby after a scratch start a boat receives a handicap advantage by sailing a shorter course.  Sailors can choose when they can take their handicap advantage so the astute play their cards well.
TBS & Firestorm lead the fleet away from the start & had another epic battle up front.  After a good start Chook, Adam & Hayden on Black Diamond was also looking menacing and keeping their cards up their sleeve.
(Un)fortunately during the first lap the breeze freshened, nudging 18 knots, so boats sailing the shorter course were advantaged less.  The stronger breeze also lead to a few incidents.  Col, Adam & Janine on TBS had chased down Firestorm & just taken the lead when they had an uncharacteristic swim on a gybe.  Then on the final lap Black Diamond played their 'short course' card and snuck in front of Firestorm, only to also swim on a Gybe, leaving John, Dale & Courtney to take the victory.  Tim, Huey & Lennon sailed Stowe mistake free to claim 2nd, from the fast finishing TBS & Black Diamond.  The rest of the fleet got home OK, except for the newly painted Raptor, with Matt retiring the boat after Kenzie fell and suffered a nasty leg injury.  After the race she didn't complain.  For an 11 year old she is pretty tough kid.
After sweltering in a +42 degree all morning, by the time the fleet faced the starter for race 1 of the series a 15 knot NE'er was in & building.  It cooled the sailors but increased the heart rates.  With Steve back from Singapore Runaway was a welcome addition to the fleet with Steve & Mick joined for this regatta by Gabe.  The big two of Firestorm & TBS again had a great battle up front, closely followed by Runaway & Black Diamond.  After a lap of swapping places TBS had just hit the lead again when a sickening crack was heard, followed by the toppling of their mast.  Firestorm then had a long swim on the final gybe, allowing the ever present Black Diamond & Runaway to slip past & fight for the lead.  In the end Chook, Hayden & Adam took the gun.  Well done.  Runaway took an easy 2nd with Firestorm just recovering to pass a well sailed Incognito on the final work.  Rog, Dom & Will rounded out the finishers bringing Devocean home in 5th, albeit having a swim & breaking their record of not capsizing at a nationals.  I wish I could say that!!
So now for the tales of misery of the DNF'ers.  TBS was worst hit, with the broken mast.  Stowe broke a so called 'high load' vang pulley.  Michael, Pete & Joey on 2 Sailors + 1 broke a kite pulley which then damaged a spreader.  Matt & Troy on Raptor again broke Macca.  Alex, Rob & Andrew on Purple Haze also broke something, but I can't remember what.
So that thinned out the starters for race 2.  And the breeze was still freshening, over 20 knots near the island.  Raptor, Stowe & Purple Haze made it out again but Devocean decided to keep something for tomorrow.  Andrew, Michael & Chris were trying to fix a spreader before the start but ended up tearing the rudder of the boat for a DNS.  So 6 boats started. 
Firestorm & Runaway lead the fleet away, closely followed by Black Diamond & Stowe.  The breeze filled more & things changed after a lap.  Firestorm blew up the jib line & swum heaps trying to fix it.  Raptor tore the rudder off.  Stowe blew the tack line pulley.  But no such dramas for Steve Mick & Gabe - Runaway sailed superbly for an easy win from an equally well sailed Black Diamond.  Stowe persevered without a kite for the final run to claim 3rd.  Firestorm finally stopped swimming to steal 4th on the line from The Haze.

There is a big southerly forecast for tomorrow so lookout for some news of what happens when it really blows....

 
Whether you believe the forecasts are luck or skill, the weather for the Teralba regatta weekend was exactly as predicted.  Which made for a good Saturday but unfortunately a bad Sunday.  So to the good first.
 
The forecast for Saturday was for a light to moderate E to NE breeze but not building.  And that is exactly what we got.  8 – 12 knots with enough NE potential to suck you into shipbuilders but then leave you stranded as the boats that went south in pressure arced around you.  But if you got that puff from the NE… 
 
For various reasons the fleet was missing a few boats but still 9 eager crews lined up for a pin biased start.  Young guns Raptor & SFC tried for the ultimate port hand start and became tangled at the buoy, as the rest of the fleet got away cleanly.  But that didn’t matter.  As I hinted earlier, if you were in the right place at the right time you could make some big gains.  Jeremy & Joe would both be back in the action again soon.
 
Together around the top mark was Absinthe, with Mick, Dev & Gabe continuing to enjoy their new ride, and Troy Botting Shipwright, proving their hot form so far this season is no flash in the pan.  Firestorm, Runaway, Stowe & SFC were in the next bunch, all crossing tacks numerous times up the work.  This was the theme for the race, with Raptor & Meeks always within striking distance.
 
With the course not overly long and the wind gentle it was not a physically tough day but it was mentally exhausting.  If you lost concentration you could easily lose time.
No such issues for TBS.  Up front Col, Adam & Janine sailed TBS brilliantly and eked out a margin on every leg, to eventually take the gun by over 6 minutes from Absinthe, who held off a late charge to take 2nd from Firestorm by 1 second. Not quite as close, Jeremy, Hugh & Hayden on SFC finished a ‘huge’ 17 seconds further back, after trading gybes on the final run with Dale & the boys.
 
But it might have been lucky the SFC lads were looking forward.  Stowe had not gone away and flew down the final run, in the end finishing just 9 seconds adrift of the SFC.  The ‘old master’ Michael joined Robbie & Mark on Meeks for the weekend & had a reasonable race, but got caught in several Teralba holes, leading to calls after the race of ‘bring in the concrete trucks & turn it into a car park’.  But then again they were only another 30 seconds behind…
 
Guest crew Jason joined Steve & Dom on Runaway, but they didn’t have the best of days, also seen parked under Shipbuilders several times.  They didn’t finish far off Meeks, but were looking for more breeze, especially with Jason’s leverage. 
Joe, Mitch & Kye don’t have the grunt in the Raptor rig for these conditions but kept plugging away after their start and their skills were rewarded with a 2nd on corrected time.  Don’t forget that is what this TT series is all about.  With Purple Haze undergoing major surgery Alex again joined Brian and Kal on Narwahl.  It was good to see the Hawkesbury boys here, but a borrowed mast in need of some tuning didn’t help their day, finishing a little behind Raptor.
 
When reviewing race results I always smile when I see a crew that I think has sailed well and finished above their peers gets a good handicap placing.  It proves the handicapping system works. TBS did sail well, and earned a 3rd place on corrected time, but there can be no argument that the Stowe boys deserved their 1st place gong for the day.  They finished less than 30 seconds behind Absinthe & Firestorm.  Tim, Scott and Lennon are developing their teamwork and I’ll predict now that in the near future Lennon will be just as good as the previous graduates of Tim’s youth development program.  Well sailed lads!!!
 
Now to Sunday.  The forecast was for a gusty westerly building in the afternoon.  And when arrived at the club on Sunday morning, guess what was blowing?  A gusty westerly.  It was a good sailing breeze most of the time but every few minutes or so through would come a real rattler.  With the nationals just over a month away one by one the crews packed their boats away.  In the end a few Impulses & NS’s ventured out but no VS’s.  Good to see everyone is focussed on Neranie…
 
Speaking of which, as I write this the T-shirts have been ordered & should be available before Christmas.  Big thanks to Michael N for his design & ordering skills.  I’ll let everyone know when the shirts are available in case you need to give one as a present. 
 
Apart from that you all should know the drill for Neranie.  Get your entries sorted before the start of the series (NOR with entry form and SIs on the VS web site) and have a great time.  When the series is finishing Wendy & I will thinking of you from Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable lake in the world.  We’ll check it out for a future VS nationals…
 
 
Good luck all
John
 
 

Vaucluse TT race report
 
For numerous reasons, it has been years since the VS fleet have sailed at Vaucluse.  And last weekend it looked like another year would pass before we returned. 
Why?  A major truck accident closed the freeway from Newcastle on Saturday morning.  Some made it through with little delay but the Firestorm boys, leaving last at 9am (handicap start?) took a leisurely 5 hours to get to the club.  As such it was a rapid rig & launch to join the fleet for a delayed start.  Unfortunately the problems of the day were just starting … 
Seven boats made the trip, and I think everyone agreed it was worth the effort.  VYC are an excellent host club, and embody the spirit of the VS class and how we sail.  Delayed start?  No problem.  Change of course?  No problem.  A welcoming atmosphere after the race?  No problem.  Free beverages from a recent wedding? No problem.  Sailing on the harbour is unique but intense.  And VYC is the perfect place to unwind after the ‘experience’.  I hope we can return for many years with larger fleets. 
So, back to our problems.  Running so late, I must admit I didn’t get the chance to do my usual Race Secretary duties and chat to the race officials to confirm the course & other sailing arrangements.  There was some mutter in the rigging area of 3 laps of a port course so we were a little surprised the see the start boat with a green flag flying...
With a beautiful southerly blowing we started down in Chowder Bay & headed windward.  Firestorm, with Adam capably filling in for Dale on sheet; SFC Computers, with regular crew of Jeremy, Tom & Hugh (now my pick as the heavy weather gun boat) ; and Stowe, with Tim joined by ex legend Jason giving Lennon his first taste of extreme harbour sailing, lead off the start to the first mark.  
I am a bit vague on details here, because things happen quickly on the harbour and there is no time for sightseeing, but certainly also seen starting and smoking up the first work were Absinthe, with Geoff, Mark & Robbie borrowing Dad’s boat after breaking Meeks; Aussie III with Ben, Brad & Chris on a yet again the repaired orange boat; Narwahl (good to see life member Brian back in the fleet with guest crew Alex & Kallum) and Measurement Solutions.  It was great to see Jock at the regatta, but he told me he is an ex-Sydney sailor and enjoys a return to the mayhem once in a while.  Got to admit, so do I.
So Firestorm went around a windward mark off Neilson Park first, closely followed by SFC & Stowe.  After a fun ride to the leeward mark Tinker pulled aside in the rescue boat & advised we’d rounded the wrong windward mark – we should have been going to Shark Island!  To compensate he advised us to do 4 laps.  He advise SFC the same.  But unfortunately before he could advise the rest of the fleet of the change he was called to rescue Aussie III, which had busted a rudder. 
So from here Firestorm did 4 short laps, SFC pulled out, knowing they’d rounded the wrong mark, Stowe did 3 short laps, Narwahl broke a mast (after breaking a D1), Absinthe broke something. (Sorry boys. Too rushed to find out.  Knowing Mark I’d guess a finger nail J ).  Jock, Andrew & Peter on Measurement Solutions joined SFC & Firestorm in completing the course.  But after some consideration it was decided to declare the race abandoned, with no results to count. 
That’s not to say the day was a failure.  Far from it.  If we had sailed the proper course it would have been perfect – long & true.  VYC had great on water organisation & an even better off the water welcoming.  It is a great club.  You can walk in without shoes, grab a drink & sit on the verandah and enjoy the $M views whilst talking sailing.  Girls, don’t you think this is utopia? Maybe after a few bottles of Chandon?  But that is another story…. 
Many thanks to Tinker, Stacky, Doug and all at VYC for the day.  I certainly hope this continues forever.
 
Make sure you get to VYC next year!!!  Don’t forget Teralba TT regatta next weekend.
 
Cheers
John
 

Ready.  Set…
In just a few weeks sailing season 2018/19 will be GO!  Tim has been doing a great job getting crews to make their boats ready – now it’s time to get some enthusiasm so everyone wants to sail their boats.  So I’ll give you some info, gossip and anything else I think of that might get you wanting to be at that next VS regatta.
 
Firstly the association regatta dates have been decided.  Get these in your diaries (or phones) now!

• 17 November - Vaucluse TT
• 1 & 2 December - Teralba TT
• 6 - 12 January 2019 - Neranie Sands nationals
• 20 January - Manning Marathon TT
• 9 & 10 February - South Lakes TT & States
• 16 & 17 March - Hawkesbury TT & States
  
  

NOR and SIs for TT, States & Nationals will be out soon.  Remember that there is no entry fee for the TT & state series but entries do close at the first regatta.  Association membership is due now and all you have to do to enter each series is tick a box on the membership form so why not do it now.  Saves us chasing you later and you are helping to keep the class afloat.
 
As for the regatta program you’ll notice a couple of changes.  Hawkesbury have shifted their weekend to March rather than in the hectic lead up to Christmas.  Boats travelling to Hawkesbury have been down in recent seasons so let’s make a good effort this season to have a big turnout.  Hawkesbury are building a new al fresco area onto the clubhouse so it will be worth the trip just to see what they have done.
 
Also worth travelling to is Vaucluse.  Not long after they hosted us for our 70th anniversary and states the club was destroyed by a storm.  It was pretty well closed for a season or two whilst being rebuilt.  We missed last year’s regatta due to a teething trouble with a new committee but now all is organised & the team at VYC are eager to see us return.  Their official regatta date clashes with Sunshine, so we have negotiated the pre-Christmas date to balance our season.  Once again I’d ask that all sailors do their best to sail on the day so we get a good turnout.  The experience of sailing on the harbour is unique, the clubhouse is unique and the VYC hospitality is legendary.  Few clubs support small fleet regattas so let’s use it before we lose it!
 
Now for some of the chatter I’ve heard about the fleet.  Firstly it looks like we’ll be welcoming Dev back into the fleet.  He’s been sniffing around for the past year or so picking up guest rides but I’m told he’s joining Mick T & Gabe on 2226 for the season.  Everyone knows I think this is the fastest hull in the fleet so it won’t surprise me at all to see this team win a few races once Gabe gets more familiar with the boat.  Don’t forget how well Robbie has progressed…
Speaking of Robbie, he is still sailing with Mark on Meeks, and they will be joined by Geoff Jakins on the tiller.  No problems here so they should continue to be at the sharp end of the fleet.  Likewise SFC will be there again, with Jeremy, Tom & Hugh teaming up once again and looking to go continue to win big races.  Also keeping their crews unchanged is TBS – Col, Adam & Janine; Raptor – Joe, Mitch & Kye; Devocean – Roger, Nick & Will; PBB – Paul, Kev & Max.  Without the need to develop new teamwork, all of these crews will be ready to pick up where they left off, or better!
 
So now to the other changes.  The big news is 2222 Planet Beer has been retired and is replaced by 2215 Action Images.  Also stepping aside is VS legend Michael Northam, who we will hopefully see as a fill in skipper throughout the season.  But fear not this boat will still be the fun ship.  Brad is still there, joined by Ben Ferguson on tiller & Chris Bradford up front. I am already smiling.  Also smiling will be Steve & Mick on Runaway, who look to have signed Dom up as fore’hand for the season.  As I said above a regular crew is ½ the battle.  Tim & Scott are also welcoming Lennon Sullivan as their new front man on Stowe.  Lennon is already a good young sailor but, knowing Tim’s history of nurturing young sailors, will  likely become as good as the SFC crew in a few years.  Kirra has not been punted either, but has just stepped back a bit and will be available as a fill in from time to time.
 
The crews on the remaining Teralba boats are not so clear.  Dom on Battleship will be a father again this season so is unsure how committed he can be with family duties calling.  Hopefully we’ll see the grey boat in the fleet more often than not.  As for Firestorm, Dale & Ryan will be on board but are still looking at options to fill in for me when I’m away. Obviously they won’t get someone that looks as good…
 
Of the Hawkesbury fleet I’ve heard a few whispers.  Jock, on Measurement Solutions, is back for another season and is looking for some 2nd hand sails to improve his boat.  If anyone has some that you want to offload let me know.  Also back again is Alex on Purple Haze.  I hope Andrew & Rob are back on board, as they have been developing well as a crew.  Brian has Narwahl ready to go again, but his nephews have got jobs, so he is short- handed.  Chris and Greg (and Troy) have continued to work on Incognito throughout the off season so much so that I’m told it looks a totally different boat.  Can’t wait to see it.  Unfortunately Will is off doing his HSC (suppose it will pay off later in life..) so they are also short- handed.  So there was some talk Brian could jump on board Incognito.  But to add another option the Sheldon brothers (you might remember them – they sailed with their dad on Measurement Solutions before Jock bought it) have finished their hiatus and are keen to get back on a VS.  The music hasn’t stopped yet…
 
And of course Black Diamond is out there somewhere too.  I’m sure Chook & Hayden will have been tweaking again so the boat should be even better.  Hopefully Adam will be in the team again & these guys continue where they left off last season – fighting at the front of the fleet.  Good competition makes for fun racing.
 
The result of all of the changes should be known at the first regatta.  Another great reason to make the effort to get there.  Don’t forget Saturday November 17 at Vaucluse.  See you then
Cheers  John         
o edit.

“Let’s sail the final regatta of the season”. That must have been what most VS crews were thinking.  With 12 starters, the Saturday race at Sunshine was the best attended of the season.  And it could have been more, if Alex & Andrew were not organising younglings in the MJ squad or Jeremy wasn’t regressing back to his MG days…
 
But, even if it were the last regatta of the season, it was great to see some boats appearing for their first ‘away’ this race season.   Dom & Shaun enticed former champ Sam to make the journey from Jindabyne for the weekend to debut Battleship.  The boys had a good race on Saturday, in the mix for most of the race & finishing 10th.
 
It was also pleasing to see the return of Incognito.  For those not aware, Chris has led a major rebuild campaign of the boat, ably supported by Greg, Troy and a host of others.  Took a while to get here, but the end result looks great.  Chris is now on the tiller and Will up front so while there is a bit of teamwork to build the boys sailed well on Saturday and finished without any breakages.  Always a good sign after a major rebuild…
 
Bozo, Kev & Max were also a welcome addition to the fleet.  Take it from me, Max is sailing well after the Neranie nationals experience.  Kev is always on his game, as should be Bozo, except he asked an ex-skipper how to rig a spinnaker.  Really?  Give you a tip.  Don’t ask a skipper (or half of the sheethands).  Anyway when the kite came up first time it was backwards and upside down.  It took all of Kev’s skills to re-rig it whilst sailing but he did & they finished with kite flying.  Well done.
 
Saturdays race was sailed in a light E-SE’er.  An unusual breeze for Sunshine that lead to an unusual course.  Unfortunately a few of the fleet misunderstood the briefing and aimed for the wrong windward mark for the first time, cruelling the advantage of that big left hand lift that Meeks, Stowe, Planet Beer & others were enjoying.  This gave Troy Botting Shipwright, Firestorm & Runaway a break over the fleet and the space to battle for the rest of the race. 
 
In the light & variable conditions positions changed often and were hard to defend; however Col, Adam & Janine seem to sail best when it is tricky like this and sailed to a nice win that would also guarantee them the state title with a race to spare.  Can’t get any better than that. For a while now they have had the speed but just didn’t get a lucky break at the right time.  This season they didn’t need luck. Well done Champs!!!
 
John & Dale welcomed Ryan back aboard but it wasn’t a day to stretch Firestorm’s legs. They made TBS work for the win but could only manage 2nd.  Recently crowned a national champion fore’hand, Steve realised it is much easier at the blunt end of a boat and grabbed the tiller again on Runaway, and with Mick & B14 Geoff sailed well to keep the pressure on at the front & finish 3rd across the line. 
 
A layman might have thought Meeks were trying their best to be at the back of the fleet, having two bites at starting then sailing quickly towards the wrong mark up the first work, however Mick, Robbie & Mark fought back through the fleet to be 4th across the line. 
Once again Black Diamond and Raptor had a close race.  As their Neranie Sands results showed, Chook, Hayden & Adam like a little more breeze than today but they managed to hold off Joe, Mitch & Kye by a few seconds for 5th place.  The positions could have well been reversed had Raptor not had a swim after becoming entangled with a Skate.
 
Tim, Scott & Kirra on Stowe were back in the fleet a bit after the first mark issue but got around without problems to be the next of the TD fleet, coming home 7th and most importantly getting beers from Michael, Brad & Lyndon.  The Planet Beer boys had a bit of ‘horsepower’ ready to use but the light breeze didn’t suit this today and they finished 8th, about ½ a minute ahead of Brian, Steffan & Kallan on Narwahl. 
 
The Hawkesbury boys had done enough to get 2nd on corrected time, however today was TBS’s, and they took the handicap victory too.
 
The racing on Sunday couldn’t have been a greater contrast to Saturday.  After a start postponed while waiting for a predicted southerly we got it.  +25 knots at times I’d say.  PBB had gone home on Saturday.  TBS, Runaway, Narwahl, Battleship & Incognito decided to keep their feet (and masts?) dry and stayed ashore.  The rest went out to give the starter something to do (the Skates decided to start after we had done a lap for some reason).
 
Stowe & Black Diamond had a ride or two and completed a lap or so but it wasn’t a day for light crews so they pulled out before breaking something, unlike Planet Beer, who lost the bar across the transom, and hence their rudder, whilst at full speed under kite downwind.  After a capsize described later by the starter as “the most spectacular I have seen”, the boys also retired behind the tow boat
 
That left three.  With Ryan back aboard, Firestorm were enjoying the conditions and some good kite rides, to comfortably get the gun.  Meeks kept them honest but had a little less horsepower to use, still finishing a good 2nd.
 
After looking impressive when running down to the start under spinnaker, the Raptor boys had a few issues around the course in the race but persevered and finished.  And this was significant.  Last place on both scratch & handicap was equivalent to 3rd place, giving the Joe, Mitch & Kye a score good enough to win the overall handicap title.  Congratulations fellas, you deserve it.
The boys have the crew work sorted and sail well, but are still trying to get their rig sorted. 
But once done I’m sure they will also get results like the SFC boys & be at the front of the fleet.  And that is great to see!!!
 
The Sunshine weekend was also the last two races in the TT series.  Because of additional and different races in the series there are different handicap results compared to the State series.  But in the end the Overall winner is usually the most consistent and improving boat and crew of the series. 
Only two boats started every race in the TT series.  And these two boats were consistently good in results.  Therefore it was no surprise they ended the series with a ½ point difference for the crown.  But the winning crew stepped up through the fleet all year, winning the Manning Marathon & scoring several 2nd places in the nationals series.  Congratulations to Bob, Hayden & Adam.  The Black Diamond crew are the Travellers Trophy winners for the season.  Another young crew (Chook excluded) so once again the class is looking good for the future.
 
Keep an eye out for information about next season’s national’s venue & the AGM and state title presentation.
 
Cheers
John 
e to edit.

Everyone’s dreams fulfilled?  Earlier I wrote something about Tim’s dream to sail a series at Neranie Sands was fulfilling a dream.  From the smiles after the final day’s sailing I think just about everyone’s dreams were satisfied too.  But first to the final days racing.  Can I say it was close? 
Both the scratch & handicap titles were far from decided.  On scratch Firestorm was three points clear of Meeks with TBS & SFC just another two points adrift.  But with ‘the big 4’ already scoring a bad race or two, and with a light, puffy northerly blowing, the title series  was far from finished.  
Similarly the handicap title was also far from done.  Black Diamond held a four-point lead from a circling pack of Planet Beer, SFC & Stowe.  Just another point adrift was Devocean & Narwahl.  With light, tricky conditions there was likely to be big points scored in both races so again the title was far from done.
 
The first race of the day was started in a light breeze that kept the fleet close, with all boats looking for that elusive gust.  The big 4 all managed to dig themselves out of the fleet after the first lap, with Black Diamond continuing to do as they have done all regatta and cross ahead out of nowhere.  After many position changes, Firestorm held a small lead from SFC, TBS & Meeks going up the last beat to the finish.  Plenty of cover tacking was the rule until Meeks decided to chance their luck & break away to the right.  Great move.  Mick, Mark & Robbie picked up a nice lift to surge from 4th to 1st to win the race by 2 seconds from Firestorm in 2nd, SFC just 1 second behind in 3rd, and TBS a ‘huge’ 3 seconds further back in 4th.  So in six seconds the results of the regatta was changed.  Now only Meeks & Firestorm was in contention.  Just one gust different & it could have been between SFC & TBS.
 
With the light breeze the fleet was compacted at the finish so the long handicappers faired well.  Devocean took 1st place, from Narwahl & Raptor.  Going into the final race Devocean held a 1 point lead from Stowe & Black Diamond for the overall handicap title.
 
Race 10 was another beauty.  Similar breeze; maybe slightly stronger so that crews could occasionally swing two uphill.  Another closely contested start with an IR; Firestorm having to return & dip the line & Black Diamond having to circle the start boat.  After a lap of changing places the big 4, along with Chook (in hindsight I should have include Chook & labelled all these boats the big 5) had made their way to the front of the fleet to race to decide the title.  SFC lead TBS, Black Diamond, Meeks & Firestorm down the second run when a strengthening change appeared from the south.  
SFC managed it best to round the leeward marks first.  TBS got caught high & had to gybe in a black’un, and unfortunately swam.  Black Diamond was caught in a hole and gybed back north so also slipped back.  That left Meeks & Firestorm to chase SFC.  Meeks took the left leeward mark; Firestorm the right.  With the breeze coming from Firestorm’s side they passed Meeks to follow SFC around the windward mark for the final time. 
 
All three blasted for the finish.  All three had to drop spinnakers to make finish the finish line.  Jeremy, Tom & Hugh took victory in SFC Computers to claim the Coal Board Shield & 3rd overall.  With three wins, if not for a slow start to the regatta, these boys would have been even further up in the results.  Firestorm hung on for 2nd, seven seconds ahead of Meeks.   Black Diamond continued to pounce on any mistake the big 4 made & finished a good 4th.  Stowe had a good race & finished 5th across the line, and enough to win the race on handicap from Firestorm & SFC. 
 
This spread of points was enough to ensure Tim, Scott & Kirra on Stowe were the overall handicap champions   First time debutants Scott & Kirra sailed a great regatta.  It may feel a long & sometimes tiring series but when you reflect on a national’s,  that’s what makes them special.  No one remembers a weekend regatta…  SFC kept improving all regatta and finished 2nd overall on handicap, with Devocean & Black Diamond tied for 3rd.  Roger, Nick & Will got the place on a count back, and earned the respect of the fleet by being only one of three to not capsize during the eleven races.  Well sailed!!! 
Overall on scratch Firestorm, with John, Dale, Ryan, Tracey & Stephen, sailed consistently enough to win the title by three points.  With Ryan on board I think we were unbeatable. But they were big shoes to fill and I think Tracey & Steve filled the vacancy admirably & kept Firestorm in the series.  By the final day Steve was looking for his forward hand union ticket and deservedly joined the VS champions winners list.  Thanks mate.
 
So back to the fulfilment of dreams.  Tim has wanted a national series here for years.  And this year we did it.  It came off perfectly.  The weather was good.  The courses were good.  The racing was good.  The PPK sponsored BBQ presentation was good.  And when Tim announced SFC was sponsoring the drinks trailer, everything was good!!!
 
Sid Peare Invitation
1st Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, R Fokes;
 
Coal Board Shield
1st SFC Computers (J Dodds, T Wood, H Dodds)
 
Overall Scratch
 
1st Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, R Fokes, T Jacobson, S Sims) 14 pts; 2nd Meeks Real Estate (M Turton, R Turton, M Nugent) 17 points; 3rd SFC Computers (J Dodds, H Dodds, T Wood) 19 points; 4th Troy Botting Shipwright (C Gillespie, A Kelly, J Turton) 24 pts; 5th Black Diamond (B Baker, H Baker, A Birkefield) 31 pts; 6th Planet Beer (M Northam, B Dodds, B Ferguson, C Bradford) 46 pts; 7th Stowe (T Dodds, S Coleman, K Coleman) 54 points; 8th Raptor (J Ferguson, M Blake, K Donaldson) 56 pts; 9th Narwahl ( B Gleeson, M Gleeson, Kallan ) 72 pts; 10th Devocean (R Devery, N Devery, W Devery 76 pts.


Handicap
 
1st Stowe 27pts; 2nd SFC Computers 30 pts; 3rd Devocean 32 pts (count back); 4th Black Diamond 32 pts; 2nd Plan B 20 pts; 3rd Battleship 22 pts; 4th Black Diamond 27 pts; 5th Planet Beer 34pts (count back); 6th Narwahl 34 pts (count back); 7th Raptor 34pts; 8th Troy Botting Shipwright 45 pts; 9th Firestorm 48pts; 10th Meeks Real Estate 50 pts.