So that was Summer

April 28, 2022 Leave a comment

So that was the Summer

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done an update, especially those who like following my travels around the countryside. Covid of course put a stop to all that some time ago and there’s certainly many customers and friends whose company I miss when staying with them. There’s always plenty of memories and stories to catch up on.

The last few months of weekends have been spent at home, with just a few chasing a variety of fleets that DeckHardware has supported. Trying to get ‘the shot’ whilst not getting in the way of any competitor. There’s been several trips to both Lake Macquarie and to Gosford, luckily the traffic either way hasn’t been too bad.

One thing that is a little different now that we are using the RIB more, is our knowledge of where all the boat ramps are and the facilities provided like parking, pontoons and if there are toilets. We had been going to one at Lake Macquarie that is visible from the road when driving past, however there’s no pontoon to tie up to whilst getting in the queue. We’ve now found another with a pontoon.

Then there’s the sight seeing, going through moored boats, ‘Ohh that’s where it ended up’. Those yachts that we may have competed against in the past. Of course when you can do 25knots, it’s easy to get around, to and from a race course area. Certainly less hassles than being on the road.

Last weekend, I got back into the swing of things. I hit the road and went out on the water as the events PRO. I headed 4 hours south of Sydney for the annual Batemans Bay Sailing Club regatta, held around ANZAC Day each year. Numbers were down from last year, but the keen competition was still there. We had Six divisions across the main fleet course area and another couple of Sailability divisions inshore.

Division One bottom mark at Batemans Bay

Division One was a combination of mixed, Sharpies, 505s and Flying Dutchmen with the runaway scratch winner being a B14. Division Two was a fleet of Lasers and a lone Spiral sailed by my weekend host Lachlan Brown. Division Three were the VXOnes competing for their NSW State Titles. There was some great racing, one heat had 5 boats in about 20 seconds elapsed finishing time. Winner was Rob Douglass, who was a little more consistent in the end. Division Four was a fleet of mixed trailerables, including Spyder22, Haines Trailer Tamp tri, Windrush 600 and a couple of RL24s. Overall it was a Elliott 5.9 on scratch. Division Five were the larger multihulls, NACRA, Viper, Mosquito and Hobie16s. Division Six was a fleet of Hobie 14s and a couple of Maricat 14s.

With a pretty standard seabreeze on Saturday of 5-8 knots and a Sou-Easter of 8-10knots on Sunday, the clear skies made it an enjoyable weekend out on the water. The mix of windward leg lengths and triangles kept our start team on their toes trying to keep up, but pretty much all the competitors finished in about 20-25minutes.

The volunteers, the start team, the mark laying teams and the unsung ashore all contributed to an excellent weekend. Whilst numbers may have been down a little this year, I certainly hope that everyone will keep this event on their calendar.

Filed under Race Official, RIB, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with Flying Eleven, regatta, Road Trip, sailing, Yachting race official

Trying to keep up

March 19, 2021 Leave a comment

With all the recent sailing that’s been happening, it’s just a little hard trying to keep up with all the regattas and then we have the unbelievable race 8 in New Zealand for the Americas Cup .

Rigging at Port Kembla Sailing Club on Lake Illawarra

A couple of weeks ago, I went down to Lake Illawarra for the second round of the Flying Eleven states. On behalf of Allen Brothers England and LIROS Ropes Germany, DeckHardware has been supporting the junior classes, so we took the DeckHardware RIB down for the weekend. Mel took over a thousand photos on the Saturday and then spent Sunday at home doing a lot of editing. Conditions wise, it couldn’t be further from the first round on Pittwater. Pittwater turned on a good southerly so there was plenty of standing on the centreboards, Lake Illawarra was the opposite with the winds struggling to get above 8knots over the weekend. The race team did a good job to get in the races that they did. Our DeckHardware ambassadors Aimee and Bella led after Pittwater and to finish up second overall and first all girls is a credit to their teamwork and their parental support both off and on the water. From what I saw over the weekend, all the sailors enjoyed the event, it was pretty close results wise and there was plenty of speculation as to the placings until they were published.

Just after a Flying Eleven start, some go left and some go right

Following the Elevens, it was back to the Farr40s for more of the same. Unfortunately only 6 boats sailed this event, but the closeness showed just how keenly fought the racing was. First and second tied on point as did third and fourth. Watching just how close the racing was is why I enjoy being a race official. Make a small mistake and you lose a boat length or two and you are out the back door. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone claw their way back after say, an OCS. It’s just too close speed wise with plenty of pressure on the tacticians.

Always good racing and great to watch

The third weekend in a row out on the water, strange given the current global situation was to watch the Sydney Harbour Regatta. For something a little different DeckHardware provided Middle Harbour Yacht Club the use of the RIB as a photography boat. Marg Fraser -Martin has been taking photos both inshore and offshore at MHYC for a few years now and we have a great rapport between us. We spent the weekend going from course to course [there were seven] and from top mark to gate rounding’s trying to capture some of the action. Marg took well over two thousand photos over the weekend from sports boats to sports yachts and harbour racers. Then throw in the 18’ers on the harbour and there was plenty of action afloat.

Here’s a couple of Marg Fraser Martins photos below

Always plenty on , on Sydney Harbour

Lachlan Steel, one of several DeckHardware ambassadors

Lachlan Steel on Lazarus Partners 18′ skiff

And then one gets a call from a prominent Medalist sailor, “I’ve run out of fuel can I get a tow home?’

And at the end of the weekend, it’s under the Spit Bridge and heading for the boat ramp queue.

There has been of course a sailing event over the Ditch in Auckland, well done to the Kiwis with a little help from an Aussie or two. They certainly had the faster boat towards the end. Lets see what happens in the coming months as to the next one.

That’s nearly it for the summer Downunder season for me , although we still have the Allen/Liros/DeckHardware sponsored Flying Eleven and 16’Skiff Nationals on in the coming weeks. Then the Annual Batemans Bay Regatta over the ANZAC weekend with everything from Sportsboats, multihull, monos and Sailability. Always a great weekend on the water down south.

Filed under Assorted, DeckHardware, MHYC, Race Official, RIB, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with Farr40 MHYC, Flying Eleven, MHYC Sydney Harbour Regatta

Jindabyne 2020

December 10, 2020 Leave a comment

The year 2020 just about sums it up for those who went to Jindabyne last weekend for the Snowy Mountains Regatta.

I missed Fridays invitation race as I was driving down from Sydney. Saturday morning was a typical Jindabyne start, light and variable with patches of nothing. Knowing however that the breeze was on the way, we swung in to action, just John and I on the start boat. The wind settling in from 270 at around 10-12knots.

Going in to sequence, John clipped on the Taipan warning flag and it was up at 1055, a minute or so later it was gone. A short AP and a change to Code T and we were back in sequence again. Then the breeze really filled in and the anchor on the start boat wasn’t holding. Rather than have the fleet of 70 sailing around whilst we waited for more chain, I sent them ashore. After another short AP, we were all set to go again, letting the shore team know to drop the AP ashore and send them all back out again. However the breeze was still on the increase, so as only a few turned up we called it a day mid afternoon.

The forecast was for it to increase significantly and the warnings went out to all competitors to unrig and tie down their boats. As the Sun went down it really hit with rain as well helping to drop the air temperature, I was just happy not to be out there in it.

Overnight it hit even harder and those arriving at the club on Sunday morning were ‘greeted’ with trees down and boats all over the place. The Taipans and Vipers especially took the brunt of the blow. Sunday morning on the beach was a sad sight of competitors packing up what was left. Those who escaped also packing up and heading home. Thanks go however to those who made the effort to come all the way from South Australia and Victoria for what would have been their only regatta this season.

As the breeze started to drop as forecast, there was still a handful of locals who wanted to sail, everyone else were packing up, shaken by the overnight weather and the resulting damage. It was then decided to do an Island course for the 5 monohulls and 5 multihulls rigged and ready.

As I was no longer required, I too decided to head home early to escape the afternoon traffic retuning to the city.

My thanks again go to the locals and their support of the event was fantastic, there was plenty of personnel and rescue boats to go around, even a mark boat for each course mark. I’d also on behalf of DeckHardware and LJSC like to thank Barton Marine UK for their support with a donation of vouchers for Barton product.

I just hope that like many, we can drop 2020 out of our lives and return to regattas like Jindabyne afresh in the future.

10 minutes to first warning signal

Filed under Assorted, Race Official, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with Lake Jindabyne Sailing Club, sailing, Snowy Mountains Regatta, Yachting race official

Back to normal, sort of

October 22, 2020 Leave a comment

Last weekend was the first sailing regatta for me as a race official in many months. Like plenty of sailors, no one’s been near their yachts for probably 6 months. For me it was out on the water with the Farr40s, a fleet of seven for the weekend after several have been sold and two of the new are yet to settle crew lists. There was a scattered array of well known champion sailors including, Nathan Wilmot, Tom Burton and Will Ryan, all Olympic medallists bringing their talents and experience to the fleet.

We headed offshore on Saturday where the NorEaster had come in early, greeting us with a steady 16-19 knots. The seaway however was something different, there was a good cross swell which made it hard to keep your balance, all the start team having issues just hanging on . We got in 4 good races, two laps with about 1nm windward works.

Consistency was the name of the game and the Victorian owned Nutcracker with stand-in helm Ray Roberts assisted by Nathan Wilmot as tactician, won three of the four. There was a mixed crew of locals including one non sailing Farr40 owner Jason King /Solimar providing some guidance on trim. Covid19 not allowing the Victorians to leave Melbourne and come to Sydney to sail. At the end of the day, the other Victorian owned boat, Double Black with their own mixed crew and ring in skipper Mal Parker lay in second.

On Sunday we were back inshore and I brought the start time forward with the hopes of getting a couple of races in prior to the forecast wind change. We started Race5 in a 8knot Westerly and 100m from the finish of the two lap course, the wind went 180 degrees to the east catching the leaders out and allowing the boats behind time to get jibs up and spinnakers down, close finish that one. We ran another 3 one lap races in the Easterly of about 5-8knots and minimal swell, thankfully for us on the Start boat after the rolling of the day before. So we got in all 8 scheduled races, certainly in two very different conditions.

This time the tables were turned and Double Blacks made up crew took the days honours, whilst Nutcracker took the overall by 4 points. Well done to both Victorian owners for allowing their boats to be sailed by ring in crews. The last race initially started with a General Recall, so we brought out ‘U’ /RRS 30.3 for the re start which caught out three competitors who pushed it a little too far. I’ve been starting the Farr40 Sydney fleet since 2013, so many of the competitors, both crews and boats are quite familiar and with a small fleet easily recognisable on the start line.

Sailing towards North Heads out of control bushfire

For now it’s back to work in these difficult times, hopefully we can all safely get out on the water and travel interstate again. Certainly something that I know I miss.

Filed under Inter State Trips, Offshore sailing, Race Official, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with Farr40

4hr scenic tour

October 14, 2020 Leave a comment

Last Sunday I dropped the DeckHardware RIB Cadence in the water at Bayview. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time now, go for a tour around Pittwater and have a look back in time at the water in which I learnt to sail. The RIB of course was the perfect boat to do it in. I’m lucky that it’s now all set up that it’s easy to launch and retrieve singlehanded.

I started off by going anti-clockwise, first up into the upper reaches of Newport an area that was pretty much mangroves in the 50’s and early 60’s mucking about as a kid. As time has gone on, all of it is now fully developed with many a home and wharf building out the land and the water. I can remember picking up my first Manly Junior crew by boat as he lived on the opposite side, it was either that or a pushbike for him. Continuing around and remembering the old Newport pub, where our parents would be inside whilst we played on the carousel, that’s now a multi story carpark rather than the drive through to the bottle shop.

Then into Crystal Bay, where again it was all mangroves where kids could run amuck and we did! However this time it was stopping to say Hi to a couple of old salts, one on the end of his jetty and the other in the cockpit of his lovely yacht. It was good to stop and say an all but brief ‘G’day’ to Hugh Treharne and Ken Beashel, both legends of the sport of Sailing and certainly don’t need any introduction. Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has certainly grown and changed with the times, as kids we used to climb the trees where the main clubhouse now is. One boat spotted on the marina was Patsy a Swanson37 that I did my first Mooloolaba race on in ’81. Still in the Yaffe family ownership, Daniel who I sailed with for a number of years was on board with his family and about to head out for the day. It was good to catch up.

The major change to Pittwater over the decades is the sheer number of boats on moorings, the area that we leant to sail on in the 60s is full.

Heading north past Salt Pan Cove, and on a mooring was a rather familiar Adams10. Yet more memories although they’ve made many changes to what I thought was the best A10 deck layout. Then into Clareville and there was the old Swanson42 Tawarri, as a teenager I did a RSYS Cruise on board with the Lewis family, spending a week aboard racing offshore and up to the lake.

Up to Barrenjoey and across to the western side brought more memories of camping at Resolute Beach with our Manly Juniors and walking up to West Head. Then on into Coasters Retreat or the Basin as many know it and more camping and overnight memories.

Then it was around the corner of Longnose Point and into Towlers Bay. There’s a lovely beach on the Northern side where we spent a week with the girls on Indulgence after a Coffs Harbour Race one January. We literally had it to ourselves but the other day it was packed , times have changed. Next up was Lovetts Bay and then Elvina Bay, where there was once plenty of bush and now there’s houses right round both bays. Still going at 4knots [the speed limit] and heading up McCarrs Creek, for a change [not] the water was full of ‘jelly blubbers’. The constant thud of hitting them with a centreboard, didn’t matter what I was sailing. Another boat that I was surprised to see, was a little Primaat called Tainui. Tainui was built by Bill Burrows, an old sailing foe of my Dads. Many a JOG race was had against her in the 60s. Bill also made the mast for my fathers first yacht Temeraire, so there’s the connection.

I finished up my tour of Pittwater by going past Church Point and Bayview, looking at where we used to live and how things have changed. Surprisingly the houses are still there, they haven’t been updated. Only the addition of solar panels to Church Point was noticeable, but Bayview is still the same colour some 5 decades later. It was a great day, something I’d been wanting to do for some time.

Next up however, it’s back on the MHYC start boat and running a regatta for the Sydney Farr40 Fleet this coming weekend.

Filed under DeckHardware, JOG, MHYC, Offshore sailing, Race Official, RIB Tagged with Farr40, Pittwater

More of the same

February 21, 2020 Leave a comment

That’ll be back on the water and back on the road interstate.

January wrapped up with the Australia Day long weekend and officiating racing for the Adams 10s at Middle Harbour Yacht Club. It was a reasonable weekend weather wise, with a bit of everything, the best day being Sunday with four short races from Middle Head up to Little Manly. It’s a good track in a NorEaster and especially when the ferries aren’t running for a few hours. I had a call from Phil Barnett who captains one, letting me know that due to the festivities at Circular Quay and under the bridge, they had a break for a few hours. Nice.

Sometimes there’s a breakaway leader, MH118 with a nice lead

Racing wise, it was all about the Lake Macquarie boat Backchat, winning four of the eight races. The minor placings were keenly fought with L2, Dilemma and Powderhulk finishing in that order. It was also great to see Extender/SSV/Animus/Mad Max racing again. Now known as Organised Chaos and sailing on Pittwater, the only timber seater in the fleet gave a few a run for their money even winning one of the races.

Day one race start

Then it was back on the road, south. Initially a day trip south of Sydney and into the recent bushfire zones. It’s certainly something else going from green bushland to burnt black and tree trunks only. There was however quite a few thank you signs for the Firies. It’ll be many years before life returns to ‘normal’.

Southern NSW January 2020 and bushfires devastated many.

I then headed south to Melbourne with my first stop at Geelong for the NACRA/49er/FX Worlds, catching up with a few of the Aussies involved and assisting the local chandlery who had a stall at the club. Then it was over to Sandringham for the Laser/ILCA Worlds and catching up again with a few of the Aussies competing. DeckHardware has been supporting the Australian Sailing Team from just after the 2008 Olympic games and a few of the team over the years have become good friends. So I tried to give a little moral support as well as product and technical support. Whilst I cut this trip short and didn’t catch up and see everyone I wanted to, I’m sure that there’ll be another trip south at some stage this year.

Coming up is the Farr40 States at MHYC followed by the SailGP the following weekend. I quietly saw one of the AC45s a while back, so I look forward to seeing the F50s out on the harbour. I hope that they have breeze this time though. Then I’m back to Geelong for their Wooden Boat Show where we’ll have a range of LIROS on display with the Wooden Boatshop. Unfortunately this coincides with the MHYC Sydney Harbour Regatta, so no race management that weekend.

Filed under Assorted, Australian Sailing Team, Boat Show, DeckHardware, Inter State Trips, MHYC, Race Official, sailing Tagged with Adams10m, Farr40, Melbourne, Road Trip, sports

Welcome to 2020

January 20, 2020 Leave a comment

2019 finished off for me and many others with the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, for over a decade now I’ve been fortunate to head a MHYC team running the second start line. This time , the 75th running of the race south, we had four lines with the CYCA on the front, MHYC on the second, RPAYC on the third and RSYS on the fourth. Each year, my friends know that I try to bring someone who hasn’t experienced the opportunity, to come along and be part of the team. This year I extended an invitation to Peter Tinworth from Middle Harbour 16s who thoroughly enjoyed the day on Sydney Harbour watching the yachts head south, so much so that as he put it -” I can’t watch the start from anywhere else after this, you’ve spoilt me”. I think that means he wants to come back.

Boxing Day, spectators and officials alike waiting for the Rolex Sydney Hobart start.

It was great to have all four lines with a clear start as we’ve had a few try to start early recently. Getting the anchor up and clearing the way for the entrants behind is always a priority. Our line is not a mark of the course for them and it doubles up to get going and see everyone heading offshore. It’s certainly interesting for those non competing sailors to follow the weather and the tracker to plot a reasonable course, something you couldn’t do last century.

Pre-start maneuvers within the exclusion zone

Next up was the 16′ Skiffs at Soldiers Point Port Stephens, where DeckHardware was representing Allen Sailing and LIROS Ropes as sponsors. I was only there for the first weekend, whilst Melissa stayed for the week and took out the media on the RIB each day. It certainly was exciting watching up till the last couple of metres of the last race, with overall being decided on a countback. One mistake and you could easily lose up to ten places very quickly, it was hard work to get them back too. Everyone had their own races right through the fleet.

DeckHardware van and RIB at Port Stephens

Melissa had a 36hr turnaround and is now up at RQYS in Brisbane where again she is representing DeckHardware on behalf of Allen Sailing as the title sponsor of the Flying Elevens. Whilst she’s done the trip a few times now, this was the first towing the RIB all the way, she made good time too. Following the Flying Elevens, she took a detour home via Noosa to see one of her old crew from Animus days.

Heavy weather start

This weekend I spent the weekend again with the Farr40s, their prelude event prior to the States in February. Saturday was hard, there’s no other way of putting it. With a 20-25knot Southerly with rain at times and a good southerly swell it made for some good rides and wipe outs as well. We started with 8 of the 10 entries for race one and at the finish of race 3 had 3 1/2 finish. The fourth finished under mainsail only although not that far behind the others. Jeff Carters team Edake won all three races showing some great boat handling.

Towing in the second gate mark on Saturday

Sundays racing however was a lot better, we got in two races in a nice southerly with a little shift left before the last two in a nice soueaster, both in a nice 8-10knots and flat seas south of Sow & Pigs Reef. Father and Son, Tom and Allan Quicks team Outlaw duelled with Edake for the honours overall. Edake winning by virtue of winning the last race, taking the regatta win. Double Black from Sandringham Yacht Club in Victoria were third for the weekend.

Good Form from Newcastle nailing the pin end start

This coming weekend will see me out on the water with the Adams10s again at Middle Harbour Yacht Club for the three days of the Australia Day festivities. More of the same as Sunday hopefully, may be a NorEaster?

Good Form, right on the pin

Filed under Assorted, DeckHardware, Inter State Trips, MHYC, Race Official, RIB, Yacht Race Tagged with Farr40Australia RolexSydneyHobart 16'skiff, sailing, sports

A new boat, regattas and more

November 21, 2019 Leave a comment

A new boat, regattas and more

So the 19/20 Summer season started off for me officiating with a Farr40 regatta, since then we’ve had another. I’ve always enjoyed officiating for the Farr40s, they have a group of enthusiastic owners who enjoy their sailing, added to this they are very social as well and their dock parties at MHYC after days sailing reflect this. Their association secretary, Jen Hughes rounds them all up and tries to keep them all sorted both on and off the water taking photos and arranging the pizzas and beers.

Off the beaches of Freshwater and Curl Curl, wind and flat water

My next weekend on the water was down at Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. Something a little different this time but I had done a few years back, running the ACT Dinghy Championships with some 70 boats across 8 divisions. A mix of Sharpies, Flying Fifteens, Lasers, Sabres with a few solo entries like an Impulse and RS100. Terry Peak ably looked after the Sailability and Optimists on another section of the lake.

Weather was like this for the two days whilst on the water.

The Wind Gods looked after us and we are able to get in two days of racing on a trapezoid course in 10-15knots of westerly with the odd bullet coming through causing a capsize or three [dozen]. I was assisted by the Canberra start team and one even called me the ‘wind whisperer’ as he hadn’t had such an easy regatta wind wise on the lake before. The wind came in on both days just prior to heading out and cut off not long after the last finisher. We had minimal delays and everyone knows that on LBG it’s not uncommon to have boats working and running on the same leg of the course, the joys of inland waterways.

It was like this on both days once racing had finished.

In amongst all of this, there’s a new boat in the family. For sometime Melissa has thought about having a RIB enabling her to go to various clubs and regattas to take some photos and support DeckHardware ambassadors. We started looking at second hand 5m and ended up with a brand new 6.5m RIB with all the extras required. I’ll also be able to use it at the various country regattas I attend. In order to tow it around, it’s necessitated two new vehicles, a van for me and a larger car for towing. This has been paid for out of Robyn’s inheritance and the sale of her family home.

I can’t remember a time going under the bridge by powerboat, I’ve always sailed.

Last weekend, I spent some time in the new RIB watching the 16’er States up the harbour, something a little different. They had a great NorEaster for two races on Saturday and a Southerly came through for the single race on Sunday. Good racing for the 40 odd boats in an otherwise very crowded area, although after a leg or so most were spread out, especially with a few capsizes.

Hazards of racing on the upper harbour, the race 3, 1st mark leader TED cutting it fine. Eventual winner with Orange spinnaker, IMEI.

Some of the 16s fleet on Sunday

Having not had a trailerable boat since the early 80s when Mel was a baby, it’s all about getting in the queue at the ramp both in and out. I’m getting better at organising at home first so it’s not mucking about wasting time prior to launching. The facilities are far better now with floating pontoons to tie up to once launched and whilst the car and trailer are parked. So far so good, the electric winch works a treat too, no winding!

Mel’s gone to METS in Amsterdam this week to meet up with many of our suppliers. Around this time of year they release new products and catalogues and it’s the opportunity to meet in person with the people at the other end of an email or phone line. It’s a busy week for her with scheduled meetings over the three days of the show. I know that when I’ve been, almost the best part is the sleep on the plane home!

Filed under Assorted, DeckHardware, Race Official, RIB, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with 16' Skiff, Canberra Yacht Club, Farr40, regatta, Road Trip, sailing, sports

Been a while but.. [part two]

September 27, 2019 Leave a comment

Shortly after returning from driving down south, I was in the air for a couple of days in Perth. I’d planned on just three rather full days seeing as many DeckHardware customers as I could. I started off heading down to Australind and Bunbury a couple of hours drive south of Perth and then working my way back to where I was staying in Fremantle. It was a busy day driving several hundred kilometers, having arrived the previous night, but it was good to see some of the customers there and to show some of the new product range.

Fremantle Bridges over the Swan River at night

That evening however changed everything. I’d gone to bed early to catch up on some sleep to be awoken by a call from the Fremantle Police. A couple of local youths had gone on a rampage in the area and I was one of the victims. They’d smashed the passenger window of the hire car and stolen my little red lunchbox containing my business cards. These were found in the backpack of one of the youth cornered by the dog squad. Evidence! Unfortunately, I had to wait till lunchtime for the Forensic fellow to do his job, then it was in to Perth CBD to swap over for another vehicle. So I lost a full day’s work.

Broken side mirror and window

Friday in Western Australia was pretty full on and naturally I didn’t get to see as many as I normally would have. Saturday morning however, I was given the opportunity to go out on the Fremantle Sailing Club start boat for the first Offshore race start of the season. As a National race officer, it’s always good to see how others do it, you always pick up on something. Yes I did pick up a treat and those who report in to my start team this season may have a little surprise. The conditions however were not to anyone’s liking with barely a ripple on the water at start time. It did slowly build and the leaders were able to be finished before sunset. I had one more stop before heading to the airport mid afternoon and returning home for a day on the water Sunday. Thanks must go again go to Paul and Sarah for providing the home to come back to each evening, they’ve been wonderful hosts over the years.

Freo pin boat heading out with the start boat

Slow start, some of the boats ahead started 15 minutes earlier!

Normally I get the bus in to Mascot, however this time I’d driven in due to the late evening arrival. Downer number 2 for the trip – a flat battery and a wait for the NRMA who unfortunately for me had a busy evening.

Farr40 offshore start Sunday

So after a few hours sleep it was back to Middle Harbour Yacht Club and a day of racing with the Farr40s. They’d raced with the offshore boats the day before and the schedule was for a few races inshore on Sunday. Unfortunately the lack of breeze followed me from the day before. Hanging around the heads looking for something, we noticed some wind offshore, so a course was set. Again the conditions were not to our liking and the first race was abandoned. Moving back inshore looking for something we were able to run a couple of quick races to round out their weekend. Perhaps, we should have stayed inshore, but at least we gave it a go.

Back in the harbour with wind on Sunday

So that’s now the start of the summer of sailing 2019/2020.

Filed under Assorted, DeckHardware, Inter State Trips, MHYC, Offshore sailing, Race Official, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with Fremantle sailing Club, Perth, regatta, sailing, travel

Been a while, but [part one]

September 27, 2019 Leave a comment

I hit the road again not long after going to South Australia. This time to south to Victoria for a week or so. First up was a stop to Canberra. I’ll be running the ACT Dinghy Championships in early November, so it was good to see Steve and his team and sort out a few things. Whilst there of course, it was an opportunity to run through some of the new product lines recently added to the DeckHardware range. Being a Saturday morning there were also a few boat owners working on their boats going through pre season checks. They too joined in looking at the DeckHardware range.

Saturday afternoon sea breeze on Wallagoot

Being a Saturday afternoon and driving south via the coast, I dropped by Wallagoot Lake Boat Club. Whilst there was no one around, someone had thrown a rock through a glass window upstairs. I rang one of the members and let him know, the call was naturally appreciated and a makeshift repair was arranged.

Heading further south on Sunday into Paynesville, again a caught up with a few there and a little gossip. Ironically it was on the highway just north that I crossed paths with a mate towing his fishing runabout, the people you see on the road. Usually when I visit Melbourne, I work my way around Port Phillip Bay anti-clockwise. For something different, I did the rounds clockwise starting in Geelong and Queenscliff.

Seeing a range of DeckHardware customers kept me busy until Wednesday lunchtime when the heavens opened, it bucketed down. I headed to Sandringham Yacht Club to meet up with a few there and it was surprising to see some boats heading out to do the Wednesday race, Chris made the comment that you needed a navigator to sail the course. We had trouble seeing them through the rain! Ironically there were more in the clubhouse than out on the water, dryer too.

Marina at Westernport Hastings

Working my way around the bay, I again was fortunate to stay with my old skipper John Eyles who’s ‘retired’ to Safety Bay. John of course has got himself involved in the local sailing club at Martha Cove, so it was off to the clubhouse for the Thursday evening after work drinks. There’s a good bunch there at this fledgling club, plenty of miles between them all. As a reminder of what Melbourne weather is like, on Friday morning on leaving John and Sharons, there was ice on my windscreen, not the usual dew! I finished up late Friday afternoon and headed out of Melbourne. A full week with only a few hours lost to the weather. I just wish that some of it had hit those who need it most.

Timber Dragon in re-build near Hastings

Again I drove the coast road north, heading back to Great Lakes Yacht Club, however there was no one around, so back on the road to Wallagoot. When I spoke to Rob the previous Saturday, he mentioned a club meeting Sunday morning. As I run their annual regatta, it was an opportunity to catch up and have a chat about the upcoming season. At the same time, Carl Webster from Australian Sailing came to present a club race officer course so it was a chance to see how he presented it too. Also the member maintenance team replaced the broken glass pane I had reported the week before. A busy day at a great little club, unfortunately with a good seabreeze for the second weekend, there was no one heading out for a sail. That’ll come soon enough.

Sunrise over Lake Wellington at Marlay Point.

Filed under Assorted, DeckHardware, Inter State Trips, Race Official, sailing, Yacht Race Tagged with John Eyles, Melbourne, Road Trip, sailing, travel, Wallagoot Lake Boat Club

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