Saturday, March 23, 2013

A pre Easter race day on the harbour



        It was a day to leave the big boats at home and take a dinghy sailing... which actually meant that we nearly ran out of dinghies.. and an adventure or two was had out there ... by big boat sailors trying their hand at little boat sailing...

               It's never as easy as it looks...



                         For a start .. there is none of this "just  hop aboard and let's go"

                                                     It is a trek to the water...

                                                                            line up neatly...
   


                                           ... try and fit in the boat........



hope Ken takes pity on you or
.. beg for a tow....


                                            Then new member Dave opted for the 'suicide cat'

                                                                  Kissin Dynamite!!!


                                       Our rescue heros got into line....


Maria decided on some ferry teasing ....


                                        .... then sailed off into the wide blue yonder..


                                      The first race started......

  
                                    looking all business....

                                                                   and hiding the snacks...
                          

Martin and Jack went cruising by..



                                     Ray was problem solving........


.. and finally got it....all sorted !

                  
                                        We had Steve and daughter ....
                                 

...and we had Steve and daughter( Morgan)


                                 and then .....
                                                   we had Dave....

                         who was on  a sharp learning  curve .........

                                      


                                                                                


                                                and the educaters......

                                              were being re-educated....

 
                                      
                                                       but it was really Maria's day...

                                  .. conditions were perfect ... and she was blitzing the fleet....


                                             and.. even when it is perfect out there ...


                                                the action started hotting up...

                                                   Dave was sinking at the mark...



 
                                      Martin and Jack were screaming under kite..



as were Steve and Morgan


Ray can be relied upon  for a good shot.. sometime , somewhere...

we just stalk him.....

                                                     and he always chooses great moments....


                                                                  
                                       Anthony just tried to stay in the boat..          


                                                    as well as teaching Teacher Tim....


Jackson ignores all the fuss and and stays cool...

                                                                                
                                                            Maria knew she had sailed a great race..       

                                                
                                                                              
                                                  It was time to get out the 'good ale'
                                                               



there were silent and invisible Big Ships,


                                                                               
                                                                    Tugs as well...


                                                                             
                                                 Tuan was sailing in some exotic location ....



                                Thylacine had been on the same exotic island cruise....
                                                                       
                                                                                      
                               and while Tuan sailed off into the late afternoon sun...
                                                  
                                                               
                                                 ....... the day belonged to Maria...


                                                                    
    I will be in Brisbane on a  Media boat on Friday , so I should have a few good shots of the start of the Brisbnae to Gladstone Yacht race for you next weekend..     

                          Good luck to Immigrant , No Problem, Piranha and Wistari...  

Saturday, March 16, 2013

ORC races 1&2 on Gladstone Harbour


                                                            ORC Handicap start

          
                After two weekends of blustery strong winds and miserable rain and no sailing , everyone was keen to get out on the water ...

     Piranha , No Problem and Wistari had all headed south to deliver yachts to the start line for Easter's big event ... the Brisbane to Gladstone Multi hull Yacht Race ...

          and the other race going on .. The Brisbane to Gladstone Monohull Yacht Race...

                         Immigrant was still racing since the trailer takes care of her delivery..
                              but there was a definitely more conservative feel to the day ,
                          
                                   as we made note a spinnaker never made it out of the bag..

                              As is often the case the fun and games begin at the pontoon...

                               .. where even two boats have as many ropes going as ten..                                          


and where working motors seemed in short supply...more about engines later..


                            Cary has copyright on that hat .. What team is that??????


.. and the dynamic duo had won the battle of the boats and were congratulating themselves on moving to Herc for the afternoons entertainment..

very satisfied grin there Skye!

            
                                       Boats towed yachts


                                        Yachts and dinghies made their way out the creek...
               but on Doctor's Orders .. we were skipperless and mate less and still waiting waiting ..
     


                                                   Oh... here he comes our fearless leader...Ahh refreshments ..

                                                                            Naturally..



so we got him to work.. immediately..
                  

since i was spending most of my time on the top step of  the cockpit hatch..

in order to keep the camera dry and myself out of the range of having to do actual work...


                                         things were going past fairly quickly...

                
                                                           The usual players were on the water..


                                                    That SonofaBeach....

                                                                                



                                
                                    The handicapper was cutting a swathe through the fleet ..


                                Martin was thanking his stars the handicap was Jacks problem..


                                             Steve had Morgan to make the cockpit decisions



             We didn't know anybody on 4...................cause we were on 9 and then 12 and next week 20?

                                                                                
                                      We watched everybody go ......


                                   until finally we were out there too..


everybody had a steer... even the photographer ..

                                                                                       
                                                       it was wind against tide,

Lex called the shots ..


                                                and got into the chase ...

                                           Immigrant ... We're coming for you!!           


                                        .....with skill


                                                                     with tactics...


                                                            with hard work....


                                            the positions were soon reversed!!!


.. and that was just Race 1!!



Race 2 began ...

with much the same


                                   tactics, technique, tenacity.... etc

  
                                             Immigrant was flying up...


                                  and crashing down...

                                                                                   
                                                 Soilitaire was all about trapeze...



                                          It was wet!!!


but it was fun..



                                                   it wasn't all too serious ..
                    


and while we all headed back to the club house..


                             we were surprised to see the bow of Wistari ...


                              returning for repairs ... such is yacht racing and boat ownership...

                   
                                                         you start again.............