Today’s racing started with a bit of a setback when four experienced members (we know boats) launched the tinny off the pontoon in fine style & then watched it float off into the bay as no one had hold of the rope. The only solution was to go back to the clubhouse & launch the rubber ducky for a rescue mission.
After things settled down a fleet of 7 IOM’s then enjoyed some great racing with B rigs in the prevailing westerly in flat water. A box course was set with a downwind start to 2 buoys half way to the Behrens, and then upwind where picking the shifts was the game to a set of windward marks off the pontoon.
Mike Holbrook paid us a very welcome visit bringing along his ex Alan Furmage Wedgie that he has refurbished with a great paint job & set of excellent A sails from Kyle. Unfortunately the A rig proved a bit much in the B rig conditions.
 
Link here to some photos that Mike took of the racing.  


https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1s18w27gIUc2OPsEWQx5GlaYhphCi59-E
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Nine hardy skippers fronted at MBYC this morning for a resumption of our mid week sailing series.
We launched the dinghy by taking it down the path & then down the gangway & off the end of the pontoon & retrieved it in reverse - a much easier system than launching off the beach near the jetty.
As there were only nine of us, we decided to set a course within the bay which proved to be very satisfactory in the light NW conditions.
The wind coming off the water was very cold but we stuck it out until 8 races were completed.
The races after lunch enjoyed a top of A rig breeze with some good waves giving excellent sailing conditions & despite the cold it was a great mornings sailing.
 
Winner today, was Chris Wood, sailing his Corby very consistently. Phil Turnbull, with his Blitz was close behind in second, with Rod Marshall taking third with his Woodie.

​Winter has certainly arrived, and for the intrepid skippers that came along, cold, wet and light breeze welcomed them. Welcome to Paul Jewel and Matthew Bugg. Paul to the RM class, and Matthew to the club. I hope the day was enjoyable as it was cold.
Eight races were completed, with some delays in between with the fickle breeze. John Hall (3rd), sailed his normal consistent self, placing in the right half of the field on most occasions, Rod Marshall (2nd), showed his local skills in correctly navigating the current in the river, coming an impressive second in the new Mantra 2, with Lisa Blackwood taking out the honours on the day with a very consistent day. Very hard to catch up with early on.
 
Next week is the Queens Birthday Long Weekend (thanks, Freddy Mercury), and there is no official scheduled sailing on – however, we are going to have sailing at MBYC on Sunday, starting at 11am (Log Distance Handicap time), with a BBQ intermission at lunch time. It was really enjoyed last week, so we thought we would repeat it for the interested sailors next week. No individual class of racing. Simply bring the yacht you’d like to race (or yachts), and enjoy some friendly competition and a sausage for lunch.
 
A reminder, that memberships are past due now, and Les will have to send the payments through to ARYA for our insurances – so we need them in as soon as possible. Over the next week, I’ll email yet to be signed up members individually to check up on them, to see if they intend on renewing this season (I really hope you do). That is to tally up those who are intending – for the ARYA payment, and also for those who are not intending to this season, so I don’t keep harassing you for subs (nobody wants that).
 
See you at MBYC hopefully next Sunday – first race at 11am.