After doing 19 Brisbane to Gladstone's I have had to spend the last few years refilling the brownie jar and do some traveling with the misses. I would live to clock up number 20 so I may do it next year as it looks like I may be home for Easter and for some of the preliminary races. I would like to also do the Kingfisher series next year as well as it also holds a soft spot as it was Neil Plank and myself that founded the series.
The series was created as a fellowship series between the 4 major clubs of the time MBBC, QCYC, WMYC and RQYS. To keep club politics out of it the throphy presentation was held at the Norman Hotel which was owned by Peter Cavill at the time and each club would host 1 race each of About 50nm which is longer than now. Both Neil and I were club handicappers at the time and we were having trouble handicapping boats from different clubs as each clubs handicaps did not relate to each other. By having boats from the various clubs regularly sailing against each other we could now have boats that we could use as reference boats which made it a lot easer to set performance handicaps for races like the Brisbane to Gladstone, Surf to City and St Halina Cup. Kingfisher Bay came on as our inaugural sponsor thanks to the QCYC representative having a friend who was involved with Kingfisher Bay, I would like to thank Kingfisher Bay for their support over the many years. Just a little bit of history that a lot of people would not know.
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
Hi Shaggy
I know what you mean about hearing old sailors stories
I was wandering around Constitution Dock this year after the Sydney Hobart boat arrived and Jeff who is 76 and has done 13 of them was telling me about years ago when he used to sail in them when the boats were much slower and the gear was not as good
He said back then the instruments were very basic and normally stopped working not long after the start of the race so you had to watch the lighthouses on the way down to get an idea of where you were but he said sometimes the boat was going up and down in the swell so much you would miss some of the flashes and get confused as to which one you were seeing
He also said the downwind races were the hardest on the old boats and sometimes you had to have two people on the tiller to keep them steering in the right direction
He said one bad night he was steering with both hands and another crew member was trying to feed him but the boat was moving around that much that most of the food was missing his mouth and going up his nose
He also said that after each persons turn on the wheel most would overstate how fast they had the boat going while they were steering so that made it harder to work out where you were as well
He said that one skipper he used to crew for suffered from sea sickness and Jeff used to pray that he would get sick so he could steer the boat
Regards Don
Donk, I've always wanted to do an electronic blog version of a coffee table book of these snippets/short stories, just a hodge podge jumble of snapshots of life from gentlemen such as Jeff with a byline stating who and when for the reader to attain some perspective.
Love these to bits, thanks for sharing them!
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
Hi Shaggy,
i think I will pass on the big girly kiss but I will see what I can dig up when I get home from traveling in in May. The series would have started in the 90s. It must be very close to 25 years ago. It was all so different then with no internet. I used to do a news letter to all entrants after each race which highlighted any of the lighter moments of the race. The news letter was done with the latest computer program "Photo Shop" . Any way when I get back I will try and get on to Neil and will do an article on the race history which we would have never dreamed it would be still running in 25 years.
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..
After doing 19 Brisbane to Gladstone's I have had to spend the last few years refilling the brownie jar and do some traveling with the misses. I would live to clock up number 20 so I may do it next year as it looks like I may be home for Easter and for some of the preliminary races. I would like to also do the Kingfisher series next year as well as it also holds a soft spot as it was Neil Plank and myself that founded the series.
The series was created as a fellowship series between the 4 major clubs of the time MBBC, QCYC, WMYC and RQYS. To keep club politics out of it the throphy presentation was held at the Norman Hotel which was owned by Peter Cavill at the time and each club would host 1 race each of About 50nm which is longer than now. Both Neil and I were club handicappers at the time and we were having trouble handicapping boats from different clubs as each clubs handicaps did not relate to each other. By having boats from the various clubs regularly sailing against each other we could now have boats that we could use as reference boats which made it a lot easer to set performance handicaps for races like the Brisbane to Gladstone, Surf to City and St Halina Cup. Kingfisher Bay came on as our inaugural sponsor thanks to the QCYC representative having a friend who was involved with Kingfisher Bay, I would like to thank Kingfisher Bay for their support over the many years. Just a little bit of history that a lot of people would not know.
if your going to step back in time and come out for the kingfisher again does this mean your getting another adams 10 
by the way rick morgan was out saturday night sailing dreamlover single handed great to see
Select to expand quoteboty said..Jode5 said..
After doing 19 Brisbane to Gladstone's I have had to spend the last few years refilling the brownie jar and do some traveling with the misses. I would live to clock up number 20 so I may do it next year as it looks like I may be home for Easter and for some of the preliminary races. I would like to also do the Kingfisher series next year as well as it also holds a soft spot as it was Neil Plank and myself that founded the series.
The series was created as a fellowship series between the 4 major clubs of the time MBBC, QCYC, WMYC and RQYS. To keep club politics out of it the throphy presentation was held at the Norman Hotel which was owned by Peter Cavill at the time and each club would host 1 race each of About 50nm which is longer than now. Both Neil and I were club handicappers at the time and we were having trouble handicapping boats from different clubs as each clubs handicaps did not relate to each other. By having boats from the various clubs regularly sailing against each other we could now have boats that we could use as reference boats which made it a lot easer to set performance handicaps for races like the Brisbane to Gladstone, Surf to City and St Halina Cup. Kingfisher Bay came on as our inaugural sponsor thanks to the QCYC representative having a friend who was involved with Kingfisher Bay, I would like to thank Kingfisher Bay for their support over the many years. Just a little bit of history that a lot of people would not know.
if your going to step back in time and come out for the kingfisher again does this mean your getting another adams 10
by the way rick morgan was out saturday night sailing dreamlover single handed great to see
No Adams 10.
61st birthday today and like my creature comforts now. 
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..boty said..Jode5 said..
After doing 19 Brisbane to Gladstone's I have had to spend the last few years refilling the brownie jar and do some traveling with the misses. I would live to clock up number 20 so I may do it next year as it looks like I may be home for Easter and for some of the preliminary races. I would like to also do the Kingfisher series next year as well as it also holds a soft spot as it was Neil Plank and myself that founded the series.
The series was created as a fellowship series between the 4 major clubs of the time MBBC, QCYC, WMYC and RQYS. To keep club politics out of it the throphy presentation was held at the Norman Hotel which was owned by Peter Cavill at the time and each club would host 1 race each of About 50nm which is longer than now. Both Neil and I were club handicappers at the time and we were having trouble handicapping boats from different clubs as each clubs handicaps did not relate to each other. By having boats from the various clubs regularly sailing against each other we could now have boats that we could use as reference boats which made it a lot easer to set performance handicaps for races like the Brisbane to Gladstone, Surf to City and St Halina Cup. Kingfisher Bay came on as our inaugural sponsor thanks to the QCYC representative having a friend who was involved with Kingfisher Bay, I would like to thank Kingfisher Bay for their support over the many years. Just a little bit of history that a lot of people would not know.
if your going to step back in time and come out for the kingfisher again does this mean your getting another adams 10
by the way rick morgan was out saturday night sailing dreamlover single handed great to see
No Adams 10.
61st birthday today and like my creature comforts now.
Happy birthday mate, hope it's a good one.
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..boty said..Jode5 said..
After doing 19 Brisbane to Gladstone's I have had to spend the last few years refilling the brownie jar and do some traveling with the misses. I would live to clock up number 20 so I may do it next year as it looks like I may be home for Easter and for some of the preliminary races. I would like to also do the Kingfisher series next year as well as it also holds a soft spot as it was Neil Plank and myself that founded the series.
The series was created as a fellowship series between the 4 major clubs of the time MBBC, QCYC, WMYC and RQYS. To keep club politics out of it the throphy presentation was held at the Norman Hotel which was owned by Peter Cavill at the time and each club would host 1 race each of About 50nm which is longer than now. Both Neil and I were club handicappers at the time and we were having trouble handicapping boats from different clubs as each clubs handicaps did not relate to each other. By having boats from the various clubs regularly sailing against each other we could now have boats that we could use as reference boats which made it a lot easer to set performance handicaps for races like the Brisbane to Gladstone, Surf to City and St Halina Cup. Kingfisher Bay came on as our inaugural sponsor thanks to the QCYC representative having a friend who was involved with Kingfisher Bay, I would like to thank Kingfisher Bay for their support over the many years. Just a little bit of history that a lot of people would not know.
if your going to step back in time and come out for the kingfisher again does this mean your getting another adams 10
by the way rick morgan was out saturday night sailing dreamlover single handed great to see
No Adams 10.
61st birthday today and like my creature comforts now.
i think i would if i could afford them happy birthday jhon
Talking history, I hear that Bullfrog is back in the water and may join the spectator fleet at the start.
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
It sounded like fun racing till you said "PHS racing only". :-) Sure, it's good to have PHS as an encouragement award, but ONLY having PHS is very discouraging. If you try hard and beat your sistership home by an hour a race, you will still get beaten the day your sistership finishes just 59 minutes behind. That's discouraging and it means you can not have the sort of boat-on-boat sailing that most of us enjoy. Personally I tend to think that is discourages the small boats more. Racing under systems like IOR when there were overall placings, there was a lot of kudos in being a giant-killing little boat that beat the big boats by being a better design, better sailed. Under PHS a well sailed little boat just ends up getting punished by the handicapper to the point where it can beat a much faster boat over the line and lose to it on handicap, which is very discouraging.
We recently moved from place that had AMS rating to a place where it's PHS only. That's the end of anything like serious yacht racing locally for us. If there's only PHS it's not worth starting, so we've gone back to Lasers where you get a reward for sailing well. 'Scuse the rant, but IMHO concentrating on PHS is really hurting yacht racing in Australia.
Anyway, thanks to the QCYC for doing such a great job of revitalising a great race. The way the Gladstone is going, it's starting to look like a really worthwhile race to do. In a season or two we'll probably be in there with an ORC or IRC rating. Sure, as a low budget operation we won't be a leading contender, but getting beaten on IRC or ORC is better than winning on a dartboard golf handicap system like PHS.
G'day Chris,
couldnt agree more regards the lottery of PHS, but there's a raft of IRC/ORCI racing on hand from the club for the serious stuff.
The only difference with a PHS race is the focus on winning a tin cup, or the leaderboard standing, true? It's still balls out racing, this doesn't change a bit, it's the results that are arbitrary, not the racing.
Nobody takes the results seriously, but swap to the IRC/ORCI series, that's completely different, and the results accurately reflect the effort. Sadly, this also is where the politics and cheating are more prevalent as a result.
I do understand and agree with most of your comments. Both types of racing are great, but you get more boats in the Combined Clubs races any day, and if that is what it takes to encourage more into the sport, I'm all for keeping both types.
Cheers,
SB
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..shaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
It sounded like fun racing till you said "PHS racing only". :-) Sure, it's good to have PHS as an encouragement award, but ONLY having PHS is very discouraging. If you try hard and beat your sistership home by an hour a race, you will still get beaten the day your sistership finishes just 59 minutes behind. That's discouraging and it means you can not have the sort of boat-on-boat sailing that most of us enjoy. Personally I tend to think that is discourages the small boats more. Racing under systems like IOR when there were overall placings, there was a lot of kudos in being a giant-killing little boat that beat the big boats by being a better design, better sailed. Under PHS a well sailed little boat just ends up getting punished by the handicapper to the point where it can beat a much faster boat over the line and lose to it on handicap, which is very discouraging.
We recently moved from place that had AMS rating to a place where it's PHS only. That's the end of anything like serious yacht racing locally for us. If there's only PHS it's not worth starting, so we've gone back to Lasers where you get a reward for sailing well. 'Scuse the rant, but IMHO concentrating on PHS is really hurting yacht racing in Australia.
Anyway, thanks to the QCYC for doing such a great job of revitalising a great race. The way the Gladstone is going, it's starting to look like a really worthwhile race to do. In a season or two we'll probably be in there with an ORC or IRC rating. Sure, as a low budget operation we won't be a leading contender, but getting beaten on IRC or ORC is better than winning on a dartboard golf handicap system like PHS.
cant agree more i have just renewed my irc for gladstone i had let it lapse as we went up to do a hammo race week and they wouldn't let me race irc as my handicap was to low (i suppose they didnt want the `100 foot motor boats being beaten by a sixty year old 37 foot timber pig .So we have been just entering the raffle and going for a sail with mates
i always feel a win on phs fairly meaningless where as you know if you get a result on measurement whether good or bad you deserved it
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..shaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
It sounded like fun racing till you said "PHS racing only". :-) Sure, it's good to have PHS as an encouragement award, but ONLY having PHS is very discouraging. If you try hard and beat your sistership home by an hour a race, you will still get beaten the day your sistership finishes just 59 minutes behind. That's discouraging and it means you can not have the sort of boat-on-boat sailing that most of us enjoy. Personally I tend to think that is discourages the small boats more. Racing under systems like IOR when there were overall placings, there was a lot of kudos in being a giant-killing little boat that beat the big boats by being a better design, better sailed. Under PHS a well sailed little boat just ends up getting punished by the handicapper to the point where it can beat a much faster boat over the line and lose to it on handicap, which is very discouraging.
We recently moved from place that had AMS rating to a place where it's PHS only. That's the end of anything like serious yacht racing locally for us. If there's only PHS it's not worth starting, so we've gone back to Lasers where you get a reward for sailing well. 'Scuse the rant, but IMHO concentrating on PHS is really hurting yacht racing in Australia.
Anyway, thanks to the QCYC for doing such a great job of revitalising a great race. The way the Gladstone is going, it's starting to look like a really worthwhile race to do. In a season or two we'll probably be in there with an ORC or IRC rating. Sure, as a low budget operation we won't be a leading contender, but getting beaten on IRC or ORC is better than winning on a dartboard golf handicap system like PHS.
cant agree more i have just renewed my irc for gladstone i had let it lapse as we went up to do a hammo race week and they wouldn't let me race irc as my handicap was to low (i suppose they didnt want the `100 foot motor boats being beaten by a sixty year old 37 foot timber pig .So we have been just entering the raffle and going for a sail with mates
i always feel a win on phs fairly meaningless where as you know if you get a result on measurement whether good or bad you deserved it
Select to expand quoteChris 249 said..shaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
It sounded like fun racing till you said "PHS racing only". :-) Sure, it's good to have PHS as an encouragement award, but ONLY having PHS is very discouraging. If you try hard and beat your sistership home by an hour a race, you will still get beaten the day your sistership finishes just 59 minutes behind. That's discouraging and it means you can not have the sort of boat-on-boat sailing that most of us enjoy. Personally I tend to think that is discourages the small boats more. Racing under systems like IOR when there were overall placings, there was a lot of kudos in being a giant-killing little boat that beat the big boats by being a better design, better sailed. Under PHS a well sailed little boat just ends up getting punished by the handicapper to the point where it can beat a much faster boat over the line and lose to it on handicap, which is very discouraging.
We recently moved from place that had AMS rating to a place where it's PHS only. That's the end of anything like serious yacht racing locally for us. If there's only PHS it's not worth starting, so we've gone back to Lasers where you get a reward for sailing well. 'Scuse the rant, but IMHO concentrating on PHS is really hurting yacht racing in Australia.
Anyway, thanks to the QCYC for doing such a great job of revitalising a great race. The way the Gladstone is going, it's starting to look like a really worthwhile race to do. In a season or two we'll probably be in there with an ORC or IRC rating. Sure, as a low budget operation we won't be a leading contender, but getting beaten on IRC or ORC is better than winning on a dartboard golf handicap system like PHS.
Well it would not be such a problem if we had an affordable national measurement system and not the bull**** Sailing Australia serve up.
Select to expand quotelydia said..Chris 249 said..shaggybaxter said..
Jode5,
If you were here right now I'd give you the biggest hug and a big girly kiss on those whiskers.
Two reasons:
1) History. I love the stories behind our sport, and could sit for hours listening to narratives like this. In this modern world of electronic everything, it worries me the era prior to the interweb thingy is being lost. I keep thinking it would be fantastic to visit the older members of all the yacht clubs and transcribe the bazillion stories that would abound, it would be a rewarding, albeit financially crippling career! There's some Sea Breezers alone I know that could fill the first few tones!
Question if I may, when was the first Kingfisher series held? Who was the most noteworthy entry (there must be one! ) to campaign the first series?
2) Sailors creating races for sailors. The Combined Clubs monthly race between a bunch of Moreton Bay clubs has been another stalwart for so many years I can't remember. No overarching club politics, catermarans and monos equally welcome, no governing body bull$&@;, PHS racing only, it's racing the sailors way.
The Kingfisher is the same feeling, and for those who don't know it's spread over 4 months , each race is held on the full moon which makes for some spectacular memories. It's a must do if you're in Moreton Bay, and just the best time to be on the water let alone racing!
Cheers,
SB
Edit: restock that brownie jar soon, would be great to see the Hanse out there!
It sounded like fun racing till you said "PHS racing only". :-) Sure, it's good to have PHS as an encouragement award, but ONLY having PHS is very discouraging. If you try hard and beat your sistership home by an hour a race, you will still get beaten the day your sistership finishes just 59 minutes behind. That's discouraging and it means you can not have the sort of boat-on-boat sailing that most of us enjoy. Personally I tend to think that is discourages the small boats more. Racing under systems like IOR when there were overall placings, there was a lot of kudos in being a giant-killing little boat that beat the big boats by being a better design, better sailed. Under PHS a well sailed little boat just ends up getting punished by the handicapper to the point where it can beat a much faster boat over the line and lose to it on handicap, which is very discouraging.
We recently moved from place that had AMS rating to a place where it's PHS only. That's the end of anything like serious yacht racing locally for us. If there's only PHS it's not worth starting, so we've gone back to Lasers where you get a reward for sailing well. 'Scuse the rant, but IMHO concentrating on PHS is really hurting yacht racing in Australia.
Anyway, thanks to the QCYC for doing such a great job of revitalising a great race. The way the Gladstone is going, it's starting to look like a really worthwhile race to do. In a season or two we'll probably be in there with an ORC or IRC rating. Sure, as a low budget operation we won't be a leading contender, but getting beaten on IRC or ORC is better than winning on a dartboard golf handicap system like PHS.
Well it would not be such a problem if we had an affordable national measurement system and not the bull**** Sailing Australia serve up.
Agree 100%. As an IRC measurer said to me once, YA double the price of measurement in exchange for adding lots of errors.
Even the requirement that IRC boats be weighed **s me. Production boats are almost never underweight, so the ORC or UK IRC method of assuming that production boats weigh a bit over their declared weight works well for those who don't want to spend the price of a new sail plus a day or two in just getting a piece of paper.
Trailable yachts, dinghys, cats and even windsurfers in Australia can get a free, simple and effective rating, as well as class racing. Yachts in Germany, the USA, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Ireland, the UK, Mexico and just about everywhere else can get a dirt cheap, simple, rating. But if you dare to own an offshore yacht in Australia, you get simultaneously bossed about by the YA and charged like a wounded bull for the privilege of being told what to do by non-owners, many of whom don't even sail regularly in my experience.
When I'm sailing my Windsurfer, Hobie, Laser or Tasar I get fair racing and a vote in the class' future. When I'm sailing my big boats I get no good racing (because IRC is so expensive here few other 36-30 foot boats get it) and no voice in the 'class' future. Why the hell do those who pay the most get no say in what happens to their sailing? We really need a yacht owner's association, but I fear it would be like herding wildcats.
Don't get me started.
At least a few of have saved the Gladstone Race for the moment.
yippie just finished last of paperwork and hf radio test for Gladstone now the easy bit remains polish the bottom put some food and a keg of rum on and go sailing
Select to expand quoteboty said..
yippie just finished last of paperwork and hf radio test for Gladstone now the easy bit remains polish the bottom put some food and a keg of rum on and go sailing
Boty,
you won't need the keg mate, just take all your prizes from the Kingfisher series presso night. Pagan had a blinder series and cleaned up!
Pulled the boat today for a cosmetic repair to the keel. We'll leave her in the slings tonight and drop back in 8 am tomorrow. Antifoul looks to be holding up nicely, so a scrub and we're ready to go.
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..boty said..
yippie just finished last of paperwork and hf radio test for Gladstone now the easy bit remains polish the bottom put some food and a keg of rum on and go sailing
Boty,
you won't need the keg mate, just take all your prizes from the Kingfisher series presso night. Pagan had a blinder series and cleaned up!
Pulled the boat today for a cosmetic repair to the keel. We'll leave her in the slings tonight and drop back in 8 am tomorrow. Antifoul looks to be holding up nicely, so a scrub and we're ready to go.
Shaggy, the weather forecast looks spot on for Fusion
i won't even be at the start as I am currently in South Australia collecting brownie points.
Any way have a good one to you and Boty.
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..shaggybaxter said..boty said..
yippie just finished last of paperwork and hf radio test for Gladstone now the easy bit remains polish the bottom put some food and a keg of rum on and go sailing
Boty,
you won't need the keg mate, just take all your prizes from the Kingfisher series presso night. Pagan had a blinder series and cleaned up!
Pulled the boat today for a cosmetic repair to the keel. We'll leave her in the slings tonight and drop back in 8 am tomorrow. Antifoul looks to be holding up nicely, so a scrub and we're ready to go.
Shaggy, the weather forecast looks spot on for Fusion
i won't even be at the start as I am currently in South Australia collecting brownie points.
Any way have a good one to you and Boty.
Thanks Jode,
I'm sorry you have to sit out this one, if the forecast holds on, the sleigh ride on the Hanse would be one to remember!
Having said that, brownie points are just as important 
!
I'm glued to watching the forecast at the moment, as long as the low off New Caledonia doesn't head West and break apart on the coast it looks pretty good. I think Boty will do well, that thing holds full white sails in 25+ knots, so she should like these conditions.
Thanks for the good wishes mate, we'll be pushing hard for a good result.
thanks guys have Camille on the slip having bottom cleaned today tequila and laurabada up tomorrow for a clean pagan up Thursday for a 600 wet rub great having all the classics up i feel like a kid in a candy shop .forecast looks great hoping for 40 in the paddock with the 1.5 onz kite on in before dawn Sunday but i have a feeling it may soften a bit at the back of the fleet .
looks like shagy will get some more hot reaching up Fraser Friday night with a repeat of conditions from the last night race and at sea he should do very well good luck
Select to expand quoteboty said..
thanks guys have Camille on the slip having bottom cleaned today tequila and laurabada up tomorrow for a clean pagan up Thursday for a 600 wet rub great having all the classics up i feel like a kid in a candy shop .forecast looks great hoping for 40 in the paddock with the 1.5 onz kite on in before dawn Sunday but i have a feeling it may soften a bit at the back of the fleet .
looks like shagy will get some more hot reaching up Fraser Friday night with a repeat of conditions from the last night race and at sea he should do very well good luck
Sounds great - I wish I was there. Please keep the same forecast for me in case I turn up with the "classic" lightweight 28'er in a few years' time.
Good luck to the little classics!
If the forecast stays as it I now, Black Jack should smash the record. If sailed well ' Fusion' should be able to do it in under 30 hours and be in by dark on Saturday. If you can hold a small flat kit all Friday night (as it will be tight) to Indian Head then something bit fuller and bigger down Break Sea, you will be in good shape Saturday morning and hopefully near Break Sea light. The run across The Paddock should be awesome. Watch out for 'Dream' in these conditions, it reviles in these conditions if they keep their act together. Good luck guys, wish I was there.
I'm passage planning (or chook scratchings) on wind direction options to get out of the bay at the moment, trying to avoid any square running. I wish I had you gents' instinctive ability , I sadly have to draw it out to get it to stick in my head!
Jode, you mention a flatter kite for the run up the beach, I'm looking at that if the wind stays in around 120 deg TWD. If it swings 150 deg TWD, I'm tossing up to swap for a fuller kite.
I'm interested in what you think, you having done a truckload more of these than me, do you reckon it will be more ESE up the beach?
Select to expand quoteDonk107 said..
Hi Shaggy
Can you use a symmetrical spinnaker on her if need be
Regards Don
Gday Donk,
No. I did have the option at the build time to get the mast built to take a pole, but for some bizarre reason I said no at the time. Not sure why, it might have been handy a few times! Now the mast has been made , I can't add/plate/drill it, so Sprit sails it is.
Select to expand quoteshaggybaxter said..Donk107 said..
Hi Shaggy
Can you use a symmetrical spinnaker on her if need be
Regards Don
Gday Donk,
No. I did have the option at the build time to get the mast built to take a pole, but for some bizarre reason I said no at the time. Not sure why, it might have been handy a few times! Now the mast has been made , I can't add/plate/drill it, so Sprit sails it is.
What a shame shaggy. I have a spare spinnaker pole and heavy 210sm kite that I'm not using over the long weekend.
Hi Shaggy
Are there any Pogo's that you know of that have the mast ring and do they perform as well speed wise as when an Assy is used
Regards Don
