On the water, in the bar.
The stories of the H28's
of South of Perth Yacht club
in 2024
The stories of the H28's
of South of Perth Yacht club
in 2024
Wednesday Sailing 27th of November 24
And then the breeze came in. &
Lost without a course.
Five boats joined together to make a day of it. The breeze was definitely out of the East and was predicted to stay that way, by the pundits. But then again no one believes the forecasters, do they?
Mariner was out of the pack with the skipper ruled out by a short term illness as was his substitute Kate also struck down with something nasty.
So a chance to jump aboard Swiftsure presented itself when John Pierzak announced a bad back. I was given the main for my sins and on a soft day, we wandered out of the pen and lofted our sails accordingly. Joining us we had the ever dangerous Dave Locke and Corella, The First Jindarra and Len. Les Brooker with a guest, Jay Lawry and of course Wynella and Glen Stanley helming.
The offer of a course four was on the cards and there was a bit of confusion as the rest of the fleets were offered a course three. No matter for us as we were watching the flags carefully. But others weren’t.
The start was all important with a run up to Martin - Weaver on a fitful breeze that caused an AP for the second race. Making the start line was all important and a very polite Bill could have taken Corella all the way up at the pin end, but let him in at the last minute, once he had established his lead. Fair enough and it counts further down the track. The run to Martin was fair and we watched the boats ahead falling down as they attempted to make it across to Weaver. So, deep into the moorings we went, with a div two boat in front of us trying to do the same. They flipped as did we seconds later. The big problem was the swarm of yachts trying hard to get around Weaver from below. So out wide and try to keep the breeze on the starboard side.
Around Weaver and down to Sampson where we managed to keep the boat flowing along the gusts with our eyes outside the boat all the time. Passing the tail div two boats wasn’t a problem, but ahead, we saw the white water of a sou wester licking at the hulls further up the river. Wham, it came in. Lockie stuck to our tail and Len Randell not too far away either. Otherwise, the pair of Wynella and Nerrima were trading slow motion blows as they were still waiting for the seabreeze to make its way further down the river. But it was a good breeze and though we only had to make our way up to Robins… perhaps a problem? Robins had been replaced by a temporary mark as apparently the mark had gone walk about. But no one knew about it on our boat.
Swing around Robins and then head for Dolphin East with Lockie gesticulating at us. Were we going to the wrong mark? We didn’t think so; so we ignored him and kept going. Around D.E. and aim at Como with a lovely battle between a couple of Div one boats to keep us amused, but we had to keep in mind that Lockie could and would be able to use them to create interference. By this time it was clear that Len and his boat had retired and apparently they misread the flags and lost all chance of a place. Turn right at Como and aim slightly above the pin of the outer start line. Look behind us and there is a block of flats coming at us. OMG.
Around we went and the block of flats (Mistress Quickly) arrived. Just slowed us right down and as Bill later observed, we lost the race there and then. Lockie had gone down low and just kept going, we should have done so as well. But we reached Sampson eventually with Corella in the lead. Then we simply had to tack off when we worked our way around the mark. We were sitting in his bad air, so we took a chance but found ourselves short of a ley line when we made our way across to Heathcote Dolphin. So, another two tacks. Farewell Corella. The simple route to the finish line with a good run down the freeway and as we made our way to the line, we watched as Lockie made the line. Hi ho.. second over the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Nerrima
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Wynella.
Last Saturday.
Five boats ventured forth with Aloha and Georgina joining Wynella, Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga. As expected, SSS didn’t hoist a kite, but still led from the get go. Every one else did so bar Aloha who seemed to be short of crew on the day but sailed well to keep up with the fleet.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Nerrima and Wynella
On handicap: Nerrima, Swiftsure Saga and Aloha
At present, on consistency three boats share the lead with Aloha, Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga all on 13 points.
And then the breeze came in. &
Lost without a course.
Five boats joined together to make a day of it. The breeze was definitely out of the East and was predicted to stay that way, by the pundits. But then again no one believes the forecasters, do they?
Mariner was out of the pack with the skipper ruled out by a short term illness as was his substitute Kate also struck down with something nasty.
So a chance to jump aboard Swiftsure presented itself when John Pierzak announced a bad back. I was given the main for my sins and on a soft day, we wandered out of the pen and lofted our sails accordingly. Joining us we had the ever dangerous Dave Locke and Corella, The First Jindarra and Len. Les Brooker with a guest, Jay Lawry and of course Wynella and Glen Stanley helming.
The offer of a course four was on the cards and there was a bit of confusion as the rest of the fleets were offered a course three. No matter for us as we were watching the flags carefully. But others weren’t.
The start was all important with a run up to Martin - Weaver on a fitful breeze that caused an AP for the second race. Making the start line was all important and a very polite Bill could have taken Corella all the way up at the pin end, but let him in at the last minute, once he had established his lead. Fair enough and it counts further down the track. The run to Martin was fair and we watched the boats ahead falling down as they attempted to make it across to Weaver. So, deep into the moorings we went, with a div two boat in front of us trying to do the same. They flipped as did we seconds later. The big problem was the swarm of yachts trying hard to get around Weaver from below. So out wide and try to keep the breeze on the starboard side.
Around Weaver and down to Sampson where we managed to keep the boat flowing along the gusts with our eyes outside the boat all the time. Passing the tail div two boats wasn’t a problem, but ahead, we saw the white water of a sou wester licking at the hulls further up the river. Wham, it came in. Lockie stuck to our tail and Len Randell not too far away either. Otherwise, the pair of Wynella and Nerrima were trading slow motion blows as they were still waiting for the seabreeze to make its way further down the river. But it was a good breeze and though we only had to make our way up to Robins… perhaps a problem? Robins had been replaced by a temporary mark as apparently the mark had gone walk about. But no one knew about it on our boat.
Swing around Robins and then head for Dolphin East with Lockie gesticulating at us. Were we going to the wrong mark? We didn’t think so; so we ignored him and kept going. Around D.E. and aim at Como with a lovely battle between a couple of Div one boats to keep us amused, but we had to keep in mind that Lockie could and would be able to use them to create interference. By this time it was clear that Len and his boat had retired and apparently they misread the flags and lost all chance of a place. Turn right at Como and aim slightly above the pin of the outer start line. Look behind us and there is a block of flats coming at us. OMG.
Around we went and the block of flats (Mistress Quickly) arrived. Just slowed us right down and as Bill later observed, we lost the race there and then. Lockie had gone down low and just kept going, we should have done so as well. But we reached Sampson eventually with Corella in the lead. Then we simply had to tack off when we worked our way around the mark. We were sitting in his bad air, so we took a chance but found ourselves short of a ley line when we made our way across to Heathcote Dolphin. So, another two tacks. Farewell Corella. The simple route to the finish line with a good run down the freeway and as we made our way to the line, we watched as Lockie made the line. Hi ho.. second over the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Nerrima
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Wynella.
Last Saturday.
Five boats ventured forth with Aloha and Georgina joining Wynella, Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga. As expected, SSS didn’t hoist a kite, but still led from the get go. Every one else did so bar Aloha who seemed to be short of crew on the day but sailed well to keep up with the fleet.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Nerrima and Wynella
On handicap: Nerrima, Swiftsure Saga and Aloha
At present, on consistency three boats share the lead with Aloha, Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga all on 13 points.
Wednesday Sailing 20th of November 2024
The Don Bourne Perpetual Trophy.
Where did the wind come from?
Great battles.
Where did the breeze come from? Its not what we thought would happen. A predicted 4 to 8 knots out of the nor west turned into a great reaching race with 14 to 20 knots on offer with a course three. Whoever got the start had every chance of the win.
After Saturdays punishing breezes, a number of boats had patch ups to do and Lockie managed to get both of his sails off the boat and down to the sail makers. And back again. The crew on The First Jindarra took one look and said no thanks, not today. Kate Lammonby was feeling a bit left out on the day as Phil had come down from the farm as it was too wet to harvest. Good oh. She jumped ship to sail with Corella and did just fine.
To the start and as can be expected, the box end was favoured. Corella got the start and despite our best efforts, remained there for the rest of the race. But not for the lack of trying. Then the race developed into a down-right drag race down to Sampson, with the fleet spreading out to keep in good air.
From there the race developed as we crossed on a fast reach over to King and then aimed ourselves at Robins on the other board. Go fast or pack up and go home. We had chosen to put the cut down number one on and were happy with the result, but when the breeze dropped, we didn’t have the same drive. Of course, Bill on Swiftsure was close on our tail and the need to stay in front was imperative. Away to Robins and around then down to Print.
To get through to Print we had to cross the RP fleet and fortunately both Corella and Mariner made it through with the rest of the fleet following on. A turn at Print had us aiming at Foam and while Lockie got through, we had an unfortunate incident with a RP fleet member who as windward boat should have given way to us as we lifted to aim at Robins. They were advised at several points of our needs and when asked to give us room at Foam, we were given a mouthful of abuse. Not necessary and hopefully an email might sort out the issue.
However, we lost fifty metres. Swiftsure shortened up as did the rest of the fleet. And Wynella and Nerrima had their own battle as well, with the pair working hard to maintain their pace against each other. Up to Robins, spin around and down to Print again with the next mark as Como and a pole that converted to a poled out headsail for the race to the outer start line. But we had been caught up with a flood of bigger boats. Some were kind to us; some weren’t that nice and we ended up being blanketed by a smaller Div. one boat. That took another few metres out of our play book on the way to Sampson once more. The skipper was complaining vociferously when the wash from a bigger boat turned into a beam sea that covered the transom and gave him a very wet backside. What he said isn’t printable.
A moment at Sampson when we had swung around the mark and were heading off to King and Swiftsure Saga made a very abrupt move to duck inside a div one boat and push them aside to get around in front of them. We thought we heard the bump of a hull on the mark, maybe we didn’t, but we were expecting a 360 to be taken. They thought otherwise.
Lockie was doing just fine and we were beginning to bring him back a little. But the breeze began dropping and the one and a half didn’t have as much of a drive as the number ones being used elsewhere. Out to Print, across to Addison with a quick check to make sure Bill hadn’t improved much more and then look at the rest of the fleet. Then settle down to the drag race from Addison via Como to the line with Swiftsure Saga trying very hard to get through us.
A welcome sight was Helios II on their way to the line, they split the pair of us, dumping bad air on Bill, but Bill had wisely gone deeper and suffered very little. Once Helios II had passed us, he then came up to get out of the gas and literally at the line we were pipped. By one lousy second. Well sailed Bill and his crew.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Nerrima, Corella and Swiftsure Saga.
The Don Bourne Memorial Trophy was won by Les Brooker and his crew.
Saturday was the second championship and was sailed in 25 knots of breeze on a course one. Spinnakers were put in place but were not hoisted. Simply no reason to, with boats getting 8 knots on a poled-out jib. 6 boats contested and two retired with Aloha and Alma deciding that it was wiser to not risk injury and damage. Nerrima took the handicap win with Corella taking first over the line.
An amusing story of Lockies foresail slowly disintegrating in front of their eyes with running repairs underway and then the sail tearing in two as they headed for the line. As Brian X said later. We saw the sail unzip as we approached the finish line, we flipped over on to the other tack and got to the finish line with two headsails.
The Don Bourne Perpetual Trophy.
Where did the wind come from?
Great battles.
Where did the breeze come from? Its not what we thought would happen. A predicted 4 to 8 knots out of the nor west turned into a great reaching race with 14 to 20 knots on offer with a course three. Whoever got the start had every chance of the win.
After Saturdays punishing breezes, a number of boats had patch ups to do and Lockie managed to get both of his sails off the boat and down to the sail makers. And back again. The crew on The First Jindarra took one look and said no thanks, not today. Kate Lammonby was feeling a bit left out on the day as Phil had come down from the farm as it was too wet to harvest. Good oh. She jumped ship to sail with Corella and did just fine.
To the start and as can be expected, the box end was favoured. Corella got the start and despite our best efforts, remained there for the rest of the race. But not for the lack of trying. Then the race developed into a down-right drag race down to Sampson, with the fleet spreading out to keep in good air.
From there the race developed as we crossed on a fast reach over to King and then aimed ourselves at Robins on the other board. Go fast or pack up and go home. We had chosen to put the cut down number one on and were happy with the result, but when the breeze dropped, we didn’t have the same drive. Of course, Bill on Swiftsure was close on our tail and the need to stay in front was imperative. Away to Robins and around then down to Print.
To get through to Print we had to cross the RP fleet and fortunately both Corella and Mariner made it through with the rest of the fleet following on. A turn at Print had us aiming at Foam and while Lockie got through, we had an unfortunate incident with a RP fleet member who as windward boat should have given way to us as we lifted to aim at Robins. They were advised at several points of our needs and when asked to give us room at Foam, we were given a mouthful of abuse. Not necessary and hopefully an email might sort out the issue.
However, we lost fifty metres. Swiftsure shortened up as did the rest of the fleet. And Wynella and Nerrima had their own battle as well, with the pair working hard to maintain their pace against each other. Up to Robins, spin around and down to Print again with the next mark as Como and a pole that converted to a poled out headsail for the race to the outer start line. But we had been caught up with a flood of bigger boats. Some were kind to us; some weren’t that nice and we ended up being blanketed by a smaller Div. one boat. That took another few metres out of our play book on the way to Sampson once more. The skipper was complaining vociferously when the wash from a bigger boat turned into a beam sea that covered the transom and gave him a very wet backside. What he said isn’t printable.
A moment at Sampson when we had swung around the mark and were heading off to King and Swiftsure Saga made a very abrupt move to duck inside a div one boat and push them aside to get around in front of them. We thought we heard the bump of a hull on the mark, maybe we didn’t, but we were expecting a 360 to be taken. They thought otherwise.
Lockie was doing just fine and we were beginning to bring him back a little. But the breeze began dropping and the one and a half didn’t have as much of a drive as the number ones being used elsewhere. Out to Print, across to Addison with a quick check to make sure Bill hadn’t improved much more and then look at the rest of the fleet. Then settle down to the drag race from Addison via Como to the line with Swiftsure Saga trying very hard to get through us.
A welcome sight was Helios II on their way to the line, they split the pair of us, dumping bad air on Bill, but Bill had wisely gone deeper and suffered very little. Once Helios II had passed us, he then came up to get out of the gas and literally at the line we were pipped. By one lousy second. Well sailed Bill and his crew.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Nerrima, Corella and Swiftsure Saga.
The Don Bourne Memorial Trophy was won by Les Brooker and his crew.
Saturday was the second championship and was sailed in 25 knots of breeze on a course one. Spinnakers were put in place but were not hoisted. Simply no reason to, with boats getting 8 knots on a poled-out jib. 6 boats contested and two retired with Aloha and Alma deciding that it was wiser to not risk injury and damage. Nerrima took the handicap win with Corella taking first over the line.
An amusing story of Lockies foresail slowly disintegrating in front of their eyes with running repairs underway and then the sail tearing in two as they headed for the line. As Brian X said later. We saw the sail unzip as we approached the finish line, we flipped over on to the other tack and got to the finish line with two headsails.
Wednesday Sailing 13th of November 2024
A great start.
And a sou wester full of holes.
John Wright was seen on the water with his mechanic on Anna doing the final run in of the engine. It’s been a while, but with any luck we’ll have him on the river shortly. Rupert (Georgina) and his amazing appearance last week was just that. An amazing appearance. We look forward to seeing him more often.
Alma sat in the pens today as Eun Na Mara launched herself onto the water again. The old girl is still in Ralphs hands so Alma might be used on an alternative basis. Wait and see. But a respectable half a dozen H28s graced the start line and the competition for the top end of the line was on. Mariner had a great start and I’d like to say we repeated last weeks performance, but no that wasn’t the case. Read on.
A course one with 16 knots that didn’t vary much and they sent us around the full course which left the skipper running to get into his whites before we marched into the bar.
But we had the lead and good work trimming on main and jib had the boat sliding up to the first mark and around preparing to aim at the next mark and a choice of a pole or running with the breeze on the beam. No one else had bothered with a pole in the other fleets, so it was a case of looking for the gusts to get down to Sampson. Around the corner as the fleet spread out a little and work our way up to Print with not enough sou westerly to take us all the way in one shot. Tack at the ley line and then whip around the mark ready to get to Addison. Dodge a few coming across to Print and set our pole, running a little by the lee. But we made it and stowed the pole successfully for once.
The works up to Robins weren’t overly worrisome with the breeze showing few gaps in it at this stage, it was stay in front of Corella and keep an eye on Swiftsure Saga as Bill was sailing at his best in this breeze. Around the corner at Robins and then the long slog to Addison with the breeze very much by the lee as we went down. Fortunately, we took an early position and went deeper to ensure that we were only slightly by the lee. Didn’t seem to affect us as everyone else had the same problem.
Behind us Corella and Swiftsure Saga were on our tail with Len occupying that middle ground on the First Jindarra, ahead of Nerrima and Wynella, but not pushing our buttons yet. Down to Addison and around again and then the cross into Heathcote where the breeze just went flat. Corella, below us, had faired well but was being held on her line by our boat. She could have tacked off behind us, but elected to call for water. This forced us to tack which we did, but for some reason Corella decided to continue on instead of tacking immediately as well. The skipper grumbled about this as it took advantage of us.
Working our way up, a couple of tacks had Corella sitting slightly behind us, so we very carefully worked the boat up to take his line. He tacked. And got us back on the very next cross. Frustrating and they had the lead. Back up to the top at Robins and then the run to Como with slightly less problems. No flags on view at the box, so away we went around the short course. We waved at a couple of the bigger boats as they went through and having made Sampson, we set out to get to King.
We thought we had it in one and then the breeze fell out again. Corella had gone early and benefited from it. We tacked on the ley and dropped and slowed as the breeze simply disappeared. Swiftsure Saga had gone a little further and came screaming down the slope to force us to tack again and let them through. Nothing to do but grit your teeth and suck it up. So, following two boats, not one. Check to see where the Jin was and take a breath of relief. All was well and then for the first time in a while, the gallop down to Thelma, passing Como on the way through and then watch as first Corella and then Swiftsure Saga slipped over the line ahead of us.
Speaking to couple of skippers later on, the comment was that the breeze was quite turbulent, full of holes or even vagrant in its behaviour.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
Perhaps Len and the First Jindarra might have to linger in the doldrums for another race or two, till their handicap drops far enough make them troublesome. They certainly deserve the chance. They are sailing very well at the moment.
A great start.
And a sou wester full of holes.
John Wright was seen on the water with his mechanic on Anna doing the final run in of the engine. It’s been a while, but with any luck we’ll have him on the river shortly. Rupert (Georgina) and his amazing appearance last week was just that. An amazing appearance. We look forward to seeing him more often.
Alma sat in the pens today as Eun Na Mara launched herself onto the water again. The old girl is still in Ralphs hands so Alma might be used on an alternative basis. Wait and see. But a respectable half a dozen H28s graced the start line and the competition for the top end of the line was on. Mariner had a great start and I’d like to say we repeated last weeks performance, but no that wasn’t the case. Read on.
A course one with 16 knots that didn’t vary much and they sent us around the full course which left the skipper running to get into his whites before we marched into the bar.
But we had the lead and good work trimming on main and jib had the boat sliding up to the first mark and around preparing to aim at the next mark and a choice of a pole or running with the breeze on the beam. No one else had bothered with a pole in the other fleets, so it was a case of looking for the gusts to get down to Sampson. Around the corner as the fleet spread out a little and work our way up to Print with not enough sou westerly to take us all the way in one shot. Tack at the ley line and then whip around the mark ready to get to Addison. Dodge a few coming across to Print and set our pole, running a little by the lee. But we made it and stowed the pole successfully for once.
The works up to Robins weren’t overly worrisome with the breeze showing few gaps in it at this stage, it was stay in front of Corella and keep an eye on Swiftsure Saga as Bill was sailing at his best in this breeze. Around the corner at Robins and then the long slog to Addison with the breeze very much by the lee as we went down. Fortunately, we took an early position and went deeper to ensure that we were only slightly by the lee. Didn’t seem to affect us as everyone else had the same problem.
Behind us Corella and Swiftsure Saga were on our tail with Len occupying that middle ground on the First Jindarra, ahead of Nerrima and Wynella, but not pushing our buttons yet. Down to Addison and around again and then the cross into Heathcote where the breeze just went flat. Corella, below us, had faired well but was being held on her line by our boat. She could have tacked off behind us, but elected to call for water. This forced us to tack which we did, but for some reason Corella decided to continue on instead of tacking immediately as well. The skipper grumbled about this as it took advantage of us.
Working our way up, a couple of tacks had Corella sitting slightly behind us, so we very carefully worked the boat up to take his line. He tacked. And got us back on the very next cross. Frustrating and they had the lead. Back up to the top at Robins and then the run to Como with slightly less problems. No flags on view at the box, so away we went around the short course. We waved at a couple of the bigger boats as they went through and having made Sampson, we set out to get to King.
We thought we had it in one and then the breeze fell out again. Corella had gone early and benefited from it. We tacked on the ley and dropped and slowed as the breeze simply disappeared. Swiftsure Saga had gone a little further and came screaming down the slope to force us to tack again and let them through. Nothing to do but grit your teeth and suck it up. So, following two boats, not one. Check to see where the Jin was and take a breath of relief. All was well and then for the first time in a while, the gallop down to Thelma, passing Como on the way through and then watch as first Corella and then Swiftsure Saga slipped over the line ahead of us.
Speaking to couple of skippers later on, the comment was that the breeze was quite turbulent, full of holes or even vagrant in its behaviour.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
Perhaps Len and the First Jindarra might have to linger in the doldrums for another race or two, till their handicap drops far enough make them troublesome. They certainly deserve the chance. They are sailing very well at the moment.
Wednesday Sailing the 6th of November 2024
A bit of luck at Martin &
He’s not slow.
Seven boats set off on a delightful Wednesday afternoon with the very best of intentions, beat the rest of the fleet over the finish line.
Lining up at the box end on a course one with a sou wester on offer we knew it was going to be a squeezy affair, but for once everyone was late on the line. We found ourselves battling with Wynella with Glen back on the helm and it was on for young and old as he took off to Martin trying to dump bad air on us.
No problems said the skipper and we worked our way up above them nearly running into the pens as we did so, it was tight, but we made it. In fact, we were so high on the mark that we had to drop quite a bit when Martin arrived. The next job was to get around Weaver in front and inexplicably Wynella opened the door for us by sailing too far up and we simply took the offer and ran for Weaver, looking back at the rest of the fleet as they bunched up behind us.
The next was the run to Sampson and a case of staying ahead as we had a blanket of boats behind us, making it difficult to maintain our speed. Out went a pole and we picked up a freshening breeze and held our own successfully with the new number one doing its job. The breeze by the way, was a very pleasant 15 knots and was perfect for testing the sail. The fleet was sorting itself out and we watched as Wynella found themselves being tested by The First Jindarra as Len began to push the boat along. But it was Swiftsure Saga who was on our tail and we chose him to close the door with as we hit Sampson. That made it difficult for the rest of the fleet to charge along and several made the decision to throw off and find clean air. But not Wynella who followed us up.
By the time we hit Print there was a wall of boats coming in from the left-hand side and thank you Glen, he followed us around and in doing so, blocked them from their charge around the mark. More room, thank you very much.
Then down to Addison, dodging Nerima on the way and a pole was employed once again. Around we went and then the run to Robins commenced with a quick tack to get into the pressure we could see in front of us. It paid off nicely and we worked our way up to Robins in good pressure. A couple of boats went further to the north in the hope of picking up a better breeze but unfortunately there wasn’t very much luck for them out there and Corella and Nerrima dropped back for a while.
The First Jindarra was doing just fine thanks, with Len keeping the boat moving very well. He had done well on the run up and held his own for the trip down to Addison again, he always had the inside running and while his foredeck was a bit slow at times, they made good time down the river. Surprisingly Bill on Swiftsure wasn’t as fast as he can be and Wynella was fending off Corella all the way. Approaching Addison we were preparing to gybe to cover the last 200 yards and surprise, in comes the Canning River breeze hard on our right hand side, no gybe required.
Around we went and up to Robins again. A simple task and made quite interesting by a Thunderbird who rounded a mark near us and then barrelled straight into us. Swift avoidance by the skipper prevented any injury and we made our way up to Robins, a little shaken, but no harm done. Clearly not paying attention. Make the mark, set a pole and then count the boats behind us. Sure enough, there’s Len and unsurprisingly there’s Lockie. By the time we were able to see the start box, we could see the flags already fluttering. A shortened course and it was a matter of aim for Como and try to stay up once we got around. Hard work we discovered, as the Canning knock was in full force. We watched as the boats in front fell down. Then it was our turn. So a decision to tack and try for the line nearly brought us undone as we knocked terribly again. Finally, a two tack dash at the line got us over, but it was worth the effort.
Behind us Lockie had managed to catch up with Len and just pipped him to the line for second (2 seconds worth), but a great effort by Len all the same, he’s not slow.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and The First Jindarra
On handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Mariner.
John Wrights not too far away from starting with us… looking forward to it.
Four Photos from Guy are on board
A bit of luck at Martin &
He’s not slow.
Seven boats set off on a delightful Wednesday afternoon with the very best of intentions, beat the rest of the fleet over the finish line.
Lining up at the box end on a course one with a sou wester on offer we knew it was going to be a squeezy affair, but for once everyone was late on the line. We found ourselves battling with Wynella with Glen back on the helm and it was on for young and old as he took off to Martin trying to dump bad air on us.
No problems said the skipper and we worked our way up above them nearly running into the pens as we did so, it was tight, but we made it. In fact, we were so high on the mark that we had to drop quite a bit when Martin arrived. The next job was to get around Weaver in front and inexplicably Wynella opened the door for us by sailing too far up and we simply took the offer and ran for Weaver, looking back at the rest of the fleet as they bunched up behind us.
The next was the run to Sampson and a case of staying ahead as we had a blanket of boats behind us, making it difficult to maintain our speed. Out went a pole and we picked up a freshening breeze and held our own successfully with the new number one doing its job. The breeze by the way, was a very pleasant 15 knots and was perfect for testing the sail. The fleet was sorting itself out and we watched as Wynella found themselves being tested by The First Jindarra as Len began to push the boat along. But it was Swiftsure Saga who was on our tail and we chose him to close the door with as we hit Sampson. That made it difficult for the rest of the fleet to charge along and several made the decision to throw off and find clean air. But not Wynella who followed us up.
By the time we hit Print there was a wall of boats coming in from the left-hand side and thank you Glen, he followed us around and in doing so, blocked them from their charge around the mark. More room, thank you very much.
Then down to Addison, dodging Nerima on the way and a pole was employed once again. Around we went and then the run to Robins commenced with a quick tack to get into the pressure we could see in front of us. It paid off nicely and we worked our way up to Robins in good pressure. A couple of boats went further to the north in the hope of picking up a better breeze but unfortunately there wasn’t very much luck for them out there and Corella and Nerrima dropped back for a while.
The First Jindarra was doing just fine thanks, with Len keeping the boat moving very well. He had done well on the run up and held his own for the trip down to Addison again, he always had the inside running and while his foredeck was a bit slow at times, they made good time down the river. Surprisingly Bill on Swiftsure wasn’t as fast as he can be and Wynella was fending off Corella all the way. Approaching Addison we were preparing to gybe to cover the last 200 yards and surprise, in comes the Canning River breeze hard on our right hand side, no gybe required.
Around we went and up to Robins again. A simple task and made quite interesting by a Thunderbird who rounded a mark near us and then barrelled straight into us. Swift avoidance by the skipper prevented any injury and we made our way up to Robins, a little shaken, but no harm done. Clearly not paying attention. Make the mark, set a pole and then count the boats behind us. Sure enough, there’s Len and unsurprisingly there’s Lockie. By the time we were able to see the start box, we could see the flags already fluttering. A shortened course and it was a matter of aim for Como and try to stay up once we got around. Hard work we discovered, as the Canning knock was in full force. We watched as the boats in front fell down. Then it was our turn. So a decision to tack and try for the line nearly brought us undone as we knocked terribly again. Finally, a two tack dash at the line got us over, but it was worth the effort.
Behind us Lockie had managed to catch up with Len and just pipped him to the line for second (2 seconds worth), but a great effort by Len all the same, he’s not slow.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and The First Jindarra
On handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Mariner.
John Wrights not too far away from starting with us… looking forward to it.
Four Photos from Guy are on board
Wednesday Sailing. 30th of October 2024
Two for the price of one &
Seven of the Best!
The Fleet is now blessed with two hard working cameras. Guy (foredeck on Wynella) bit the bullet and bought himself an Olympus TG7, similar to the one used by your humble scribe. So, we will have a separate view point of the fleet at hand.
With the sun sparkling down on the river, the sea breeze arrived nice and early and was whipping up the water pretty quickly. A bit more than the forecast, but who believes that anyway. A new number one was in our dreams, but a wiser head said pack it away and hoist the number two. A good idea as who wants to blow out a new number one.
Seven boats lined up for the fleet and when John Wright gets his motor sorted, then it will be the chance for eight on the water. Wowsers!
A course one with a start up the Canning and a huge battle to the front. Lockie was caught OCS and Bill on Swiftsure Saga took the lead with a cheery thanks to Dave. Ernie had done well to get clear air and was aiming at the right side of Martin and once we had managed to get above Bill, we did so as well. But Bill was well away and was lolloping along with a generous lead. Our task was to get to Wynella and hold them to task while Lockie was working his way back from the back of the fleet. Christina Heydon took the helm of Alma today and the slightly worried look on new owner Phil Warwick’s face took on a new dimension. I think Ralph was quietly chuckling as he ran the main.
Around the second mark and a run down to Sampson with Lockie already challenging Les on Nerima. Predictably Les took him up as necessary. Didn’t stop Dave though. Len on The First Jindarra was quietly making his own way with the crew settling into their roles nicely. More about him down the line.
The little dash up to Print and down to Addsion sorted the wolves from the chickens and we managed to put Wynella behind us and watched as Corella moved further up the line. True predator material that fellow! Then the first work up to Robins. Across into Heathcote and then the battle commenced. Didn’t take long, Lockie was running a smaller #1 and doing very well of it. The skipper has noted that David can point higher and still maintain his speed. He’s still asking why and how as we watched as David passed us on the next tack and found himself in second spot. So up to Robins slamming through the slop. Wet and hard with spray as every second wave came through. But we had good speed and when the boat picked up, the speed would touch 5.8 to 6 knots.
Around Robins and a pole gracefully done with Swiftsure Saga and Corella moving on; but behind us The First Jindarra was beginning to trouble Wynella and found their way through him. Nice one. Les on Nerrima was holding his own and Christina and Alma were still finding their feet in the big slop and I think that possibly Christina had chosen a tough day to take her first helm on an H28 for a while. No matter.
Down to Addison and around the corner and aim to get over to Heathcote asap. The waves on the beam had us rolling a little and sitting on the leeside, you’re only inches from a wet bum. But Kate had the main under control and it never happened. Then roll the boat over into a new tack and start looking for a gap in the Royal Perth fleet that was charging toward us. We found one and I don’t know what happened to the others, but looking back Len was clearly watching our transom. He’s good and the crew are getting used to the boat. His handicap is still second highest and once that comes down, he’ll be dangerous.
Again the work up to Robins was such that so long as we could keep lifting, we would make in one shot. A hard call from where we started, but the closer we got, the better it was. No one went into the bay though, no pressure at all. Around the corner with the thought of dodging the Royal fleet as they flowed up the breeze. No problems and with the clock already looking at 1600 hrs, we looked at the start box and sure enough flags fluttering. So do our best to keep the speed up.
Watch as Swiftsure had to tack to make the finish line and I’m sure both Kate and the skip were willing Mariner to stay up a little and not to have to throw another tack. Over the line on a third place. Happy enough.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
The true winner of the day was the show that Len put on in the First Jindarra. The little master handled the H28 with aplomb and once his handicap comes back a little, he'll be taking home the bottle of red at the end of the day.
Guys photos are first.
Two for the price of one &
Seven of the Best!
The Fleet is now blessed with two hard working cameras. Guy (foredeck on Wynella) bit the bullet and bought himself an Olympus TG7, similar to the one used by your humble scribe. So, we will have a separate view point of the fleet at hand.
With the sun sparkling down on the river, the sea breeze arrived nice and early and was whipping up the water pretty quickly. A bit more than the forecast, but who believes that anyway. A new number one was in our dreams, but a wiser head said pack it away and hoist the number two. A good idea as who wants to blow out a new number one.
Seven boats lined up for the fleet and when John Wright gets his motor sorted, then it will be the chance for eight on the water. Wowsers!
A course one with a start up the Canning and a huge battle to the front. Lockie was caught OCS and Bill on Swiftsure Saga took the lead with a cheery thanks to Dave. Ernie had done well to get clear air and was aiming at the right side of Martin and once we had managed to get above Bill, we did so as well. But Bill was well away and was lolloping along with a generous lead. Our task was to get to Wynella and hold them to task while Lockie was working his way back from the back of the fleet. Christina Heydon took the helm of Alma today and the slightly worried look on new owner Phil Warwick’s face took on a new dimension. I think Ralph was quietly chuckling as he ran the main.
Around the second mark and a run down to Sampson with Lockie already challenging Les on Nerima. Predictably Les took him up as necessary. Didn’t stop Dave though. Len on The First Jindarra was quietly making his own way with the crew settling into their roles nicely. More about him down the line.
The little dash up to Print and down to Addsion sorted the wolves from the chickens and we managed to put Wynella behind us and watched as Corella moved further up the line. True predator material that fellow! Then the first work up to Robins. Across into Heathcote and then the battle commenced. Didn’t take long, Lockie was running a smaller #1 and doing very well of it. The skipper has noted that David can point higher and still maintain his speed. He’s still asking why and how as we watched as David passed us on the next tack and found himself in second spot. So up to Robins slamming through the slop. Wet and hard with spray as every second wave came through. But we had good speed and when the boat picked up, the speed would touch 5.8 to 6 knots.
Around Robins and a pole gracefully done with Swiftsure Saga and Corella moving on; but behind us The First Jindarra was beginning to trouble Wynella and found their way through him. Nice one. Les on Nerrima was holding his own and Christina and Alma were still finding their feet in the big slop and I think that possibly Christina had chosen a tough day to take her first helm on an H28 for a while. No matter.
Down to Addison and around the corner and aim to get over to Heathcote asap. The waves on the beam had us rolling a little and sitting on the leeside, you’re only inches from a wet bum. But Kate had the main under control and it never happened. Then roll the boat over into a new tack and start looking for a gap in the Royal Perth fleet that was charging toward us. We found one and I don’t know what happened to the others, but looking back Len was clearly watching our transom. He’s good and the crew are getting used to the boat. His handicap is still second highest and once that comes down, he’ll be dangerous.
Again the work up to Robins was such that so long as we could keep lifting, we would make in one shot. A hard call from where we started, but the closer we got, the better it was. No one went into the bay though, no pressure at all. Around the corner with the thought of dodging the Royal fleet as they flowed up the breeze. No problems and with the clock already looking at 1600 hrs, we looked at the start box and sure enough flags fluttering. So do our best to keep the speed up.
Watch as Swiftsure had to tack to make the finish line and I’m sure both Kate and the skip were willing Mariner to stay up a little and not to have to throw another tack. Over the line on a third place. Happy enough.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
The true winner of the day was the show that Len put on in the First Jindarra. The little master handled the H28 with aplomb and once his handicap comes back a little, he'll be taking home the bottle of red at the end of the day.
Guys photos are first.
Wednesday Sailing 16th of October 2024
A drippy day &
Feeding the masses.
Ok, I'll admit.. I wasn't on the water today and Mariner sailed very well I believe. But I didn't see Dave Locke around at results and neither was Len ( well the First Jindarra was on the slips). John Wright has finally found a mechanic to put the new engine into Anna and hopefully will be on the water shortly.
As of today, Thursday the 17th of October at 11.30 am, the results still haven't been posted on the clubs website so I despair of what's going on in that OWG office.
But the day belonged to Vice Commodore Amanda Watson who went wandering down the jetties with a bunch of home made ham and salad rolls rocking them out to as many yachties on a Wednesday as she could.
The back story is that we have been trying to get the club to offer sailing rolls or sandwiches for the sailor who wants to grab a quick feed at the club before rocking on to the water. These of course could be extended to slips workers and visitors to the club on Monday and Tuesday when the kitchen is closed.
Until the club management turns their heads around and decides to work on a sailor friendly policy, we will continue to lose members and we will just be a marina in the end. So just one photo today.
A very happy Ernie.
A drippy day &
Feeding the masses.
Ok, I'll admit.. I wasn't on the water today and Mariner sailed very well I believe. But I didn't see Dave Locke around at results and neither was Len ( well the First Jindarra was on the slips). John Wright has finally found a mechanic to put the new engine into Anna and hopefully will be on the water shortly.
As of today, Thursday the 17th of October at 11.30 am, the results still haven't been posted on the clubs website so I despair of what's going on in that OWG office.
But the day belonged to Vice Commodore Amanda Watson who went wandering down the jetties with a bunch of home made ham and salad rolls rocking them out to as many yachties on a Wednesday as she could.
The back story is that we have been trying to get the club to offer sailing rolls or sandwiches for the sailor who wants to grab a quick feed at the club before rocking on to the water. These of course could be extended to slips workers and visitors to the club on Monday and Tuesday when the kitchen is closed.
Until the club management turns their heads around and decides to work on a sailor friendly policy, we will continue to lose members and we will just be a marina in the end. So just one photo today.
A very happy Ernie.
Wednesday Sailing 9th of October 2024
The start of the Spring sailing season and the Jim Leach trophy.
A weather forecast &
It was on for young and old!
Where do we start today? The weather when we arrived was mild and calm, not a puff of wind and the starter was wandering around with a long face. Even the skipper had put his bid in, on the send out for the day.. Fantastic sailing and a scintillating southerly of about 10 to 15 knots.
Hoo boy! Did we get it in the face today.
A number one strapped on and a full crew, the sou wester began and just blew until we had 18 on the bottom gusting to 22 knots. A simple raging sea breeze that came in at 1.30 pm and left at 6.30 having ripped through the river.
Six boats in the fleet and with Lockie and Rita back out on the water and a clean bottom on Corella, it was on for young and old. Pete Shepherd has attached himself to Swiftsure Saga and is proving to be an adornment to the bow as he’s hard to keep off of it. Alma went out loaded for bear and I think that given another week or two, Ralph is going to be a problem. Len on the First Jindarra set out for a look, but wisely decided that 20+knots was going to be a bit much for him to bear and tucked the boat back into the pen. Nerrima took off with a good crew and a new crew/sailor, I believe from South America. Well done Les.
A great start with the skipper letting Lockie in on the line and probably regretting it later on. Off to Martin on a course one and the drag race commenced, with Lockie sitting slightly above us, but not able to drop bad air. Swiftsure was slightly behind with clean air with Alma below us and Nerrima lurking in the foam behind us. Corella made it to the mark first and with a bit of luck and the traveller tucked around Kate’s chin, we rounded second and promptly eased away down the line to Weaver. The train flowed on behind us with Swiftsure and Alma on our heels. A gybe at the mark and no pole required as we kept up with Corella all the way down to Sampson with Swiftsure Saga snapping at our heels (maybe we should have cleaned the bottom). But his boat is fast on the reach and it was expected.
Away to Print and for once we made it in one go, which is a clear indicator that the sou wester is in. Around Print and no pole required again, as no one wanted to throw Geoff up onto the foredeck, least of all Geoff. We made the corner and then decided to chase Lockie all the way up to Robins. A hard slog, but Kate had the boat balanced nicely with the traveller all the way down and the leach as tight as a drum skin. Lockie was doing very well and had picked up a couple of boat lengths with Swiftsure Saga a little further back, but still very much in the chase.
Trying to get into the bay was the go and we took a couple of tacks to do so, but still had to tack back to make the mark and had a technical stuff up on the mark. We kissed goodbye to Lockie at that stage. Meanwhile Ralph and Alma had gone out to try to bang the corner and see if he couldn’t pick up a couple of favourable lifts out in the north. A hard slog in that breeze and the waves weren’t going to ease up. But it was probably worth it as he didn’t lose anything by going out. Bill had followed us up into the bay and was waiting to get past us, which he did as we ran down the breeze to Addison once again.
Sailing by the lee is not a comfortable experience, but its do-able and when the breeze allowed us, we soaked down, but Bill had the boat flowing and Peter was doing a fine job acting as the figure-head on the boat, Bill simply slipped inside us and took the corner. We then had to tack off as he was sitting on us and on the next cross, he was well enough forward to pass us.
Our next contest was to make it to Robins and for a while we were doing ok, but the knocks were relentless and we tried to shoot it… didn’t make it and finally got around almost shaving the mark, but we were clear. (Sorry Les, it just looked like it) And then down to Como with Swiftsure Saga disappearing into the distance and Alma who has been sailing very well, looming behind us.
Not a pleasant feeling, perhaps a slightly smaller jib might have been in order.
Around Como and the comment from the skipper was that they would probably shorten up the race at it was already after 4. Good one and so it proved to be. The flags were out. A comfortable third over the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Mariner and Nerrima.
To the Jim Leach trophy… awarded to Swiftsure Saga for a cracking sail today. They did well.
The start of the Spring sailing season and the Jim Leach trophy.
A weather forecast &
It was on for young and old!
Where do we start today? The weather when we arrived was mild and calm, not a puff of wind and the starter was wandering around with a long face. Even the skipper had put his bid in, on the send out for the day.. Fantastic sailing and a scintillating southerly of about 10 to 15 knots.
Hoo boy! Did we get it in the face today.
A number one strapped on and a full crew, the sou wester began and just blew until we had 18 on the bottom gusting to 22 knots. A simple raging sea breeze that came in at 1.30 pm and left at 6.30 having ripped through the river.
Six boats in the fleet and with Lockie and Rita back out on the water and a clean bottom on Corella, it was on for young and old. Pete Shepherd has attached himself to Swiftsure Saga and is proving to be an adornment to the bow as he’s hard to keep off of it. Alma went out loaded for bear and I think that given another week or two, Ralph is going to be a problem. Len on the First Jindarra set out for a look, but wisely decided that 20+knots was going to be a bit much for him to bear and tucked the boat back into the pen. Nerrima took off with a good crew and a new crew/sailor, I believe from South America. Well done Les.
A great start with the skipper letting Lockie in on the line and probably regretting it later on. Off to Martin on a course one and the drag race commenced, with Lockie sitting slightly above us, but not able to drop bad air. Swiftsure was slightly behind with clean air with Alma below us and Nerrima lurking in the foam behind us. Corella made it to the mark first and with a bit of luck and the traveller tucked around Kate’s chin, we rounded second and promptly eased away down the line to Weaver. The train flowed on behind us with Swiftsure and Alma on our heels. A gybe at the mark and no pole required as we kept up with Corella all the way down to Sampson with Swiftsure Saga snapping at our heels (maybe we should have cleaned the bottom). But his boat is fast on the reach and it was expected.
Away to Print and for once we made it in one go, which is a clear indicator that the sou wester is in. Around Print and no pole required again, as no one wanted to throw Geoff up onto the foredeck, least of all Geoff. We made the corner and then decided to chase Lockie all the way up to Robins. A hard slog, but Kate had the boat balanced nicely with the traveller all the way down and the leach as tight as a drum skin. Lockie was doing very well and had picked up a couple of boat lengths with Swiftsure Saga a little further back, but still very much in the chase.
Trying to get into the bay was the go and we took a couple of tacks to do so, but still had to tack back to make the mark and had a technical stuff up on the mark. We kissed goodbye to Lockie at that stage. Meanwhile Ralph and Alma had gone out to try to bang the corner and see if he couldn’t pick up a couple of favourable lifts out in the north. A hard slog in that breeze and the waves weren’t going to ease up. But it was probably worth it as he didn’t lose anything by going out. Bill had followed us up into the bay and was waiting to get past us, which he did as we ran down the breeze to Addison once again.
Sailing by the lee is not a comfortable experience, but its do-able and when the breeze allowed us, we soaked down, but Bill had the boat flowing and Peter was doing a fine job acting as the figure-head on the boat, Bill simply slipped inside us and took the corner. We then had to tack off as he was sitting on us and on the next cross, he was well enough forward to pass us.
Our next contest was to make it to Robins and for a while we were doing ok, but the knocks were relentless and we tried to shoot it… didn’t make it and finally got around almost shaving the mark, but we were clear. (Sorry Les, it just looked like it) And then down to Como with Swiftsure Saga disappearing into the distance and Alma who has been sailing very well, looming behind us.
Not a pleasant feeling, perhaps a slightly smaller jib might have been in order.
Around Como and the comment from the skipper was that they would probably shorten up the race at it was already after 4. Good one and so it proved to be. The flags were out. A comfortable third over the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Mariner and Nerrima.
To the Jim Leach trophy… awarded to Swiftsure Saga for a cracking sail today. They did well.
Opening Day at SoPYC
Sunday, the 6th of October 2024
On a warm spring day there was only one place to be. Setting up the boats ready to hit the water.
We had Lockie venturing onto the water for the first time for a while and yes Rita is back, but she was helping with the Centreboards today..
But we had a bunch of boats on the water today and it was only club duties that kept Phil and Kate from taking out Mariner while the skipper was on the dais acting like a Commodore. Well done Brian! The same could be said for Club Vice Patron and skipper of The First Jindarra Len Randell, who was busily squiring Madelene Rennie on Saratoga. Lucky man.
As I had been delegated to camera duties, I handed over a camera to Guy and many thanks Guy for doing this... I've put together a selection of images from my camera alongside his work and I have to commiserate with Alma (Ralph Newton) who was seen making his way to the finish line in a sedate manner while Swiftsure Saga (Bill Richards) and Corella (David Locke) were galloping along a higher line to the finish. We thought that Alma had pulled off the win, but then again we weren't in the starters position and he saw it the other way around. Swiftsure Saga by a second. I did go through the fall times for the boats and its clear that Swiftsure Saga had sailed very well to stay in front of Dave Locke who started a minute later and had a clean bottom by his own admission.
But congratulations to Les on Nerrima, Ernie on Wynella & Andrew and Steve on Aloha as they all contributed to a great show on the water. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the post sail festivities, but I believe a lot of chips were eaten as there was no catering on offer for the night. Just when a pizza would have gone down a treat.
Enjoy the pix.
We had Lockie venturing onto the water for the first time for a while and yes Rita is back, but she was helping with the Centreboards today..
But we had a bunch of boats on the water today and it was only club duties that kept Phil and Kate from taking out Mariner while the skipper was on the dais acting like a Commodore. Well done Brian! The same could be said for Club Vice Patron and skipper of The First Jindarra Len Randell, who was busily squiring Madelene Rennie on Saratoga. Lucky man.
As I had been delegated to camera duties, I handed over a camera to Guy and many thanks Guy for doing this... I've put together a selection of images from my camera alongside his work and I have to commiserate with Alma (Ralph Newton) who was seen making his way to the finish line in a sedate manner while Swiftsure Saga (Bill Richards) and Corella (David Locke) were galloping along a higher line to the finish. We thought that Alma had pulled off the win, but then again we weren't in the starters position and he saw it the other way around. Swiftsure Saga by a second. I did go through the fall times for the boats and its clear that Swiftsure Saga had sailed very well to stay in front of Dave Locke who started a minute later and had a clean bottom by his own admission.
But congratulations to Les on Nerrima, Ernie on Wynella & Andrew and Steve on Aloha as they all contributed to a great show on the water. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the post sail festivities, but I believe a lot of chips were eaten as there was no catering on offer for the night. Just when a pizza would have gone down a treat.
Enjoy the pix.
Wednesday Sailing 25th of September 2024.
The Winter Series final.
Welcome to Alma &
Manners make the man.
It’s a simple task to sit here and rethink what happened on the water a couple of days ago.
A slightly dodgy nor easter, half a dozen H28s mixing it on the water and a last-minute slow gybe at the line got us to the start. Just in time.
But we must acknowledge the return of Ralph Newton, former owner of Wynella who went on to buy and refurbish one of the classic Fife designs sailed on the Swan River. ‘Bird of the Sea’ - Eun na Mara by name and originally given the name of Cullewa III. But we have known her as Eun na Mara and so she remains. Ralph and past commodore Phil Warwick now own the Williams built cold moulded Alma. Phil still carries the slightly worried look of a power boat fellow out of his depth, but we are sure he will get better at it. After all, he’s still a sprightly 70 +.
The ‘dash to the line’ was held with a stately purpose as some of us hung on our sails and finally pulled off a slow motion gybe with a minute to go… we watched as one of our fleet rolled over the line and had to go back... didn’t hear who it was, the skipper had forgotten to switch on the radio. But it wasn’t us and Geoff Reason as guest helm kept the boat moving.
We must acknowledge Bill Richards who had every right to push us up and over the line or away past the outer start-line mark. I guess there is some advantage in sailing with a flag officer, as Bill waved us through. Many thanks Bill. Manners mark the man.
Decisions, decisions: Up the breeze on a course four to Sampson and the examples given by the preceding fleets told us that the next 20 minutes was going to be a challenge. Pick the gusts, tack when you can. Listen (or not) to the advice being poured into your ear. By Sampson, the race was sorted into two divisions. Us (Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga) and them (The First Jindarra, Nerrima and Alma.) We kept in the middle and contrary to all previous advice, the freeway didn’t work.
Bending around Sampson after Wynella helmed by Ernie Little, who had sailed very well with his mix-up crew (Phil Scott, Andrew Minto & Ernie’s grand daughter whose name has escaped me) but he had Guy at the front and that may have made the difference. They went south looking for the Canning pressure. We were just focusing on the directions. A pole and then a two-sail reach. That worked and everyone else around us adopted it.
The race was to Robins and while Wynella fell away, our adversary was Swiftsure Saga. The wily bugger hunted us all the way and so long as we kept him on our port rear quarter we had the rights. All the way to the mark and then off to Dolphin East. Still in the lead. On a short course, that was enough as it was a line that had us working the shifting breeze and rolling up and down with the knocks and lifts. Lots of advice, most of it ignored.
The chatter on the radio has us finishing early, so we searched for continuing breezes that kept us moving, rather than direction and were rewarded by good air flow over the sails. With speed there is height and Geoff was in his element. By Como, we knew that we had to go a little further and then laid over and bolted for the line with Swiftsure Saga not too far behind.
We’d heard The First Jindarra retiring as they may have found the mud over at the Hotel Majestic (south of Applecross spit as they so carefully described it) But they sailed home. Nothing further to add.
The sails were packed and the boat under covers. A beer and a few olives. Then inside for results.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner
The Winter season results.
Well, it’s a little bit dodgy as I don’t have the club’s website telling us where we are at.
But at a guess: Swiftsure Saga 1st, Wynella 2nd and Mariner 3rd.
A well deserved win for Bill Richards.
It’s a pity that none of Bill's regular crew were there to pick up the flags and smile for the camera. Many thanks to Peter Shepperd (from Anna) filling in.
The Winter Series final.
Welcome to Alma &
Manners make the man.
It’s a simple task to sit here and rethink what happened on the water a couple of days ago.
A slightly dodgy nor easter, half a dozen H28s mixing it on the water and a last-minute slow gybe at the line got us to the start. Just in time.
But we must acknowledge the return of Ralph Newton, former owner of Wynella who went on to buy and refurbish one of the classic Fife designs sailed on the Swan River. ‘Bird of the Sea’ - Eun na Mara by name and originally given the name of Cullewa III. But we have known her as Eun na Mara and so she remains. Ralph and past commodore Phil Warwick now own the Williams built cold moulded Alma. Phil still carries the slightly worried look of a power boat fellow out of his depth, but we are sure he will get better at it. After all, he’s still a sprightly 70 +.
The ‘dash to the line’ was held with a stately purpose as some of us hung on our sails and finally pulled off a slow motion gybe with a minute to go… we watched as one of our fleet rolled over the line and had to go back... didn’t hear who it was, the skipper had forgotten to switch on the radio. But it wasn’t us and Geoff Reason as guest helm kept the boat moving.
We must acknowledge Bill Richards who had every right to push us up and over the line or away past the outer start-line mark. I guess there is some advantage in sailing with a flag officer, as Bill waved us through. Many thanks Bill. Manners mark the man.
Decisions, decisions: Up the breeze on a course four to Sampson and the examples given by the preceding fleets told us that the next 20 minutes was going to be a challenge. Pick the gusts, tack when you can. Listen (or not) to the advice being poured into your ear. By Sampson, the race was sorted into two divisions. Us (Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga) and them (The First Jindarra, Nerrima and Alma.) We kept in the middle and contrary to all previous advice, the freeway didn’t work.
Bending around Sampson after Wynella helmed by Ernie Little, who had sailed very well with his mix-up crew (Phil Scott, Andrew Minto & Ernie’s grand daughter whose name has escaped me) but he had Guy at the front and that may have made the difference. They went south looking for the Canning pressure. We were just focusing on the directions. A pole and then a two-sail reach. That worked and everyone else around us adopted it.
The race was to Robins and while Wynella fell away, our adversary was Swiftsure Saga. The wily bugger hunted us all the way and so long as we kept him on our port rear quarter we had the rights. All the way to the mark and then off to Dolphin East. Still in the lead. On a short course, that was enough as it was a line that had us working the shifting breeze and rolling up and down with the knocks and lifts. Lots of advice, most of it ignored.
The chatter on the radio has us finishing early, so we searched for continuing breezes that kept us moving, rather than direction and were rewarded by good air flow over the sails. With speed there is height and Geoff was in his element. By Como, we knew that we had to go a little further and then laid over and bolted for the line with Swiftsure Saga not too far behind.
We’d heard The First Jindarra retiring as they may have found the mud over at the Hotel Majestic (south of Applecross spit as they so carefully described it) But they sailed home. Nothing further to add.
The sails were packed and the boat under covers. A beer and a few olives. Then inside for results.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner
The Winter season results.
Well, it’s a little bit dodgy as I don’t have the club’s website telling us where we are at.
But at a guess: Swiftsure Saga 1st, Wynella 2nd and Mariner 3rd.
A well deserved win for Bill Richards.
It’s a pity that none of Bill's regular crew were there to pick up the flags and smile for the camera. Many thanks to Peter Shepperd (from Anna) filling in.
Wednesday Sailing 18th of September 2024
Not for the faint hearted &
A day on the foredeck.
“10 to 15 knots” the skipper said. “A magnificent sailing afternoon.” Bah humbug. 18 to 23 knots out of the sou sou west. A classic sea breeze and the boat was humming. As was everyone. No one got away scot free this afternoon, with the breeze testing everything. Perhaps Wynella may have, but we tore the leach cord out of our headsail, Swiftsure Saga had the out haul blow up and The First Jindarra started throwing away battens out of her main and drinking more water than she expected.
A good start had us well away and it was a case of 'sail like you mean it' on the dash up to Martin on a course three. We had Bill on Swiftsure Saga hot on our heels and The First Jindarra and Len Randell doing very well to lie third behind Bill. Wynella had dropped below the mark and had to tack to make Martin and never recovered from that unfortunate error.
It was a chancy run down to Sampson with the question of running a pole down to Sampson or not as the breeze flickered around, but we made Sampson and hardened up for the run to a ley line for King. Garry Morrison had joined us for the day and was quite a busy fellow for the rest of the afternoon. Making King (with a little to spare) we turned to head up Waylen Bay to Robins with a determined effort to make it in one go as we watched the Royal Perth fleet come roaring across. Most of them were behind us, but we dipped one on the way up and watched as Bill was put about by a RP boat. Better him than us.
Up to Robins and have to throw a double tack to make the mark… no trauma as we dodged our way through the oncoming RP fleets and for the first time in a while… up on the foredeck setting the first pole of the day. It was a first chance to see what the river was doing and it was clearly a big breeze whipping through. Down to Print and pack the pole away and onto the main again. Across to Foam on a screaming reach and then away into the bay again. At this time The First Jindarra withdrew as the boat was losing battens and they had found that they had water in the boat. Good call.
By this time the radio chatter had another boat in trouble. Problem Child had had a coming together and snapped her mast above the first set of stays. A RP boat was the cause and the sight of her limping down the river (still under sail) was a salutary lesson. This was a sailmakers wind. Things do break. Up to Robins and again a double, but we had a clear run at it and then away to Print again and a gybe at the mark with the pole being put away and the boat running to Como and some hopes and prayers to get us to the outer start line in one shot.
Which we did, but Swiftsure Saga was still hot on our tail. The boat is quick with a crew that knows what they are doing. Fortunately, so were we. Around the outer start-line and away on the small lap to King and then Addison and back to the finish line. We were doing well to stay in front of Swiftsure Saga as they were relentless in their pursuit and it was that run down to the finish line that had the skipper cursing quietly as they kept their height while we dropped remorselessly below the finishing mark.
And then they started dropping and all it needed was two quick well executed tacks to get us over the line. Fastest yes, but it was going to be Swiftsure Saga’s race as our handicap is still a monster.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner
Not too many photos today. I was busy.
Up on the Slips:
Alma is now in the hands of Ralph Newton and PC Phil Warwick. Farewell Judy and Neil and thanks for the company over the last decade. With Eun Na Mara off his hands, Ralph has decided to come back to the H28 fleet and knowing his preference for a well-found boat, he has Alma up on the hard and is working to put some life back into the boat.
Nerrima has been up on the slips for the last few days, while Les did her hull and made her ready for summer. He took me aside to show me a small piece of Tuart which he had prised from the stem while replacing a piece of timber that had been damaged while rubbing against the jetty. It was certainly a mark of the traditional build in her day (late 1940’s) where a builder would go into the local bush with a template and find a likely piece of timber that was then removed and used for a knee, a stem or even a foot under the floors of the hull. But a mark of Les’ skill as a wood worker shows on the toe rails. I’ll just show you a photo… inlaid pearl buttons both fore and aft. Looks fine by me.
Finally, Anna will be getting her motor put in shortly. Be prepared to give a hand.
Not for the faint hearted &
A day on the foredeck.
“10 to 15 knots” the skipper said. “A magnificent sailing afternoon.” Bah humbug. 18 to 23 knots out of the sou sou west. A classic sea breeze and the boat was humming. As was everyone. No one got away scot free this afternoon, with the breeze testing everything. Perhaps Wynella may have, but we tore the leach cord out of our headsail, Swiftsure Saga had the out haul blow up and The First Jindarra started throwing away battens out of her main and drinking more water than she expected.
A good start had us well away and it was a case of 'sail like you mean it' on the dash up to Martin on a course three. We had Bill on Swiftsure Saga hot on our heels and The First Jindarra and Len Randell doing very well to lie third behind Bill. Wynella had dropped below the mark and had to tack to make Martin and never recovered from that unfortunate error.
It was a chancy run down to Sampson with the question of running a pole down to Sampson or not as the breeze flickered around, but we made Sampson and hardened up for the run to a ley line for King. Garry Morrison had joined us for the day and was quite a busy fellow for the rest of the afternoon. Making King (with a little to spare) we turned to head up Waylen Bay to Robins with a determined effort to make it in one go as we watched the Royal Perth fleet come roaring across. Most of them were behind us, but we dipped one on the way up and watched as Bill was put about by a RP boat. Better him than us.
Up to Robins and have to throw a double tack to make the mark… no trauma as we dodged our way through the oncoming RP fleets and for the first time in a while… up on the foredeck setting the first pole of the day. It was a first chance to see what the river was doing and it was clearly a big breeze whipping through. Down to Print and pack the pole away and onto the main again. Across to Foam on a screaming reach and then away into the bay again. At this time The First Jindarra withdrew as the boat was losing battens and they had found that they had water in the boat. Good call.
By this time the radio chatter had another boat in trouble. Problem Child had had a coming together and snapped her mast above the first set of stays. A RP boat was the cause and the sight of her limping down the river (still under sail) was a salutary lesson. This was a sailmakers wind. Things do break. Up to Robins and again a double, but we had a clear run at it and then away to Print again and a gybe at the mark with the pole being put away and the boat running to Como and some hopes and prayers to get us to the outer start line in one shot.
Which we did, but Swiftsure Saga was still hot on our tail. The boat is quick with a crew that knows what they are doing. Fortunately, so were we. Around the outer start-line and away on the small lap to King and then Addison and back to the finish line. We were doing well to stay in front of Swiftsure Saga as they were relentless in their pursuit and it was that run down to the finish line that had the skipper cursing quietly as they kept their height while we dropped remorselessly below the finishing mark.
And then they started dropping and all it needed was two quick well executed tacks to get us over the line. Fastest yes, but it was going to be Swiftsure Saga’s race as our handicap is still a monster.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner
Not too many photos today. I was busy.
Up on the Slips:
Alma is now in the hands of Ralph Newton and PC Phil Warwick. Farewell Judy and Neil and thanks for the company over the last decade. With Eun Na Mara off his hands, Ralph has decided to come back to the H28 fleet and knowing his preference for a well-found boat, he has Alma up on the hard and is working to put some life back into the boat.
Nerrima has been up on the slips for the last few days, while Les did her hull and made her ready for summer. He took me aside to show me a small piece of Tuart which he had prised from the stem while replacing a piece of timber that had been damaged while rubbing against the jetty. It was certainly a mark of the traditional build in her day (late 1940’s) where a builder would go into the local bush with a template and find a likely piece of timber that was then removed and used for a knee, a stem or even a foot under the floors of the hull. But a mark of Les’ skill as a wood worker shows on the toe rails. I’ll just show you a photo… inlaid pearl buttons both fore and aft. Looks fine by me.
Finally, Anna will be getting her motor put in shortly. Be prepared to give a hand.
Wednesday Sailing 11th of September 2024
Well done Wynella &
Swings and Roundabouts.
This was a great spring day to go sailing. It’s a pity that the Easterly hadn’t been told as it was a vague wandering breeze that wasn’t going to give many of us a chance. The skipper had decided to offer the helm to Kate Lammonby and was originally going to run the main, but chose to swap roles with Geoff and take the foredeck instead.
However, Swiftsure Saga had cleaned her bottom and we had the odd stray around the pens with a favourite son of a few years ago making a surprise return. Not only that, we had a couple of Anna’s crew rocking up for a yacht and they were absorbed into Swiftsure Saga’s crew with little fuss. Len Randell had the batteries in place and was ready to rumble on the First Jindarra. All in all, a good day.
To the start and Ernie on Wynella nailed it, with our boat a minute behind the line… we were too far back but surprisingly Swiftsure Saga managed to cross the line a few seconds in front of us and then caught up with Wynella. Wow, a clean hull helps. Then to the chase to Sampson with eyes out of the boat looking for puffs.
Around we went and then away to Robins on a course 4 with just enough breeze to keep the boats moving at 3 to 5 knots dependant on the pressure. By this time, the pair in front were trading positions with Bill on Swiftsure pushing Wynella far enough to get past him by Robins. A great recovery. And then it was our turn as we worked our way down to Dolphin East and the choices were made as to go or stay on the way down to Como ready to turn and head for the outer start line. The next thing you know we had the lead over Wynella as they simply were sailing a lower line. Meanwhile Swiftsure had gone further over to the Canning and was benefitting from the easterlies on his run down to Como.
We had a brief glimpse of Len and The First Jindarra as they are slowly getting used to the boat and once the hull is cleaned, I’m sure they will become competitive. Wynella went deeper into the shore and took the advantage of getting close to the breeze. Damn fine sailing and we found ourselves chasing them again. Swings and Roundabouts today. More work to do and we checked ourselves on the mark as we swung around it. This was the small leg and we had to make our way to King (that favourite mark we always mistake with Anderson).
But there was a wall of Royal boats heading down there as well. Duck, weave, swear and the foredeck saw it all happening in front of him. Wynella was forced off the line and had to do a go-around. Not a good thing to have happen, but you takes your chances. We had the lead again. I’d better add that Swiftsure Saga was well away by now and it was a matter of minutes of separation.
Then off to Print and Thelma via Como. A basic principle was ignored. Keep your boat between the boat behind and the finish line. Once again Wynella passed us and it was all too depressingly familiar. Well sailed Ernie and his team. Try to get at them and we were almost stymied by a SS27 who was struggling to get around Thelma. Duck inside them and aim at the finish line.
Third over the line.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Catching up with Colin from John’s boat Anna, I learned that John has the motor ready, its simply a matter of finding the right person to drop it in for him. I’ve been told its not too far away from happening.
Ralph Newton was seen doing a surprise inspection of Alma yesterday and I learned that a fair bit of repair work has been done, does this mean that Alma might have a new owner?
This might be a good summer.
Well done Wynella &
Swings and Roundabouts.
This was a great spring day to go sailing. It’s a pity that the Easterly hadn’t been told as it was a vague wandering breeze that wasn’t going to give many of us a chance. The skipper had decided to offer the helm to Kate Lammonby and was originally going to run the main, but chose to swap roles with Geoff and take the foredeck instead.
However, Swiftsure Saga had cleaned her bottom and we had the odd stray around the pens with a favourite son of a few years ago making a surprise return. Not only that, we had a couple of Anna’s crew rocking up for a yacht and they were absorbed into Swiftsure Saga’s crew with little fuss. Len Randell had the batteries in place and was ready to rumble on the First Jindarra. All in all, a good day.
To the start and Ernie on Wynella nailed it, with our boat a minute behind the line… we were too far back but surprisingly Swiftsure Saga managed to cross the line a few seconds in front of us and then caught up with Wynella. Wow, a clean hull helps. Then to the chase to Sampson with eyes out of the boat looking for puffs.
Around we went and then away to Robins on a course 4 with just enough breeze to keep the boats moving at 3 to 5 knots dependant on the pressure. By this time, the pair in front were trading positions with Bill on Swiftsure pushing Wynella far enough to get past him by Robins. A great recovery. And then it was our turn as we worked our way down to Dolphin East and the choices were made as to go or stay on the way down to Como ready to turn and head for the outer start line. The next thing you know we had the lead over Wynella as they simply were sailing a lower line. Meanwhile Swiftsure had gone further over to the Canning and was benefitting from the easterlies on his run down to Como.
We had a brief glimpse of Len and The First Jindarra as they are slowly getting used to the boat and once the hull is cleaned, I’m sure they will become competitive. Wynella went deeper into the shore and took the advantage of getting close to the breeze. Damn fine sailing and we found ourselves chasing them again. Swings and Roundabouts today. More work to do and we checked ourselves on the mark as we swung around it. This was the small leg and we had to make our way to King (that favourite mark we always mistake with Anderson).
But there was a wall of Royal boats heading down there as well. Duck, weave, swear and the foredeck saw it all happening in front of him. Wynella was forced off the line and had to do a go-around. Not a good thing to have happen, but you takes your chances. We had the lead again. I’d better add that Swiftsure Saga was well away by now and it was a matter of minutes of separation.
Then off to Print and Thelma via Como. A basic principle was ignored. Keep your boat between the boat behind and the finish line. Once again Wynella passed us and it was all too depressingly familiar. Well sailed Ernie and his team. Try to get at them and we were almost stymied by a SS27 who was struggling to get around Thelma. Duck inside them and aim at the finish line.
Third over the line.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Catching up with Colin from John’s boat Anna, I learned that John has the motor ready, its simply a matter of finding the right person to drop it in for him. I’ve been told its not too far away from happening.
Ralph Newton was seen doing a surprise inspection of Alma yesterday and I learned that a fair bit of repair work has been done, does this mean that Alma might have a new owner?
This might be a good summer.
Wednesday Sailing 4th of September 2024
The Swans are doing well. &
N over A
The club swans are still very much at the club, but the parents had decided to bring the youngsters around to the lee side of the club and were busily grazing on the lawn next to the marquee. A photo op was taken and we’re glad to report that all six cygnets are still with us.
It was blowing quite hard today with a fair chance of the boat crew being sent out with PFDs as a matter of course. Three boats rigged up with Bill managing to get Simon and Christina along as well as Peter on Swiftsure Saga. At least he’d still stay relatively up right today. Wynella & Ernie were ready to rock and roll and Mariner had her usual company of diehards and misfits. Len (The First Jindarra) however was over at the Governor's house copping his official OAM.
The skipper was down below getting his kit on and he was almost ready to step up and his phone rang. A few moments conversation and the news came back to us. Pack up the boat, racing is canned for the day. Three blasts on the horn from the start box and N over A went up. But Wynella was already out of her pen.
So the boat was put to bed and Karoleeya was checked to ensure that she wasn’t rubbing too hard against the jetty. We like to do these things you know.
And Russel from Wynella earned himself a beer or two by taking the class flag from Rob Males Jindarra where it had hung for the last week. Sorry Rob, you know the penalty.
Into the bar where your scribe managed to stun everyone by going for a pot of tea rather than a pint. Probably stunned himself as well. Just didn’t feel like drinking today. Sitting there, we watched as the rain descended in drifts over the RP fleet and decided that it was a good place to rest and watch the rain pouring over the sailing fleet.
This has probably decided the Winter series as while the results were close, the club hasn’t updated the progressive results for about 2 weeks and it makes it hard to get an understanding of what’s going on.
Mariner now proudly carries her second commodore. The skipper got up at the AGM. A privilege very rarely offered to any yacht, let alone an H28. And he now makes the H28 fleet proud providers of Commodores to the club for the last 60 years since Frank Corser and his boat Saga in 1958-1960. Ten of them.
The Swans are doing well. &
N over A
The club swans are still very much at the club, but the parents had decided to bring the youngsters around to the lee side of the club and were busily grazing on the lawn next to the marquee. A photo op was taken and we’re glad to report that all six cygnets are still with us.
It was blowing quite hard today with a fair chance of the boat crew being sent out with PFDs as a matter of course. Three boats rigged up with Bill managing to get Simon and Christina along as well as Peter on Swiftsure Saga. At least he’d still stay relatively up right today. Wynella & Ernie were ready to rock and roll and Mariner had her usual company of diehards and misfits. Len (The First Jindarra) however was over at the Governor's house copping his official OAM.
The skipper was down below getting his kit on and he was almost ready to step up and his phone rang. A few moments conversation and the news came back to us. Pack up the boat, racing is canned for the day. Three blasts on the horn from the start box and N over A went up. But Wynella was already out of her pen.
So the boat was put to bed and Karoleeya was checked to ensure that she wasn’t rubbing too hard against the jetty. We like to do these things you know.
And Russel from Wynella earned himself a beer or two by taking the class flag from Rob Males Jindarra where it had hung for the last week. Sorry Rob, you know the penalty.
Into the bar where your scribe managed to stun everyone by going for a pot of tea rather than a pint. Probably stunned himself as well. Just didn’t feel like drinking today. Sitting there, we watched as the rain descended in drifts over the RP fleet and decided that it was a good place to rest and watch the rain pouring over the sailing fleet.
This has probably decided the Winter series as while the results were close, the club hasn’t updated the progressive results for about 2 weeks and it makes it hard to get an understanding of what’s going on.
Mariner now proudly carries her second commodore. The skipper got up at the AGM. A privilege very rarely offered to any yacht, let alone an H28. And he now makes the H28 fleet proud providers of Commodores to the club for the last 60 years since Frank Corser and his boat Saga in 1958-1960. Ten of them.
Wednesday Sailing 28th of August 2024
A flighty Nor Wester &
Chasing Wynella.
For one reason or another, the same three boats were out on the water again while The First Jindarra sat in the pen for a while. (with no motor, she couldn't back out). So Len and the gang spent some time trying to sort out the battery problem. Young Les was seen working on Nerrima and will get the job done by opening day he reckons. This time Glen was back in charge of Wynella while Ernie took the day off with a head cold. And it was Andy Lane who got to swing on the main sheet. But they managed to get the bottom cleaned and that was the determining factor today.
We had all gone for #2's as the day was a bit of a grumpy Nor-wester. Certainly more than they predicted, but just not enough to fully justify the use of a number 2, but as we all were on # 2's it was a fair day. For some reason they asked us to put life jackets on, though some boats didn't and others didn't. Predictably we took the box end and found ourselves hanging on the sails some two minutes out, while the other two charged up behind us. We should have gone down and around, but we didn't.
Darn it.. OCS. (by about a foot the starter reckons) and around we went, followed by Swiftsure Saga who decided that they too were OCS. Meanwhile Wynella just took off and with a fresh bottom, she was never to be claimed on this course three. Down to Sampson and a return to King on a broad reach, then tighten up on the way to Robins. Another reach and that was the name of the game for the next two laps. Just reach around the track and run with a pole on the way from Como to the outer start-finish line.
But the skip never let up; we ran into a bit of a bother with the RP fleet down around Foam on the second run up to Robins, we had to dip below an RP boat and that pushed our cause back by 50 meters or so... We had the speed, just couldn't get past them. In the mean time, Swiftsure Saga was hammering away behind us. Bill and Peter had the boat rolling along very nicely, but he was in the same predicament that we were. It was a reaching course.
The last photo in the series is the sight of Wynella just far enough in front to make it clear that they were going to pick up the first and fastest. Good on them for a strong sail and staying ahead. Ditto for Swiftsure Saga who never gave up. I guess that's why I like sailing with the fleet.
Over the line: Wynella, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
A flighty Nor Wester &
Chasing Wynella.
For one reason or another, the same three boats were out on the water again while The First Jindarra sat in the pen for a while. (with no motor, she couldn't back out). So Len and the gang spent some time trying to sort out the battery problem. Young Les was seen working on Nerrima and will get the job done by opening day he reckons. This time Glen was back in charge of Wynella while Ernie took the day off with a head cold. And it was Andy Lane who got to swing on the main sheet. But they managed to get the bottom cleaned and that was the determining factor today.
We had all gone for #2's as the day was a bit of a grumpy Nor-wester. Certainly more than they predicted, but just not enough to fully justify the use of a number 2, but as we all were on # 2's it was a fair day. For some reason they asked us to put life jackets on, though some boats didn't and others didn't. Predictably we took the box end and found ourselves hanging on the sails some two minutes out, while the other two charged up behind us. We should have gone down and around, but we didn't.
Darn it.. OCS. (by about a foot the starter reckons) and around we went, followed by Swiftsure Saga who decided that they too were OCS. Meanwhile Wynella just took off and with a fresh bottom, she was never to be claimed on this course three. Down to Sampson and a return to King on a broad reach, then tighten up on the way to Robins. Another reach and that was the name of the game for the next two laps. Just reach around the track and run with a pole on the way from Como to the outer start-finish line.
But the skip never let up; we ran into a bit of a bother with the RP fleet down around Foam on the second run up to Robins, we had to dip below an RP boat and that pushed our cause back by 50 meters or so... We had the speed, just couldn't get past them. In the mean time, Swiftsure Saga was hammering away behind us. Bill and Peter had the boat rolling along very nicely, but he was in the same predicament that we were. It was a reaching course.
The last photo in the series is the sight of Wynella just far enough in front to make it clear that they were going to pick up the first and fastest. Good on them for a strong sail and staying ahead. Ditto for Swiftsure Saga who never gave up. I guess that's why I like sailing with the fleet.
Over the line: Wynella, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
Wednesday Sailing 21st of August 2024
A new skipper in the fleet &
A thousand meters away.
First of all, we have a new bloke in the fleet. The First Jindarra is ready to join us again. Yes, it needs some TLC and I’m sure that the cachet of this skipper will make it happen. Len Randell has joined us for a while and brought four or five people along to make it happen. Len joined us for a brief moment on Mariner ten years ago, but that was as a guest. This time he’s doing it for real.
Now we hadn’t been for a yot for a while and while we knew the hull needed a scrub, we arrived on the boat with the cover taken off and the bum thoroughly scrubbed by the slips people. The skipper means business. The team are back together. Set it up and pack the boat with bodies with one question in mind. Will the bloke in the boat next door whip our backsides?
Nope, he’s off for a tester of the boat and I guess he’s having a look at the competition.
So Wynella and a team of three (get better Glen) and Russel is somewhere out there. By chance Bill was looking for another crew and Peter (Anna) came wandering down the jetty to join him. Crikey .. we had three boats!
A course two on a purported westerly with just 7 knots had us galloping to Sampson at a sprightly 4 knots. But we were 3 seconds off the bell on the start line, which wasn’t too bad as everyone else had 7’s and 10’s. Just take the lead and build it all the way. By the time we had hit Sampson it was around the corner, cover Swiftsure Saga and force them below us. And thence to Hall Mark.
Pick the breeze, look for the gusts, stay ahead of the dirty air off the RP fleet and remain conflict free. Pick a line to Hall Mark and aim for it, knowing we were going to knock on the breeze that was going to lift us all the way to Armstrong. Watch and listen to the radio as a div 2 skipper kisses the mud at Pelican Point and has to retire. Pity. Also heard that there was an injury on the boat. Someone was boomed.
Down to Armstrong, go out a way and then get into a nascent Westerly that will take us up to Como. A steady run and our foredeck had something to do. Go to port for a while and then set for a downwind run with a gybe and the breeze flicking left and right as we progressed up the river. The message came through. Shortened race. Ok, head for the line and watch those behind us. Revel in the thought of 4 knots on the water as a flicker of breeze kept us moving along.
To the line and a well earned F and F (so the foredeck said) But I have to say thanks to Bill (Swiftsure Saga) and Ernie (Wynella), without them we would not have had a race.
Over the line and on handicap:
Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
To recap the Winter frostbites:
Div 3 was a wonderful event for Aloha (Andrew Minto / Steve Hill) who took the over all win from the little blue boat (Hellas) with Wynella third.
Noteworthy. Of the ten boats who sailed in Div three for the Frost bites. Five of the ten were H28’s. Enough said.
A new skipper in the fleet &
A thousand meters away.
First of all, we have a new bloke in the fleet. The First Jindarra is ready to join us again. Yes, it needs some TLC and I’m sure that the cachet of this skipper will make it happen. Len Randell has joined us for a while and brought four or five people along to make it happen. Len joined us for a brief moment on Mariner ten years ago, but that was as a guest. This time he’s doing it for real.
Now we hadn’t been for a yot for a while and while we knew the hull needed a scrub, we arrived on the boat with the cover taken off and the bum thoroughly scrubbed by the slips people. The skipper means business. The team are back together. Set it up and pack the boat with bodies with one question in mind. Will the bloke in the boat next door whip our backsides?
Nope, he’s off for a tester of the boat and I guess he’s having a look at the competition.
So Wynella and a team of three (get better Glen) and Russel is somewhere out there. By chance Bill was looking for another crew and Peter (Anna) came wandering down the jetty to join him. Crikey .. we had three boats!
A course two on a purported westerly with just 7 knots had us galloping to Sampson at a sprightly 4 knots. But we were 3 seconds off the bell on the start line, which wasn’t too bad as everyone else had 7’s and 10’s. Just take the lead and build it all the way. By the time we had hit Sampson it was around the corner, cover Swiftsure Saga and force them below us. And thence to Hall Mark.
Pick the breeze, look for the gusts, stay ahead of the dirty air off the RP fleet and remain conflict free. Pick a line to Hall Mark and aim for it, knowing we were going to knock on the breeze that was going to lift us all the way to Armstrong. Watch and listen to the radio as a div 2 skipper kisses the mud at Pelican Point and has to retire. Pity. Also heard that there was an injury on the boat. Someone was boomed.
Down to Armstrong, go out a way and then get into a nascent Westerly that will take us up to Como. A steady run and our foredeck had something to do. Go to port for a while and then set for a downwind run with a gybe and the breeze flicking left and right as we progressed up the river. The message came through. Shortened race. Ok, head for the line and watch those behind us. Revel in the thought of 4 knots on the water as a flicker of breeze kept us moving along.
To the line and a well earned F and F (so the foredeck said) But I have to say thanks to Bill (Swiftsure Saga) and Ernie (Wynella), without them we would not have had a race.
Over the line and on handicap:
Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
To recap the Winter frostbites:
Div 3 was a wonderful event for Aloha (Andrew Minto / Steve Hill) who took the over all win from the little blue boat (Hellas) with Wynella third.
Noteworthy. Of the ten boats who sailed in Div three for the Frost bites. Five of the ten were H28’s. Enough said.
Wednesday the 24th of July
From the side-lines &
Race abandoned.
After last week where I saw Mariner actually nail the start and you could hear the murmurs from the starters as the boat flipped over the the line. Well Brian had a ding-dong battle with Bill on Swiftsure Saga only to have him pip him at the post. The debate was a case of should he have gone straight ahead and trust his trimmers, or as he did, try to work Bill up a little. Not my call and I wasn't on the boat. But some one took a ripper photo and you can almost see Geoff grinning from the port side trimmers spot.
Course 3 shortened NW of 13 knots rising.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Mariner and Wynella
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Then the 24th of July
Again a nor wester, about 10 to 14 knots and a course 3.
The same three and this time the start wasn't as slick, but it was going to be a long set of works up to Sampson. But it was pouring with rain and the wind was lazy. No place to be on a Wednesday and I retired to the club house and then on to other things. I looked up the results later on only to find that racing had been abandoned. Imagine that.
All that work, clambering into wet weather gear, setting up the boat and taking off only to have the wind drop out. As a friend who had been on the water with RP said. We sat there miserably watching the SoPYC boats drop the sails and then make their home under motor with some towing others to help.
Perhaps another day.
From the side-lines &
Race abandoned.
After last week where I saw Mariner actually nail the start and you could hear the murmurs from the starters as the boat flipped over the the line. Well Brian had a ding-dong battle with Bill on Swiftsure Saga only to have him pip him at the post. The debate was a case of should he have gone straight ahead and trust his trimmers, or as he did, try to work Bill up a little. Not my call and I wasn't on the boat. But some one took a ripper photo and you can almost see Geoff grinning from the port side trimmers spot.
Course 3 shortened NW of 13 knots rising.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Mariner and Wynella
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Then the 24th of July
Again a nor wester, about 10 to 14 knots and a course 3.
The same three and this time the start wasn't as slick, but it was going to be a long set of works up to Sampson. But it was pouring with rain and the wind was lazy. No place to be on a Wednesday and I retired to the club house and then on to other things. I looked up the results later on only to find that racing had been abandoned. Imagine that.
All that work, clambering into wet weather gear, setting up the boat and taking off only to have the wind drop out. As a friend who had been on the water with RP said. We sat there miserably watching the SoPYC boats drop the sails and then make their home under motor with some towing others to help.
Perhaps another day.
Wednesday the 10th of the July
A dash down to the club &
A buggered knee.
Its not much fun wandering around with a knee that refuses to work properly, but when the boat has a surfeit of crew, its not a problem for the skipper. So I had held my hand up as a non starter and then around 2 pm decided to slip down to the club and watch the start.
It was blowing fairly hard and a number two was required. Even more so when the skipper rounded Sampson and the boat lent into the breeze. The starters had offered a course one that they later shortened up, though there probably was no real need as they should have made their way around in good time.
But the start was the thing and that's what I saw. The images and a small vid are available below.
As an aside, they had a new visitor on Swiftsure Saga with Erich about to depart on a decent holiday on the continent and hopefully this young fellow will commit. The First Jindarra went very well and Ralph who was driving didn't let Mariner out of his sights. But he was apparently running a number one. Brave man. Ernie is still missing on Wynella and we all wish him well.
One or two boats retired in the blow for technical reasons and there was an incident at Sampson for Div. one, but no one was hurt fortunately. As I wasn't on the boats, I can't say what happened.
Over the line: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Wynella
On handicap: The First Jindarra, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
A dash down to the club &
A buggered knee.
Its not much fun wandering around with a knee that refuses to work properly, but when the boat has a surfeit of crew, its not a problem for the skipper. So I had held my hand up as a non starter and then around 2 pm decided to slip down to the club and watch the start.
It was blowing fairly hard and a number two was required. Even more so when the skipper rounded Sampson and the boat lent into the breeze. The starters had offered a course one that they later shortened up, though there probably was no real need as they should have made their way around in good time.
But the start was the thing and that's what I saw. The images and a small vid are available below.
As an aside, they had a new visitor on Swiftsure Saga with Erich about to depart on a decent holiday on the continent and hopefully this young fellow will commit. The First Jindarra went very well and Ralph who was driving didn't let Mariner out of his sights. But he was apparently running a number one. Brave man. Ernie is still missing on Wynella and we all wish him well.
One or two boats retired in the blow for technical reasons and there was an incident at Sampson for Div. one, but no one was hurt fortunately. As I wasn't on the boats, I can't say what happened.
Over the line: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Wynella
On handicap: The First Jindarra, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
Wednesday Sailing 3rd of July
Watching out for the current on the Canning &
A five second win.
John Wright took the guest skippers role on Wynella today while Ernie and Glen took a break. What they forgot to tell him was that Wynella was now the second highest handicapped boat on the day. However that’s by the by, as the race isn't about handicapping.
It was a sunny day with about 10 knots out of the east that had dropped down from a very smart 15 to 17 knots earlier in the day. Would it drop any further was the question. A run up to Martin and Weaver was forecast with a course 2 on offer. The First Jindarra under Ralphs command was a little early at the line and decided to run down the line until the flag dropped, common sense really, but it put them below us on the run to Martin and we manged to get inside their transom and stay there. Behind us Swiftsure Saga and Nerima were hammering along with John Wright keeping Wynella well to the fore.
Around Martin and head up to the Canning Bridge as the current was running. We had to tack with a moored boat looming at us and only then did we know that Swiftsure (lower than us) had tacked at the same time and Bill was going to rely on the charms of SSS to make the mark….. or not. Around we went and it was a run down to Sampson with The Jin and Wynella close behind. But Bill was dealing with the aforementioned problem, he needed to get back around Weaver and it was a lesson learnt. Watch out for the current on the Canning.
From Sampson we had a poled out run all the way with the wind flicking left and right and the sail needing trimming for most of the run. Through the Royal Perth fleet with the boats soaring past on either side of us; we could have flicked the main over and proceeded on starboard, but the skipper was content to work his way through the fleet. Then a clear run to Hall Mark and around it to Armstrong.
From Armstrong the question was do we cross the creek or not, but we had a problem. Geoff Frean was in front of us with Minka and sailing two up, he was having a quiet day out. But he was going to foul our air no matter what. So tack and get away from him and then tack back once we had good air. Further into the South and then lay the boat over, playing the puffs as they came through. Nothing flash, but it was pretty consistent if rather chilly if you weren’t on the sunny side of the boat. Down to Como and then turn right trying to stay up so that we didn’t have a problem with the outer start line. Start a count on the turn at the outer start line and we were roughly four minutes ahead of The Jin and six minutes ahead of Wynella.
A small triangle with a run to Dolphin East and we watched as we went up to Sampson with Nerrima and Swiftsure in competition to leave last place behind them. Then the reach to Dolphin East with the question to pole or not, others did but we didn’t. Were we right to do so? Well perhaps. D. E was found and then the run down the breeze to Print and Como leaving them both wide to starboard until the skipper was wondering whether there was enough water under the keel. So we tossed and crossed over, then tacked again with the vow to go deep into the Como Jetty and then make it to Thelma in one run. Lifting, lifting and the main was up around Phil's ears, as slow as a wet week, but we made it in one. Probably saved two tacks.
Then ease everything and aim at the finish line.
Over the line: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Wynella.
On handicap: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Swiftsure Saga.
We had no idea how our handicap would affect us, but it appears that while we were over the line seven minutes and seven seconds in front of the Jin, we won by 5 seconds. Gasp ! And Wynella came stone motherless on handicap.
Watching out for the current on the Canning &
A five second win.
John Wright took the guest skippers role on Wynella today while Ernie and Glen took a break. What they forgot to tell him was that Wynella was now the second highest handicapped boat on the day. However that’s by the by, as the race isn't about handicapping.
It was a sunny day with about 10 knots out of the east that had dropped down from a very smart 15 to 17 knots earlier in the day. Would it drop any further was the question. A run up to Martin and Weaver was forecast with a course 2 on offer. The First Jindarra under Ralphs command was a little early at the line and decided to run down the line until the flag dropped, common sense really, but it put them below us on the run to Martin and we manged to get inside their transom and stay there. Behind us Swiftsure Saga and Nerima were hammering along with John Wright keeping Wynella well to the fore.
Around Martin and head up to the Canning Bridge as the current was running. We had to tack with a moored boat looming at us and only then did we know that Swiftsure (lower than us) had tacked at the same time and Bill was going to rely on the charms of SSS to make the mark….. or not. Around we went and it was a run down to Sampson with The Jin and Wynella close behind. But Bill was dealing with the aforementioned problem, he needed to get back around Weaver and it was a lesson learnt. Watch out for the current on the Canning.
From Sampson we had a poled out run all the way with the wind flicking left and right and the sail needing trimming for most of the run. Through the Royal Perth fleet with the boats soaring past on either side of us; we could have flicked the main over and proceeded on starboard, but the skipper was content to work his way through the fleet. Then a clear run to Hall Mark and around it to Armstrong.
From Armstrong the question was do we cross the creek or not, but we had a problem. Geoff Frean was in front of us with Minka and sailing two up, he was having a quiet day out. But he was going to foul our air no matter what. So tack and get away from him and then tack back once we had good air. Further into the South and then lay the boat over, playing the puffs as they came through. Nothing flash, but it was pretty consistent if rather chilly if you weren’t on the sunny side of the boat. Down to Como and then turn right trying to stay up so that we didn’t have a problem with the outer start line. Start a count on the turn at the outer start line and we were roughly four minutes ahead of The Jin and six minutes ahead of Wynella.
A small triangle with a run to Dolphin East and we watched as we went up to Sampson with Nerrima and Swiftsure in competition to leave last place behind them. Then the reach to Dolphin East with the question to pole or not, others did but we didn’t. Were we right to do so? Well perhaps. D. E was found and then the run down the breeze to Print and Como leaving them both wide to starboard until the skipper was wondering whether there was enough water under the keel. So we tossed and crossed over, then tacked again with the vow to go deep into the Como Jetty and then make it to Thelma in one run. Lifting, lifting and the main was up around Phil's ears, as slow as a wet week, but we made it in one. Probably saved two tacks.
Then ease everything and aim at the finish line.
Over the line: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Wynella.
On handicap: Mariner, The First Jindarra and Swiftsure Saga.
We had no idea how our handicap would affect us, but it appears that while we were over the line seven minutes and seven seconds in front of the Jin, we won by 5 seconds. Gasp ! And Wynella came stone motherless on handicap.
Wednesday Sailing the 26th of June
Sailing in the rain &
Abandoned.
The word got around that we were going to get a little wet today and the question was put. Do you mind a little rain, thinking that we could possibly manage to stay in front of Wynella today? The whole autumn series depends on today. No pressure folks.
With 10 minutes to go, we were on the other side of the start line with the skipper confident we could make it back and around to the right side. Just in time to watch Div. 2 head off while cleverly avoiding David Thoms on K Factor as he sailed (on port) right down the start line only 5 minutes late for the div one start.
But that didn’t help us one bit until a vagrant puff wandered over our sails giving us a chance to ghost to the line with Swiftsure Saga close on our tail. Everyone else was in the same boat (bad pun) as the tell tales were no use and the skippers were literally sailing on the feeling of the boat. 2 knots was good. 1 knot was ok and we saw .5 of a knot until the GPS gave up in disgust and registered 0.00.
Crackle, crackle and the radio requested that the rescue boat accompanying us tell the RO what was happening down around Sampson. We’d watched the Div. One Melges helmed by Graeme Monkhouse finally round the corner to be followed by a couple more quickies, but it was so, so slow. “No, nothing to report,“ was the answer. The radio fell silent once again and we continued to focus on the fact that the outflow of the river was pushing us down to the next mark.. not that we knew it, as the GPS was still reading nil. Wynella and The First Jindarra were both lingering around the start line trying, as we all were, to get a little further down the river.
Crackle, crackle “all SoPYC boats, all SoPYC boats, this is SoPYC Race Control. Racing has been abandoned. All races have been abandoned.”
So down went the foresail and out came a Jane Brook White port. That, some Fraser rd olives and a bowl of dip and bickies. We were set for the next hour as we pottered around on the river. Some of the fleet headed for home and others hung around on the water, but eventually we all made it home to roll up to the Q deck to get the end of the season results.
The Autumn series finished with Mariner by a point to Wynella with Swiftsure Saga in third place. However, now that the Jin is being driven by Ralph Newton she can’t be discounted for the winter racing and for that matter the spring sess. If Eun na Mara is still out of action.
Best wishes to Ernie Little as he deals with a tragedy in the family. We look forward to his return when he’s ready.
Sailing in the rain &
Abandoned.
The word got around that we were going to get a little wet today and the question was put. Do you mind a little rain, thinking that we could possibly manage to stay in front of Wynella today? The whole autumn series depends on today. No pressure folks.
With 10 minutes to go, we were on the other side of the start line with the skipper confident we could make it back and around to the right side. Just in time to watch Div. 2 head off while cleverly avoiding David Thoms on K Factor as he sailed (on port) right down the start line only 5 minutes late for the div one start.
But that didn’t help us one bit until a vagrant puff wandered over our sails giving us a chance to ghost to the line with Swiftsure Saga close on our tail. Everyone else was in the same boat (bad pun) as the tell tales were no use and the skippers were literally sailing on the feeling of the boat. 2 knots was good. 1 knot was ok and we saw .5 of a knot until the GPS gave up in disgust and registered 0.00.
Crackle, crackle and the radio requested that the rescue boat accompanying us tell the RO what was happening down around Sampson. We’d watched the Div. One Melges helmed by Graeme Monkhouse finally round the corner to be followed by a couple more quickies, but it was so, so slow. “No, nothing to report,“ was the answer. The radio fell silent once again and we continued to focus on the fact that the outflow of the river was pushing us down to the next mark.. not that we knew it, as the GPS was still reading nil. Wynella and The First Jindarra were both lingering around the start line trying, as we all were, to get a little further down the river.
Crackle, crackle “all SoPYC boats, all SoPYC boats, this is SoPYC Race Control. Racing has been abandoned. All races have been abandoned.”
So down went the foresail and out came a Jane Brook White port. That, some Fraser rd olives and a bowl of dip and bickies. We were set for the next hour as we pottered around on the river. Some of the fleet headed for home and others hung around on the water, but eventually we all made it home to roll up to the Q deck to get the end of the season results.
The Autumn series finished with Mariner by a point to Wynella with Swiftsure Saga in third place. However, now that the Jin is being driven by Ralph Newton she can’t be discounted for the winter racing and for that matter the spring sess. If Eun na Mara is still out of action.
Best wishes to Ernie Little as he deals with a tragedy in the family. We look forward to his return when he’s ready.
Vale for a Stuart Turner.
The Stuart Turner motor, more correctly known as the Stuart Petrol Marine Engine has powered the H28 fleet for generations of owners. In fact the last Stuart Petrol Marine Engine still pushes an H28 of almost the same vintage as its hull and indeed its owner, as they did for the H28 fleet in times gone past.
Stuart Anna had a number of cousins til recently and there were Stuart Georgina, Stuart Carina, Stuart Corella, Stuart Jindarra and Stuart Greta (to name a few). Of course time moves on and most of the Stuart engines were replaced with either electric motors or diesels.
The last of these motors is to be removed from her home of many years, the timber bilges of Lynda aka Anna, built by W Hawkins (Bill) with the assistance of Stuart Ward in 1949-50 and owned by generations of SoPYC H28 owners from 1967 on.
However, whether she was the first or second generation of Stuart – Turners in this hull is moot, but her current owner John Wright has run with her for the last 30 years and I’m sure that if PC Bruce Williams was still with us, he would let us know swiftly as he had her from 1967 to 1989.
The motor still sings, but the clutch is beyond repair and finding someone to help her now is improbable. So she is to be removed and replaced by a small diesel.
A Vale for a Stuart Turner.
Valiantly, she turned her magneto up to the floors of the deck above her head. Above her could be heard the murmuring voices. One she knew immediately, it was her skipper John.
He was talking to a couple of voices she sort of knew and realised that those were voices that had sailed on her before.
“It’s such a pity John, that little motor has been there longer than some of our children.” “Ah yes,” he sighed. “She’s taken both my children and their children out for a sail on a quiet day. Those trips under the bridges to the open water still kept her fit and if she needed it, well a bit of love and care was all that she asked for.”
“So what will you do?” both voices asked; almost in unison.
“Let’s move off the boat lads, I’d rather sit down and discuss this in the bar.”
The boat became quiet again and shortly afterwards the covers could be heard being drawn back over the cockpit and the voices receded.
The stillness of night closed in.
And the battery had been left unconnected.
It was a quiet passing for an old friend and she was unaware of her removal from the hull. Where did she go? Certainly to a better place we are sure, as too many of her cousins were used as mooring blocks up in backwaters of the Canning River. Perhaps to join Stuart Carina who migrated to Whiteman Park to be cared for by the Men’s shed, perhaps to sit in a shed somewhere waiting for a frog prince to come along and revive her with a kiss. Sleep well old friend.
If you would like to read more that was written about the Stuart Turners
Click on this link The Stuart Motor - West Australian H28's (wah28.com)
The Stuart Turner motor, more correctly known as the Stuart Petrol Marine Engine has powered the H28 fleet for generations of owners. In fact the last Stuart Petrol Marine Engine still pushes an H28 of almost the same vintage as its hull and indeed its owner, as they did for the H28 fleet in times gone past.
Stuart Anna had a number of cousins til recently and there were Stuart Georgina, Stuart Carina, Stuart Corella, Stuart Jindarra and Stuart Greta (to name a few). Of course time moves on and most of the Stuart engines were replaced with either electric motors or diesels.
The last of these motors is to be removed from her home of many years, the timber bilges of Lynda aka Anna, built by W Hawkins (Bill) with the assistance of Stuart Ward in 1949-50 and owned by generations of SoPYC H28 owners from 1967 on.
However, whether she was the first or second generation of Stuart – Turners in this hull is moot, but her current owner John Wright has run with her for the last 30 years and I’m sure that if PC Bruce Williams was still with us, he would let us know swiftly as he had her from 1967 to 1989.
The motor still sings, but the clutch is beyond repair and finding someone to help her now is improbable. So she is to be removed and replaced by a small diesel.
A Vale for a Stuart Turner.
Valiantly, she turned her magneto up to the floors of the deck above her head. Above her could be heard the murmuring voices. One she knew immediately, it was her skipper John.
He was talking to a couple of voices she sort of knew and realised that those were voices that had sailed on her before.
“It’s such a pity John, that little motor has been there longer than some of our children.” “Ah yes,” he sighed. “She’s taken both my children and their children out for a sail on a quiet day. Those trips under the bridges to the open water still kept her fit and if she needed it, well a bit of love and care was all that she asked for.”
“So what will you do?” both voices asked; almost in unison.
“Let’s move off the boat lads, I’d rather sit down and discuss this in the bar.”
The boat became quiet again and shortly afterwards the covers could be heard being drawn back over the cockpit and the voices receded.
The stillness of night closed in.
And the battery had been left unconnected.
It was a quiet passing for an old friend and she was unaware of her removal from the hull. Where did she go? Certainly to a better place we are sure, as too many of her cousins were used as mooring blocks up in backwaters of the Canning River. Perhaps to join Stuart Carina who migrated to Whiteman Park to be cared for by the Men’s shed, perhaps to sit in a shed somewhere waiting for a frog prince to come along and revive her with a kiss. Sleep well old friend.
If you would like to read more that was written about the Stuart Turners
Click on this link The Stuart Motor - West Australian H28's (wah28.com)
Wednesday Sailing the 19th of June
Wynella. A slow motion win. &
Ralph Newton returns.
The First Jindarra returned to the fray today with Ralph, Lynne and two stalwarts to assist. I don’t know how long he’s going to be running around on the Jin, but it was a delight to have her on the water to bolster the competition.
The start was a northerly run to Sampson in about 5 to 8 knots and we were actually running poles down to the freeway to find ourselves an angle until all of a sudden the breeze changed and we found ourselves aimed at Sampson with a clear run. But Ralph and the Jin were clear ahead and essentially the course four on offer had us running down to Robins on either a very broad reach or a poled out reach. No matter, it got us on the way.
The race turned into two pairs in contest with each other with Bill on Swiftsure Saga doing well and Wynella chasing them. We were trying hard to catch up with The Jin. Making Robins we watched them go a little wide and the skipper murmured, “there’s room there”. A tight rounding of the mark followed and not surprisingly we were around and in front. Staying there was the next job and our eyes were out of the boat searching for pressure.. any pressure.
Down to Dolphin East and somehow Wynella had found their way past Swiftsure Saga and was in progress with a couple of Div 3 boats who were on steroids as their lighter weight was a positive in the light airs. The next target was Como and the pole was moving from side to side as we dragged our sorry backsides down to the mark. It was slow work and only a puff of breeze every so often, livened up the progress.
By now, we knew that the race was to be shortened and the decision was whether to go to the freeway or turn right and take a chance. We went deep and then tacked with halfway decent pressure. But Wynella continued to go deeper and the skipper began to curse softly. He knew very well what was about to happen and sure enough Wynella got past us as we approached the finish line on a developing knock. “We’re doomed” was the cry. The closer to the line it was, the further behind we fell. Our hearts were falling slowly as our chances grew slimmer.
‘Wait a bit’, cried Geoff on the right hand winch. ‘Wynella’s on a knock as well’ and sure enough, they were pointed at the Western Hardstand. We had a chance. So the whole boat was aimed at the line, but with the outgoing tide, we were moving at a snails pace. Wynella got the little puff she needed, tacked and crossed the line for a first and fastest.
Over the line: Wynella, Mariner and The First Jindarra.
On handicap: Wynella, Mariner and The First Jindarra.
Welcome back Ralph, you certainly made us sit up and take notice of you.
Wynella. A slow motion win. &
Ralph Newton returns.
The First Jindarra returned to the fray today with Ralph, Lynne and two stalwarts to assist. I don’t know how long he’s going to be running around on the Jin, but it was a delight to have her on the water to bolster the competition.
The start was a northerly run to Sampson in about 5 to 8 knots and we were actually running poles down to the freeway to find ourselves an angle until all of a sudden the breeze changed and we found ourselves aimed at Sampson with a clear run. But Ralph and the Jin were clear ahead and essentially the course four on offer had us running down to Robins on either a very broad reach or a poled out reach. No matter, it got us on the way.
The race turned into two pairs in contest with each other with Bill on Swiftsure Saga doing well and Wynella chasing them. We were trying hard to catch up with The Jin. Making Robins we watched them go a little wide and the skipper murmured, “there’s room there”. A tight rounding of the mark followed and not surprisingly we were around and in front. Staying there was the next job and our eyes were out of the boat searching for pressure.. any pressure.
Down to Dolphin East and somehow Wynella had found their way past Swiftsure Saga and was in progress with a couple of Div 3 boats who were on steroids as their lighter weight was a positive in the light airs. The next target was Como and the pole was moving from side to side as we dragged our sorry backsides down to the mark. It was slow work and only a puff of breeze every so often, livened up the progress.
By now, we knew that the race was to be shortened and the decision was whether to go to the freeway or turn right and take a chance. We went deep and then tacked with halfway decent pressure. But Wynella continued to go deeper and the skipper began to curse softly. He knew very well what was about to happen and sure enough Wynella got past us as we approached the finish line on a developing knock. “We’re doomed” was the cry. The closer to the line it was, the further behind we fell. Our hearts were falling slowly as our chances grew slimmer.
‘Wait a bit’, cried Geoff on the right hand winch. ‘Wynella’s on a knock as well’ and sure enough, they were pointed at the Western Hardstand. We had a chance. So the whole boat was aimed at the line, but with the outgoing tide, we were moving at a snails pace. Wynella got the little puff she needed, tacked and crossed the line for a first and fastest.
Over the line: Wynella, Mariner and The First Jindarra.
On handicap: Wynella, Mariner and The First Jindarra.
Welcome back Ralph, you certainly made us sit up and take notice of you.
Wednesday Sailing the 12th of June
A glassy start & the port bottle.
Sometimes the starters know better.
A nor wester was in evidence and the skipper was heard to murmur a course two or perhaps a course three. But it was a very, very light breeze. In fact we joined the boats on the water with nothing but glassy water around us. Only a patch of water sitting out on the middle of Melville Water East that was ruffled by a vagrant passing zephyr that belied the thought of a no race day.
Three of us on the water as we patiently wait for John to get a motor and Les to finish whatever he is doing elsewhere, but the threat of rain had gone away and with the promise of port on the boat was enough to keep the slight chill in the air away.
Two seconds late on the start line, grumbled the skipper completely disregarding the fact that the other two boats were another four seconds behind us. That’s fine we agreed and as we watched the other boats falling into our wake, we took off on a course four. Reach to Sampson and reach to Robins and play the shifts in the breeze as the river filled in with what looked to be a westerly with northerly hints. Hitting Robins, we pointed at Dolphin East and cheered Guy on, on his maiden run on the foredeck on Wynella. Good on him, up there in Adventure land.
Down to Dolphin East with a round of ports to ease the skippers mind while we sauntered down (slowly) to Como holding a drinking vessel in one hand and a rope in the other. Priorities became a little confused during a gybe and glasses were wedged into tangle bags or passed to a person without the need to pull on a rope. It worked.. sort of.
Around Como and then away to the outer start line, with the knowledge that we would be making our way around the small triangle with a pole and a couple of reaches. All we had to do was to stay in front of Bill and Swiftsure Saga. And there lay the problem. The run to King from Sampson was pretty straight forward but getting back to Print had us falling down badly and we ended up almost at Foam after a disastrous leg that knocked and knocked. Bill had covered us nicely and had lifted across and upward to Print and our return from the left hand side was going to be marginal.
Just made it and the result had us covered by Bill on a slow down wind leg as the breeze was dropping out again. But it was enough to get us eventually to Thelma, having kissed goodbye to a first and fastest with the hope that Bill wouldn’t roll us on the way. A reach from Thelma took us to the line but no hopes for any glory.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Many thanks to Guy who brought down a heap of Limes and welcome to Rob who sailed with Wynella for the first time. Lots of experience and a possible new starter.
And Vic Patron Len Randell OAM was welcomed at the club by all comers at results as the club celebrated his Order of Australia Medal and his lifetime achievement acknowledgement. Not bad for a bloke who joined the club in 1952.
A glassy start & the port bottle.
Sometimes the starters know better.
A nor wester was in evidence and the skipper was heard to murmur a course two or perhaps a course three. But it was a very, very light breeze. In fact we joined the boats on the water with nothing but glassy water around us. Only a patch of water sitting out on the middle of Melville Water East that was ruffled by a vagrant passing zephyr that belied the thought of a no race day.
Three of us on the water as we patiently wait for John to get a motor and Les to finish whatever he is doing elsewhere, but the threat of rain had gone away and with the promise of port on the boat was enough to keep the slight chill in the air away.
Two seconds late on the start line, grumbled the skipper completely disregarding the fact that the other two boats were another four seconds behind us. That’s fine we agreed and as we watched the other boats falling into our wake, we took off on a course four. Reach to Sampson and reach to Robins and play the shifts in the breeze as the river filled in with what looked to be a westerly with northerly hints. Hitting Robins, we pointed at Dolphin East and cheered Guy on, on his maiden run on the foredeck on Wynella. Good on him, up there in Adventure land.
Down to Dolphin East with a round of ports to ease the skippers mind while we sauntered down (slowly) to Como holding a drinking vessel in one hand and a rope in the other. Priorities became a little confused during a gybe and glasses were wedged into tangle bags or passed to a person without the need to pull on a rope. It worked.. sort of.
Around Como and then away to the outer start line, with the knowledge that we would be making our way around the small triangle with a pole and a couple of reaches. All we had to do was to stay in front of Bill and Swiftsure Saga. And there lay the problem. The run to King from Sampson was pretty straight forward but getting back to Print had us falling down badly and we ended up almost at Foam after a disastrous leg that knocked and knocked. Bill had covered us nicely and had lifted across and upward to Print and our return from the left hand side was going to be marginal.
Just made it and the result had us covered by Bill on a slow down wind leg as the breeze was dropping out again. But it was enough to get us eventually to Thelma, having kissed goodbye to a first and fastest with the hope that Bill wouldn’t roll us on the way. A reach from Thelma took us to the line but no hopes for any glory.
Over the line: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Wynella.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Wynella and Mariner.
Many thanks to Guy who brought down a heap of Limes and welcome to Rob who sailed with Wynella for the first time. Lots of experience and a possible new starter.
And Vic Patron Len Randell OAM was welcomed at the club by all comers at results as the club celebrated his Order of Australia Medal and his lifetime achievement acknowledgement. Not bad for a bloke who joined the club in 1952.
Wednesday Sailing 5th of June
A quick meeting & a marvellous Prize Night
The last of the Stuart Turners of SoPYC
Only the three H28s out on the track today as John Wright hasn’t got a motor any more and is planning to drop a diesel in there. The last Stuart Turner motor in the club has been retired to live in John’s garage until he can find a home for it. Les is missing crew and Locke sails when he wants to during winter.
A northerly was in evidence and at the start of the day, it was quite frisky. But a number one was strapped on and after the early meeting; we had the boat ready and set to go early in the peace. The meeting was run by our chair Ernie Little and the idea of doing it prior to sailing is a good idea as it speeds up the meeting considerably. I will wait till the minutes come out before I go into the details in case I tread on toes.
As to the Prize night. A great affair and full marks to Brian Cross and the OWG for the organization.
The food was good and went well with the mob being fed during the speeches. (well, how do you look after 380 people??) Full marks to the club for the night and Vanessa the senior assistant F & B manager should take a bow.
With the three boats and a course 3 on the flags, picking the line to Sampson was going to be a guessing game as the gusts moved around quite a bit. We started with the classic tack/tack and tack again with the skipper cursing as we sailed down to Sampson. Our plans had gone awry and we saw Swiftsure Saga slip ahead of us and Wynella tacked down to the jetty. Glen decided to head down along the freeway, making very good time to the mark ahead of the pair of us.
Then the reach/pole to King and a broad reach down to Robins. We were keeping up with the two of them and watched as they tacked immediately to head down to Print. ‘We’ll go on a bit,’ announced the skipper and all agreed. ‘Nothing to lose.’ And sure enough, we were barrelling down the line to Print and lifting. Passed Swiftsure Saga and then Wynella. Gosh, we must be doing something right.
Print, and turn right on our way to Foam, then bend back up to Robins again. Somewhere in there, we ran a two sail reach (just can’t remember exactly where), but our fore-decky Liz was learning on the job. Fast! The next thing we wanted to do was to extend our lead, but old Bill wasn’t letting go in a hurry. He and Wynella were jousting for position and on the return from Robins down to Como, something went wrong and he managed to brush the mark with his boat.
Bing! Wynella in second place. So down to the outer start line and then around for a small lap that gave young Liz another round of exercise. We had a bit of luck with the rest of the fleet, no one tried to get in our way. We had a bit of fun watching Olive Marie kiss the mud in front of us and it was a stern reminder to the skipper that our luck didn’t go that far. ( Mind you I asked and he draws 6 feet, we draw 3 ft 6”.)
Oh well. Off we went again down to Sampson, around and back to King with a work up the breeze to Addison.. but the breeze was dropping all the time and by the time we got to Addison and turned for home it was slow for all of us. Finally we got over the line and looked back. Jeepers they were way, way back.
But we didn’t think that we’d won, so a first over the line was enough for us.
Over the line: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga
On handicap: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga.
By the way. Div 2 ( only three boats got back in time…. Ummmm!) Talk to the starters anyone?
Last week: well we didn’t sail as it was pouring with rain and fair enough no one wants to sit there bailing fresh water out of the boat. Even though it washes the salt out of the sheets.. but that’s the skippers privilege. Y or N But I did feel sorry for Swiftsure who went out to sail anyway and it appears were promised that a second and fastest would be awarded. Didn’t happen.
A quick meeting & a marvellous Prize Night
The last of the Stuart Turners of SoPYC
Only the three H28s out on the track today as John Wright hasn’t got a motor any more and is planning to drop a diesel in there. The last Stuart Turner motor in the club has been retired to live in John’s garage until he can find a home for it. Les is missing crew and Locke sails when he wants to during winter.
A northerly was in evidence and at the start of the day, it was quite frisky. But a number one was strapped on and after the early meeting; we had the boat ready and set to go early in the peace. The meeting was run by our chair Ernie Little and the idea of doing it prior to sailing is a good idea as it speeds up the meeting considerably. I will wait till the minutes come out before I go into the details in case I tread on toes.
As to the Prize night. A great affair and full marks to Brian Cross and the OWG for the organization.
The food was good and went well with the mob being fed during the speeches. (well, how do you look after 380 people??) Full marks to the club for the night and Vanessa the senior assistant F & B manager should take a bow.
With the three boats and a course 3 on the flags, picking the line to Sampson was going to be a guessing game as the gusts moved around quite a bit. We started with the classic tack/tack and tack again with the skipper cursing as we sailed down to Sampson. Our plans had gone awry and we saw Swiftsure Saga slip ahead of us and Wynella tacked down to the jetty. Glen decided to head down along the freeway, making very good time to the mark ahead of the pair of us.
Then the reach/pole to King and a broad reach down to Robins. We were keeping up with the two of them and watched as they tacked immediately to head down to Print. ‘We’ll go on a bit,’ announced the skipper and all agreed. ‘Nothing to lose.’ And sure enough, we were barrelling down the line to Print and lifting. Passed Swiftsure Saga and then Wynella. Gosh, we must be doing something right.
Print, and turn right on our way to Foam, then bend back up to Robins again. Somewhere in there, we ran a two sail reach (just can’t remember exactly where), but our fore-decky Liz was learning on the job. Fast! The next thing we wanted to do was to extend our lead, but old Bill wasn’t letting go in a hurry. He and Wynella were jousting for position and on the return from Robins down to Como, something went wrong and he managed to brush the mark with his boat.
Bing! Wynella in second place. So down to the outer start line and then around for a small lap that gave young Liz another round of exercise. We had a bit of luck with the rest of the fleet, no one tried to get in our way. We had a bit of fun watching Olive Marie kiss the mud in front of us and it was a stern reminder to the skipper that our luck didn’t go that far. ( Mind you I asked and he draws 6 feet, we draw 3 ft 6”.)
Oh well. Off we went again down to Sampson, around and back to King with a work up the breeze to Addison.. but the breeze was dropping all the time and by the time we got to Addison and turned for home it was slow for all of us. Finally we got over the line and looked back. Jeepers they were way, way back.
But we didn’t think that we’d won, so a first over the line was enough for us.
Over the line: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga
On handicap: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga.
By the way. Div 2 ( only three boats got back in time…. Ummmm!) Talk to the starters anyone?
Last week: well we didn’t sail as it was pouring with rain and fair enough no one wants to sit there bailing fresh water out of the boat. Even though it washes the salt out of the sheets.. but that’s the skippers privilege. Y or N But I did feel sorry for Swiftsure who went out to sail anyway and it appears were promised that a second and fastest would be awarded. Didn’t happen.
Wednesday Sailing the 22nd of May
A dull thud &
A very short race.
Another four on the race track with a very light sou wester coming in. In fact, so light we were debating whether to take the covers off. But off they came. Our team assembled with Geoff Reason wandering off to ride with Nerrima for the day. Kind of the fellow to share himself around.
A course four on offer and the odds were that it would be a shortened up race. Only four in the fleet today with Lockie working on the Bakewell 8 still and John's Stuart -Turner causing more grief. (don't go electric John) So away we went with the skipper bemoaning the fact that he was 4 second late on the start, but his bro in law cheerfully quipped that the rest of the fleet was another 3 seconds behind us. No problems. Good trimming had us clear of the fleet by Sampson and by the time we rounded we were deciding to go a little further into the north side of the river to follow the pressure that seemed to be over there.
We headed up and were followed by Wynella while Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga went left to end up around Anderson/King and beginning their run up the very light breeze. Our first tack was to give us a chance to follow the breeze and in flicking the main over, I had to jerk the boom fairly heavily to get the fully battened sail to 'pop' and failed to see that Liz had her head in the way. A dull thud and she sat down quickly. The next few minutes, while the boat progressed up the breeze, were filled with apologies and making up an ice pack to relieve the damage caused. Fortunately nothing serious, but I'm waiting to see whether she has a bump in a day or so's time.
Slipping through the Royal Perth fleet we progressed up the breeze and then laid the boat over with the thought of Robins in our eyes. And we lifted. Wynella had decided to go left and managed to tuck into the bay and then proceeded to run all the way up past Frenchman's and then flipped over to find a good angle to Robins. But we had about two minutes on them and were happy enough to roll around Robins and head off to Dolphin East on a comfortable reach. Making the mark quickly enough, Liz slipped up onto the foredeck and popped out a pole ready for the gybe at the mark. Job done and around we went with a slow and steady run down the ley line to Como. 3.1 knots... as steady as a rock and time enough to pour a port to sip on for the run to the mark.
A couple of gybes to spice up the run, but by now, the betting was that we would catch a shortened course as the RO could be heard on the radio asking the safety boat how the fleets were situated. We put the pole away and aimed at the outer start line with Wynella perhaps 2 minutes behind. They had sailed well. And sure enough the flags were fluttering at the box. Shortened course. The skip wasn't very happy as another lap would have given us the chance to get further ahead and get the first and fastest.
In one hour and 9 minutes we had finished the race. A very short race indeed.
Over the line: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Wynella, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
Well done the club. We have 357 people coming along to the combined centreboard / keelboat prize night. The Sailing Captain has done a fine job of beating the drum and with any luck, it will signify a change in the attitude of the sailors. We do have to remember that for the first 15 years, the club would always have a combined prize night as the focus was then on the centreboard fleets and their efforts, with the cruisers (keelboats) tagging along as part of the event. However once the club had moved across to the other side of the river at Coffee Point, the Centreboards and Keelboat prize nights were held separately and as the young sailors grew older, they also ventured into keelboats that allowed them to take their families for holidays around the coast line of WA as well as being part of the growing fleet of classes and divisions that was filling the river. But that's another story.
Not many pictures today, it was a short race.
A dull thud &
A very short race.
Another four on the race track with a very light sou wester coming in. In fact, so light we were debating whether to take the covers off. But off they came. Our team assembled with Geoff Reason wandering off to ride with Nerrima for the day. Kind of the fellow to share himself around.
A course four on offer and the odds were that it would be a shortened up race. Only four in the fleet today with Lockie working on the Bakewell 8 still and John's Stuart -Turner causing more grief. (don't go electric John) So away we went with the skipper bemoaning the fact that he was 4 second late on the start, but his bro in law cheerfully quipped that the rest of the fleet was another 3 seconds behind us. No problems. Good trimming had us clear of the fleet by Sampson and by the time we rounded we were deciding to go a little further into the north side of the river to follow the pressure that seemed to be over there.
We headed up and were followed by Wynella while Nerrima and Swiftsure Saga went left to end up around Anderson/King and beginning their run up the very light breeze. Our first tack was to give us a chance to follow the breeze and in flicking the main over, I had to jerk the boom fairly heavily to get the fully battened sail to 'pop' and failed to see that Liz had her head in the way. A dull thud and she sat down quickly. The next few minutes, while the boat progressed up the breeze, were filled with apologies and making up an ice pack to relieve the damage caused. Fortunately nothing serious, but I'm waiting to see whether she has a bump in a day or so's time.
Slipping through the Royal Perth fleet we progressed up the breeze and then laid the boat over with the thought of Robins in our eyes. And we lifted. Wynella had decided to go left and managed to tuck into the bay and then proceeded to run all the way up past Frenchman's and then flipped over to find a good angle to Robins. But we had about two minutes on them and were happy enough to roll around Robins and head off to Dolphin East on a comfortable reach. Making the mark quickly enough, Liz slipped up onto the foredeck and popped out a pole ready for the gybe at the mark. Job done and around we went with a slow and steady run down the ley line to Como. 3.1 knots... as steady as a rock and time enough to pour a port to sip on for the run to the mark.
A couple of gybes to spice up the run, but by now, the betting was that we would catch a shortened course as the RO could be heard on the radio asking the safety boat how the fleets were situated. We put the pole away and aimed at the outer start line with Wynella perhaps 2 minutes behind. They had sailed well. And sure enough the flags were fluttering at the box. Shortened course. The skip wasn't very happy as another lap would have given us the chance to get further ahead and get the first and fastest.
In one hour and 9 minutes we had finished the race. A very short race indeed.
Over the line: Mariner, Wynella and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Wynella, Mariner and Swiftsure Saga.
Well done the club. We have 357 people coming along to the combined centreboard / keelboat prize night. The Sailing Captain has done a fine job of beating the drum and with any luck, it will signify a change in the attitude of the sailors. We do have to remember that for the first 15 years, the club would always have a combined prize night as the focus was then on the centreboard fleets and their efforts, with the cruisers (keelboats) tagging along as part of the event. However once the club had moved across to the other side of the river at Coffee Point, the Centreboards and Keelboat prize nights were held separately and as the young sailors grew older, they also ventured into keelboats that allowed them to take their families for holidays around the coast line of WA as well as being part of the growing fleet of classes and divisions that was filling the river. But that's another story.
Not many pictures today, it was a short race.
Wednesday Sailing the 15th of May
Four on the river &
An Overwind.
It was a perfect afternoon. A light sou wester of 9 to 11 knots and a course four. We should have had at least 7 boats out today, but no Les, John or even the Jin. So the best four came out to play.
There were a few new faces around the fleet with John Holder taking Bills boat out, Craig? joining Wynella for a first on the river. Corella borrowing Geoff for the afternoon and he drove for most of the race. We even had Liz driving Mariner for a while, pre race while the skip bounced around out the front.
However the race began in earnest at the appointed time and we managed to keep our boat along side Corella on that dash to Sampson. Liz sitting looking across at Corella and calling the gains and losses as we sailed in parallel. We were able to keep our nose in front, but just couldn't get our transom past his bow. Swiftsure Saga and Wynella were neck by neck behind us.
At the mark we rounded just behind Corella and then tacked off to avoid her air. An overwind was called and we sailed to a good ley point then tacked over to begin to work on the overwind. It took a while, but eventually it was cleared. But the fleet was then ahead of us. A challenge then.. try to catch them all.
Around Robins with a squeaky rounding and Swiftsure Saga a good 10 boat lengths ahead of us and Wynella may be 40 lengths. So a reach over to Dolphin East and then the test of our new foredecky, could she do the pole? Yes she could and was quite pleased with herself. All the way to Como and then put it away.
Chasing Swiftsure around down to the outer start line and then begin to close in on the boat. We couldn't get past him on the way to Sampson, but the chances were that on the cross to King, we might stand a chance. So it proved as we were running more or less parallel with Swiftsure Saga a little lower than us, but they tacked when we did and missed the lift we found that took us to the mark. Bingo, a lead. Chase Wynella all the way to Como under a pole and then drop the pole with the intent of getting under Wynella's transom for an overlap by Thelma. They took us up and held their spot, but left a gap as they went in skinny at the mark and left room for us to fit into. No urging from the skipper was needed as the boat swung around the mark in the classic Jenny Craig manoeuvre and we ended up above them..
Then trim our hearts out with the helm keeping us high on the run to the line. Wynella had gone earlier and was slipping away from the mark, we had gone further and found the John Wright effect in play. We rolled over the line to take a second over the line. Happy with that. However, on handicap it was a different affair.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Wynella
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Corella.
We are pleased to announce that Carina is now back in her pen after a month on the slips. I'm sure that Geoff would like to thank all those who were prepared to help getting her back to sailing condition. He is now looking for a motor.
The first Frostbite. Sunday 12th of May.
Abandoned. So bad was the day that a SS22 was seen parked behind the start line after 20 minutes, having never made it to the line. They were offered a tow home, but they had the beers out and were content to stay there for a while.
Four on the river &
An Overwind.
It was a perfect afternoon. A light sou wester of 9 to 11 knots and a course four. We should have had at least 7 boats out today, but no Les, John or even the Jin. So the best four came out to play.
There were a few new faces around the fleet with John Holder taking Bills boat out, Craig? joining Wynella for a first on the river. Corella borrowing Geoff for the afternoon and he drove for most of the race. We even had Liz driving Mariner for a while, pre race while the skip bounced around out the front.
However the race began in earnest at the appointed time and we managed to keep our boat along side Corella on that dash to Sampson. Liz sitting looking across at Corella and calling the gains and losses as we sailed in parallel. We were able to keep our nose in front, but just couldn't get our transom past his bow. Swiftsure Saga and Wynella were neck by neck behind us.
At the mark we rounded just behind Corella and then tacked off to avoid her air. An overwind was called and we sailed to a good ley point then tacked over to begin to work on the overwind. It took a while, but eventually it was cleared. But the fleet was then ahead of us. A challenge then.. try to catch them all.
Around Robins with a squeaky rounding and Swiftsure Saga a good 10 boat lengths ahead of us and Wynella may be 40 lengths. So a reach over to Dolphin East and then the test of our new foredecky, could she do the pole? Yes she could and was quite pleased with herself. All the way to Como and then put it away.
Chasing Swiftsure around down to the outer start line and then begin to close in on the boat. We couldn't get past him on the way to Sampson, but the chances were that on the cross to King, we might stand a chance. So it proved as we were running more or less parallel with Swiftsure Saga a little lower than us, but they tacked when we did and missed the lift we found that took us to the mark. Bingo, a lead. Chase Wynella all the way to Como under a pole and then drop the pole with the intent of getting under Wynella's transom for an overlap by Thelma. They took us up and held their spot, but left a gap as they went in skinny at the mark and left room for us to fit into. No urging from the skipper was needed as the boat swung around the mark in the classic Jenny Craig manoeuvre and we ended up above them..
Then trim our hearts out with the helm keeping us high on the run to the line. Wynella had gone earlier and was slipping away from the mark, we had gone further and found the John Wright effect in play. We rolled over the line to take a second over the line. Happy with that. However, on handicap it was a different affair.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Wynella
On handicap: Wynella, Swiftsure Saga and Corella.
We are pleased to announce that Carina is now back in her pen after a month on the slips. I'm sure that Geoff would like to thank all those who were prepared to help getting her back to sailing condition. He is now looking for a motor.
The first Frostbite. Sunday 12th of May.
Abandoned. So bad was the day that a SS22 was seen parked behind the start line after 20 minutes, having never made it to the line. They were offered a tow home, but they had the beers out and were content to stay there for a while.
Wednesday Sailing the 8th of May
A Follow Me day &
A new H28 member.
The afternoon was a doozy and our esteemed starter sent us away on a course one.
With a fluctuating easterly that swung like a dervish on speed, we found ourselves eight seconds behind on the start but highest on the breeze, which isn't a bad spot to be actually. Les and Nerrima got away well and it was a case of chase Les to try and get to the lead by Sampson.
Two H28's had recently slipped their boats and John Wright/ Anna and Glen Stanley/Wynella were primed to be in the places today. And you could see it too. John was a slippery as a fish and Glen with his augmented crew had an added fillip to his day. Otherwise Swiftsure Saga (two up) and Corella (no Rita) were still going to be competitive, but missing those vital cogs.
An ENE of 12 knots got us away to Sampson without the hassle of Martin-Weaver and at least we had pressure. A good way to go, but it was going to be a reaching day - no matter what. We found ourselves sliding past Nerrima on the way to Sampson and sure enough the boats close behind us were Anna and Wynella, both having stellar days on the start. Corella, after an average start had opted to go low to keep his air clear and it served him well. At Sampson on the way to Print, Wynella found themselves to the back, but swung out to the left and picked up some nice pressure to keep themselves on Anna's tail.
We were dealing with the run down to Addison after Print and it was then a matter of the work that took us into uncharted territory where the water shallowed. Clever John was gaining height furiously and we had to tack across to make Addison and get around and away... to Robins. Rince and repeat as we simply pointed the boat at our intended mark and let the boat and some trimming get us there. No hard work, except avoiding boats that strayed across our course.. or asking them to avoid us (politely).
To the outer start line and go around the mark and do the short triangle with Anna catching a huge lift across to Como and picking up some valuable time. Glen on Wynella was still very much in the hunt and was close enough to feature.
Over the line: Mariner, Anna and Corella
On handicap: Anna , Mariner and Wynella
And introducing Guy... the newest of the H28 crew. He signed his papers yesterday as a crew member.
Wednesday Sailing the 1st of May
A race abandoned &
A visitor to SoPYC
We had the option of being blown to pieces if a decent squall line came through; drenched if the rain kicked in and/or sitting on our fingers as the breeze slowly descended into to a farce.
The start line was interesting and we watched as the div one boats lined up on the start line and cheered as Paul Harry on Slippery When Wet took Eun Na Mara and Problem Child up and beyond the pin. It was bound to happen and he clearly wanted clear air at the start. We however, found ourselves a little short of the line and had to make our way back and around the pin, probably not as elegant a start as we could have hoped for. But with a course one on offer and 5 boats competing we had a chance to do reasonably well as the freeway special was our favoured breeze on a nor easter. Which slowly died.
Corella, piloted by David Locke had started well and was already away, but with a bit of fine trimming we managed to keep up with him to the first mark Sampson. The rest of the fleet wasn't far away, but the test was going to be the run up to Print and back to Addison. A pole (maybe) and then riding on a beam reach till the breeze swung back behind us. Take a chance and see if we can get around Print first, but Lockie was there before we were and Wynella was doing a fine job. Not far away at all. Bill on Swiftsure Saga had Eric the Octopus on the job and really did need that third person as Les on Nerrima was doing well.
But there was a slight problem, the breeze light as it may have been was getting lighter and as we drove into unknown waters on the work up to Addison, the thought of smacking into the mud on the way to Addison was in the back of our minds. So cross Corella's transom and tack shortly afterwards. Around Addison and set the course for Robins. About two thirds of the way to the mark we could feel the first hint of a southerly, that came and went just like that, but it was enough to keep the boat sailing.
Slower and slower and slower. But we were still moving and we finally caught up with Locky and the skipper immediately claimed a Moral Victory as we slipped past them. Around then, the radio rattled.. "all boats - all boats The race is abandoned." So we turned around and slowly packed up the boat as we made our way home, with Geoff driving and the rest of us putting the sails away.
Race abandoned.
Our visitor is none other than Te Hana, formerly Rogan Andersons of Freshie but now in the hands of a youngish fellow, Chris who has the intention to use her as a cruising boat. He was first in contact with us about a year ago through the website and thought enough of SoPYC to bring his boat up to Doug and have her cleaned up and anti fouled. He's used the time wisely to have chats with a lot of the H28 owners and hopefully we may see him again.
Closing Day on the 27th of April and 3 H28s competed in the Commodores Pursuit Race.
Wynella sailed to her handicap with a start of 17 minutes and came 17th.
Nerrima was slightly unlucky with a start of 18 minutes and a finish of 24th.
Aloha had a start of 13 minutes and managed to beat Madge home at 29th.
I do feel sorry for Madge though... started off 1 minute and ended up tail end Charley, but they got the best of the day managing to get 3 hours and 50 minutes on the water. Good value sailing!
A race abandoned &
A visitor to SoPYC
We had the option of being blown to pieces if a decent squall line came through; drenched if the rain kicked in and/or sitting on our fingers as the breeze slowly descended into to a farce.
The start line was interesting and we watched as the div one boats lined up on the start line and cheered as Paul Harry on Slippery When Wet took Eun Na Mara and Problem Child up and beyond the pin. It was bound to happen and he clearly wanted clear air at the start. We however, found ourselves a little short of the line and had to make our way back and around the pin, probably not as elegant a start as we could have hoped for. But with a course one on offer and 5 boats competing we had a chance to do reasonably well as the freeway special was our favoured breeze on a nor easter. Which slowly died.
Corella, piloted by David Locke had started well and was already away, but with a bit of fine trimming we managed to keep up with him to the first mark Sampson. The rest of the fleet wasn't far away, but the test was going to be the run up to Print and back to Addison. A pole (maybe) and then riding on a beam reach till the breeze swung back behind us. Take a chance and see if we can get around Print first, but Lockie was there before we were and Wynella was doing a fine job. Not far away at all. Bill on Swiftsure Saga had Eric the Octopus on the job and really did need that third person as Les on Nerrima was doing well.
But there was a slight problem, the breeze light as it may have been was getting lighter and as we drove into unknown waters on the work up to Addison, the thought of smacking into the mud on the way to Addison was in the back of our minds. So cross Corella's transom and tack shortly afterwards. Around Addison and set the course for Robins. About two thirds of the way to the mark we could feel the first hint of a southerly, that came and went just like that, but it was enough to keep the boat sailing.
Slower and slower and slower. But we were still moving and we finally caught up with Locky and the skipper immediately claimed a Moral Victory as we slipped past them. Around then, the radio rattled.. "all boats - all boats The race is abandoned." So we turned around and slowly packed up the boat as we made our way home, with Geoff driving and the rest of us putting the sails away.
Race abandoned.
Our visitor is none other than Te Hana, formerly Rogan Andersons of Freshie but now in the hands of a youngish fellow, Chris who has the intention to use her as a cruising boat. He was first in contact with us about a year ago through the website and thought enough of SoPYC to bring his boat up to Doug and have her cleaned up and anti fouled. He's used the time wisely to have chats with a lot of the H28 owners and hopefully we may see him again.
Closing Day on the 27th of April and 3 H28s competed in the Commodores Pursuit Race.
Wynella sailed to her handicap with a start of 17 minutes and came 17th.
Nerrima was slightly unlucky with a start of 18 minutes and a finish of 24th.
Aloha had a start of 13 minutes and managed to beat Madge home at 29th.
I do feel sorry for Madge though... started off 1 minute and ended up tail end Charley, but they got the best of the day managing to get 3 hours and 50 minutes on the water. Good value sailing!
Wednesday Sailing the 24th of April.
A decent easterly &
Still cant get away from Corella.
Its a hard day when despite the best efforts of the skipper to slip the boat and give her a clean bum, get a good start, lead all the way to Sampson and prepare for the run down to Hall Mark under a pole, successfully defend at the mark after we had been carted up at Nedland's Spit necessitating a hurried gybe of the main and managed to get under Corella's transom to take the inside at the mark and get all the way to Armstrong.
Four H28's led off today, with Anna and Swiftsure Saga as no goes. Still it was a decent Easterly and although we had the usual fluctuations it was glorious flat water sailing. Wynella had taken a visitor (Guy) on board and had Andy back from his travails. He reckons he's clear and we all hope so. Les and his team came out to join us on Nerrima and told us that he hadn't found the mud prestart, but he was suspiciously still for a while there. We had Corella of course and the question remains whether they had a number one or a two up, but what ever happened, we had a number two on.
As mentioned a good start and a bit of luck with the breeze coming along to help us just at the right time. We managed to keep our noses in front all the way down to Armstrong, went a bit further out into the south than Corella and then headed down to Como. We managed to get past Corella as he came across to improve his chances and then came the battle for Como. Just outsailed us, scalloped his way up and began to draft us and eventually we were looking at his transom. From there on, it was chase Lockie all the way around the small triangle of Sampson, Dolphin East (another pole) and back up the breeze to leave Print and Como to our starboard side then make our way across to Thelma.
But it wasn't all over then as a bit of good trimming and some luck with the breeze changes we found ourselves challenging at Thelma. Corella slipped through, but the dash to the line had the skipper whooping with joy. He was having fun. Lockie got there 5 seconds in front, but considering that we had been sailing cheek by jowl for the best part of 2 hours, it was as good a result as could be asked for.... well over the line first would have been better.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Nerrima
On handicap: Nerrima, Wynella and Mariner
The wrong results were read out at 1730 with Wynella named as first and it was only once the on line version had been seen, that the question was asked. A hasty recount of the results was offered and some compensation to the correct winner.
It has to be noted that Nerrima is not appearing in the Wednesday progressive racing results and I hope that someone can rectify this.
Saturday Sailing and two boats took to the water with Nerrima taking the win over Aloha.
Not many photos today. I was busy on the main.
A decent easterly &
Still cant get away from Corella.
Its a hard day when despite the best efforts of the skipper to slip the boat and give her a clean bum, get a good start, lead all the way to Sampson and prepare for the run down to Hall Mark under a pole, successfully defend at the mark after we had been carted up at Nedland's Spit necessitating a hurried gybe of the main and managed to get under Corella's transom to take the inside at the mark and get all the way to Armstrong.
Four H28's led off today, with Anna and Swiftsure Saga as no goes. Still it was a decent Easterly and although we had the usual fluctuations it was glorious flat water sailing. Wynella had taken a visitor (Guy) on board and had Andy back from his travails. He reckons he's clear and we all hope so. Les and his team came out to join us on Nerrima and told us that he hadn't found the mud prestart, but he was suspiciously still for a while there. We had Corella of course and the question remains whether they had a number one or a two up, but what ever happened, we had a number two on.
As mentioned a good start and a bit of luck with the breeze coming along to help us just at the right time. We managed to keep our noses in front all the way down to Armstrong, went a bit further out into the south than Corella and then headed down to Como. We managed to get past Corella as he came across to improve his chances and then came the battle for Como. Just outsailed us, scalloped his way up and began to draft us and eventually we were looking at his transom. From there on, it was chase Lockie all the way around the small triangle of Sampson, Dolphin East (another pole) and back up the breeze to leave Print and Como to our starboard side then make our way across to Thelma.
But it wasn't all over then as a bit of good trimming and some luck with the breeze changes we found ourselves challenging at Thelma. Corella slipped through, but the dash to the line had the skipper whooping with joy. He was having fun. Lockie got there 5 seconds in front, but considering that we had been sailing cheek by jowl for the best part of 2 hours, it was as good a result as could be asked for.... well over the line first would have been better.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Nerrima
On handicap: Nerrima, Wynella and Mariner
The wrong results were read out at 1730 with Wynella named as first and it was only once the on line version had been seen, that the question was asked. A hasty recount of the results was offered and some compensation to the correct winner.
It has to be noted that Nerrima is not appearing in the Wednesday progressive racing results and I hope that someone can rectify this.
Saturday Sailing and two boats took to the water with Nerrima taking the win over Aloha.
Not many photos today. I was busy on the main.
Wednesday Sailing the 10th of April
Salt get in the main sheets &
Another blasted Sou Easter.
Five of the best rocked up to the line today.
Ernie had joined us as no one wanted to sail on Wynella today. Injured, funerals, out of contact, (I’ve heard them all) We had the same problem on Mariner with Ron over in Rotto (still); Phil in Broken Hill and Liz with Covid related friends.
So Brian got to helm, Ernie took the main and Geoff took a break on the foredeck. A simple pleasure as we lined up on the start line and began the complicated dance known as pre start. Too early was the call. A suggestion for a gybe was put forward and agreed on. That left us hanging on our sails for the last few seconds and fortunately the starters agreed we weren’t too far over at the start. (Though in the after sail discussion, it was by how much we were over as the boat beside us thought they were over as well)
Naa… remember that start a few weeks ago.. they were almost an half boat length ahead of us at the line. The course one was a bit of surprise as we were expecting a course two or similar for a sou-easter.
Mariner took the lead and remembering the conversation from the last attempt on a similar run, we headed up to Martin and further. Fortunately. Past the highest mooring and then tack in time to make the mark and run away down the river to Sampson. Running the freeway is always a challenge and calling the pressure is the major issue. Swiftsure Saga was doing very well and got up to our transom, but no way past was offered and we turned in unison toward the next mark. Print.
Riding the freeway special, we poled out for the first and last time and worked hard to keep Swiftsure Saga on our port transom being mindful that Corella and the rest of the fleet would jump us at the first chance. Gybe and head for Addison with Ernie groaning on the main sheet. The freshwater rinsing of the mainsheet worked, but the last two metres around the blocks were still stiff. Corella had passed SSS by this time and simply sailed through us. And was never headed on a reaching course.
Away to Robins with a bit of dodging of various fleets and the gaps in the breeze showed themselves. Not on the water, but in the separation of the H28 fleet. We chased Dave Locke, Bill chased us and Anna and Nerrima were struggling to keep up. Either you had heads out of the boat looking everywhere and in our case, be prepared to lay a few tacks. Or you sat there and cursed the breeze. We did our share.
Around Robins and down to Addison on a knocking breeze that swooped and swung. It delivered us at Addison, more or less. Then all the way up to Robins again. No passing lanes, but a bit of dodging of RP fleets probably lost us a few meters, Mind you, some were polite enough to give us room. This time the return was to Como and that’s where a number of tacks were laid on.
Win - lose or draw, it was all the same. Around Como and the sight of the shortened course flags were welcome. Time for a tidy up and a beer before results.
Over the line and on handicap: Corella, Mariner & Swiftsure Saga.
Saturday Sailing: 6th of April 2024
What happens when you lose a crew member over board? Good question.
Three boats took off on the water in a (frankly dead) Westerly of 3 knots with a course 4 short.
It didn’t improve very much, but it was enough to keep them moving.
According to my informant on Wynella, they battled to get a good start, but did well to catch up. However the major upset occurred when the fordeckie on Wynella (no names please) took an inadvertent step and dropped into the water alongside Applecross Spit. In less than a second, a beefy hand reached out and pulled Hayden out of the water. Could have been worse, they may have left him there, having lightened the boat by his premature decision to leave the boat and sailed on regardless. It’s a pity that the rules state that you must finish the race with the same number of crew you started with.
Over the line and on handicap: Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha
Salt get in the main sheets &
Another blasted Sou Easter.
Five of the best rocked up to the line today.
Ernie had joined us as no one wanted to sail on Wynella today. Injured, funerals, out of contact, (I’ve heard them all) We had the same problem on Mariner with Ron over in Rotto (still); Phil in Broken Hill and Liz with Covid related friends.
So Brian got to helm, Ernie took the main and Geoff took a break on the foredeck. A simple pleasure as we lined up on the start line and began the complicated dance known as pre start. Too early was the call. A suggestion for a gybe was put forward and agreed on. That left us hanging on our sails for the last few seconds and fortunately the starters agreed we weren’t too far over at the start. (Though in the after sail discussion, it was by how much we were over as the boat beside us thought they were over as well)
Naa… remember that start a few weeks ago.. they were almost an half boat length ahead of us at the line. The course one was a bit of surprise as we were expecting a course two or similar for a sou-easter.
Mariner took the lead and remembering the conversation from the last attempt on a similar run, we headed up to Martin and further. Fortunately. Past the highest mooring and then tack in time to make the mark and run away down the river to Sampson. Running the freeway is always a challenge and calling the pressure is the major issue. Swiftsure Saga was doing very well and got up to our transom, but no way past was offered and we turned in unison toward the next mark. Print.
Riding the freeway special, we poled out for the first and last time and worked hard to keep Swiftsure Saga on our port transom being mindful that Corella and the rest of the fleet would jump us at the first chance. Gybe and head for Addison with Ernie groaning on the main sheet. The freshwater rinsing of the mainsheet worked, but the last two metres around the blocks were still stiff. Corella had passed SSS by this time and simply sailed through us. And was never headed on a reaching course.
Away to Robins with a bit of dodging of various fleets and the gaps in the breeze showed themselves. Not on the water, but in the separation of the H28 fleet. We chased Dave Locke, Bill chased us and Anna and Nerrima were struggling to keep up. Either you had heads out of the boat looking everywhere and in our case, be prepared to lay a few tacks. Or you sat there and cursed the breeze. We did our share.
Around Robins and down to Addison on a knocking breeze that swooped and swung. It delivered us at Addison, more or less. Then all the way up to Robins again. No passing lanes, but a bit of dodging of RP fleets probably lost us a few meters, Mind you, some were polite enough to give us room. This time the return was to Como and that’s where a number of tacks were laid on.
Win - lose or draw, it was all the same. Around Como and the sight of the shortened course flags were welcome. Time for a tidy up and a beer before results.
Over the line and on handicap: Corella, Mariner & Swiftsure Saga.
Saturday Sailing: 6th of April 2024
What happens when you lose a crew member over board? Good question.
Three boats took off on the water in a (frankly dead) Westerly of 3 knots with a course 4 short.
It didn’t improve very much, but it was enough to keep them moving.
According to my informant on Wynella, they battled to get a good start, but did well to catch up. However the major upset occurred when the fordeckie on Wynella (no names please) took an inadvertent step and dropped into the water alongside Applecross Spit. In less than a second, a beefy hand reached out and pulled Hayden out of the water. Could have been worse, they may have left him there, having lightened the boat by his premature decision to leave the boat and sailed on regardless. It’s a pity that the rules state that you must finish the race with the same number of crew you started with.
Over the line and on handicap: Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha
Wednesday the 3rd of April
From a Watery Grave &
Closer to the breeze.
Geoff Reason has really thrown himself at his boat. As the photos show, the very sight of Carina sunk in the pens was mortifying and arriving on the scene as Geoff was coming to terms with the fact made it quite clear that any plans Geoff had, were turned on their head. So he bit the bullet and against all advice to the contrary, {think chain saw and skip}, the boat was hauled up on the hard and he set to work.
Several members of the H28 community have joined him and be it raking out the old cotton and sikaflex or bringing a grinder down to clean the paint off, the hull has been taken back to the timber and all the rust removed from the keel. Geoff now has to clean up the insides and tape all the seams ready for the compounds that will again seal the hull.
Geoff has had the advice of Ian Weaver and Dave Locke, both shipwrights in their own fields and is a lot happier now than he was three weeks ago. To be continued.
Mariner had a guest helm today (Geoff R) and given that it was a really soft day, it was all about the light breezes available. Liz had joined us again and while Phil and Ron are away, we’re doing alright. Pressure was the order of the day and half a dozen boats set off on a course 4 with a Sou Easter of about 5 knots available. Wisely they didn’t send us off to Martin & Weaver but despite the best of intentions at the start line, we crossed it perhaps 30 seconds late. But we were closer to the breeze that anyone else and boat by boat, we rolled the fleet, slipping past Corella just before Sampson and turned in the lead.
Geoff wasn’t fazed; he’s done this before with Vic Court. But it was the trimmer’s task and with the foredeck (Brian) urging us on the next task was to aim for Robins and slide down the breeze just a little bit ahead. A pole was put in place, but not brought into play. Once again, Corella was on our tail and it was surprising to see Swiftsure Saga back in the field, but you never put any of the assembled fleet aside as they are as competitive as ever.
We made it Robins still clear of the fleet, but by now Bill on Swiftsure had caught up and Corella had fallen back, “never say never”. The discussion raged with where to find the best pressure as the topic on the way to Dolphin East and again we just increased the lead as we progressed to the mark. Go north, go back into the middle, see that pressure line and surprisingly we watched as the freeway filled in toward us. Best boat gets to the pressure first and we did so.
But the rest of the fleet wasn’t doing badly either and the middle had the pressure at the same time as we did. The boats were hooking up into the breeze and we were waiting for the knock to affect them as we had purposely taken the knock on the other board to get down to Como and then tacked to cross it easily. The knock finally came and the atmosphere on the boat went calm. We had them and we had a counted lead of 125 seconds on the next boat. Who just happened to be Corella followed by Anna both of whom had used the middle very well.
Flags are up was the announcement from the foredeck and sure enough as we rolled across the line we got the horn, we then looked back to see how Corella fared. She was hit by a big knock which was slowing her down, but she made it to the line in one board but 3 and a half minutes later.
Over the line and on handicap:
Mariner, Corella and Anna.
There was no Saturday sailing over the Easter break.
There are two sets of images today.
1) A new beginning.
2) Wednesday Sailing.
From a Watery Grave &
Closer to the breeze.
Geoff Reason has really thrown himself at his boat. As the photos show, the very sight of Carina sunk in the pens was mortifying and arriving on the scene as Geoff was coming to terms with the fact made it quite clear that any plans Geoff had, were turned on their head. So he bit the bullet and against all advice to the contrary, {think chain saw and skip}, the boat was hauled up on the hard and he set to work.
Several members of the H28 community have joined him and be it raking out the old cotton and sikaflex or bringing a grinder down to clean the paint off, the hull has been taken back to the timber and all the rust removed from the keel. Geoff now has to clean up the insides and tape all the seams ready for the compounds that will again seal the hull.
Geoff has had the advice of Ian Weaver and Dave Locke, both shipwrights in their own fields and is a lot happier now than he was three weeks ago. To be continued.
Mariner had a guest helm today (Geoff R) and given that it was a really soft day, it was all about the light breezes available. Liz had joined us again and while Phil and Ron are away, we’re doing alright. Pressure was the order of the day and half a dozen boats set off on a course 4 with a Sou Easter of about 5 knots available. Wisely they didn’t send us off to Martin & Weaver but despite the best of intentions at the start line, we crossed it perhaps 30 seconds late. But we were closer to the breeze that anyone else and boat by boat, we rolled the fleet, slipping past Corella just before Sampson and turned in the lead.
Geoff wasn’t fazed; he’s done this before with Vic Court. But it was the trimmer’s task and with the foredeck (Brian) urging us on the next task was to aim for Robins and slide down the breeze just a little bit ahead. A pole was put in place, but not brought into play. Once again, Corella was on our tail and it was surprising to see Swiftsure Saga back in the field, but you never put any of the assembled fleet aside as they are as competitive as ever.
We made it Robins still clear of the fleet, but by now Bill on Swiftsure had caught up and Corella had fallen back, “never say never”. The discussion raged with where to find the best pressure as the topic on the way to Dolphin East and again we just increased the lead as we progressed to the mark. Go north, go back into the middle, see that pressure line and surprisingly we watched as the freeway filled in toward us. Best boat gets to the pressure first and we did so.
But the rest of the fleet wasn’t doing badly either and the middle had the pressure at the same time as we did. The boats were hooking up into the breeze and we were waiting for the knock to affect them as we had purposely taken the knock on the other board to get down to Como and then tacked to cross it easily. The knock finally came and the atmosphere on the boat went calm. We had them and we had a counted lead of 125 seconds on the next boat. Who just happened to be Corella followed by Anna both of whom had used the middle very well.
Flags are up was the announcement from the foredeck and sure enough as we rolled across the line we got the horn, we then looked back to see how Corella fared. She was hit by a big knock which was slowing her down, but she made it to the line in one board but 3 and a half minutes later.
Over the line and on handicap:
Mariner, Corella and Anna.
There was no Saturday sailing over the Easter break.
There are two sets of images today.
1) A new beginning.
2) Wednesday Sailing.
Wednesday the 27th of March 2024 The end of the Summer series
Herreshoff Hill is official &
Ours to lose.
Ernie Little has done it again with a street sign denoting the presence of the area known as Herreshoff Hill.
Well done Mr Chairman.
We had to finish last in a fleet of 7 to lose the Summer Championships.
And we nearly did. With a healthy handicap and two regulars out of action, even a clean bum and the skipper on the helm didn’t help us get going any faster as we saw the boat slowly slipping back in the field.
Welcome to Liz from Canada who stepped on board as a newbie and blew us away with her ability to get the sheets in, in a hurry. And to David Stanford-Smith from Mat Rose’s King Canute who joined us as the skipper had been actively recruiting with the knowledge that we were two down.
On a westerly course 2 and about 6 to 10 knots it was a Monty that we would be working very hard. The boat doesn’t like light breezes and it was clear that a good start would be tantamount. How one or two boats didn’t get pinged for being OCS is beyond us but never matter. We chose to run down the straight line to Sampson with the hope that it was a shorter course, but half way down the line, the fleet began to roll over us and by Sampson, we were back in the pack and boxed in on both sides.
A chance presented and urged on by Geoff from the foredeck, we tacked and got ourselves clear of the pack heading out toward Heathcote for a short tack before we set ourselves to the task to get to Hall Mark in good order. Ahead of us was Corella and Wynella who had John Mewitt on board and was certainly improving the boats performance. This time we all knew where Hall Mark was and it was a chase to the mark with Corella well away. But Wynella was achievable and the race was on.
Past Hall Mark and to Armstrong with angles being tossed around as we had to consider Anna, who wasn’t far away and of course Bill and Swiftsure Saga who was matching us on the run. Then away to Como with the long down wind run to be considered. A pole on the starboard side and the occasional gybe to bring ourselves over to the north a little as we were being seduced by Swiftsure Saga. We watched as Wynella drifted across our bows to assume a spot well to the north of us and little to our pleasure he was set for a clean run to Como.
Then the game began and the challenge between the two boats had us taken well out of the way while Wynella forged ahead. Trying to catch her was a lost cause as we were being carted all the way into the RH side of the course. Eventually it ceased but everyone was well to the north of us. Then around Como and off on the track yet again after the outer start line on the short triangle of Dolphin East, Print and back down to Como and Thelma. No one was a winner on this track and we noted that The First Jindarra had retired and as we slipped up to the Finish line, Swiftsure Saga didn’t pass through the finish line as well, retiring his boat from the race.
Craig Balmer popped up at the end of the day, he was looking a little peaked, but we were very glad to see him on deck. Perhaps after winter he hopes.
Over the Line: Corella, Wynella and Mariner.
On Handicap: Wynella, Corella and Anna.
The summer series ended with Mariner taking the series by 1.5 points from Wynella and Nerrima 2.5 points behind Wynella. Just enough.
Saturday Sailing, the 23rd of March.
The easterlies had the three starters working hard to keep their Spinnakers in line on a course 2. Nerrima felt the full force of a gust around near Robins and simply lay over on her side. From all reports no one was hurt, but the boat took an almighty gulp of water and the skipper thought it might be a good idea to retire to pump out the boat before she decided to turn into a submarine. And his spinnaker was still in good condition, thank goodness as they aren’t cheap any more.
Over the Line: Wynella and Aloha
On Handicap: Aloha and Wynella (Nerrima retired)
Herreshoff Hill is official &
Ours to lose.
Ernie Little has done it again with a street sign denoting the presence of the area known as Herreshoff Hill.
Well done Mr Chairman.
We had to finish last in a fleet of 7 to lose the Summer Championships.
And we nearly did. With a healthy handicap and two regulars out of action, even a clean bum and the skipper on the helm didn’t help us get going any faster as we saw the boat slowly slipping back in the field.
Welcome to Liz from Canada who stepped on board as a newbie and blew us away with her ability to get the sheets in, in a hurry. And to David Stanford-Smith from Mat Rose’s King Canute who joined us as the skipper had been actively recruiting with the knowledge that we were two down.
On a westerly course 2 and about 6 to 10 knots it was a Monty that we would be working very hard. The boat doesn’t like light breezes and it was clear that a good start would be tantamount. How one or two boats didn’t get pinged for being OCS is beyond us but never matter. We chose to run down the straight line to Sampson with the hope that it was a shorter course, but half way down the line, the fleet began to roll over us and by Sampson, we were back in the pack and boxed in on both sides.
A chance presented and urged on by Geoff from the foredeck, we tacked and got ourselves clear of the pack heading out toward Heathcote for a short tack before we set ourselves to the task to get to Hall Mark in good order. Ahead of us was Corella and Wynella who had John Mewitt on board and was certainly improving the boats performance. This time we all knew where Hall Mark was and it was a chase to the mark with Corella well away. But Wynella was achievable and the race was on.
Past Hall Mark and to Armstrong with angles being tossed around as we had to consider Anna, who wasn’t far away and of course Bill and Swiftsure Saga who was matching us on the run. Then away to Como with the long down wind run to be considered. A pole on the starboard side and the occasional gybe to bring ourselves over to the north a little as we were being seduced by Swiftsure Saga. We watched as Wynella drifted across our bows to assume a spot well to the north of us and little to our pleasure he was set for a clean run to Como.
Then the game began and the challenge between the two boats had us taken well out of the way while Wynella forged ahead. Trying to catch her was a lost cause as we were being carted all the way into the RH side of the course. Eventually it ceased but everyone was well to the north of us. Then around Como and off on the track yet again after the outer start line on the short triangle of Dolphin East, Print and back down to Como and Thelma. No one was a winner on this track and we noted that The First Jindarra had retired and as we slipped up to the Finish line, Swiftsure Saga didn’t pass through the finish line as well, retiring his boat from the race.
Craig Balmer popped up at the end of the day, he was looking a little peaked, but we were very glad to see him on deck. Perhaps after winter he hopes.
Over the Line: Corella, Wynella and Mariner.
On Handicap: Wynella, Corella and Anna.
The summer series ended with Mariner taking the series by 1.5 points from Wynella and Nerrima 2.5 points behind Wynella. Just enough.
Saturday Sailing, the 23rd of March.
The easterlies had the three starters working hard to keep their Spinnakers in line on a course 2. Nerrima felt the full force of a gust around near Robins and simply lay over on her side. From all reports no one was hurt, but the boat took an almighty gulp of water and the skipper thought it might be a good idea to retire to pump out the boat before she decided to turn into a submarine. And his spinnaker was still in good condition, thank goodness as they aren’t cheap any more.
Over the Line: Wynella and Aloha
On Handicap: Aloha and Wynella (Nerrima retired)
Wednesday the 20th of March 2024
Dabbles is dealt with.
Geoff Sneezby does a Twilight &
A battle to the finish.
Lets get Dabbles out of the way first. Bill on Swiftsure Saga has had a perennial visitor who insists on laying her eggs on his boat. The first two or three years were tolerated, but this time around Dabbles the duck got in quite early and Bill seized the chance to clear the boat of duck eggs as frankly Dabbles can be a real annoyance on Frostbites and winter sailing. So out they went.
Geoff Sneezby, much loved H28 sailor and club starter was taken out on Wynella for a twilight, thanks to the generosity of Ernie, Geoff Reason and Les Brooker. From all reports and the accompanying photos it went very well.
The day started with another Easterly which was whipping through to begin with, but basically fell out after the start. Didn't stop the starters from sending us up to Martin - Weaver though and the battle on the line was pretty intense as all six boats went hammer and tongs at the pin end and Phil Lammonby did a fine job to get us over the line in the lead. The charge up to Martin was pretty torrid and we had Dave Locke on our hammer all the way with Les Brooker and John Wright close by. But that was only part of it as we then had to find our way through the moorings after Martin and both Phil and I had our hands full getting the boat to point high. Then the tack and aim at Weaver with some of the slower boats who decided to tack earlier, running the gamut hoping to get a lucky lift. It wasn't to be though and at that point the fleet split into two with Swiftsure Saga and Corella on our tail and the second group of Nerrima, Anna and Wynella contending with each other.
Again the run to Sampson on the course two was our undoing as though we tried hard we simply weren't as slippery as Corella and SSS. The dropping breeze had us chasing pressure and at Sampson we were third. Give us a sou wester please, about 20 knots would do nicely. So on our way to Hall Mark and we watched as a div two boat went the wrong side of inner dolphin without even knowing that they had done the wrong thing. Yes we had to work our way through the Royal fleet, but we found a nice gap and didn't even lose the pole we had set. Eventually we had to gybe to make the mark and the foredeck did a good job getting the pole across without incident.
Around the mark and away to Armstrong with the decision being made as to how far we could go after the Armstrong before we began the run up the breeze. It was dictated to a degree by the two boats in the lead and we took a chance, went early and then watched as David and Bill battled all the way to Como with David in the lead. Around the mark we went and aimed at the outer start line with the surety that we would be sent around again.. the fluctuating breeze had filled in again. Behind us, Wynella was sailing very well and Nerrima and Anna were following at a respectable distance as each boat dealt with the variable breeze.
Away to Sampson again, with the chatter from the foredeck filling the air as he and our port side trimmer swapped banter. Never have we ever had so much verbal on the boat......! However a run to Dolphin East ensued and Lockie's lead seemed to grow, but on the way back down to Print then Como, something happened with David's speed or maybe he just picked the wrong line. Swiftsure crossed in front of him and then failed to cover him when they aimed at Como with Corella managing to get to Como first, but had to tack to get around the mark. He was far enough in front to make it to the mark first, but everyone on our boat at least, was watching the action closely.
Then it was a run down to Thelma and away to the line. Well sailed Corella and Swiftsure Saga.. we were happy to run third, but full marks to Wynella who lead the second fleet to the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
Saturday Sailing. Club Championship # 7
A sou-wester ran the river, but a quiet one - 11 knots and a course 4. Unusual for a club championship but effective enough to get the boats around in a couple of hours. Corella took the championship but Nerrima took the handicap honours with the 4 boats enjoying the afternoons sail. Les Brooker was kind enough to pass on a couple of photos from the foredeck of Wynella ( thanks Hayden) and of course it was all about his new spinnaker. Purple and White. Hi Ho.
Over the line: Corella, Nerrima and Wynella.
On handicap: Nerrima, Corella and Wynella.
Dabbles is dealt with.
Geoff Sneezby does a Twilight &
A battle to the finish.
Lets get Dabbles out of the way first. Bill on Swiftsure Saga has had a perennial visitor who insists on laying her eggs on his boat. The first two or three years were tolerated, but this time around Dabbles the duck got in quite early and Bill seized the chance to clear the boat of duck eggs as frankly Dabbles can be a real annoyance on Frostbites and winter sailing. So out they went.
Geoff Sneezby, much loved H28 sailor and club starter was taken out on Wynella for a twilight, thanks to the generosity of Ernie, Geoff Reason and Les Brooker. From all reports and the accompanying photos it went very well.
The day started with another Easterly which was whipping through to begin with, but basically fell out after the start. Didn't stop the starters from sending us up to Martin - Weaver though and the battle on the line was pretty intense as all six boats went hammer and tongs at the pin end and Phil Lammonby did a fine job to get us over the line in the lead. The charge up to Martin was pretty torrid and we had Dave Locke on our hammer all the way with Les Brooker and John Wright close by. But that was only part of it as we then had to find our way through the moorings after Martin and both Phil and I had our hands full getting the boat to point high. Then the tack and aim at Weaver with some of the slower boats who decided to tack earlier, running the gamut hoping to get a lucky lift. It wasn't to be though and at that point the fleet split into two with Swiftsure Saga and Corella on our tail and the second group of Nerrima, Anna and Wynella contending with each other.
Again the run to Sampson on the course two was our undoing as though we tried hard we simply weren't as slippery as Corella and SSS. The dropping breeze had us chasing pressure and at Sampson we were third. Give us a sou wester please, about 20 knots would do nicely. So on our way to Hall Mark and we watched as a div two boat went the wrong side of inner dolphin without even knowing that they had done the wrong thing. Yes we had to work our way through the Royal fleet, but we found a nice gap and didn't even lose the pole we had set. Eventually we had to gybe to make the mark and the foredeck did a good job getting the pole across without incident.
Around the mark and away to Armstrong with the decision being made as to how far we could go after the Armstrong before we began the run up the breeze. It was dictated to a degree by the two boats in the lead and we took a chance, went early and then watched as David and Bill battled all the way to Como with David in the lead. Around the mark we went and aimed at the outer start line with the surety that we would be sent around again.. the fluctuating breeze had filled in again. Behind us, Wynella was sailing very well and Nerrima and Anna were following at a respectable distance as each boat dealt with the variable breeze.
Away to Sampson again, with the chatter from the foredeck filling the air as he and our port side trimmer swapped banter. Never have we ever had so much verbal on the boat......! However a run to Dolphin East ensued and Lockie's lead seemed to grow, but on the way back down to Print then Como, something happened with David's speed or maybe he just picked the wrong line. Swiftsure crossed in front of him and then failed to cover him when they aimed at Como with Corella managing to get to Como first, but had to tack to get around the mark. He was far enough in front to make it to the mark first, but everyone on our boat at least, was watching the action closely.
Then it was a run down to Thelma and away to the line. Well sailed Corella and Swiftsure Saga.. we were happy to run third, but full marks to Wynella who lead the second fleet to the line.
Over the line: Corella, Swiftsure Saga and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
Saturday Sailing. Club Championship # 7
A sou-wester ran the river, but a quiet one - 11 knots and a course 4. Unusual for a club championship but effective enough to get the boats around in a couple of hours. Corella took the championship but Nerrima took the handicap honours with the 4 boats enjoying the afternoons sail. Les Brooker was kind enough to pass on a couple of photos from the foredeck of Wynella ( thanks Hayden) and of course it was all about his new spinnaker. Purple and White. Hi Ho.
Over the line: Corella, Nerrima and Wynella.
On handicap: Nerrima, Corella and Wynella.
Wednesday the 13th of March 2024
Another dodgy easterly &
A bit of luck for Bill.
I have to start this afternoon with a report that Carina sank in her pen on Saturday night. I was on my bike on Sunday am and dropped past the club to find David Locke loading oil booms into the back of his truck. The query was put and one word was uttered. 'Carina' It took a few seconds for me to realise that it was actually Carina the H28 and she had gone down in her pen. I rode around to the jetty and sure enough, there was the forlorn figure of Geoff trying to rescue bits and pieces from the boat. A brief chat and commiseration was offered with the 'what will you do now' foremost in my mind. There was a plan and Carina presently sits on the slips at SoPYC.
Once again, the easterly was in and the breeze was to dominate the race. We had seven H28s on the water today and with Colin Stevenson on the helm of the Jin we were set for a a good fleet. The club coach Denis Jones had been invited to join Wynella for the afternoon and Ernie was driving as once again they were looking to flesh their crew out. The starters sent us up to Martin - Weaver on a course 4 and careful timing had us on the line and in the lead. All the way to Martin and deeper toward the moorings we went and flipped over to head to Weaver. We had fair pressure with us to start and running along the freeway to Sampson, it dropped in and out, giving Corella a fair chance to catch up. And so they did. They rolled us before Sampson.
Bill was in a good spot and was able to take advantage of being first in the breeze. Mariner was beginning to catch up with Corella and by Robins we had her in our sights. And then the breeze dropped out; but Swiftsure Saga was in a better spot with some air and simply sailed around the pair of us to take the lead, never looking back. We were away to Dolphin East with the chance that the race would be shortened up as time was slipping away. It was a follow me procedure to DE and then the last work of the day began. Down to Como.
The fleet spread itself around the river, some going deep into the north and others crossing over to the south to run down the line to Como. We nearly caught Corella on their way into the north, but it was a momentary chance and Lockie was following his plan to come out of the left. But Swiftsure Saga was on the same line as we were and had done very well. Making it to Como was another thing as a Melges 32 slipped between us and Corella providing a few interesting photos. Around we went with Bill in the lead, but behind us another issue was developing.
Nerrima had gone out to the north and was following Corella's path to Como... Anna and Wynella were at Como and making it around the mark when a Foundation 36 drove right into the corner at Como on starboard pushing both Wynella and Anna back out of their intended path around Como effectively stalling them on the mark. That gave Nerrima a chance as she had momentum and by the finish line, she had taken the lead in the group. The action by the Foundation 36 was questionable, however it was legit but the larger boat had no compassion for the other fleet. Karma is requested.
The race was shortened for all fleets.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, equal second Mariner and Nerrima.
A pursuit race was held on Saturday, but at this stage no results can be found on the club website.
Another dodgy easterly &
A bit of luck for Bill.
I have to start this afternoon with a report that Carina sank in her pen on Saturday night. I was on my bike on Sunday am and dropped past the club to find David Locke loading oil booms into the back of his truck. The query was put and one word was uttered. 'Carina' It took a few seconds for me to realise that it was actually Carina the H28 and she had gone down in her pen. I rode around to the jetty and sure enough, there was the forlorn figure of Geoff trying to rescue bits and pieces from the boat. A brief chat and commiseration was offered with the 'what will you do now' foremost in my mind. There was a plan and Carina presently sits on the slips at SoPYC.
Once again, the easterly was in and the breeze was to dominate the race. We had seven H28s on the water today and with Colin Stevenson on the helm of the Jin we were set for a a good fleet. The club coach Denis Jones had been invited to join Wynella for the afternoon and Ernie was driving as once again they were looking to flesh their crew out. The starters sent us up to Martin - Weaver on a course 4 and careful timing had us on the line and in the lead. All the way to Martin and deeper toward the moorings we went and flipped over to head to Weaver. We had fair pressure with us to start and running along the freeway to Sampson, it dropped in and out, giving Corella a fair chance to catch up. And so they did. They rolled us before Sampson.
Bill was in a good spot and was able to take advantage of being first in the breeze. Mariner was beginning to catch up with Corella and by Robins we had her in our sights. And then the breeze dropped out; but Swiftsure Saga was in a better spot with some air and simply sailed around the pair of us to take the lead, never looking back. We were away to Dolphin East with the chance that the race would be shortened up as time was slipping away. It was a follow me procedure to DE and then the last work of the day began. Down to Como.
The fleet spread itself around the river, some going deep into the north and others crossing over to the south to run down the line to Como. We nearly caught Corella on their way into the north, but it was a momentary chance and Lockie was following his plan to come out of the left. But Swiftsure Saga was on the same line as we were and had done very well. Making it to Como was another thing as a Melges 32 slipped between us and Corella providing a few interesting photos. Around we went with Bill in the lead, but behind us another issue was developing.
Nerrima had gone out to the north and was following Corella's path to Como... Anna and Wynella were at Como and making it around the mark when a Foundation 36 drove right into the corner at Como on starboard pushing both Wynella and Anna back out of their intended path around Como effectively stalling them on the mark. That gave Nerrima a chance as she had momentum and by the finish line, she had taken the lead in the group. The action by the Foundation 36 was questionable, however it was legit but the larger boat had no compassion for the other fleet. Karma is requested.
The race was shortened for all fleets.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, equal second Mariner and Nerrima.
A pursuit race was held on Saturday, but at this stage no results can be found on the club website.
Wednesday the 6th of March 2024
A masterclass on the water &
A rather dodgy easterly.
I have just had the entire story wiped by a kick from the Weebly system. Not happy!!! Da Capo.
The starters had realised that the afternoon was going to be trying and sent the 6 H28's away on a course two with an easterly that swung from the north to the south. As they had told us we were running up to Martin - Weaver, we went for a look and realised very quickly that we had to go into the moorings to make Weaver.
Hanging on our sails, we shuffled the boats on the start line and while the boat below us appeared to be over, no flag was flown so we took off en-mass. The smart pair of Swiftsure Saga and Corella took a chance as did Wynella and while the first two made it around the mark, Wynella had to come back for the mark and caused us to have to avoid them. A protest ensued and they did their whizzy once around the mark. Its a pity as they had done very well off the line and looked to be a chance.
The run down to Sampson was a classic with SSS and Corella firmly in the lead and a pack of four sorting themselves out down to the mark. Around Sampson and then a pole of one variety or another to get to Hall Mark and we had to dodge the RP div two fleet as they charged down their path to Foam Buoy. That cost us a few meters as we made our way through and the lead pair managed to get through clearly.
But it wasn't without incident as the leaders had apparently decided to go to Armstrong and all of a sudden realised that Hall Mark was below them and the whole fleet (baa baa) shifted course. So around Hall Mark and away to Armstrong with the decision to cross the creek or take a chance on the shifting breezes on the way to Como. Well, of course then there was the Royal Perth fleet crossing us as well and we had a few shouting matches with some of the boats as they tried to establish their ability to avoid damage. But the lead pair were immune to this and follow the leader, they worked their way down to Como to round ready to aim at the outer start line. There was a slight shuffle of our own boats as well as we were challenged by Anna briefly and it was only at Como that we were able to review our position.
No shortened course, so away we went on the small lap and Dolphin East was our target. Bill had a decent lead by this time and Erich the Octopus was all over the boat, keeping Swiftsure Saga sailing well and true. Around Sampson and a pole with the last three boats forming an everchanging pack as the lead re arranged itself yet again. By this time we had Pipedreams a Div. two boat in the mix and they were thankfully, careful enough to keep clear of us. So down to Dolphin East with the pair keeping company and Bill holding the inside spot.
Away they went and we rounded shortly after, but the race was fascinating as try as he could, Lockie could not get through Swiftsure Saga, down to Print and so long as Bill held the lead and covered Lockie. It was a Monty.. he had him.. Not that David would die wondering ... challenge after challenge but SSS held the lead to Thelma and then it was the run to the line. I guess a clean bottom was the winner there. Great match racing between the two of them and a fine result. Behind them Mariner had established a good third over the line and the trio had finally sorted out their differences with Anna coming out tops and Les on Nerrima getting past Wynella at Thelma to take fifth on the line.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Wynella.
A classic piece of Match racing and Bill and Erich deserve all the credit coming to them.
Andy Lane is on the mend and John Pierzak hopes to be on the boat next week.
There was no Saturday sailing last week.
A masterclass on the water &
A rather dodgy easterly.
I have just had the entire story wiped by a kick from the Weebly system. Not happy!!! Da Capo.
The starters had realised that the afternoon was going to be trying and sent the 6 H28's away on a course two with an easterly that swung from the north to the south. As they had told us we were running up to Martin - Weaver, we went for a look and realised very quickly that we had to go into the moorings to make Weaver.
Hanging on our sails, we shuffled the boats on the start line and while the boat below us appeared to be over, no flag was flown so we took off en-mass. The smart pair of Swiftsure Saga and Corella took a chance as did Wynella and while the first two made it around the mark, Wynella had to come back for the mark and caused us to have to avoid them. A protest ensued and they did their whizzy once around the mark. Its a pity as they had done very well off the line and looked to be a chance.
The run down to Sampson was a classic with SSS and Corella firmly in the lead and a pack of four sorting themselves out down to the mark. Around Sampson and then a pole of one variety or another to get to Hall Mark and we had to dodge the RP div two fleet as they charged down their path to Foam Buoy. That cost us a few meters as we made our way through and the lead pair managed to get through clearly.
But it wasn't without incident as the leaders had apparently decided to go to Armstrong and all of a sudden realised that Hall Mark was below them and the whole fleet (baa baa) shifted course. So around Hall Mark and away to Armstrong with the decision to cross the creek or take a chance on the shifting breezes on the way to Como. Well, of course then there was the Royal Perth fleet crossing us as well and we had a few shouting matches with some of the boats as they tried to establish their ability to avoid damage. But the lead pair were immune to this and follow the leader, they worked their way down to Como to round ready to aim at the outer start line. There was a slight shuffle of our own boats as well as we were challenged by Anna briefly and it was only at Como that we were able to review our position.
No shortened course, so away we went on the small lap and Dolphin East was our target. Bill had a decent lead by this time and Erich the Octopus was all over the boat, keeping Swiftsure Saga sailing well and true. Around Sampson and a pole with the last three boats forming an everchanging pack as the lead re arranged itself yet again. By this time we had Pipedreams a Div. two boat in the mix and they were thankfully, careful enough to keep clear of us. So down to Dolphin East with the pair keeping company and Bill holding the inside spot.
Away they went and we rounded shortly after, but the race was fascinating as try as he could, Lockie could not get through Swiftsure Saga, down to Print and so long as Bill held the lead and covered Lockie. It was a Monty.. he had him.. Not that David would die wondering ... challenge after challenge but SSS held the lead to Thelma and then it was the run to the line. I guess a clean bottom was the winner there. Great match racing between the two of them and a fine result. Behind them Mariner had established a good third over the line and the trio had finally sorted out their differences with Anna coming out tops and Les on Nerrima getting past Wynella at Thelma to take fifth on the line.
Over the line: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Mariner.
On handicap: Swiftsure Saga, Corella and Wynella.
A classic piece of Match racing and Bill and Erich deserve all the credit coming to them.
Andy Lane is on the mend and John Pierzak hopes to be on the boat next week.
There was no Saturday sailing last week.
Wednesday the 28th of February 2024
The name of the game. &
Sometimes you just can't pick them.
The day began slightly over clouded with a nice sou-wester pushing through. We had a couple of no - go's and we are wishing Ron well with his visit to the specialist. Gary came on board to cover for him and although he was a novice, he knew which side of a boat to sit on. Lockie is still on holidays and Rita fronted on Wynella and big things were expected from that boat.
Five H28's and a course one with a run up to Martin and Weaver to begin. Stirring stuff to get you going. Hanging around the channel, we began the dive to the start line but we were way too early and a few moments hanging on our sails ensued. Bill was sitting on our starboard quarter of our transom and the rest were stacked below us with a ding dong battle between ourselves and Anna up to Martin. Not having a chance to rest on this one, Geoff ran the jib to the corner as we lifted to the mark and then eased our way down to follow Anna around the first mark. So chasing Anna was the name of the game.
Away to Weaver and down to Sampson, it was a test of the boats and skippers as it was a real question to pole out or not. Some did, some didn't and values changed as we sailed down to Sampson, checking to see what the next few marks were and how we could handle the boat with Gary on board. The unused pole was stowed and we rounded the mark in the lead having caught up with Anna on the run. However it wasn't without a certain amount of interest as we had caught up with a div two boat and put them into the mark rounding exercise.
On our way to Print, the decision was speed and height and fortunately the boat was delivering; a quick tack and another, then around the mark and a pole set after the gybe. Getting to Addison early gave us the chance to drop the pole earlier and then a smooth rounding set us on our way to Robins. Across the river to the channel and watch as John Wright pulled off another magnificent lift and it was only the speed that we had that helped us along.
Behind us we had Swiftsure Saga and Nerrima who had decided to go up the middle while Wynella was doing rather well considering, to keep their speed up and the boat in contention for the handicap. It was really a choice of paths up to Robins and which one should we take. Anna and Wynella were more or less traditional as we were, but there is always the chance of a different breeze as we discovered on the second leg up to Robins.
So down to Addison with clear air and only a pair of SS27's who had us thinking about a clash, but they turned at Print and we kept on going down. It was the second run up to Robins that had us seriously out of phase and there was much cursing as we knocked and knocked while watching Anna make gains on us. We simply couldn't pick the shifts. Eventually we made it to Robins and then looked toward Como as the next mark. Wynella and Nerima were trading tacks and it was clear that neither was going to give an inch. Swiftsure was doing well and appeared to be holding down a comfortable third place.
Around Como and look at the box.. yes there is a flag flying, but did it offer us anything? So we set ourselves for the inevitable knocks as we headed for the line and sure enough we had to take a quick double tack to cross the line where John Wright and Anna barrelled along much higher and made up valuable time to the finish line.. yes it was a shortened course again. Thanks starters.
Over the line: Mariner, Anna and Swiftsure Saga
On handicap: Mariner, Wynella and Anna.
Saturday Sailing: 24th of February. The 6th Championship round.
A really light day out of the sou west and a course 4 on offer.
Lockie was away and it gave the rest of the fleet a chance to show their stuff, but you cant allow for howlers like this. Nerrima had the race in the bag according to Geoff who was running the main on the boat. But someone forgot which was Anderson and/or King. So they had to go back and unwind their mistake. Leaving them well and truly in second place. This was not the first time according to Geoff.
Over the line and on handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Aloha.
Again not very many photos. I was busy on the main on Wednesday
The name of the game. &
Sometimes you just can't pick them.
The day began slightly over clouded with a nice sou-wester pushing through. We had a couple of no - go's and we are wishing Ron well with his visit to the specialist. Gary came on board to cover for him and although he was a novice, he knew which side of a boat to sit on. Lockie is still on holidays and Rita fronted on Wynella and big things were expected from that boat.
Five H28's and a course one with a run up to Martin and Weaver to begin. Stirring stuff to get you going. Hanging around the channel, we began the dive to the start line but we were way too early and a few moments hanging on our sails ensued. Bill was sitting on our starboard quarter of our transom and the rest were stacked below us with a ding dong battle between ourselves and Anna up to Martin. Not having a chance to rest on this one, Geoff ran the jib to the corner as we lifted to the mark and then eased our way down to follow Anna around the first mark. So chasing Anna was the name of the game.
Away to Weaver and down to Sampson, it was a test of the boats and skippers as it was a real question to pole out or not. Some did, some didn't and values changed as we sailed down to Sampson, checking to see what the next few marks were and how we could handle the boat with Gary on board. The unused pole was stowed and we rounded the mark in the lead having caught up with Anna on the run. However it wasn't without a certain amount of interest as we had caught up with a div two boat and put them into the mark rounding exercise.
On our way to Print, the decision was speed and height and fortunately the boat was delivering; a quick tack and another, then around the mark and a pole set after the gybe. Getting to Addison early gave us the chance to drop the pole earlier and then a smooth rounding set us on our way to Robins. Across the river to the channel and watch as John Wright pulled off another magnificent lift and it was only the speed that we had that helped us along.
Behind us we had Swiftsure Saga and Nerrima who had decided to go up the middle while Wynella was doing rather well considering, to keep their speed up and the boat in contention for the handicap. It was really a choice of paths up to Robins and which one should we take. Anna and Wynella were more or less traditional as we were, but there is always the chance of a different breeze as we discovered on the second leg up to Robins.
So down to Addison with clear air and only a pair of SS27's who had us thinking about a clash, but they turned at Print and we kept on going down. It was the second run up to Robins that had us seriously out of phase and there was much cursing as we knocked and knocked while watching Anna make gains on us. We simply couldn't pick the shifts. Eventually we made it to Robins and then looked toward Como as the next mark. Wynella and Nerima were trading tacks and it was clear that neither was going to give an inch. Swiftsure was doing well and appeared to be holding down a comfortable third place.
Around Como and look at the box.. yes there is a flag flying, but did it offer us anything? So we set ourselves for the inevitable knocks as we headed for the line and sure enough we had to take a quick double tack to cross the line where John Wright and Anna barrelled along much higher and made up valuable time to the finish line.. yes it was a shortened course again. Thanks starters.
Over the line: Mariner, Anna and Swiftsure Saga
On handicap: Mariner, Wynella and Anna.
Saturday Sailing: 24th of February. The 6th Championship round.
A really light day out of the sou west and a course 4 on offer.
Lockie was away and it gave the rest of the fleet a chance to show their stuff, but you cant allow for howlers like this. Nerrima had the race in the bag according to Geoff who was running the main on the boat. But someone forgot which was Anderson and/or King. So they had to go back and unwind their mistake. Leaving them well and truly in second place. This was not the first time according to Geoff.
Over the line and on handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Aloha.
Again not very many photos. I was busy on the main on Wednesday
Wednesday the 21st of February 2024
Third time lucky &
Just in time.
A six pack of H28's joined up on the water with a burgeoning sea breeze in place. In their wisdom the starters had us aimed at Martin and Weaver to begin with, so no pressure on the trimmers on this one. David Locke had non sailing guests on board so we were not expecting too much, but that would be underestimating Rita. Likewise Bill was missing both Big John and Erich so they were performing with just Graham and the skipper (sometimes that actually works very well). Everyone else was three or four up and it was going to be a good day.
5 of the 6 H28s were lurking above the line ready to swoop down to the box end, with Les on Nerrima electing to go low and hit the line with speed. It could have been anyone's, but Mariner saw the chance and jumped into the lead for the run along the jetties, with the main and jib operating in synchroneity as we aimed at Martin. But Les had chosen well and Hughie was kind as he rose up to Martin and managed to claim an inside berth on the mark. But not for long as Mariner smothered him, and he was almost buried in the wall of boats that followed us. Around Weaver and whether to run the pole out or not...
Out of the pack loomed Anna, with John Wright driving his boat like a demon and took a good lead over the pack to end up on our transom. Corella wasn't too far behind either with Rita and David working as a team to give their guests a good show. Wynella wasn't enjoying the day as much without Andy and we are still waiting to see how he is. Once we reached Sampson and rounded the mark, it was then up to us to lead the pack up to Print and take the first tack across to the mark. Wynella had gone left to get clear air and consequently went out the door. A pity, but all the other boats had spread out a bit and he wasn't getting any help by sitting in the rubbish air.
Tack and then around the mark with a gybe, slip between two on coming boats and then a starboard pole to Addison. A quick break to see where we were at and then girdle our loins for the run up to Robins and the possibilities that would ensue. Both John on Anna and David with Corella were very much on point and it was a case of keeping them behind us. Over to the Heathcote bank and then tack out, ready to dive back into the bay around Frenchie's to aim at Robins. With David and John on our heels, making good decisions was important and the boat was running really swiftly. Making Robins in one was the expectation and we swung around it at speed. A starboard pole that slowly went by the lee and two thirds of the way down, a gybe of the main was necessary to get us back into shape to arrive at Addison.
We gybed back and made it to the mark with an early drop that allowed us to power out of the turn and aim at Robins again. Same deal and again we were lifting across the river. A bit of Westerly influence probably and the clouds that had kept the breeze down were dissipating. More oomph. Over to the bank, tack out and then get rolled by the Royal Perth fleet. It could have been a disaster, but they rolled Corella as well and they were on our transom again. Right in under Heathcote and perhaps another metre more would have been disastrous. Lockie tacked and then we tacked and looking back I saw a swirl of sand that marked our tack. Just in Time. Then aim at Robins and run the boat as fast as we could. 5.8 to 6 knots. It was good, but Lockie was just as fast.
Around Robins in one swoop, set a pole and look back. Crickey, we were well away from the rest of the fleet. But Corella wasn't finished yet. He was close enough to cover us and while he couldn't get past, he had us slowing down. Extremely frustrating and good sailing. Drop the pole, make the corner and aim at the outer start line, which had turned into the finish line with a pair of shortened course flags waving brilliantly in the sun. The race to the finish was on. Corella always pushing always probing and of course Rob Male on Jindarra decided to ride over the top of us. Shrug those concerns aside and aim at the finish line.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and Anna.
On handicap: Mariner, Nerrima and Anna.
Saturday sailing: WSW 10 knots Course one.
On a mild day, three boats took off with a slightly different start scenario. Given that most of the rest of the fleets were away on invitationals, the club decided that a box start would be fine. This time the H28's were first cabs off the rank and at 1330 Aloha, Wynella and Nerrima set off to Sampson. Nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes later, they began to arrive at the finish line.
Over the line: Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha.
On handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Aloha.
Third time lucky &
Just in time.
A six pack of H28's joined up on the water with a burgeoning sea breeze in place. In their wisdom the starters had us aimed at Martin and Weaver to begin with, so no pressure on the trimmers on this one. David Locke had non sailing guests on board so we were not expecting too much, but that would be underestimating Rita. Likewise Bill was missing both Big John and Erich so they were performing with just Graham and the skipper (sometimes that actually works very well). Everyone else was three or four up and it was going to be a good day.
5 of the 6 H28s were lurking above the line ready to swoop down to the box end, with Les on Nerrima electing to go low and hit the line with speed. It could have been anyone's, but Mariner saw the chance and jumped into the lead for the run along the jetties, with the main and jib operating in synchroneity as we aimed at Martin. But Les had chosen well and Hughie was kind as he rose up to Martin and managed to claim an inside berth on the mark. But not for long as Mariner smothered him, and he was almost buried in the wall of boats that followed us. Around Weaver and whether to run the pole out or not...
Out of the pack loomed Anna, with John Wright driving his boat like a demon and took a good lead over the pack to end up on our transom. Corella wasn't too far behind either with Rita and David working as a team to give their guests a good show. Wynella wasn't enjoying the day as much without Andy and we are still waiting to see how he is. Once we reached Sampson and rounded the mark, it was then up to us to lead the pack up to Print and take the first tack across to the mark. Wynella had gone left to get clear air and consequently went out the door. A pity, but all the other boats had spread out a bit and he wasn't getting any help by sitting in the rubbish air.
Tack and then around the mark with a gybe, slip between two on coming boats and then a starboard pole to Addison. A quick break to see where we were at and then girdle our loins for the run up to Robins and the possibilities that would ensue. Both John on Anna and David with Corella were very much on point and it was a case of keeping them behind us. Over to the Heathcote bank and then tack out, ready to dive back into the bay around Frenchie's to aim at Robins. With David and John on our heels, making good decisions was important and the boat was running really swiftly. Making Robins in one was the expectation and we swung around it at speed. A starboard pole that slowly went by the lee and two thirds of the way down, a gybe of the main was necessary to get us back into shape to arrive at Addison.
We gybed back and made it to the mark with an early drop that allowed us to power out of the turn and aim at Robins again. Same deal and again we were lifting across the river. A bit of Westerly influence probably and the clouds that had kept the breeze down were dissipating. More oomph. Over to the bank, tack out and then get rolled by the Royal Perth fleet. It could have been a disaster, but they rolled Corella as well and they were on our transom again. Right in under Heathcote and perhaps another metre more would have been disastrous. Lockie tacked and then we tacked and looking back I saw a swirl of sand that marked our tack. Just in Time. Then aim at Robins and run the boat as fast as we could. 5.8 to 6 knots. It was good, but Lockie was just as fast.
Around Robins in one swoop, set a pole and look back. Crickey, we were well away from the rest of the fleet. But Corella wasn't finished yet. He was close enough to cover us and while he couldn't get past, he had us slowing down. Extremely frustrating and good sailing. Drop the pole, make the corner and aim at the outer start line, which had turned into the finish line with a pair of shortened course flags waving brilliantly in the sun. The race to the finish was on. Corella always pushing always probing and of course Rob Male on Jindarra decided to ride over the top of us. Shrug those concerns aside and aim at the finish line.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and Anna.
On handicap: Mariner, Nerrima and Anna.
Saturday sailing: WSW 10 knots Course one.
On a mild day, three boats took off with a slightly different start scenario. Given that most of the rest of the fleets were away on invitationals, the club decided that a box start would be fine. This time the H28's were first cabs off the rank and at 1330 Aloha, Wynella and Nerrima set off to Sampson. Nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes later, they began to arrive at the finish line.
Over the line: Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha.
On handicap: Wynella, Nerrima and Aloha.
Wednesday the 14th of February 2024
Will we, won't we.
Wynella shows her colours. &
A Saturday Championship Round
Stuck between the breezes again as the half a dozen H28's drifted aimlessly toward the line. A puff from the freeway and the slowly gathering ripples on the water in the north. Yes it was there, but it wasn't there yet. Wisely the starters had offered the fleets a course 4 and I'll guess they were prepared to shorten it further if the breeze failed to fill in.
Phil had chosen to take the hi line near the box and the gathering breeze down the river as had Lockie and Rita, but those jammy sods down on the freeway picked up a last gasp and took off like rockets with Wynella and Anna looking mighty fine. Bill on Swiftsure Saga wasn't doing too badly as he had found the leading edge of the westerly and we watched Corella slip into it as well. But both Nerrima and Mariner were on the wrong side of the breeze and we could see the rest of the fleet disappearing as the freeway riders transited into the westerly and romped away. Will it get to us or wont we be so lucky.. arrggh! Frustratingly, it tickled our canvas and finally moved that 10 meters further up the river. We were away.
Second last around Sampson we set our sights to cross the river and just lifted and lifted. As did every other boat in the fleet. Ahead of us Wynella was still doing well with both Anna and Corella making solid gains on her but by the time the fleet had made it to Robins, Wynella had fallen back into third spot and Les on Nerrima was beginning to have a crack at us.. don't know why, but it was a hard one to carry and he managed to round Como in front of us.
Our job was simple... get past Nerrima on the downwind and a slightly better breeze as we went toward Como allowed us to slip past and a slick rounding at Como had us aimed at the outer start line. Ahead Wynella had regained second spot with Swiftsure Saga gaming with Anna on the dash to the outer start line. A reach back to Sampson and once again the skipper was heard to murmur "Soldiers Course". He was right of course but there was another twist in the tale as we headed off to King from Sampson only to see Swiftsure Saga with her main down and sailing home. {a question asked on the jetty supplied the answer.} The main halyard broke.
That's life unfortunately and it left Anna and Wynella to chase each other to the line, but Wynella had sailed well all day and her handicap said everything. Over a minute in the lead on h/cap.
Over the line: Corella, Anna and Wynella.
On handicap: Wynella, Anna and Corella.
Saturday Sailing the 10th of February. The 5th Championship round.
Course one and 11 knots of sea breeze that didn't get much stronger.
Four boats hit the water and competed well for a much better result than last week where frankly no one should have been on the water. However Corella had Ian Weaver on the boat and as a result romped away with the lead and left the rest of the fleet to sort it out between themselves. However the handicap results were a lot better for Wynella, giving them a good handicap win with Aloha defying everyone with a handicap second and Les on his (almost) unsinkable Nerrima (2 bilge pumps) second over the line and third on handicap. The comments from Nerrima gave me the idea that they were actually enjoying the race as their foredecky Simon had everything under control.
Over the line: Corella, Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha
On handicap: Wynella, Aloha, Nerrima and Corella
Andy Lane continues to be off Wynella and we are hoping that he is ok.
Will we, won't we.
Wynella shows her colours. &
A Saturday Championship Round
Stuck between the breezes again as the half a dozen H28's drifted aimlessly toward the line. A puff from the freeway and the slowly gathering ripples on the water in the north. Yes it was there, but it wasn't there yet. Wisely the starters had offered the fleets a course 4 and I'll guess they were prepared to shorten it further if the breeze failed to fill in.
Phil had chosen to take the hi line near the box and the gathering breeze down the river as had Lockie and Rita, but those jammy sods down on the freeway picked up a last gasp and took off like rockets with Wynella and Anna looking mighty fine. Bill on Swiftsure Saga wasn't doing too badly as he had found the leading edge of the westerly and we watched Corella slip into it as well. But both Nerrima and Mariner were on the wrong side of the breeze and we could see the rest of the fleet disappearing as the freeway riders transited into the westerly and romped away. Will it get to us or wont we be so lucky.. arrggh! Frustratingly, it tickled our canvas and finally moved that 10 meters further up the river. We were away.
Second last around Sampson we set our sights to cross the river and just lifted and lifted. As did every other boat in the fleet. Ahead of us Wynella was still doing well with both Anna and Corella making solid gains on her but by the time the fleet had made it to Robins, Wynella had fallen back into third spot and Les on Nerrima was beginning to have a crack at us.. don't know why, but it was a hard one to carry and he managed to round Como in front of us.
Our job was simple... get past Nerrima on the downwind and a slightly better breeze as we went toward Como allowed us to slip past and a slick rounding at Como had us aimed at the outer start line. Ahead Wynella had regained second spot with Swiftsure Saga gaming with Anna on the dash to the outer start line. A reach back to Sampson and once again the skipper was heard to murmur "Soldiers Course". He was right of course but there was another twist in the tale as we headed off to King from Sampson only to see Swiftsure Saga with her main down and sailing home. {a question asked on the jetty supplied the answer.} The main halyard broke.
That's life unfortunately and it left Anna and Wynella to chase each other to the line, but Wynella had sailed well all day and her handicap said everything. Over a minute in the lead on h/cap.
Over the line: Corella, Anna and Wynella.
On handicap: Wynella, Anna and Corella.
Saturday Sailing the 10th of February. The 5th Championship round.
Course one and 11 knots of sea breeze that didn't get much stronger.
Four boats hit the water and competed well for a much better result than last week where frankly no one should have been on the water. However Corella had Ian Weaver on the boat and as a result romped away with the lead and left the rest of the fleet to sort it out between themselves. However the handicap results were a lot better for Wynella, giving them a good handicap win with Aloha defying everyone with a handicap second and Les on his (almost) unsinkable Nerrima (2 bilge pumps) second over the line and third on handicap. The comments from Nerrima gave me the idea that they were actually enjoying the race as their foredecky Simon had everything under control.
Over the line: Corella, Nerrima, Wynella and Aloha
On handicap: Wynella, Aloha, Nerrima and Corella
Andy Lane continues to be off Wynella and we are hoping that he is ok.
Wednesday the 7th of February 2024 The Lyn Ruedavey Perpetual Trophy
Good one John! &
Saturday Sailing ..... seriously?
We hung about the start line in a sleepy sou easter that came and went and wandered into the north for a while. Eventually an AP was hung out as we watched as the river filled in from the bottom and finally the breeze arrived a few minutes later. There were half a dozen of us on the water with our regular skipper co-opted over to help Lockie who was one short. Still it was a proving ground for us and with Phil as the helm we were under way.
We didn't do very well on the start and frankly I had the main way too tight to begin. The rest of the fleet just stormed away. So there we were, stone motherless and approaching Sampson knowing we would have The First Jindarra breathing bad air on us once we rounded the mark. So once we had settled the boat, we tacked away and took off in clear air. But in front of us an interesting battle was developing. Corella had taken the lead and close on their heels was John Wright and Anna. Yes they were sailing well and John certainly wasn't going to let Lockie out of his sight.
So the run to Print and back down to Addison was fair enough, but once the leaders were away, Les Brooker was next on the line and he was doing very well indeed staying ahead of Wynella and the Jin. Les was short a crew member today with Christina off the boat and two fellows working very hard had to do the job of three. Oh well, been there and had to do it.
Our job on Mariner was to sort ourselves out and then try to minimise the mistakes as we began the climb to Robins for the first time. Tack and tack dipping in and out of the main flow up the river, we eventually found ourselves on the Jin's tail and pushing them. The trick was to get around Robins quickly and hope that the Jin had a problem putting their pole in place. We were a little lucky and manged to get to the lead, but Colin was no slouch and successfully covered us with his sails on the down wind and got the lead back. Last again. But we were both catching up on Wynella.
Ahead of our battle, Anna was still on Corella's tail and Les was sailing his own race in the middle, successfully keeping the pace going. I will note that Nerrima wasn't pumping as much water as she was last week, so I guess that Les had done a good job with the Sikaflex over the last few days. But back to the racing and our job was to get ahead of The Jin. Which we finally did on the second lap managing to get one up on them on the climb up the wind to Robins again. We had rounded Addison with good height and worked our way up to the top mark again with a decent run that nearly had us making the mark in one, but we were still chasing Wynella.
Down to Como this time and make our way across to the outer start line with both of falling down below the mark, it just was a case of how much you had to recover and we made a few yards on that one. Around we went and a pole down to Sampson. which had us sitting above them and in front. The next task was to keep that lead and move on toward Les on Nerrima but first we had to hold ourselves in front of Wynella who was pushing hard to get inside us after Sampson. Trying hard too! Eventually we got the better of them and they dropped back.
Holding on for the cross to King, we tacked with the mark pretty much on the nose as was the breeze and made our way around for a rollicking ride across the breeze to Print with the helm up around Phil's ear for a second until the main sheet was eased a little. It was quick. A look across to the leaders and John Wright was still fairly close on David Locke's transom and Les was safe in third place. But we had improved our chances. So around Print and away to Como and then Thelma as we watched the results for the leaders and blow me down, Anna picked up the fabulous John Wright lift and grew ever closer to Corella as they approached the line. But it wasn't to be and Lockie took the win with Anna 21 seconds later. Good sailing John and crew.
Over the line: Corella, Anna and Nerrima.
On handicap and for the Lyn Ruedavey memorial trophy, Anna, Nerrima and Wynella.
Saturday Sailing. 19 knots - SSW Course 1 It settled 22 knots on the base with 28-30 in the gusts.
Two boats began and well done to both Aloha and Nerrima. Nerrima retired around Applecross with the boat taking on water seriously as the rig was straining the hull. There were reports that the first three planks on either side were letting in the river and its quite likely the rear end may have been opening up a little. The decision was made as they approached Applecross with the eskies on the floor of the cabin now floating. They still had to cross the river to Hall Mark and then to try and find Sanders in the middle of the maelstrom that was the Swan river. Not too reluctantly, they turned for home and retired to get the club pump and drain the hundreds of litres that had found their way into the boat.
Les spent the next couple of days filling gaps and its hoped that he installs another bilge pump as the old one was just not coping.
Congratulations to Aloha for surviving and despite the fact that they were having huge problems in even tacking in the breeze, let alone what a gybe would have looked like. They finished the race and added another win to their consistency for the season.
Not too many photos today, I was on the main.
Good one John! &
Saturday Sailing ..... seriously?
We hung about the start line in a sleepy sou easter that came and went and wandered into the north for a while. Eventually an AP was hung out as we watched as the river filled in from the bottom and finally the breeze arrived a few minutes later. There were half a dozen of us on the water with our regular skipper co-opted over to help Lockie who was one short. Still it was a proving ground for us and with Phil as the helm we were under way.
We didn't do very well on the start and frankly I had the main way too tight to begin. The rest of the fleet just stormed away. So there we were, stone motherless and approaching Sampson knowing we would have The First Jindarra breathing bad air on us once we rounded the mark. So once we had settled the boat, we tacked away and took off in clear air. But in front of us an interesting battle was developing. Corella had taken the lead and close on their heels was John Wright and Anna. Yes they were sailing well and John certainly wasn't going to let Lockie out of his sight.
So the run to Print and back down to Addison was fair enough, but once the leaders were away, Les Brooker was next on the line and he was doing very well indeed staying ahead of Wynella and the Jin. Les was short a crew member today with Christina off the boat and two fellows working very hard had to do the job of three. Oh well, been there and had to do it.
Our job on Mariner was to sort ourselves out and then try to minimise the mistakes as we began the climb to Robins for the first time. Tack and tack dipping in and out of the main flow up the river, we eventually found ourselves on the Jin's tail and pushing them. The trick was to get around Robins quickly and hope that the Jin had a problem putting their pole in place. We were a little lucky and manged to get to the lead, but Colin was no slouch and successfully covered us with his sails on the down wind and got the lead back. Last again. But we were both catching up on Wynella.
Ahead of our battle, Anna was still on Corella's tail and Les was sailing his own race in the middle, successfully keeping the pace going. I will note that Nerrima wasn't pumping as much water as she was last week, so I guess that Les had done a good job with the Sikaflex over the last few days. But back to the racing and our job was to get ahead of The Jin. Which we finally did on the second lap managing to get one up on them on the climb up the wind to Robins again. We had rounded Addison with good height and worked our way up to the top mark again with a decent run that nearly had us making the mark in one, but we were still chasing Wynella.
Down to Como this time and make our way across to the outer start line with both of falling down below the mark, it just was a case of how much you had to recover and we made a few yards on that one. Around we went and a pole down to Sampson. which had us sitting above them and in front. The next task was to keep that lead and move on toward Les on Nerrima but first we had to hold ourselves in front of Wynella who was pushing hard to get inside us after Sampson. Trying hard too! Eventually we got the better of them and they dropped back.
Holding on for the cross to King, we tacked with the mark pretty much on the nose as was the breeze and made our way around for a rollicking ride across the breeze to Print with the helm up around Phil's ear for a second until the main sheet was eased a little. It was quick. A look across to the leaders and John Wright was still fairly close on David Locke's transom and Les was safe in third place. But we had improved our chances. So around Print and away to Como and then Thelma as we watched the results for the leaders and blow me down, Anna picked up the fabulous John Wright lift and grew ever closer to Corella as they approached the line. But it wasn't to be and Lockie took the win with Anna 21 seconds later. Good sailing John and crew.
Over the line: Corella, Anna and Nerrima.
On handicap and for the Lyn Ruedavey memorial trophy, Anna, Nerrima and Wynella.
Saturday Sailing. 19 knots - SSW Course 1 It settled 22 knots on the base with 28-30 in the gusts.
Two boats began and well done to both Aloha and Nerrima. Nerrima retired around Applecross with the boat taking on water seriously as the rig was straining the hull. There were reports that the first three planks on either side were letting in the river and its quite likely the rear end may have been opening up a little. The decision was made as they approached Applecross with the eskies on the floor of the cabin now floating. They still had to cross the river to Hall Mark and then to try and find Sanders in the middle of the maelstrom that was the Swan river. Not too reluctantly, they turned for home and retired to get the club pump and drain the hundreds of litres that had found their way into the boat.
Les spent the next couple of days filling gaps and its hoped that he installs another bilge pump as the old one was just not coping.
Congratulations to Aloha for surviving and despite the fact that they were having huge problems in even tacking in the breeze, let alone what a gybe would have looked like. They finished the race and added another win to their consistency for the season.
Not too many photos today, I was on the main.
Wednesday the 31st of January 2024
Too blxxdy Hot!
Well done to the mob on Anna.
Its rather hard to see an old friend stuck in the mud on a lovely sailing day and even worse when you see the fleet roaring past. No problems for the mob on Anna. They got the boat off and took after the rest of the fleet to sail hard and fast enough to get a close fourth over the line right behind Les Brooker on Nerrima who had done well enough on handicap to nail the first. Les was quite chuffed.
Of course you have to start a race and it was stinking hot, the only escape was to get onto the water pronto and with a pleasant 12 knots out of the sou west that gusted slightly, Mariner led the fleet across the line heading for Sampson and proceeded around the mark with the fleet cascading around the mark in a steady flow. 7 boats today with Colin Stevenson fronting with the boys and everyone else with full crews We could have almost put another boat out if Andrew Minto had thought about it. But he was helping Ernie on Wynella, who was helming in the absence of Glen and two others (all of whom were having royal problems {prostate gland issues}) Colin did own up to needing a navigator as they were 2 minutes late on the start line and began sailing a course two.... only to look back and go oh bugger.
However it was on the run back to Addison from Print that the first clash occurred with the H28 fleet meeting up with C fleet who had decided to cross our path as we barrelled down the wind. A bit of dodging was done, but Mariner got to Addison first. From then on it was straight strategy with Wynella and Corella tacking off and eventually we covered them going all the way almost to the channel. Swapping tacks we took off up the breeze and looking back we spied Corella going deep, but also saw Anna on the mud. Not the best look.
However the battle was afoot and on both crosses we were looking at both Swiftsure Saga and Corella trying to judge where we were in reality and of course Les and Nerrima were keeping up very well. Too late Swiftsure had gone deeper and picked us up and they were in front. Shortly after and muffled curses from the helm confirmed that Corella was in front of us and the rush to Robins had us preparing for a swift rounding, only to have Nerrima coming in on starboard, once we had made it around and a quick swerve being required.
Down to Addison yet again and while Nerrima wasn't about to overtake us, they were there alright. So around Addison and then back up to Robins again. Look back and there was John Wright who had recovered from his visit to the bank and was getting closer to Nerrima all the time. Nothing to worry about eh, Les? So around the top and set a starboard pole this time, aiming at Como with the skippers avowed attempt to make it in one shot. Well we were about half a knot slower than usual, but we made it.
Around we went and we thought we were catching up with the two in front and Bill wasn't going to let David through without a battle and protected his line all the time. In fact for the small lap, he was doing fine and had Corella at bay all the way to Thelma. Unfortunately, the well known H28 affinity for SS22's struck, just at the wrong time. Dave claimed to have had a premonition and had tacked off immediately after Thelma. But there was a meeting between the aforementioned SS22 & Swiftsure Saga and as its under protest (I believe) I can't and won't comment. Both boats took no more part in the racing and S.S.Saga retired from the race, losing what might have been a very well earned first and first place. No damage to SSS and a decent hole in the spacey.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Nerrima.
On handicap: Nerrima, Anna and Mariner.
To last weeks incident on the water at the turning mark: it was a SoPYC boat that centre punched the poor bugger. Or so the story goes. What the SoPYC boat was doing anywhere near the mark has yet to be determined.
Saturday was a non consistency race with a course 4 and 14 knots. Well done to Wynella and Aloha who took to the river and my hat off to Aloha who has utilised the handicap they have, to fend off Wynella yet again. I admire their persistence, but sooner or later they will be caught up with.
Too blxxdy Hot!
Well done to the mob on Anna.
Its rather hard to see an old friend stuck in the mud on a lovely sailing day and even worse when you see the fleet roaring past. No problems for the mob on Anna. They got the boat off and took after the rest of the fleet to sail hard and fast enough to get a close fourth over the line right behind Les Brooker on Nerrima who had done well enough on handicap to nail the first. Les was quite chuffed.
Of course you have to start a race and it was stinking hot, the only escape was to get onto the water pronto and with a pleasant 12 knots out of the sou west that gusted slightly, Mariner led the fleet across the line heading for Sampson and proceeded around the mark with the fleet cascading around the mark in a steady flow. 7 boats today with Colin Stevenson fronting with the boys and everyone else with full crews We could have almost put another boat out if Andrew Minto had thought about it. But he was helping Ernie on Wynella, who was helming in the absence of Glen and two others (all of whom were having royal problems {prostate gland issues}) Colin did own up to needing a navigator as they were 2 minutes late on the start line and began sailing a course two.... only to look back and go oh bugger.
However it was on the run back to Addison from Print that the first clash occurred with the H28 fleet meeting up with C fleet who had decided to cross our path as we barrelled down the wind. A bit of dodging was done, but Mariner got to Addison first. From then on it was straight strategy with Wynella and Corella tacking off and eventually we covered them going all the way almost to the channel. Swapping tacks we took off up the breeze and looking back we spied Corella going deep, but also saw Anna on the mud. Not the best look.
However the battle was afoot and on both crosses we were looking at both Swiftsure Saga and Corella trying to judge where we were in reality and of course Les and Nerrima were keeping up very well. Too late Swiftsure had gone deeper and picked us up and they were in front. Shortly after and muffled curses from the helm confirmed that Corella was in front of us and the rush to Robins had us preparing for a swift rounding, only to have Nerrima coming in on starboard, once we had made it around and a quick swerve being required.
Down to Addison yet again and while Nerrima wasn't about to overtake us, they were there alright. So around Addison and then back up to Robins again. Look back and there was John Wright who had recovered from his visit to the bank and was getting closer to Nerrima all the time. Nothing to worry about eh, Les? So around the top and set a starboard pole this time, aiming at Como with the skippers avowed attempt to make it in one shot. Well we were about half a knot slower than usual, but we made it.
Around we went and we thought we were catching up with the two in front and Bill wasn't going to let David through without a battle and protected his line all the time. In fact for the small lap, he was doing fine and had Corella at bay all the way to Thelma. Unfortunately, the well known H28 affinity for SS22's struck, just at the wrong time. Dave claimed to have had a premonition and had tacked off immediately after Thelma. But there was a meeting between the aforementioned SS22 & Swiftsure Saga and as its under protest (I believe) I can't and won't comment. Both boats took no more part in the racing and S.S.Saga retired from the race, losing what might have been a very well earned first and first place. No damage to SSS and a decent hole in the spacey.
Over the line: Corella, Mariner and Nerrima.
On handicap: Nerrima, Anna and Mariner.
To last weeks incident on the water at the turning mark: it was a SoPYC boat that centre punched the poor bugger. Or so the story goes. What the SoPYC boat was doing anywhere near the mark has yet to be determined.
Saturday was a non consistency race with a course 4 and 14 knots. Well done to Wynella and Aloha who took to the river and my hat off to Aloha who has utilised the handicap they have, to fend off Wynella yet again. I admire their persistence, but sooner or later they will be caught up with.
Wednesday the 24th of January 2024
No sailing today!
Racing abandoned.
It's one of those unfortunate moments in life where the sailing group decide not to go. We were actually rigged up and had the number two hanked on with the knowledge that it would be a wet one, but that was about it. We had a full crew and going out for a yacht was going to be a little challenging, but we had done worse before.
So we sat on the quarterdeck and watched as RP set their fleet loose, only to watch as one of their yachts managed to sink at the temporary turning mark they put out on a Wednesday. Did it justify our retirement? Possibly, but several SoPYC boats still went out anyway including Chris on Helios II flaunting a storm jib. Thanks mate!
Saturday the 20th was a club championship day and 5 boats took to the water with Corella fastest boat on the water, but Les Brooker on Nerrima did a great job to take the handicap win with Corella second and Wynella third. Aloha and Georgina joined them in the racing as well.
Finally, has anyone noted how far out the tide has been going recently? I took a bike ride on Thursday and stopped on the freeway cycle path a little short of Como jetty on the northern side. Take a look at this spread of photos going south to north.
No sailing today!
Racing abandoned.
It's one of those unfortunate moments in life where the sailing group decide not to go. We were actually rigged up and had the number two hanked on with the knowledge that it would be a wet one, but that was about it. We had a full crew and going out for a yacht was going to be a little challenging, but we had done worse before.
So we sat on the quarterdeck and watched as RP set their fleet loose, only to watch as one of their yachts managed to sink at the temporary turning mark they put out on a Wednesday. Did it justify our retirement? Possibly, but several SoPYC boats still went out anyway including Chris on Helios II flaunting a storm jib. Thanks mate!
Saturday the 20th was a club championship day and 5 boats took to the water with Corella fastest boat on the water, but Les Brooker on Nerrima did a great job to take the handicap win with Corella second and Wynella third. Aloha and Georgina joined them in the racing as well.
Finally, has anyone noted how far out the tide has been going recently? I took a bike ride on Thursday and stopped on the freeway cycle path a little short of Como jetty on the northern side. Take a look at this spread of photos going south to north.
Wednesday the 17th of January 2024
Colin joins the fray &
Getting in front and staying there.
The choice of a course one was a little puzzling but having looked at the various weather websites it was apparently a fair choice, but it did give the first boat around Martin + Weaver a pretty good chance.
Jindarra came out for a run today with Colin Stevenson (ex 14' sailor who graduated to SS27's and did very well) at the helm with the crew that Barry and Peter had assembled. Had never sailed an H28 in his life and did very well.
The breeze was never any more than 15 knots and the tussle at the start line was pretty interesting as the skip, as usual, had decided to go in there " balls to the wall". On time in time, we rolled over onto starboard and crossed the line at the box end forcing everyone to go below us. We were off to Martin - Weaver and the main and the trimmers had their jobs cut out to keep the rest off our transom. Swiftsure Saga and Jindarra were closest and Corella had to recover from being buried in the pack.
Around Martin and aim for Weaver with Bill on Swiftsure trying to run over us. We had the jib out by hand for that vital gybe and swung around the mark with Geoff Reason handling the foredeck with aplomb. Then the drag race down to Sampson with the tactics that Corella had taken showing good results. He'd gone high and then ran down the breeze unimpeded by the fleet. The boys on the Jin were doing well as was Swiftsure and the next adventure was the run to Print with a question as to a pole or not on the almost westerly. But first, around Sampson and then wait to see what Swiftsure would do. They tacked after a while, but we kept going for a lay line. Then we went and found ourselves looking across at Swiftsure who had tacked to come back to Print only to have let Corella slip through and take second place. So we knew who was going to be our main rival for the day.
Down to Addison and then up to Robins with a tight reach pretty much, with the mark on the nose most of the time. As usual Corella had gone that little bit deeper and the skip was sweating that Corella was going to out do him on the way. But there was enough of us to convince him that he was clear and we made it to Robins in one board. Hard work for the trimmers, but it got us there. Then down to Addison on another broad reach with the possibility of a leeward pole. Didn't need it and we watched as the rest of the fleet split into pairs in battle, though I did feel for Anna who clearly hadn't had a chance to have their bottom scrubbed post Christmas, come to think of it I don't think Les on Nerrima had either. But Wynella are pretty religious about scrubbing their hull and it should have done them well.
Up we went again to Robins and it was simply keeping an eye on Corella to keep him in check. He would and did push his boat that little bit higher using the scalloping technique and then looked as though he would push through us at Robins again, but some gentle coaxing by Geoff from the foredeck had the skip rise above him, forcing Lockie to go below and give us the room and edge at the mark. " Make it good on the mark" was the request from the skip. "Bang-rattle" and we were around with the winches purring as the sheets were brought in. Probably a bit too much, so a hurried ease got the headsail working well.
By this time, the betting was that they would shorten the course and so the preparation for the battle to the line was thought out and a port pole went out giving us a decent run down the hill. The pole was stowed once we reached Como and then we aimed the boat at the finish line as we could see the shortened course flags whipping in the breeze.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Corella.
There was 10 seconds between Mariner and Corella and it reflected a great battle between the two boats.. Good sailing.
Saturday the 13th was a nice day apparently, with only two boats venturing out in the oppressive heat.
Les Brooker (Nerrima) took a win for the day over Andrew Minto's Aloha but even the lead of some 14 minutes and 40 odd seconds was just enough, with the handicap results telling us there was only 10 seconds in it. Les would have felt hardly done by, if that nearly 15 minutes hadn't been enough.
Oh, and Geoff Reason managed to rip the toe rail off one side of Nerrima. The timber that the screws were in had finally given up the ghost and Geoff's attempt to rescue the boat from drifting off the jetty turned into a gentle tumble on the finger jetty. Well done that man.
Colin joins the fray &
Getting in front and staying there.
The choice of a course one was a little puzzling but having looked at the various weather websites it was apparently a fair choice, but it did give the first boat around Martin + Weaver a pretty good chance.
Jindarra came out for a run today with Colin Stevenson (ex 14' sailor who graduated to SS27's and did very well) at the helm with the crew that Barry and Peter had assembled. Had never sailed an H28 in his life and did very well.
The breeze was never any more than 15 knots and the tussle at the start line was pretty interesting as the skip, as usual, had decided to go in there " balls to the wall". On time in time, we rolled over onto starboard and crossed the line at the box end forcing everyone to go below us. We were off to Martin - Weaver and the main and the trimmers had their jobs cut out to keep the rest off our transom. Swiftsure Saga and Jindarra were closest and Corella had to recover from being buried in the pack.
Around Martin and aim for Weaver with Bill on Swiftsure trying to run over us. We had the jib out by hand for that vital gybe and swung around the mark with Geoff Reason handling the foredeck with aplomb. Then the drag race down to Sampson with the tactics that Corella had taken showing good results. He'd gone high and then ran down the breeze unimpeded by the fleet. The boys on the Jin were doing well as was Swiftsure and the next adventure was the run to Print with a question as to a pole or not on the almost westerly. But first, around Sampson and then wait to see what Swiftsure would do. They tacked after a while, but we kept going for a lay line. Then we went and found ourselves looking across at Swiftsure who had tacked to come back to Print only to have let Corella slip through and take second place. So we knew who was going to be our main rival for the day.
Down to Addison and then up to Robins with a tight reach pretty much, with the mark on the nose most of the time. As usual Corella had gone that little bit deeper and the skip was sweating that Corella was going to out do him on the way. But there was enough of us to convince him that he was clear and we made it to Robins in one board. Hard work for the trimmers, but it got us there. Then down to Addison on another broad reach with the possibility of a leeward pole. Didn't need it and we watched as the rest of the fleet split into pairs in battle, though I did feel for Anna who clearly hadn't had a chance to have their bottom scrubbed post Christmas, come to think of it I don't think Les on Nerrima had either. But Wynella are pretty religious about scrubbing their hull and it should have done them well.
Up we went again to Robins and it was simply keeping an eye on Corella to keep him in check. He would and did push his boat that little bit higher using the scalloping technique and then looked as though he would push through us at Robins again, but some gentle coaxing by Geoff from the foredeck had the skip rise above him, forcing Lockie to go below and give us the room and edge at the mark. " Make it good on the mark" was the request from the skip. "Bang-rattle" and we were around with the winches purring as the sheets were brought in. Probably a bit too much, so a hurried ease got the headsail working well.
By this time, the betting was that they would shorten the course and so the preparation for the battle to the line was thought out and a port pole went out giving us a decent run down the hill. The pole was stowed once we reached Como and then we aimed the boat at the finish line as we could see the shortened course flags whipping in the breeze.
Over the line: Mariner, Corella and Swiftsure Saga.
On handicap: Mariner, Swiftsure Saga and Corella.
There was 10 seconds between Mariner and Corella and it reflected a great battle between the two boats.. Good sailing.
Saturday the 13th was a nice day apparently, with only two boats venturing out in the oppressive heat.
Les Brooker (Nerrima) took a win for the day over Andrew Minto's Aloha but even the lead of some 14 minutes and 40 odd seconds was just enough, with the handicap results telling us there was only 10 seconds in it. Les would have felt hardly done by, if that nearly 15 minutes hadn't been enough.
Oh, and Geoff Reason managed to rip the toe rail off one side of Nerrima. The timber that the screws were in had finally given up the ghost and Geoff's attempt to rescue the boat from drifting off the jetty turned into a gentle tumble on the finger jetty. Well done that man.