Another day in paradise! After a cool night crews were welcomed by another refreshing NE’er for the first day of championship racing. I doubt many other places in NSW had a cool sea breeze today…
First up, the results for the Invitation race were confirmed. After a misunderstanding over the course that saw the leaders sail past the finish line, Firestorm ended up 1st, closely followed by Devocean and Meeks Real Estate. Tim showed his experience when, aiming for an upwind finish, he quickly corrected & finished downwind to claim 4th place. So after another go at briefing the courses all crews were raring to go. With a gentle breeze the start of the first race was hotly contested. All crews pushed hard but the starter declared a clear start & the fleet got away in an 8-12 knot NE’er. John, Dale & Ryan on Firestorm made a good start, picked some nice lifts & pressure lines to round the top mark with a handy lead that they would not surrender. Mick, Brad & Ben were next around on Planet Beer, closely followed by Troy Botting Shipwright & Meeks. Jeremy, Tom & Hugh on SFC Computers were next, having a close battle with Chook, Hayden & Adam on Black Diamond with the rest of the fleet close behind. At the finish Firestorm lead TBS home, with Meeks just getting the better of Planet Beer after a tight tussle around the course. SFC finished 5th, winning their battle with Black Diamond by 2 seconds! On handicap Roger, Nick & Will on Devoceaan sailed a great race to finish just behind Raptor across the line to claim their maiden handicap victory at a nationals. Shows yesterday’s invitation result was no fluke. 2nd was Brian, Max & Kallan on Narwahl, with Planet Beer converting their strong scratch result into 3rd on corrected time. Race 2 started in a nice breeze that was again fiercely contested. This time the boats that went left, looking for the that were there in the first race (Firestorm, Meeks etc) were hammered. SFC were looking good after making a good start & getting right – until Black Diamond came from further right to round the top mark with a nice lead. Not far behind them was Devocean, proving that their previous results were no fluke. Firestorm was close behind, as was SFC. From here the race became difficult, with the breeze dying and fluctuating in direction regularly. Most skippers I talked to after the race spoke of their frustration of sailing a knocking work. After Firestorm wore down Black Diamond, Col, Adam & Janine on TBS did likewise to both boats, opened up a lead & looked unstoppable. Then the breeze changed yet again, as did the lead. Firestorm snuck around the top mark with a small lead for the final run to the finish that they would hold, narrowly taking the honours from TBS. Mick, Robbie & Mark looked to have risen from the ashes after rounding the first mark in last place but Black Diamond continued their good form to hold them off for a great 3rd across the line. Not much further back there were some more great battles underway. Next home was the TD sub-fleet boats, SFC taking the bragging honours from Stowe, Raptor & Planet Beer. Roger & the boys claimed another scalp, beating Narwahl home on scratch, but this was not enough to claim the handicap victory – this belonged to Black Diamond. For two days now they have lead the fleet more than once. Well sailed! Check the results pages for race times & scores. Cheers John tra73! That’s how many times the Vee Ess nationals have been contested. Not many classes can boast that. You may think it would be repetitive after so many years but this season we’ve again stepped it up a notch.
For years Tim has mulled over the idea of sailing a nationals on the Myall Lakes at Neranie Sands. So after numerous good championships at our traditional venues it was time to make the leap. And so far it has been just like Tim’s dreams (the all ages dream that is). Fresh, clean, flat, uncrowded water and nice, constant sea breezes (yep, even when the rest of the state is sweltering); this place is great. Missing a few regulars (Runaway & Incognito to name a couple) we still have 10 boats competing. Shame because these crews missed another new idea. The Sid Peare Invitation Race had a new format. As in recent years the trophy was awarded on the handicap result of the race, but for this year the handicaps were given by sailing around different windward marks. The lower your handicap the more times you had to sail around the farthest windward mark. And those that could sail the shorter course on some laps could decide themselves when to use their ‘joker’. Great concept, and if not for one problem right at the end of the race, it would have been the perfect invitation race (for most). .Jeremy, Hugh & Chris on SFC Computers didn’t make the start after rigging the kite inside every stay wire they could find. So nine skiffs lined up for a start in a perfect 10 – 12 knot NE’er. All boats got away well & tested whether left or right was the winner. Firestorm looked to be first up the first work until Chook, Hayden & Adam on Black Diamond played their first joker – they took the short course option, cleared the fleet and blasted into the distance. Roger, Nick & Will on Devocean also benefitted from the shorter works & kept jumping up the places to keep in contention. Firestorm chased Black Diamond hard for two laps but, even on the same course, could make up little ground. Chook & the boys were sailing perfectly. Going the right way, fast! Also sailing well and making the best of their jokers were Mick, Brad & Ben on Planet Beer; Brian, Callum & Max on Narwahl; and Tim, Kirra & Scott on Stowe. Down the final run it looked as though Chook was unbeatable. But, unfortunately, there was one problem. There was a misunderstanding of the course. Those that were leading wanted the day to never end and sailed toward the leeward marks. But Firestorm, Devocean & Meeks sailed across the finish line downwind & received hooters. Official results are yet to be received but in the end the day was a success. We tested courses, the new handicap system, and we kept cool sailing in a nice Ne’er on flat water when the rest of the state was sweltering. Whatever the result, Tim’s dream was fulfilled. ditional venues it was time to make the leap. And so far it has been just like Tim’s dreams (the all ages dream that is). Fresh, clean, flat, uncrowded water and nice, constant sea breezes (yep, even when the rest of the state is sweltering); this place is great. Missing a few regulars (Runaway & Incognito to name a couple) we still have 10 boats competing. Shame because these crews missed another new idea. The Sid Peare Invitation Race had a new format. As in recent years the trophy was awarded on the handicap result of the race, but for this year the handicaps were given by sailing around different windward marks. The lower your handicap the more times you had to sail around the farthest windward mark. And those that could sail the shorter course on some laps could decide themselves when to use their ‘joker’. Great concept, and if not for one problem right at the end of the race, it would have been the perfect invitation race (for most). .Jeremy, Hugh & Chris on SFC Computers didn’t make the start after rigging the kite inside every stay wire they could find. So nine skiffs lined up for a start in a perfect 10 – 12 knot NE’er. All boats got away well & tested whether left or right was the winner. Firestorm looked to be first up the first work until Chook, Hayden & Adam on Black Diamond played their first joker – they took the short course option, cleared the fleet and blasted into the distance. Roger, Nick & Will on Devocean also benefitted from the shorter works & kept jumping up the places to keep in contention. Firestorm chased Black Diamond hard for two laps but, even on the same course, could make up little ground. Chook & the boys were sailing perfectly. Going the right way, fast! Also sailing well and making the best of their jokers were Mick, Brad & Ben on Planet Beer; Brian, Callum & Max on Narwahl; and Tim, Kirra & Scott on Stowe. Down the final run it looked as though Chook was unbeatable. But, unfortunately, there was one problem. There was a misunderstanding of the course. Those that were leading wanted the day to never end and sailed toward the leeward marks. But Firestorm, Devocean & Meeks sailed across the finish line downwind & received hooters. Official results are yet to be received but in the end the day was a success. We tested courses, the new handicap system, and we kept cool sailing in a nice Ne’er on flat water when the rest of the state was sweltering. Whatever the result, Tim’s dream was fulfilled. For years Tim has mulled over the idea of sailing a nationals on the Myall Lakes at Neranie Sands. So after numerous good championships at our traditional venues it was time to make the leap. And so far it has been just like Tim’s dreams (the all ages dream that is). Fresh, clean, flat, uncrowded water and nice, constant sea breezes (yep, even when the rest of the state is sweltering); this place is great. Missing a few regulars (Runaway & Incognito to name a couple) we still have 10 boats competing. Shame because these crews missed another new idea. The Sid Peare Invitation Race had a new format. As in recent years the trophy was awarded on the handicap result of the race, but for this year the handicaps were given by sailing around different windward marks. The lower your handicap the more times you had to sail around the farthest windward mark. And those that could sail the shorter course on some laps could decide themselves when to use their ‘joker’. Great concept, and if not for one problem right at the end of the race, it would have been the perfect invitation race (for most). .Jeremy, Hugh & Chris on SFC Computers didn’t make the start after rigging the kite inside every stay wire they could find. So nine skiffs lined up for a start in a perfect 10 – 12 knot NE’er. All boats got away well & tested whether left or right was the winner. Firestorm looked to be first up the first work until Chook, Hayden & Adam on Black Diamond played their first joker – they took the short course option, cleared the fleet and blasted into the distance. Roger, Nick & Will on Devocean also benefitted from the shorter works & kept jumping up the places to keep in contention. Firestorm chased Black Diamond hard for two laps but, even on the same course, could make up little ground. Chook & the boys were sailing perfectly. Going the right way, fast! Also sailing well and making the best of their jokers were Mick, Brad & Ben on Planet Beer; Brian, Callum & Max on Narwahl; and Tim, Kirra & Scott on Stowe. Down the final run it looked as though Chook was unbeatable. But, unfortunately, there was one problem. There was a misunderstanding of the course. Those that were leading wanted the day to never end and sailed toward the leeward marks. But Firestorm, Devocean & Meeks sailed across the finish line downwind & received hooters. Official results are yet to be received but in the end the day was a success. We tested courses, the new handicap system, and we kept cool sailing in a nice Ne’er on flat water when the rest of the state was sweltering. Whatever the result, Tim’s dream was fulfilled. to edit. Great news! A few of us VS people ventured up to Neranie Sands last Sunday for a final reconnoitre & and test sail. The result – the Neranie Sands nationals are GO. About 20 of us made the trip. Takes about 1 hr 40 mins. I’m sure everyone has google to get exact times. The rigging area is Hearts Point picnic area. For details http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/picnic-areas/hearts-point-picnic-area Mick T has been in touch with Waterways regarding our proposed activity & has that sorted. A general enquiry has also been made to National Parks. The consensus is we are just day visitors using the park daily. From the web site the National Park entry fee is $8 per vehicle/day or there are annual options. There were no signs indicating a fee, nor a payment box at Hearts Point, but there is at Neranie Sands campground, which is about 200m away. Camping fees are $12/adult; $6 child. There are 25 sites but no bookings. First in, best dressed. The rigging area is grassy & will easily fit our fleet. One or two branches overhang the carry to the boat ramp but they might be ‘trimmed’ when we get there. The boat ramp is wide enough to fit a couple of boats side by side so launching & retrieving should not be a problem. Note that the rigging grass is about 50m from the boat ramp. Get those wheels on your racks working! The water is fresh so no need to rinse off or hose boats after sailing. There are two gas BBQs (free), one picnic table & a drop toilet but few other facilities. The assn will organise a shelter or two and a refreshments esky. We might do a sausage sizzle or two but in general it will be a self-catered series. Bungwahl has a small shop. Pacific Palms is another 10 minutes up the road & has a variety of shops, restaurants, takeaways, etc. Forster is another 20 odd minutes away. At this stage we planning on a picnic style presentation but that might change when we get closer to the series (and check weather forecasts). As for sailing, the course area has plenty of room for unobstructed courses in all winds. It is fairly shallow, similar to Teralba, but the water is fresh, generally flat and chop free. The crews that had a sail all gave it the thumbs up. Should be fun! Don’t forget the dates. Sunday 7th January for Invitation race. Try to sail this race if you can. It gives the race officials good data for the series. It will be a handicap race but with a new twist so it should be interesting. The Championship series runs from Monday 8th, finishing on Saturday 13th, with Wednesday as a lay day. NOR will be out soon. In the meantime, get you Association memberships & boat registrations up to date. Teralba TT races are only a few weeks off. Cheers John With the days now longer than the nights, and the weather forecast to be above 30 degrees this week, one thing should be on your mind. Getting the dust off your VS & getting on the water. Yes, forget the gardening & house renovations, the sailing season is about to begin again.
Teralba kicks off this weekend with the first of a couple of non-pointscore races before the long weekend. Hawkesbury are a little more relaxed, not hitting the water until October. I’m not sure when Gosford starts but I’d guess soon. Whilst it has been a relatively quiet off season, with no wholesale crew of boat changes, there has still been some interesting activity. TBS, as you may have seen on the web, had a hole in the side after an altercation with a NS14. Back in the good old days the NS would have been on the receiving end (see Lindsay for details). With the boat in the shop Troy also added some gunwale extensions. As usual it a great job and the boat again looks like new. Another boat undergoing some work is Incognito. Chris and Greg have put some time in on her; sanding, cutting, carboning & painting. They also took the opportunity to extend the gunwales. A few progress pics showed the boys were making good progress towards a stronger & faster hull. Can’t wait to see the final result. Another change for this team is the position of skipper. Fazie has had a change of jobs & has had to relinquish the steering role. It’s a shame to lose Andrew from the fleet but every cloud has a silver lining. Chris has recruited an up and coming Hawkesbury youngster, Will, to grab the tiller. Let’s hope it is a start to a long & successful career in the class. Another addition to the class is Dom & Jason, who have been sailing for a few seasons on a RS400 at Teralba. The boys wanted to join the action of the VS fleet so have bought Battleship. Not sure who their third hand is but make sure you say g’day and make them welcome in the fleet. Of course there are other movements & changes in the fleet but I’ll save the stories for later. While you are planning your season, check out the NORs for the TT & state series. These series are free to sail in, but you do have to complete an entry form (so I know who to score). Why not do it now? Membership & capitation are now due. Forms are on the web. You need to be a member to compete in VS association races (due to insurance & other requirements such as SA). Fees are unchanged from last season. Still great value!!!. See you on the water soon. Cheers John here to edit. With the completion of the AGM and the State & Travellers trophy presentations on the weekend, we can draw a line under season 2016-17 as done. It was a successful season, as was the meeting and presentation. We had a good roll up and the weather was kind. It was good to catch up with VS friends & talk about the season ahead.
And what a season it is shaping up to be! Minutes from the AGM will be distributed soon, but I’ll summarise some key sailing details now so you can start planning. The big one, the nationals, has been confirmed for Neranie Sands. Racing to start with an invitation race on Sunday 7th January, then the series proper to start on Monday 8th and have two races each day, finishing on Saturday 13th. Wed 10th has been set aside as a lay day. Tim has been working toward this venue for years so it will be good to finally make it happen. Along with Tim, we have a sub-committee comprising Mick Turton, Mark Nugent & Lindsay Auston. Mick has been doing some great groundwork, contacting both RMS & Nationals Parks to discuss the regatta. The team are also considering other arrangements, like refreshments, food, shelters & the presentation. It all sounds good. If you want to know more contact one of the sub-committee. And if you are looking to rent accommodation for the week I’d suggest do it soon. There is good affordable accommodation nearby, but if you wait until later in the year that might not be the case. The dates are set so there are no excuses. We have also set aside Sunday 22nd October as a Neranie Sands test sail day. Not part of any official series, we are hoping to get some boats up there on this date for an informal race to check course lengths & depths, rigging facilities, etc. If you are planning on sailing in the nationals I’d suggest trying to get to this day. It will give a good indication of what to expect. But of course there are other VS regattas in the coming season. As the host clubs are still to finalise calendars for the season, the following dates are tentative only:
You may notice the Vaucluse & Taree regattas are missing. Few boats were prepared to travel to these venues in the past seasons so they have been dropped from our calendar. NORs for the TT & state series will be posted when dates are confirmed. In the meantime don’t forget your memberships. You need to be a member to compete in VS association races (due to insurance & other requirements such as SA). Dale will only chase you later if you haven’t paid so make it easy for us & do it now. Membership fees are unchanged from last season & the forms are on the web. Cheers John I’ll argue with anyone who says VS racing is not HOT! As if the +36 degree temperatures weren’t enough, the state & TT series crowns were on the line at this regatta, so the racing was an intense as the temperature.
Unfortunately one of the reasons it all came down to Sunshine was the cancellation of the Vaucluse race. As I have reported previously the club was nearly destroyed in a winter storm. They have fought back and, whilst cancelling their annual regatta this year, have club racing each week. We couldn’t get enough starters this year but I would appeal to you to make an effort next year. The VS class started here, the sailing is ‘unique’, and they make us feel very welcome whenever we show up. It’s getting harder to get clubs to invite us (without paying for the privilege) so lets do it next season! But I am just as excited about the Sunshine racing so here is a blurred summary- Saturday With 36+ degrees temperatures for the past few days, the best place was to be by the water. And Sunshine delivered. A light breeze at the club built as we sailed to the start of the usual NE course. And it was a good fleet. Bozo & Kev grabbed a 16’ skiffy sailor to get PBB out of Teralba waters for once. Another welcome traveller was Devocean, as Roger & Nick teamed up with Lyndon. Unfortunately both had early showers. Devocean broke a rudder & PBB a mast step. Bad luck boys. Also cursed by the DNF fairy was Brad, Chris & Ryan on Stowe, who were looking forward to exploiting the power in the crew as the breeze built, but instead ripped a spinnaker pulley from the deck. Tim, Kirra & Scott also DNF’ed after Scott crushed Kirra quickly against something unforgiving; whereas Jeremy, Tom & Hugh retired SFC after the boat slowly wore Jeremy down. Yep, we all remember how cool it was to sail on shorts & nothing else. Now the non-slip decks & other fitting abrade the skin quicker than a NS sailor runs from a shout. Jeremy was raw on most leg joints but soothed the pain with Dr VB on Saturday night. So for the rest is was a great race. Firestorm opened up a handy lead after a lap but relaxed & swam on a gybe. Not used to this experience they then had another couple for dips later for good luck. TBS & Meeks saw the opportunity & had a great race – TBS gaining upwind & Meeks downhill. Around the final upwind mark with a run to the finish TBS had a small lead & set a kite. But they were hit by the gust of the day & took off at over 20 knots – great, except it was in the wrong direction. Meeks & Firestorm decided to two sail reach & looked ready for a close finish until Firestorm again tasted the tide. Meeks had the pressure relieved & continued to take the gun, and the state title!!! Well done Meeks. Mick has been in the class on and off for a decade now so knows what it takes to win. With Robbie, Mark (& a few fill in’s – Phil & Geoff ) the Meeks crew have built a boat & a team that sailed consistently well throughout the series. No place lower than 2nd is a true championship-winning scorecard. I’ve always maintained any championship should be hard to win so it is enjoyable. Hopefully Meeks enjoyed the experience… Back to the racing, and while Firestorm were arguing over what to do when the centreboard points skywards, Black Diamond were slipping though into 2nd place. Riley was absent but Chook & Hayden had recruited Pete Sullivan for the weekend. They enjoyed the breeze & sailed well and deserved their 2nd place. Firestorm recovered for 3rd, as did TBS for 4th. Joe, Mitch & Kye on Raptor had a big swim on the first run but then kept pegging back the fleet to finish just behind TBS. Just a little further back was Incognito, with Andrew & Chris missing Greg (on MJ duty) but joined by Justin, another Hawkesbury local. With a retuned rig the boat looked better & Justin sailed well but they missed the synergy only a good crew can provide. Still they were not far off the pace & scored a 2nd on handicap. Very important in the overall results… Sunday Still hot (temperature & the VS fleet!) but a forecast of a cool southerly raised our spirits. We missed a few from yesterday – Devocean & PBB succumbed to breakages & Black Diamond lost Pete to fight catastrophic fires. This was bad luck as Chook was well in the race to win the handicap trophy. In the lighter conditions the start was hotly contested. So much so that Firestorm was called OCS. They enjoyed the course & annoyed the leaders but ended pointless. TBS lead around the first mark & went north on the first run whilst Meeks went west. In the end west was best & Meeks lead around the leeward mark & was untouched again to the finish. Another bullet to finish the regatta & the series. Can’t do much better… TBS again sailed well to get 2nd, but behind things got close. Jeremy, Tom & Hugh sailing SFC Computers were forced over at the start by a pesky Skate but, sailed a good race back through the fleet to beat team ‘sponsor’ Tim on Plan B, home by less than a minute. But Tim showed experience is priceless when Plan B put Raptor in their place, beating them by a minute or so. Next home was the Stowe boys; Brad, Ryan & Chris, with Incognito bringing up the rear. As seems to be the case with Andy, Greg, Chris (& fill-ins) they are either on the pace or off. It seems like a switch. But they have done plenty to develop their rig & boat this year and, excluding this race, sailed all races & finished well. As such I’m pleased to announce they have taken out the handicap state championship. Congratulations Andrew, Greg, Andrew (& Justin). I seem to remember this crew won the same title a few years ago under similar circumstances. Focus on the positives! As for the TT series, only one boat finished all races. Meeks Real Estate. But this wasn’t the only treason hey won this series. They sailed consistently well all series! Again, congratulations to Mick, Robbie & Mark. So that is the end of the association sailing events. The AGM & state presentation date will be confirmed soon, as will the nationals dates for the series at Neranie Sands. Keep an eye out for emails or updates here! Cheers John It’s done! Another successful VS nationals, this edition hosted impeccably by the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Sailing Club (or Hawkesbury as it is often referred to). We have some new champions & some old champions but regardless of the results, I’m pretty confident all who attended had a great time. And will be better sailors for the experience. Graeme Brown (VS legend who started sailing them back in the 60’s!) managed the racing perfectly. Ably assisted by another legend Brian, Ian & Daniel, Brownie made sure the racing was fair, setting good courses in the truest breeze in the area. Which was not an easy thing at times – laying buoys in 30m of water on a rock hard bottom with a tide rushing at over 4 knots with sometimes unsettled winds takes some doing. Much appreciated. As to was the organisation & support of the Hawkesbury members with the non-racing side of the regatta. Greg, Fazie, Brian & a host of others ferried us to & from the club each day, ran the BBQ & generally made sure the regatta was as good as it gets. As did the canteen ladies – Pam, Nicole, Ann Marie, Nicky, Sally & Pip who ensured we were well fed & thirsts quenched. And worthy of special mention is Alex Stewart. Alex made the regatta happen at Hawkesbury, from the idea to host the titles, right through to organising a great presentation dinner. On behalf of the VS sailors I like to say a big thank you to you all. So to the results. But before the final summary I’ll pick up where the last report finished, as the journey to the end may be of interest. With the lay day done everyone was rigged & ready to go for races 5 & 6 on Wednesday. Except on this scorcher of a day there was no wind. With AP flying ashore, Brownie & his team headed out searching for wind. Occasionally the radio would crackle with a report of a few knots of breeze, only to be countered by another boat reporting a zephyr from the other direction. After a few hours of sweltering it was declared a non race day. So to complete the schedule three races were planned for the final two days. Races 5, 6 & 7 on Thursday were sailed in a light NE’er way out down the river; the top mark was at Flint & Steel opposite Patonga. Steady conditions kept the fleet tight & made for great racing. Towards the front Firestorm, TBS & Meeks were often trading places, but their 3 way battle was often interrupted. Chook, Hayden & Riley have made disrupting the status quo a feature of this regatta and did so once again in race 5, finishing 2nd across the line. Joey, Mitch & Kye was another crew who revelled in the conditions, leading the pack around the top mark in race 6 and sailing a great race to finally finish 4th across the line. But the day belonged to Col, Adam & Janine, who sailed nearly perfect to chalk up two wins on TBS to lead the series by a point with a day to go. The handicap trophy fight was close too. Black Diamond held a 2 point margin from Raptor, then a pack including Measurement Solutions, TBS & Firestorm was just another point adrift. After a day of suffering for the heavier crews such as Incognito, Purple Haze & Firestorm, the prediction of a big NE’er for the final day brought some hope. The breeze didn’t quite meet expectations & would have been lucky to get to 15 knots, but with a big ebb tide pushing the boats into it, the racing on Friday was both exciting and decisive. The first incident occurred when Kye on Raptor suffered an injury to his leg, forcing the boys to DNF race 8 & DNS races 9 & 10. A sad end to their regatta but Joey, Mitch & Kye have learnt a lot & will be much better sailors for the experience. Once again Black Diamond were snapping at the tucks of the leaders, as too was Incognito, who finished less than 4 minutes behind Firestorm & easily won the race 8 on handicap. With the tide still strong & everyone becoming a bit racy, the start of race 9 was another key moment. Four boats; TBS, Black Diamond, Meeks & Incognito were all over before the starting flag dropped however only two returned, and Meeks & Incognito were excluded OCS. That effectively ended the run Incognito was making at the handicap title, which was a shame as Fazie, Greg & Chris again sailed well & easily won the race 10 on handicap. With plenty of potential left in their new boat the boys will continue their move closer to the front of the fleet. Taking advantage of others mistakes, Purple Haze continued their roller coaster series, this time with a high 4th across the line & an easy handicap victory. Points were tied for the scratch title going into the final race and the tide was easing but the breeze was still in the Firestorm range, enabling John, Dale & Lindsay to take the race win & retain the trophy. The veterans showed a few chinks in their armour at times but given the right conditions they are still competitive. Meeks finally had a trouble free run in race 10 & kept within striking distance to finish 2nd across the line & 3rd overall. Mick, Robbie & Mark are still learning the new square topper & didn’t have the regatta many expected but were always at the front of the fleet. Showing that preparation, training & boat development is worth the effort Col, Adam & Janine on Troy Botting Shipwright really took the fight to Firestorm, which made for a great contest for the title. And as noted above it couldn’t have been a closer; TBS easily finishing 2nd overall. Again at near the front of the fleet, Black Diamond were 4th across the line, finished the series 4th on scratch and, with several outstanding results & no poor ones Bob, Hayden & Riley easily won the handicap trophy. The boys have been denied trophies a few times in the past on countback, so it was nice to see them win so convincingly. With a 2nd & a couple of 3rds across the line there is no denying their performance. If not for a few DNFs (and swims) Purple Haze would have featured higher in the results, however when they were on their game & conditions suited Alex, Andrew & Rob were well in the mix. And don’t forget they easily won the Sid Peare Invitation Trophy. It was a similar story for newcomers Jock, Nicky & Peter on Measurement Solutions. With a light crew (and on a couple of days with a crew that hadn’t swung on a trapeze before) they sailed admirably well and scored some good results, winning a couple of races on handicap. I’ve heard they have given the other Hawkesbury VS’s a good run for their money at times. From what I’ve seen that is no surprise & after these nationals I think it will occur more frequently. Scratch 1st Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, L Auston) 10 pts; 2nd Troy Botting Shipwright (C Gillespie, A Kelly, J Turton) 13 pts; 3rd Meeks Real Estate (M Turton, R Turton, M Nugent) 21 points; 4th Black Diamond (B Baker, H Baker, R Pike/A Birkefield) 28 pts; 5th Raptor ( J Ferguson, M Blake, K Donaldson) 44pts; 6th Incognito (A Fahey, G Lowe, C Wyatt) 46pts; 7th Purple Haze (A Stewart, A Eisner, R Townsend) 53 pts; 8th Measurement Solutions (J Davis, N Nygh, P Davis) 56 pts. Handicap 1st Black Diamond 21 pts; 2nd Firestorm 25 pts; 3rd Meeks Real Estate 30 pts; 4th Troy Botting Shipwright 31 pts; 5th Incognito 34 pts; 6th Measurement Solutions 34 pts; 7th Raptor 36 pts; 8th Purple Haze 41 pts; For the 72nd time, the Australian Vee Ess National Championships are underway. We last contested the nationals here in 2006/2007 so the decade anniversary seems just right. Hawkesbury is a long time home of VS sailors, & the home club of legends Graeme Brown & Brian Gleeson. It’s good to be back…. With 4 races completed there is no clear indication on who the winners & also rans may be. And with some fickle weather predicted for the remainder of the series I’m sure all races will be interesting. And I’m pleased to report “so far so good” for all boats. Here is a bit of boat by boat summary to date: 2230 Raptor may be the oldest registered boat in the regatta but that is more than offset by the crew age - Joey, Mitch & Kye are all in their teens! First timers to Hawkesbury the boys seem to be enjoying the experience, camping on the beach & meeting some of the wildlife (just ask them). On the water they are rapidly learning about sailing in a tide (and how the boat feels different to still water). Mid fleet on scratch, they haven’t had an outstanding race yet, but I reckon it is not far off. Certainly eager on the start line! 2231 Measurement Solutions. First big regatta for newcomers Jock, Peter & Nicola, but they have had some outstanding races. Still learning, they have had a couple of DNFs in races 1 & 2, but bounced back in race 3 to finish right on the tail of the fleet & take an easy handicap victory. To prove it was no fluke in race 4 they did similar, actually beating Purple Haze (who was carrying a breakage) and claiming 2nd on handicap. If we get softer breezes they will be well in the mix. 2232 Purple Haze. The performance of this boat was described to me as like a roller coaster. Alex, Andrew & Rob do have some highs & lows. After smashing us in the Invitation race, they backed it up in race 1 and finished 5th across the line, and once again easily won on handicap. Then the dip. Broken trapeze lines, shackles holding trapeze lines & getting caught in a hole cost them in the next 3 races. Unlike Measurement Sols, they want it to blow. 2234 Meeks Real Estate hasn’t really hit top gear yet but is certainly still well in with a winning chance. Mick, Robbie & Mark pulled a new square top mainsail up the mast for the first time at the regatta & are still learning the nuances behind these beasts. They have lead every race but the results just haven’t gone their way. The new sail is not slow so I wouldn’t be surprised when they take a gun or two (or more). 2235 Black Diamond are always quite achievers who just keep tinkering with the boat & getting better. If you do want to see a well fitted & rigged boat, check it out! The crew, in comparison, look nowhere near as good, but Bob, Hayden & Riley / Adam are sailing very well and have been pushing the ‘big 3’ in every race, and have already claimed one scalp in race three. So keen are these guys to race every day this crew starts most races twice! 2236 Troy Botting Shipwright. Col, Adam & Janine may have started the regatta with a low point (hole in the sail) but have been on an upward trajectory since. Took advantage of a Firestorm mistake to win race 2, then just outsailed everyone to comfortably win race 3. With good results in the other races they sit top of the ladder & will be hard to stop, especially if the conditions become less than consistent. 2241 Incognito. Don’t recognise this boat? Then it is aptly named. Andy, Greg & Chris only got the boat just before this series so it has been a mad rush to get it set up. (for those that don’t know it was D Witt’s boat that broke just about everything, so it had a lot of pieces that needed co-ordinating. The boys are starting to get it together & are moving up through the fleet. Best race was their last where they easily won on handicap. 2242 Firestorm. Signs of aging are starting to show on this crew. Still better looking than the Black Diamond crew John, Dale & Lindsay have been making a few mistakes. Have chalked up two wins but were in position to score more. But that’s a good thing because it demonstrates the quality of the fleet is high. If you make a mistake you shouldn’t win. And as outlined above TBS, Firestorm & Meeks have a few boats ready to smash the ‘big 3’ in this regatta. May only have a small entry for this regatta but they are good. Just like the past 71… Cheers John For the 72nd time, the Australian Vee Ess National Championships are underway. We last contested the nationals here in 2006/2007 so the decade anniversary seems just right. Hawkesbury is a long time home of VS sailors, & the home club of legends Graeme Brown & Brian Gleeson. It’s good to be back…. With 4 races completed there is no clear indication on who the winners & also rans may be. And with some fickle weather predicted for the remainder of the series I’m sure all races will be interesting. And I’m pleased to report “so far so good” for all boats. Here is a bit of boat by boat summary to date: 2230 Raptor may be the oldest registered boat in the regatta but that is more than offset by the crew age - Joey, Mitch & Kye are all in their teens! First timers to Hawkesbury the boys seem to be enjoying the experience, camping on the beach & meeting some of the wildlife (just ask them). On the water they are rapidly learning about sailing in a tide (and how the boat feels different to still water). Mid fleet on scratch, they haven’t had an outstanding race yet, but I reckon it is not far off. Certainly eager on the start line! 2231 Measurement Solutions. First big regatta for newcomers Jock, Peter & Nicola, but they have had some outstanding races. Still learning, they have had a couple of DNFs in races 1 & 2, but bounced back in race 3 to finish right on the tail of the fleet & take an easy handicap victory. To prove it was no fluke in race 4 they did similar, actually beating Purple Haze (who was carrying a breakage) and claiming 2nd on handicap. If we get softer breezes they will be well in the mix. 2232 Purple Haze. The performance of this boat was described to me as like a roller coaster. Alex, Andrew & Rob do have some highs & lows. After smashing us in the Invitation race, they backed it up in race 1 and finished 5th across the line, and once again easily won on handicap. Then the dip. Broken trapeze lines, shackles holding trapeze lines & getting caught in a hole cost them in the next 3 races. Unlike Measurement Sols, they want it to blow. 2234 Meeks Real Estate hasn’t really hit top gear yet but is certainly still well in with a winning chance. Mick, Robbie & Mark pulled a new square top mainsail up the mast for the first time at the regatta & are still learning the nuances behind these beasts. They have lead every race but the results just haven’t gone their way. The new sail is not slow so I wouldn’t be surprised when they take a gun or two (or more). 2235 Black Diamond are always quite achievers who just keep tinkering with the boat & getting better. If you do want to see a well fitted & rigged boat, check it out! The crew, in comparison, look nowhere near as good, but Bob, Hayden & Riley / Adam are sailing very well and have been pushing the ‘big 3’ in every race, and have already claimed one scalp in race three. So keen are these guys to race every day this crew starts most races twice! 2236 Troy Botting Shipwright. Col, Adam & Janine may have started the regatta with a low point (hole in the sail) but have been on an upward trajectory since. Took advantage of a Firestorm mistake to win race 2, then just outsailed everyone to comfortably win race 3. With good results in the other races they sit top of the ladder & will be hard to stop, especially if the conditions become less than consistent. 2241 Incognito. Don’t recognise this boat? Then it is aptly named. Andy, Greg & Chris only got the boat just before this series so it has been a mad rush to get it set up. (for those that don’t know it was D Witt’s boat that broke just about everything, so it had a lot of pieces that needed co-ordinating. The boys are starting to get it together & are moving up through the fleet. Best race was their last where they easily won on handicap. 2242 Firestorm. Signs of aging are starting to show on this crew. Still better looking than the Black Diamond crew John, Dale & Lindsay have been making a few mistakes. Have chalked up two wins but were in position to score more. But that’s a good thing because it demonstrates the quality of the fleet is high. If you make a mistake you shouldn’t win. And as outlined above TBS, Firestorm & Meeks have a few boats ready to smash the ‘big 3’ in this regatta. May only have a small entry for this regatta but they are good. Just like the past 71… Cheers John Good news from the race was the winners. Alex, Andrew & Rob on 2232 Purple Haze started off a long handicap but sailed a near faultless race to win easily. In fact they were the 2nd fastest around the course on scratch.
Chook, Hayden & Riley also had a good race in Black Diamond. Despite missing the start by a few minutes after an impromptu capsize on the start mark, they also sailed well to for an easy 2nd. Firestorm did nothing special but finished 3rd. From there the stories start. Raptor could have finished 3rd but missed the finish line. Similar story with Meeks. Incognito had a few teething troubles with their new boat (2241), missed their start by minutes & then had spinnaker troubles throughout the race. But they got around. Unfortunately TBS didn't make the start - someone fell through the mainsail. I'll let Col, Adam or Janine tell the story. Newcomers Jock, Peter & Nicola on Measurement Solutions also DNF'd but were looking good until 1/2 way through the race when some downwind gremlins jumped aboard & decided to swim them a bit. Given some moderate breeze they will bounce back. After a slow build up to the VS regatta season, things have really become busy over the past two weekends. Firstly we had the Teralba regatta, part of the TT series, followed by the Hawkesbury weekend, also part of the TT series and the first two races in the state title series. Both weekends were perfect for VS racing with nice, two-on-the-wire sailing. In a pleasing sign, thirteen boats lined up to start the race at Teralba on Saturday. And there is still potential for more, with Plan B in the shed as Tim helped out with race duties. As all the results are on the web, and most will know how the races unfolded, now is a good chance to introduce and highlight the achievements of a couple of the newcomers.
Teralba regatta Devocean (2229) is sailed by Roger, with sons Will and Nick. The boys are new to sailing but they are keen. Roger has been slowly renewing Devocean, giving her a nice paintjob & more recently a new mainsail. As you will know, this season has been one of fresher breezes. The Devocean boys have had their fair share of swims, and did so again today, but they persevered & finished their first race for the season. And if you check out the picture on the web home page, they are starting to look pretty fast on the water. Well done! Another newcomer to the class is Banana Coast Power Tools (2226). Ex VJ skipper Mick has teamed up with Lyndon (sailed with Tim last year) & newcomer Glenn. They too have given the boat a new paintjob over the off-season & also have some new sails. First race in a VS regatta, these boys were only just behind the more experienced in the fleet when they suffered their only capsize of the day, just metres from the finish line. I can vouch from personal experience that this is quite an achievement in this boat. Again, well done! Almost the standout performance of the day was Raptor (2230). Not exactly new to the class but forming a new combination are Joe (fill in extraordinaire, steered White Noise in the Toronto nationals), Mitch (with Tim last year) & Kye. Still ironing out the bugs in a boat that has not been sailed for a while they had a great race on Saturday, finishing just off the podium in 4th across the line. Well sailed. But the play of the day has to go to Stowe (2237). Michael is always fun to sail with & knows how to pull out a surprise or two, keeping Brad & Ryan guessing. Today was no exception, with the master finding a field of crab traps, snagging one on the centreboard, and coming home with a nice blue swimmer. I can’t beat that! Hawkesbury With good breezes forecast for the weekend, it was a bit disappointing to find only three Teralba boats travelled to Hawkesbury. Apart from supporting another VS club & enjoying the HKPCYC hospitality, TBS, Meeks & Firestorm all gained an advantage over the other Teralba boats for the upcoming nationals. I often get asked how to sail better so here’s a tip – sail in a variety of conditions whenever you get the chance. The Hawkesbury fleet has also undergone a few changes, and it seems the performance of all in the fleet has lifted. Tim & Daniel Gleeson are off doing other things so Brian now has James & Jacob on board Under Pressure Too. These young guys certainly aren’t slowing Brian down; UP2 is leading the TT series to date. Purple Haze (2232) also seems to have stepped up a notch since Alex & Andrew have added Rob to the boat, with 7th across the line & 1st on handicap in race 1 at Teralba proof of that. Measurement Solutions (2231) is another boat that has undergone a few changes, with newcomers Jock on the helm & Nicola up front joined by Peter (ex 2232). They have also added a new Redback kite that looks the goods and, despite a few breakages, were only just off the pace in the first race at Hawkesbury. Battleship WAS unchanged from last year, but Andrew, Greg & Chris have been looking to make some mods to go faster, and a new mast was on the way. But in a twist they have decided to change just about everything and, as of a day ago, took ownership of White Noise (2241). The Hawkesbury fleet certainly keep things interesting. The next event of the VS calendar is the nationals from 7-13 January. Its 10 years since we had a nationals at Hawkesbury & the club are keen on making it even better than a decade ago. Camping is available at the club, as is sleeping within the boatshed. A presentation at the pub has been booked & there is an offer of a spit roast one evening at the club. The NOR will be out very soon so keep an eye out for it. Cheers John |
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