Author: James Snowdon

Saucy Sausage returned to the Giesen Wines New Year Regatta at Waikawa Boating Club to try and better than their 2nd in Div Two from last year. Two days of Marlborough Sounds Racing promised to be interesting especially in a div two fleet that included three quarter-tonners, a Young 88, a Farr 1020 and a number of cruising boats. Day One Barely enough wind for the first race, pin end start, bad tactical call by the skipper, big hole, watch the fleet stretch away, massive wind shift, are we back in it…maybe not! Race two, 10kts gusting 20kts, better start,…

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I was recently disappointed to hear that there may still be RPNYC boats sailing in Fleet and Championship Racing whose crew do not meet the membership requirements of the Sailing Instructions. As a simple guide: Rum Racing and Special Racing – No specific Membership Requirements Any Fleet or Championship Racing – 80% of the Crew should be RPNYC Senior members or members of an affiliated club There are other more detailed requirements for variation to this – please refer to the NoR section 5.5 Annual Membership costs less than a bottle of wine a week! Remind your Ocean Sports Grads…

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Reflections from the VC on last season and a look to the season ahead So we went sailing! Firstly, in reflecting on sailing at the club over the last year I wanted to highlight some of the things which we did differently; some of the struggles; some of the successes and some of what we intend going forward. The programme of racing for the year was set down to have a little bit of something for everyone.  We intentionally put a specific flavour to each of the series throughout the year to try and differentiate them.  We kept fleet racing…

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We have had our AGM and one Officer position was remaining to be filled. Nominated from the floor and receiving great support from around the club, Amanda Daysh, your new Sailing Secretary, sat down and had a brief chat with your VC! VC – So welcome to the role Amanda, what inspired you to become Sailing Secretary?  AD – Some ex sailing secretaries’ enthusiasm for the club and where the club can go in the future  VC – When and how did you get into sailing? AD – When Matt Perry (Hurricane Rigging) told me I was doing the Wine…

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Well what a fantastic day to be back racing. Not too hot, not too cold, very scenic and perfectly timed to beat the rain. Congratulations Jim for selecting a perfect course … except for the start line. Was 1 metre too far west. By the time ZRT had dipped back, the fleet had finally made it to the line, hiding it. Back we went again – urgh! But what a great view coming from behind. The things you see. Boom topping lifts still on, Volvo 70 masthead kites on a <30’er, ÂĽ code zero kites on another. A great battle in…

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Wednesday saw the return of the Twilight Races.  TZ ran four short course (and I mean really short – 300m pin-to-pin) races, in a variable 20knt southerly for the four boats that came out to play.  No race took more than than 20 minutes and each had exciting, close racing in the inner harbour. We had a “port-tack” of the fleet, attempted lee-bows, 20 degree wind shifts and leads changing every 100m.  Great to see a Wellington Ocean Sports Racing Course out there showing us how to time the starts. The current standings put After Midnight ahead on Line and…

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Spring has been, well…very spring-like.  The weather gods have not been kind but we managed to get away a brace of two-handed races and a full afternoon with 3 Divisional Races.  Tricky conditions made for a mixed bag on the results for both formats. Currently heading up the two-handed series (on PHRF and Club handicaps) is After Midnight with Airship leading “on line”.  Fantastic to see 9 boats willing to rest their skills in this format. In Divisional Racing the conditions were no less difficult. 19 boats took to the water in three divisions on 2nd November.  With the other two…

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