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Very cool conditions prevailed at Risdon Brook but that didn’t stop a strong fleet of sixteen skippers turning up for today’s DF95 handicap event. The wind was a brisk 10 knots or so from the North-West when we arrived and many skippers were talking about B rigs but by start time the wind had moderated a knot or two and so A-rigs were the go. The wind did continually soften throughout the day and the last race was completed in ‘not much’. Ricky Price generously gave up his day to be the PRO and kept the racing happening promptly and orderly. Thank you so much for this Ricky. Tight finishes were the order of the day and several races were decided within meters of the finish line. There were nine different winners today from right across the handicap spectrum. John Penman was the only skipper to win two races. Nicely done John! Third place today was taken by Lisa Blackwood who takes into the break ahead that lovely feeling of winning the last race of the day. An often quoted saying around the club is – “You are only as good as your last race.” With the break ahead Lisa now has four weeks to savour that win! I managed second today with some consistent results (after discards) but it was Nick Connor who stole the day. Nick was never too far from the head of the fleet. Well sailed Nick but I do feel that the handicapper’s silent sword is approaching swiftly. Unfortunately that was our last sail for a while as Risdon Brook Park will be closed for maintenance until the end of June. Again our friends at Forcett have invited us to sail with them while the dam is closed. They meet on Thursdays to race IOM’s and will operate an 11:00 start over the next few weeks to accommodate anyone who is travelling from a distance. A huge thanks to Peter Webberley, Gerald Stephens and Ricky Price for making this arrangement possible. As the dam will be closed from next Tuesday until 30th June our next official Wednesday club event (given that Taswater’s works go according to plan) will be DF95 handicap racing on Wednesday July 2nd followed by IOM scratch racing on Sunday July 6th. That said, our last event will be the RM Southern State Regatta this coming Sunday. Last call for entries before close off at 5pm Friday. Shorty 
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A disappointingly small field of six sailors turned out for the third round of the IOM Winter Scratch series today. Those who missed it missed out on fantastic conditions—a steady 12-15 knot Nor'westerly katabatic breeze that held strong until we began packing up. The racing wasn’t without its challenges, as reliability issues affected Rod (who was out for the day) and Kyle (who managed a mid-regatta repair and rejoined the racing). The rest of the fleet, however, thrived in the excellent conditions. The day belonged to Ricky Price and his V12. After sailing in the Silver Fleet last year, Ricky dominated today, winning 8 of the 10 races and securing second place in the remaining two—a spectacular performance! Unsurprisingly, he took the overall win with just 8 points, while Ray Joyce claimed second with 21 points and John Cole-Cook third with 27 points. Andrew Wardrop, the sole Silver Fleet skipper today, earns valuable points toward the Winter and Annual Series Silver Fleet Championship. Following racing, we held our AGM at Montrose Bay Yacht Club. A big thank you to the outgoing committee for their hard work over the past year, and a warm welcome to the new committee—details will be announced along with the meeting minutes shortly. Upcoming Events
— Kyle  The forecast was for plenty of South-Westerly but although that was the case on the Derwent not much of it made its way to the dam. Instead, today we had a light Northerly in the morning before a shifty Westerly established itself in the afternoon. As the wind did not get above 5 knots all day A-rigs were the obvious selection. Watching your telltales and indicator and working your sails appropriately was a key to success today as the actual direction of the wind was often different from what it looked like from the shore. Additionally, two different boats could be sailing close together but in different winds also strengthening the importance of sailing with the wind that you had. A rotating PRO was used today. Many course changes were tried in the afternoon in an effort to keep up with the changing wind – but it is always difficult to set a good course at the dam in Westerly conditions. Still it didn’t stop us enjoying the day! While it was the backmarkers who had most success in the conditions everyone got to the podium at least once. Rod Jackman stole third spot from John Penman in a countback for the tied position. Lisa took out second spot with two race wins and nothing worse than 5th in her mix. But it was John Cole-Cook’s day with three race wins. John’s boat-speed was particularly impressive today. Coming up: Sunday is IOM Scratch at the dam, button press at 10am. Following sailing, we will be holding the Annual General Meeting of our club at Montrose Bay Yacht Club, commencing at 2.30pm . Please make the effort to attend and have your say in the running of the club. Next Wednesday: DF95 handicap racing at Risdon Brook dam (11:00 button press). A reminder also that this will be the last Wednesday Handicap for the month with Risdon Brook dam closed to the public for maintenance works. We will be returning to our normal sailing program on Wednesday 2nd July. Lastly - Kim Potter has just advised he is putting his V9 IOM and DF95 boats on the market. Both come with a transmitter, two rigs each, two batteries each and a charger for each boat. Kim has the V9 for sale for $2000 and DF95 for $400. If you have any interest, contact Kim, or ask Kyle for his details an he'll get them to you. Shorty  DF95 42 Degrees South Regatta 2025 – A Day of Tight Racing in Ideal ConditionsThe 2025 DF95 42 Degrees South Regatta was held today in near-perfect sailing conditions, temperature getting to 14°C and a steady 8-knot breeze. While a few gusts came through during the day, the A Rig remained the sail of choice for all competitors. Twelve sailors took part, including a special welcome to Simon Delaney, a first-time RC sailor and new club member. We hope you enjoyed the camaraderie and competitive spirit on the water! Morning Session: Close Competition EmergesSeven races were completed before lunch, with tight scoring across the fleet. Stuart Dawes established an early lead, followed closely by Mat Gray and Kyle Stewart. Afternoon Challenges: Shifting Winds Test SkillsAfter the break, the wind became lighter and more unpredictable, testing sailors’ adaptability—though Stu seemed unfazed, maintaining remarkable consistency throughout the day. Racing concluded after 17 races, with the wind fading completely shortly after the final finish. The competition remained intense, with many boats crossing the line just meters apart. Sportsmanship ShinesThe day was a stellar example of competitive yet friendly racing, with all sailors displaying excellent behavior and mutual respect. Well done to everyone involved! Final ResultsGold Fleet🥇 1st – Stuart Dawes (35 pts) – A commanding victory! 🥈 2nd – Mat Gray (50 pts) – A well-deserved podium finish. 🥉 3rd – Chris Wood (57 pts) – Strong sailing in tricky conditions. Silver Fleet🥇 1st – John Hall (21 pts) 🥈 2nd – Nick Connor (26 pts) 🥉 3rd – Ted Stevens (31 pts) Thanks to Our VolunteersA big thank you to Rod Marshall and Ricky Price for their excellent work as Race Officers, managing starts, finishes, and on-water observations seamlessly. Upcoming Events
   A typical winter day in Hobart greeted sailors with a brisk 5°C (-2°C with wind chill), making thermals, jackets, beanies, and gloves essential gear. Ten hardy competitors turned up, initially met with an 8-knot breeze and gusts reaching 16 knots. Most opted for B rigs early on. A rotating PRO system kept things fair, with volunteers taking on start/finish duties and observations seamlessly. The breeze offered tactical variety, with no single strategy dominating. Shifts and gusts kept sailors on their toes, creating opportunities for comebacks—and the occasional heartbreak.Lisa stormed out of the gates with two wins and a second in the first three races, setting the tone for her day. She finished with a stellar 11.9 points, landing on the podium in all but one race. Ray Joyce claimed second (16 points) with consistent sailing, while Ricky Price—last year’s Silver Fleet champion—proved he’s now a top contender with three race wins, securing third (18 points). David Jones topped the Silver Fleet with 10 points, narrowly edging out Andrew Wardrop (11.1). Ian Hey showed promise with a 4th-place race finish amid some technical hiccups; once sorted, his boat will be one to watch. A typical race incident went to protest today, offering a healthy learning opportunity. Normalizing the process helps sailors understand rules, share perspectives, and participate in resolutions—even if outcomes aren’t always universally welcomed. Kudos to all for handling it respectfully. Upcoming Events
 A cool but lovely sunny day greeted the 16 IOM skippers who fronted up at Risdon Brook Dam for our regular Wednesday handicap racing. Pre-race chatter, was swiftly stolen when Alan Short’s arrived in his rather large, very clean, but totally bogan Ford Raptor. On the water, the day delivered light Northerly winds—mostly below about 4 knots—with some sizeable and frequent shifts to both the East and West, keeping everyone on their toes. Reading the breeze today was very much the name of the game today. Those who found extra pressure on the right side of the course or a predicted a favourable shift were rewarded. We ran a rotating PRO today, sharing the joy of race management. A big thanks to all who took a turn with the clipboard – a noble task, but necessary when the racing is as tight as it was today. There was chaos at the finish of the very first race when some skippers were unaware of which finish line we were using. In addition to this the racing was so close which that our PRO couldn’t write the numbers quick enough. The only alternative was to call for a re-sail - and much to Rob Cooney’s dismay as he’d won that first (now non-existent) race fair and square. As you would expect from Rob, the decision was taken in a sportsmanlike way, but a moral victory to you Rob and one which you can pencil up in your own private record book and with no handicap penalty either! As for the racing that did count – there was some excellent sailing all around. Peter Webberley claimed third place overall, sailing with nice boat speed and making good decisions in the shifting breeze. But it was the Short boys, who claimed a quinella finish. Alan Short took first place honours, showing great form on the water to match his flair in the carpark. With two race wins and a third place today, Al has steadily worked his handicap out and will be starting with a penalty of 20 seconds next week. I managed to sneak into second and was pretty happy with that as I reckon that the racing is so close of late that it is getting harder and harder to get to the podium. All in all, it was a good day’s sailing with a decent breeze, friendly competition and a few laughs too. Thanks to everyone who came out and made the most of the day. Coming up: Sunday: IOM Scratch racing at Risdon Brook Dam (10-:00 button Press) Next Wednesday: IOM handicap racing at Risdon Brook Dam (11:00 button press) Shorty  There was a severe weather warning for damaging winds for much of the State but not for the lower Derwent and so we were able to sail today. The warning however, some pretty stormy weather yesterday, and a cold one today kept some skippers at home and the fleet was reduced to just seven. In fact the conditions were not too bad. Some strong gusts when we first arrived sent us all to our B-rigs. Alan Short was the first to change to his A-rig and it brought immediate success. Phil Jackman then decided to suit up as well. The rest of us persisted with the smaller rig throughout the day occasional big gusts continually suggesting that it was going to blow. But we had the wrong rig and the results tell the story. Phil Jackman won the day after winning three out of the eight races. Phil had a day out yesterday to winning the day at Puddleduck. A skipper in form! Alan Short and Ray Joyce tied for second and third spot with Al gaining 2nd on countback with more second places than Ray. Congratulations to Ray, Al and Trout! Andrew Wardrop kept proceedings moving well as PRO today by keeping breaks very short. Thanks Andrew! I think we were all pleased to call the day to an early finish as the breeze died after 8 races. COMING UP: Sunday: No sailing as it is Mothers Day! Next Wednesday: IOM handicap racing at Risdon Brook Dam. (11:00 button press)  2025 Tasmanian A-Class State Championship Wrap-Up Hosted by NTRYC at Trevallyn Dam, Launceston Nine sailors entered in the 2025 installment of the A Class State Championship, hosted this year by the NTRYC at Trevallyn Dam, Launceston. Races under way right on time, with PRO Andy Hamilton keeping a tight rein on proceedings. Ably assisted by his crew of volunteers calling buoy contacts, finish positions and manning the rescue dinghy when required. Light 4 knot breeze to start with, increasing to around 10 towards the end of the day. The first day consisted of thirteen races, with Lisa Blackwood and Kyle Stewart fighting for the overnight lead with five wins apiece. Ted Stevens and Stuart Dawes fighting it out for third. So many tight races during the day, with some great sportsmanship on display throughout. Sunday saw a similar start wind-wise with the dam glassed out on arrival which gave way to a 3-5 knot breeze by the time the countdown started for the first race. Kicked in to action after such a close first day, Lisa jumped clear ahead with a fantastic display of consistent sailing, reeling of four wins in the first five races. By the time lunch came around, the wind had increased enough for most sailors to start going down in rigs for the afternoon session. Wise choice too with a number of wind gusts coming through, increasing the skills required to keep the yachts sailing efficiently. Unfortunately, this also caused an amount of reliability issues with a few job booms snapping and sheeting systems failing. Unfortunately, that caused the retirement of one of the competitors. Seven of the nine sailors managed to get a win during the two days, showcasing the closeness of the sailing. At the end of 26 races for the weekend, the winner of the State Championship was clear, with Lisa taking out the 2025 Championship convincingly on 41 points. Kyle managed to keep second place, 17 behind on 58 points. Ted Stevens also retained his overnight third, a further 10 behind on 68 points. Top sailors by region were Lisa (obviously) for the south, Ted for the North and Colin Hills for the North West. Great effort everyone. The weekend was highlighted by a great turnout from around the state, with the south, north and north west all well represented. Great sailing and comradare amongst the competitors, and some champagne sailing conditions at Trevallyn Dam. The champs could not have happened with out the tireless work of Andy Hamilton, our Pro and his fantastic team of volunteers. Peter Haworth, Geoff Martin and Terry Atkinson. The provided lunches and biscuits were warmly received, and not often that you have espresso coffee available throughout a weekend event. Thanks guys, it was all very appreciated by everyone.   RBRYC Results - IOM Mid Week Long Distance Handicap Today we had our first Wednesday Long Distance event. Blue skies and light winds prevailed with a Northerly of 0-3 knots for the morning session of three races. After a BBQ lunch the wind had changed to the South and was perhaps a knot lighter and so all up, testing conditions for the skippers on the big course. We did have some great sailing though and improvised handicaps lead to some very close racing. We were not informed that there would be inter-school cross country running on today but the organisers were very happy to have us sail as usual and neither of the sports caused any trouble to the other. Today’s results will count towards the Handicap Trophy presented at the end of the season. We hope to have at least one more of these events during the year. The trophy winner will be decided by combining the races from both days as if they were one event. So the results from the five races today will be added to the results from the races from the next event to determine the annual winner – even though that day will have its own ‘published’ winner. John Cole-cook took out third place today after arriving late and missing the first race. John and Ricky Price spent last week on a sailing trip to Port Davey and their return trip was in 8 metres of South Westerly swell. Much calmer on the dam today! Ray Joyce took second place overall. Ray’s effort in the first race was particularly memorable. He rounded the final gate mid fleet but in a tight pack then snatched a race victory by passing plenty of skippers on the last short beat to the finish. The day belonged to Phil Jackman though a who completed the event with an ‘all podium’ scorecard after discarding a 4th place. The rest of the feet was very close on points with the next 8 competitors separated by just 7 points and three tied results in that mix too. All up it was an enjoyable day with some great racing. Quite a few skippers commented about how the format of a single class and the Risdon Brook venue being much better for long distance racing. Coming Up Saturday and Sunday. The State A-Class Championships at Trevallyn. Good luck to all competitors Next Wednesday: DF95 Handicap Racing at Risdon Brook Dam. (11:00 button-press) Shorty   |
