So where in south east QLD is there any form of windsurfer course racing run on a regular basis. I tried to get thing started with the Paradise Point Sailing club and the post appeared to get some initial support but come race day no other windsurfers turned up- so as the question states above, where is this form of discipline run from these days? Prefer near the Gold Coast.
I race my Phantom 320 at lake Cootharaba Sailing Club every Sunday. I have been the only one sailboard in a fleet of boats. A couple of other Raceboarders have expressed interest in joining in soon.
The bayside Sailboard club does Slalom Racing.
Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Brisbane Have RSX and Techno racing.
You are most welcome join me at Cootharaba any time. We usually have a race at 11.00 am and an other at 1.30 pm most Sundays September to April.
Same problem as I have encountered- a significant number of people on the original post indicated that they would be interested in having a go- when conditions aren't ideal I am the only one on the water amongst the boats. Finding if I adhere to the boat type rules (ie. no sail pumping) then in really light stuff I really struggle to be compete with the laser fleet. Once the wind comes in a bit the tables turn and the lasers are wondering which way the lone sailboard went. Shame no one else wants to support this initiative by this relatively young sailing club. Race fees and club membership are in place but not expensive.
hey handyman every saturday arfternoon there is a fleet of 5 to 10 that race at Royal Queensland yacht squadron if you are free next sat you should come down and see what all of the fuss is about and join in 
Thanks for the invite- what discipline- slalom, course race? Might have to come up and have a look.
RQYS Have RSX and Techno293 one design racing. They do course racing usually on trapezoid courses. Basically its an Upwind Downwind format.
What board and sail are you using?
Would be looking at using my old, ever reliable Mistral Equippe race- ancient but still is fast enough around a "traditional" type of course. Does this RQ racing involve lots of sitting around until there is enough wind.
The RSX and techno sail a similar course to the laser fleet at RQYS. If the boats are racing, the Sailboards would also be racing. They usually do two races each saturday afternoon.
What sail size do you usually use?
Usually run a neil pryde raceboard class 7.5- old (like me) but still in quite good condition (unlike me)- In lighter air it still feels very powerful for its size.
The RSX class use 9.5 for men and 8.5 m for women and youth. They are also very serious racers. State and national champions.
You will find that you will not keep up with them with your old 7.5m sail. I have sailed with them with my 9.5m sail and couldn't keep up even with the ladies.
The youth class Techno293 use smaller sails (6.8 & 7.8)and do a shorter course. You could probably sail with them. Some of those kids are pretty good too.
You are always welcome to sail at RQYS or Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club with us. However If you want to keep sailing on the Gold Coast, I would recomend you get a bigger rig for the light days so that you can keep up with the lasers.
The new large rigs are not hard to handle in light winds. There is plenty of second hand stuff on the market in the large sizes if you don't want to spend too much. You can come and try some of my eqipment sometime if you want to get an idea of how the biger sails handle.
Starting to sound like a bit in the hard basket- might just go buy a laser instead and leave you all alone.
There seems to be a few people looking in on this post and I always hear people asking about Course Racing. Perhaps we could get a show of hands from anyone interested in a course racing structure using
1. Raceboards
2. Kona / SUP style boards
3. RSX
4. Bic Techno
Obviously there are two venues already running the races which is half the battle. RQYS has a great setup with the courses set up, safety boats etc and for the resourses available fairly reasonable membership fees.
Tony's venue at LCSC is also ideal with cheaper fees but a bit of a drive for those based in Bne. For some reason the people asking about the course racing are not taking advantage of these facilities so lets take this opportunity to look at the reasons why.
WQ
5. Formula
6. anything else that can go around a course
+1
I've not looked into it previously, but would be interested once I've had a few sessions on the new kit.
H
Hey Farles,
Regarding RQYS not sure $900 or there-a-bouts a year counts as fairly reasonable membership fees. Great facilities no doubt, but basically expensive as hell considering.
This topic has been discussed by previous committee's of WQ and Bayside for years. There are numerous options for developing such programs, but the ultimate stumbling block has been that everyone wants to get involved, but considering the lack of people with gear out there we have all been hesitant to jump in head first.
I personally never had the benefit of sailing or racing long boards, but in recent discussions with various industry people and other club members, there is a trend that we need to do something for the competitive side of the sport. Our slalom racing is suffering from a severe drought of conditions for the last few seasons, and i along with others are missing that time on the water battling it out for sheep stations
. Well it feels that way anyway.
I know with my involvement in the club administration this season, the discussion for more racing is growing, so lets collectively look at it. My suggestion is if you want to take up course racing, and are not just airing an opinion, but are serious about the prospect, then shoot the Bayside Sailboard Club and email with your contact info. If the interest is there and legitimate then maybe the club can do something about running races.
emai is: info@basidesailboards.com.au
I don't think RQYS fees are holding up longboard racing. But you can add an other club as an option. Darling Point Sailing Squadron has much cheaper joining fees and has been welcoming when I have sailed there. You don't even need to join just to try it out. They welcome visitors.
If people are interested in sailing longboards all they need to do is turn up and race with the boat fleet. No special arrangements required. The question of Bayside puting on something can be addressed when/if the numbers add up.
Adding a long board to your board quiver for the subplaning days doesn't need to be a huge risk. The old boards are very competitive against the new models. They are still wining world championships. And you can use your slalom rigs.
Tony,
The issue with the old boards is they are not available anywhere - period. Apart from Simon having a few boards last year, there is nothing second hand available. Mainly because people with them don't let them go. Thus we have to look at new gear - which is not a problem, but we need to get people interested. I personally think that a few of us will end up biting the bullet and just start something through the club, and maybe it will grow, maybe it won't.
I'm aware the DPSS have been really approachable about this. But the issue is not one of just racing, but more so racing against your mates. The crew at Bayside has developed into a great group of people that not only enjoy sailing, but also the banter that comes with trying to beat your mates on the course. Now personally, it is this component which has held me back from purchasing a raceboard to go and race the boaties with. I want to enjoy this sport with my friends who i currently sail with.
Also i think it is more that sailboards want to compete against sailboards - its the old like against like. In the immortal words of Sean Connery in the untouchables - "you don't bring a knife to a gun fight"
. Well it feels that way anyway.
I don't dispute any of your comments Daryl. I would just clarify that sailing with the boats is just about avoiding the logistics of organising a separate race while the numbers of raceboarders are small. Then again there is no harm in making some new mates too. The boaties are not so bad.
Sounds like there is a fair bit of interest in course racing . Just a bit of background I have been invloved in the raceboard seen since the mid 80's. Longboards were big!!! the fleets gradually slipped away as slalom racing driven by the pwa took over. But the fact is many venues do not have the wind to run slalom every week.
To answer handyman0708 question , your old raceboard , with the pryde sail (which has a tight leech) would be very competitive against the more modern hybrids up to around 12 knots, especially upwind
People who are keen need to reply to this thread so we can get an idea of the numbers.
One thought was to run some mini marathon style events out from manly and sail out to some of the islands in the bay
Question: It's 8-12 knots.
What is the fastest thing to get around a proper triangle course?
DaVecta, I am Assuming you are talking about sailboards only, and that it is a serious question.
It is generally accepted that in subplaning conditions the longboards are faster and in planing conditions the hybrids and formula are faster. The windrange you specified is in between and too hard to call. How much of the time is it closer to twelve or closer to eight. There are too many variables to give a simple answer. (Sail power, rider weight and skill, board design...)
Course racing is also a lot more tactical than slalom so it offers different chalanges.
As BC pointed above, the 7.5m Pryde tight leach sail should be competitive on raceboard. But how does it compare with a 9.5 RSX sail in the hands of fit young man who can pump his way around the whole course?
Da Vecta,
That wind range you are describing is exactly the range that we are talking about for more racing. From all i've spoken to the raceboardsill point higher and be faster in the lighter wind than say a formula. Whey they are planing the formula's are faster no doubt, but they cannot reach as well as a long board, they go up and down wind well - but the reach can be a handful.
They hybrids do both OK but are not great at either. They were promoted to have the benefits of both, but from my discussions the opinion is more likely they have the drawbacks of both. ie not as good as a long board in sub planing, and not as good as a formula in planing. And the RSX - well i've never heard anything good about it, and when i was with WQ there was an national push by the AWA to have the RSX removed as the olympic board in favour of one design formula.
Needless to say it did not eventuate.
Getting back to your question, tony is right in that the fastest person around the course will be the better sailor. The gear in these cases should not have as much of an effect on performance, but everything has it's niche regarding conditions.
Tony, you need to end your love affair with the RSX - it's a pig of a board. I know you love them, but seriously the new ones i hear are going to be 10K!!!! Not sure if this is true but if so, this board will do nothing for windsurfing. For light wind or course racing either go long or go formula.
From a club and participation point of view, club administrators need to look at increasing our participation rates in the lower wind speeds. Lets face it at 12 knots, Bayside is running slalom racing, it is the 8 knots we want to get people out in. And i think the long board is the best solution. It is a topic that i hope gains some momentum, and these discussions are a good start.
Daryl, Just for the record, I much prefer the longboards to the RSX for many reasons. I have had a Starboard Phantom 320 for the last two years.
I mentioned the RSX sail in my last post to illustrate that it is not as simple as picking a board. Luke Bailey on his RSX will beat me on any course any time no matter what sort of sail I have. He is just that much better than me that even the handicap of an RSX in a light breeze won't stop him. I,m sure he will be happy to come and show what an RSX can do once you have organised a race.
It is easy to criticise the RSX but those that are using them have become very good at getting the best out of them. If you have Olympic ambitions they are obviously the only choice so we just haveto let them have their place.
I agree completely that if you are looking for a light wind option, the racebords are the way to go.
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I'll get my old race longboard out and join in if the wind stays this pathetic and someone knows how to fix the cetreboard track (please)!
jo bring it in i can have a look at it
What we need to focus on is not what we are riding but that we can get out on those lighter wind days, and intoduce a whole generation of sailors that have missed out on the windward abilty of boards with center boards (or formula boards)
Tony,
Sorry mate, but the way you presented your argument it read to me that a good sailor on an RSX would beat an old long board rig, which inferred to me that you believed the longboard was inferior to the RSX, which is just not true. I stand by my previous comment that the RSX does not do what it was claimed to do.
Regarding Luke, I'm sure he is quite good at getting the most out of his RSX. How would he go up against an eaually talented raceboard sailor on the same course?? I reckon there are few old guns in Brisbane that would still have the goods.
Now if we can get them out there helping to encourage those of us that missed out on the longboard experience that would be a hoot.
If anyone want to have a crack at a course type race in potentially poor wind conditions (because thats what real sailors do- you don't see the guy in the Sydney- Hobart going- "Oh theres not enough wind out there for me to look good/cool- so I'm not going out in it") then get your old long board or your RSX (I'm so out of touch I don't even know what an RSX even is- seen the pictures on the forum but that is about it) or what ever else you can stand up on, come down to Paradise Point Sailing Club on the Gold Coast and kick my butt a bit- it should be easy- I'm on a 20 year old mistral race board and running only a pissy 7.5m sail (same age as the board). If anyone is really hard up- I have a similar age F2 lightning sitting in the garage- got it from the local Lifeline shop for $20- all it has needed was re-deck gripping- not a pretty job but it worked.
Full club membership- senior=$140 (off memory) and race fees- $12 per race to cover your yatching federation silver card insurance. On water start at 1pm, Briefing at about 12:20
One thing I should mention about the Paradise Point venue- course can be a bit tight (as in smallish) and there can be limited depth dependant on the tides so may not work for the very long fins- but does work well for a 20 yr old race board.
If you have never tried the tactical process of course racing it is probably hard to understand the dynamics and rewards that are involved in this type of competition- it is not about having the sharpest knife or the biggest gun (because you have the deepest pockets), it is about being the best you as an individual can be at what you are doing- and when you get beaten this is the motivation to analyse why you got beat and work harder not to let it happen again. You may still get beaten but you can have moral wins along the way- by say making ground on someone you know is much better than you on one leg or section of the course because you picked a wind change the other guy didn't- sounds like I' rambling again.
Because hydrofoil moths cost about $20,000 and have you actually ever seen anyone having fun sailing one?
