With most of the fleet away racing elsewhere for the long weekend, the few that turned up used the three club sunbursts for a bit of blasting around.
We had a new member-to-be, Ajith, who came out for his first ever sail, and then crewed for Aaron in the day's only race.
Conditions were trying, and one boat capsized early in the day. Once they recovered, the race was started.
Rob K sailed the red sunburst single-handed, and lead the race from the start.
Rob L, sailing with Codie in the white sunburst, held a very close second for the early part of the race, with Aaron and Ajith in the blue boat a bit further back after a bad start. This is how the positions stayed until the last beat, with some serious wind and a short, steep chop.
In the early part of the beat, where the wind was up but the water flat, Aaron and Ajith showed huge speed, and rapidly closed up on the other two, passing the white boat, and closing up to within a few feet of the lead.
As the boats hit the choppier water, their speed took a hammering, as they ploughed through the waves, shipping a lot of water.
At the finish, Rob K just managed to hold on, with Aaron and Ajith in second, with Rob L and Codie in third.
Everyone had a blast, and the stories flowed on for hours afterward.
In two weeks, we start our Trailer Yacht Summer Series. All welcome, we would especially like to see some of the less competitive classes, just coming out for a sail around. We'll have soft drinks and snacks available afterward too.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
What's happenin'
Saturday 28th:
Weymouth YC - training at 12:30pm.
French Bay YC - Training at 12 noon.
Waiuku YC - Cruising race at 1:00pm. Also beginner lessons.
Sunday 29th:
Weymouth YC - Racing at 1:15pm.
French Bay YC - Racing at 1:00pm.
Waiuku YC - Racing at 1:30pm. Also beginner lessons.
East coast....
Manukau YMBC starts Series C at 2:30pm Sunday.
Monday is the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta, There is class racing at most clubs on the Waitemata, plus Waka Ama racing, plus One Metre class racing. I think this is still officially the biggest one-day regatta in the southern hemisphere, but cant be sure!
Google it to find out where your class is racing!
Weymouth YC - training at 12:30pm.
French Bay YC - Training at 12 noon.
Waiuku YC - Cruising race at 1:00pm. Also beginner lessons.
Sunday 29th:
Weymouth YC - Racing at 1:15pm.
French Bay YC - Racing at 1:00pm.
Waiuku YC - Racing at 1:30pm. Also beginner lessons.
East coast....
Panmure Lagoon SC has racing at 11:30am on Sunday.
Pakuranga SC has racing at 11:00am
Trailer Yachts:
Manukau YMBC starts Series C at 2:30pm Sunday.
Monday is the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta, There is class racing at most clubs on the Waitemata, plus Waka Ama racing, plus One Metre class racing. I think this is still officially the biggest one-day regatta in the southern hemisphere, but cant be sure!
Google it to find out where your class is racing!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Auckland Trailer Yachts at Weymouth
Our inaugural Trailer Yacht summer series kicks off in just under three weeks.
Here are the confirmed dates:
Here are the confirmed dates:
Sunday February 12, Briefing at 11:30am, Start 12 noon.
Sunday February 26, Briefing at 11:30am, Start 12 noon.
Sunday March 11, Briefing at 11:30am, Start 12 noon.
Sunday March 25, Briefing at 11am, Start 11:30am.
We have seven races scheduled, including one long harbour race, which will be chosen on whichever day has the best wind/ weather/ forecast.
Courses will be decided on the day, sailing area for most courses to be between the Wiri LPG terminal, and the Papakura motorway.
Entry is open to all trailer yachts and large dinghy's, however due to the harbour having shallow areas, we are aiming for smaller, slower yachts such as kestrels and similar.
Come on down and join in, entry is free, and you might find it really enjoyable!
Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are available after sailing.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Coming up .....
On the Manukau.....
French Bay YC has racing and sailing at 0900 Sunday
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 0900 Saturday, and 0930 Sunday.
Weymouth YC and Manukau YMBC have nothing planned.
That seems to be all thats on! The tide affected clubs on the Waitemata don't appear to have anything planned, possible because of a lack of water, or (in the case of PLSC) because the Laser nationals are on.
French Bay YC has racing and sailing at 0900 Sunday
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 0900 Saturday, and 0930 Sunday.
Weymouth YC and Manukau YMBC have nothing planned.
That seems to be all thats on! The tide affected clubs on the Waitemata don't appear to have anything planned, possible because of a lack of water, or (in the case of PLSC) because the Laser nationals are on.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Laser Nationals
Good luck to the four sailors from PLSC heading to Wellington for the 2012 NZ Laser National Championships.
New Zealand has always had some of the world's top Laser sailors at the Nationals, and I know that some of the PLSC guys are getting pretty close too.
Do the small clubs proud guys!
I'm hoping for some updates here as the series goes on.
New Zealand has always had some of the world's top Laser sailors at the Nationals, and I know that some of the PLSC guys are getting pretty close too.
Do the small clubs proud guys!
I'm hoping for some updates here as the series goes on.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Another great day at Weymouth
Another great days fun racing was had by all at WYC today.
A small but quality fleet of seven boats fronted to start the first race, in 20+ degrees, flat water, and fresh 12-15 knot winds.
We had a couple of Sunbursts, a Paper Tiger cat, and one each of Starling, Topper, Frostbite, and NZ Moth. On paper it should have been an easy win for Pete in the cat, followed by Rob in the moth, and then it would be anyone's guess to pick the finishing order, as all the rest of the fleet share the same handicap.
In practise it was a different story, as a windward-leeward course was set, to minimise the cat's advantage.
In the first race, Keith in the frostbite and Murray in the sunburst took advantage of some race-rust on the part of the other competitors, and got a jump right off the startline. Rob took a quick dip a second after crossing the start, as the moth tried to shed it's rider. The others all had to play catch-up from then on.
Around the first mark, Keith had a small lead over Murray, with Angela in the Starling up in third, and Gina in the Topper close behind in fourth. With a big downwind leg ahead, it looked like the battle of the girls was about to get interesting, but as Gina gybed, the kicking strap tore out of the mast, so her race was done. Rob in the Sunburst and Pete in the PT were next, followed by Rob in the Moth.
For the rest of the race, the order didn't really change, except for Pete finding the gas pedal, and pulling through to third place, just ahead of Angela.
In the second race, the start was much more hotly contested,with Rob K, Angela, Murray, and Keith all crossing the line right on the gun. Murray got his nose in front just before the top mark, and had a big battle with Keith, and Rob, to hold on to the lead. Angela couldn't quite keep up with these three in the conditions, but stayed pretty close. The moth grew its wings in this one, and although Murray did his best, Rob flew past, and got into second, as Keith just got the win.
A third race was started, but no official results were recorded. On the water, it was the PT just heading off the Frostbite, with the Sunburst and Moth close behind. Rob L, in the other sunburst, and Angela in the Starling both had involuntary dips courtesy of a windy flat run.
After the sailing, everyone was smiling ear to ear, and vowed to return.
Things are looking up, with the fleet slowly building in size, and beautiful sailing conditions. Come on down and join the fun - you can even get a fizzy drink and choccy bar afterward!
A small but quality fleet of seven boats fronted to start the first race, in 20+ degrees, flat water, and fresh 12-15 knot winds.
We had a couple of Sunbursts, a Paper Tiger cat, and one each of Starling, Topper, Frostbite, and NZ Moth. On paper it should have been an easy win for Pete in the cat, followed by Rob in the moth, and then it would be anyone's guess to pick the finishing order, as all the rest of the fleet share the same handicap.
In practise it was a different story, as a windward-leeward course was set, to minimise the cat's advantage.
In the first race, Keith in the frostbite and Murray in the sunburst took advantage of some race-rust on the part of the other competitors, and got a jump right off the startline. Rob took a quick dip a second after crossing the start, as the moth tried to shed it's rider. The others all had to play catch-up from then on.
Around the first mark, Keith had a small lead over Murray, with Angela in the Starling up in third, and Gina in the Topper close behind in fourth. With a big downwind leg ahead, it looked like the battle of the girls was about to get interesting, but as Gina gybed, the kicking strap tore out of the mast, so her race was done. Rob in the Sunburst and Pete in the PT were next, followed by Rob in the Moth.
For the rest of the race, the order didn't really change, except for Pete finding the gas pedal, and pulling through to third place, just ahead of Angela.
In the second race, the start was much more hotly contested,with Rob K, Angela, Murray, and Keith all crossing the line right on the gun. Murray got his nose in front just before the top mark, and had a big battle with Keith, and Rob, to hold on to the lead. Angela couldn't quite keep up with these three in the conditions, but stayed pretty close. The moth grew its wings in this one, and although Murray did his best, Rob flew past, and got into second, as Keith just got the win.
A third race was started, but no official results were recorded. On the water, it was the PT just heading off the Frostbite, with the Sunburst and Moth close behind. Rob L, in the other sunburst, and Angela in the Starling both had involuntary dips courtesy of a windy flat run.
After the sailing, everyone was smiling ear to ear, and vowed to return.
Things are looking up, with the fleet slowly building in size, and beautiful sailing conditions. Come on down and join the fun - you can even get a fizzy drink and choccy bar afterward!
Rob's Moth in action.
Well, it happened!
Here it is, proof that you can have serious fun on a budget!
Here it is, proof that you can have serious fun on a budget!
Although sometimes it can go wrong too!
No Problem tho, here he is challenging for the lead in the second race....
Which he finished in second!
Go to the Weymouth YC website, go to teams, and check out all of todays Dinghy Sailing photos.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Rob's Moth
In a possibly rash decision, Rob bought the $2 moth from me as a jumble of bits, after enjoying himself a bit much in a small boat last weekend. Today it is rigged and almost ready to go. Here it is :
Looks pretty good to me. I've spent the afternoon trying to convince him to take it for a spin tomorrow.
Did it work? I'll tell you tomorrow night, fingers crossed!
There's still a band of NZMoth enthusiasts around, I believe performance is about on par with the British Moth, and Australian Scow Moths. Of course, it wont keep pace with the new foilers, but not much will.
Looks pretty good to me. I've spent the afternoon trying to convince him to take it for a spin tomorrow.
Did it work? I'll tell you tomorrow night, fingers crossed!
There's still a band of NZMoth enthusiasts around, I believe performance is about on par with the British Moth, and Australian Scow Moths. Of course, it wont keep pace with the new foilers, but not much will.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Coming up soon....
Saturday 14/1/2012.
Weymouth YC has training at 12 noon
Waiuku YC has Holiday racing at 1:30pm
FBYC has training at 1pm
Sunday 15/1/2012.
Weymouth YC has racing at 2pm
Manukau YMBC has the last race of series B at 3pm.
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 2pm
FBYC has racing at 2pm
PLSC has match racing at 11:30am on Sunday.
Pakuranga has nothing planned.
Looks like a busy weekend for those keen enough to travel, we could theoretically visit Waiuku for racing on Saturday, PLSC Sunday Morning, and then race somewhere on the Manukau in the afternoon!
For me it'll probably be PLSC in the morning, and Weymouth in the afternoon.
Weymouth YC has training at 12 noon
Waiuku YC has Holiday racing at 1:30pm
FBYC has training at 1pm
Sunday 15/1/2012.
Weymouth YC has racing at 2pm
Manukau YMBC has the last race of series B at 3pm.
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 2pm
FBYC has racing at 2pm
PLSC has match racing at 11:30am on Sunday.
Pakuranga has nothing planned.
Looks like a busy weekend for those keen enough to travel, we could theoretically visit Waiuku for racing on Saturday, PLSC Sunday Morning, and then race somewhere on the Manukau in the afternoon!
For me it'll probably be PLSC in the morning, and Weymouth in the afternoon.
Great Service
We recently visited Wettie Wetsuits in Albany, and tried to get some sailing boots for Ashley.
Although they had nothing suitable in stock, they were happy to supply us with a pair of neoprene wet socks, custom made around Ashley's tiny feet.
The price was $35 delivered by courier to the door.
The boots arrived today, and are well made and a perfect fit.
Coupled with a pair of $7 beach feet from the warehouse, they are the perfect solution to small kids sailing. Plus they should provide a bit of growth room as they are made with flatlock stitching, so can stretch a bit.
Oh, and they look awesome! She's wearing them around the house now, and says they're really comfy!
Check out the store on http://www.wettiewetsuits.co.nz
Although they had nothing suitable in stock, they were happy to supply us with a pair of neoprene wet socks, custom made around Ashley's tiny feet.
The price was $35 delivered by courier to the door.
The boots arrived today, and are well made and a perfect fit.
Coupled with a pair of $7 beach feet from the warehouse, they are the perfect solution to small kids sailing. Plus they should provide a bit of growth room as they are made with flatlock stitching, so can stretch a bit.
Oh, and they look awesome! She's wearing them around the house now, and says they're really comfy!
Check out the store on http://www.wettiewetsuits.co.nz
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Today's fun at Weymouth
A small but keen fleet assembled today to join in the new years racing.
We had sunbursts, a starling, a topper, and a visiting frostbite.
As all these boats are similar speeds, a simple triangle course was laid, with a gate start.
In the first race, Keith in the Frostbite had a great start and first beat, closely followed by the two Sunbursts. He held onto the lead for the first lap, with Aaron and Ashley in the first Sunburst slowly closing the gap. Around half way up the second beat, Aaron and Ashley's traveller tore out of the boat, and their race was done. Keith turned back briefly to offer assistance, only to allow Rob and Pete to snatch the lead. They held the lead for most of the race then, but lost it on the last beat, allowing Keith through for the win.
Aaron came back out in the topper for the second race, with the same course. This time Rob and Pete got the best start, followed by Keith. Aaron, and Codie (in a starling) were slightly off the line. Aaron was almost right next to Keith when Keith had a knot failure, and lost control of his mainsheet. On a favourable shift, Aaron got to the top mark first, just ahead of Rob and Pete. This race then became a procession, with no overtaking at all.
After the racing was finished, Aaron and Rob had a couple of short sprint races, each getting one victory.
The second half of the season if off to a great start, with a lot of interest from prospective new members, and both Pete and Keith have interested friends, so things are looking up! Come on down and join the fun - the program is on our website ( link at top of the page) or check in here on a friday and most of our events will be listed.
We had sunbursts, a starling, a topper, and a visiting frostbite.
As all these boats are similar speeds, a simple triangle course was laid, with a gate start.
In the first race, Keith in the Frostbite had a great start and first beat, closely followed by the two Sunbursts. He held onto the lead for the first lap, with Aaron and Ashley in the first Sunburst slowly closing the gap. Around half way up the second beat, Aaron and Ashley's traveller tore out of the boat, and their race was done. Keith turned back briefly to offer assistance, only to allow Rob and Pete to snatch the lead. They held the lead for most of the race then, but lost it on the last beat, allowing Keith through for the win.
Aaron came back out in the topper for the second race, with the same course. This time Rob and Pete got the best start, followed by Keith. Aaron, and Codie (in a starling) were slightly off the line. Aaron was almost right next to Keith when Keith had a knot failure, and lost control of his mainsheet. On a favourable shift, Aaron got to the top mark first, just ahead of Rob and Pete. This race then became a procession, with no overtaking at all.
After the racing was finished, Aaron and Rob had a couple of short sprint races, each getting one victory.
The second half of the season if off to a great start, with a lot of interest from prospective new members, and both Pete and Keith have interested friends, so things are looking up! Come on down and join the fun - the program is on our website ( link at top of the page) or check in here on a friday and most of our events will be listed.
Friday, January 6, 2012
What's on this weekend
Better late than never....
Saturday 7/1/2012
Waiuku has Holiday racing at 0900
Sunday 8/1/2012
French Bay YC has racing at 0900
Weymouth YC has racing at 0915
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 0930
MYMBC, PLSC, and PSC have nothing planned.
Remember, these are start times, arrive earlier so you have time to get rigged!
Saturday 7/1/2012
Waiuku has Holiday racing at 0900
Sunday 8/1/2012
French Bay YC has racing at 0900
Weymouth YC has racing at 0915
Waiuku YC has holiday racing at 0930
MYMBC, PLSC, and PSC have nothing planned.
Remember, these are start times, arrive earlier so you have time to get rigged!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Trailer Yacht Action at Weymouth... Soon??
I have been chasing trailer yacht owners recently, with a view to establishing a racing fleet for the less competitive Auckland trailer yacht owner. After a bit of looking around, it would seem that most clubs have stopped hosting trailer yacht racing.
I am tentatively calling this a 16 footer squad, mainly because of our much loved harbour's shallow depth in places.
Of course any small trailer yacht will be welcomed.
We have a series of river and harbour races planned for next season, all starting from the Weymouth club.
In no way are we trying to step on the toes of MYMBC, merely offering a less serious alternative during the summer. I still recommend MYMBC as the best place to race trailer yachts during the winter months, as they have great launching facilities, and well organised racing. Plus, we don't have racing over the winter at present.
The boats I would love to see include old Hartley 16, Kestrel, Whiting 16, Moonraker 17, Tropic, Farr 5000, Davidson 16, Quintet 5, Young 5.2, Monarch, plus of course more Quicksilvers and Cherry's.
All of these would be ideal for the area we sail in, small and easy to handle, yet big enough to handle the semi-open waters heading towards Auckland Airport. And all similar speeds too!
Stay tuned for more.
I am tentatively calling this a 16 footer squad, mainly because of our much loved harbour's shallow depth in places.
Of course any small trailer yacht will be welcomed.
We have a series of river and harbour races planned for next season, all starting from the Weymouth club.
In no way are we trying to step on the toes of MYMBC, merely offering a less serious alternative during the summer. I still recommend MYMBC as the best place to race trailer yachts during the winter months, as they have great launching facilities, and well organised racing. Plus, we don't have racing over the winter at present.
The boats I would love to see include old Hartley 16, Kestrel, Whiting 16, Moonraker 17, Tropic, Farr 5000, Davidson 16, Quintet 5, Young 5.2, Monarch, plus of course more Quicksilvers and Cherry's.
All of these would be ideal for the area we sail in, small and easy to handle, yet big enough to handle the semi-open waters heading towards Auckland Airport. And all similar speeds too!
Stay tuned for more.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Just a note...
Good luck to all those participating in the Clarks Beach regatta this new years. I look forward to hearing about it.
Next Weymouth sailing scheduled for 9:15am on Sunday 8th January 2012.
- I believe we will see some decent Sunburst / Starling / Topper action.
I'm having to use all my knowledge to drop the kilo's I need before the RSA Laser regatta at Panmure, if I don't get down to my target weight then I'll sail the trailer yacht at Weymouth that day instead.
Pressing a lot of weight and eating clean (-ish, - it's been the silly season this week) is starting to show benefits, it's just a question of time.
Next Weymouth sailing scheduled for 9:15am on Sunday 8th January 2012.
- I believe we will see some decent Sunburst / Starling / Topper action.
I'm having to use all my knowledge to drop the kilo's I need before the RSA Laser regatta at Panmure, if I don't get down to my target weight then I'll sail the trailer yacht at Weymouth that day instead.
Pressing a lot of weight and eating clean (-ish, - it's been the silly season this week) is starting to show benefits, it's just a question of time.
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