INVITATION
The Bellerive Yacht Club Inc (BYC) as the organizing authority, in conjunction with the Australian Sports Boat Association (ASBA) and Yachting Tasmania (YT), invites entries from eligible yachts in the 2012 National Championships for Sports Boats and Trailable Yachts to be held on the Derwent River from Friday 6th April 2012 to Monday 9th April 2012.
By Ian Grant.
Moreton Bay offshore yacht racing skipper Rudy Weber made an important decision when he fell in love with a neglected old yacht left to gather barnacles and sea bird dung at the Tina Can Bay Marina.
At first he was fascinated by her classic lines and when he discovered her name and design pedigree he decided to buy and progressively restore the classic 12.8m Ron Holland designed sloop to race again.
Her name Too Impetuous linked with the Admirals Cup when launched by original owner Graham Lambert 30 years ago has proved to be a worthwhile investment for her present owner. Read more…
School Captain Liam McKenzie and fellow year 12 Sunshine Coast Grammar student Elliott Clayton steered the Tewantin Noosa Lions Club Vagabond MkII 3.7m dinghy to an outstanding victory over the weekend to win the Sunshine Coast Inter-school dinghy regatta hosted by Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club with major sponsor Stratogen Chartered Accounts and support from Ronstan and NB Laser.
With 3 first place results in the final series the Grammar boys won with a commanding lead over second placed fellow Grammar students Toby Pearce and Ryan McVay in Casa Noosa with Grammar brothers Ben and Hunter Vercoe third in The Noosa Journal Weekender.
In fickle SE to SW winds the winning crew battled the Noosa River tides and wind shifts whilst putting on display a faultless execution of skills gained from years of sailing on the Noosa River as NYRC juniors.
The regatta, now in its 12 year at Noosa was entered by 30 crews from all over the Sunshine Coast who competed in pool heats, Quarter Finals, Semi finals and then a Finals series . Over the weekend 20 races were conducted.
The 10 finalists including crews from Sunshine Coast Grammar, St Teresa’s Catholic College, Sunshine Beach High, Home School Group and Matthew Flinders and also included two Primary school crews with Max Quirk & Zac Edwards from Matthew Flinders and Eloise Blundell & Eamon Kriz from St Thomas More Primary mixing it up with students from years 11 and 12.
The Primary School Trophy was one by Matthew Flinders with Max Quirk and Zac Edwards finishing 4th overall. Read more…
BIG BOATS DOMINATE.
Peter Millard and John Honan signalled their former New Zealand maxi Lahana was on the pace when they claimed an impressive line honours win in the 63rd QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone race over the Easter Weekend.
The Lahana crew overcame a slow start in fickle and shifting winds to express her exciting speed potential to answer the challenge from their major rival Black Jack and complete the tactically demanding 308n/ml race in 27 hours 13 minutes 14 seconds.
Lahana sealed the victory during the first night at sea building a surprising 17 n/ml lead over the Mark Bradford skippered defending champion Black Jack while overall IRC handicap race favourite the Marcus Blackmore helmed TP 52 Hooligan held third continuing to firm a grip on another major trophy.
All three high performance ocean sailing crews agreed the race particularly the fist 42 n/mls to exit Moreton Bay had tested both their patience and ultra light wind racing strategy.
However that experience was replaced with an enjoyable night of warm sailing on the open ocean. Read more…
Thursday April 21st 2011. Gladstone Race fleet remain on weather watch.
QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race skippers enter the critical 24 hour countdown to the 12 noon start time tomorrow with a decision on which spinnakers to stow in the sail locker.
Generally the 308 n/ml coastal blue water classic is contested in moderate to fresh spinnaker sailing trade winds.
But all the wind indictors are suggesting that the stronger range of breeze which has been blowing most above gale velocity all year will moderate to offer the 44 yacht fleet soft winds for the initial 42 n.mls to exit Moreton Bay via the Caloundra Fairway buoy.
However the waiting period for a new weather system to blow over the southern horizon is expected to freshen on Friday night. Read more…
Once again the Brisbane Valley Sailing Club is hosting the Wivenhoe Winter Marathon for all off the beach Sailcraft.
Dinghys; Skiffs; Catamarans; Trailer Sailors.
| Camping on Site please note: | You will need to be self sufficient. Shelter, Drinking Water,general supplies.
Club BBQ’s will be available. |
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| Meals:
Scouts will provide :
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Saturday from 10am to 3pm.Burgers, Drinks &Sausage Sizzle. | Sunday Breakfastfrom 7:30am. Bacon,Eggs,Tomato,Toast,Coffee,Tea for $7.50Sunday
All Day Lunch–Burgers, Drinks and Sausage Sizzle. |
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Wednesday April 20th 2011.
When dawn broke over Brisbane’s Moreton Bay today there were no signs that the squally Southerly trade wind was about to soften and turn the 63rd Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race into a light wind lottery.
In fact the breeze remained constant overnight with a peak gust of 28 knots recorded at the Cape Moreton Lighthouse.
This suggests the crews manning the decks of the 44 yacht fleet could face a heavy workload of sail changes when they settle into the tactical battle for class honours in the 308 n/ml blue water classic starting at noon on Good Friday.
However all the skippers, tacticians and navigators entered the final 48 hour pre-race countdown mind full that they will have to sail smart with whatever breeze blows over the deck to enjoy the traditional post race celebration of sipping the sailors ‘nectar’ (Bundy Rum and Coke) from the 63 year old The Courier Mail Cup. Read more…
4. ALEPH YACHT CLUB, Aleph-Equipe de France (FRA) challenge received 3 December 2010 and accepted 9 December 2010.
5. MULTIHULL YACHT CLUB QUEENSLAND, TEAM Australia (AUS), challenge received 21 December 2010 and accepted 11 January 2011.
6. YACHT CLUB DE FRANCE, Company ESM (FRA) challenge received 28 January 2011 and accepted 3 February 2011.
7. An unannounced Yacht Club challenge received 10 February 2011 and accepted 15 February 2011.
8. MEI FAN YACHT CLUB, China Team (CHN) challenge received 27February 2011 and accepted 22 March 2011.
9. SAIL KOREA YACHT CLUB, Sail Korea Challenge (KOR) challenge received 20 February 2011 and accepted 23 March 2011.
The President of America’s Cup, Richard Worth, has said that he is “very satisfied” with the choice of Cascais for the start of the World Series, a regular circuit that will end with the main sailing competition in 2013. Read more…
The RQYS Opti Racer Squad Campheld over April 16-17 provided participants with a progression oftraining from basic speed and handling skills through to the strategy, tactics and psychology of regatta racing. 
The sailors had a chance to apply what they had learned in a mini regatta held on Sunday afternoon with the format for the racing as close to a real regatta as possible. Sailors competed in five short course ‘O2′ trapezoid courses (low point scoring with one drop) before taking on the windwardleeward ‘W2′ format medal race (double points).
With winter meaning a lot of clubs are having a break in their racing, we are having training at RQ every Saturday with 4 short races in the afternoon. This is Open to everyone, and we look forward to seeing you down here! Read more…
Tuesday April 19th 2011.
Weather forecasters are predicting a light head wind start to the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club’s 63rd Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race off the historical Sandgate Pier at noon on Good Friday.
They are expecting light 5 knot northerly sea breeze which will hardly allow the more powerful yachts including the 2009 and 2010 line honours winner the Mark Bradford helmed Brisbane sloop Black Jack to generate an exciting boat speed to challenge their 21 hour 52 minute 23 second elapsed time set last year.
This relatively unstable forecast for the Easter holiday weekend is in complete contrast to the wild weather which dumped torrential rain on Moreton Bay during the past 24 hours while a 41 knot Easterly gust sent the Cape Moreton wind speed recorder into overdrive at 1-30 pm yesterday.
Unless there is an unforeseen change the super fast line honours trophy contenders Black Jack, Lahana, Brindabella, Spirit of the Maid and Hooligan could face some time occupying an aquatic parking lot along the northern Sunshine Coast beaches on Good Friday night.
All five big boat skippers and their tacticians have agreed the 20 hour 24 minute 50 second record set by the Grant Wharington skippered Victorian maxi Skandia Wild Thing in 2004 will remain as the present wet and windy weather system slips away into the Tasman Sea.
While Race Director Herb Prendergast remains optimistic he and other long term Gladstone Race sailors have prepared to face a tactically tormenting challenge to maintain the required handicap rated boat speed to become the 2011 winner of the prestigious 63year old trophy The Courier-Mail Cup.
IA slow start and a fast finish could favour the lower handicapped race veterans the Peter Kerr skippered 1964v race champion Pagan and her match racing rival 1964 MacDonald helmed 1959 Sydney Hobart race champion Cherana.