Having returned to the NSW Raceboard series for the past couple of seasons after a lengthy layoff, I'm keen to find anyone interested in informal (at least to start) Saturday afternoon (2pm ish) racing on Brisbane Waters in the Gosford area.

Initially racing around fixed bouys on Brisbane Waters, but if we get enough participants then possibly approach Gosford Sailing club to start official racing. All boards welcome (One Design, Raceboard, Funboard, Formula, Division 2).

Anyone interested please let me know.

John Doolan
John_doolan@hotmail.com

Great AUS-817. good luck

Combined longboards, as you have proposed, should be the way to go to get a good fleet together. Hope to join in sometime soon.

Everyone is more than welcome and if we get enough starters and the right breeze we could even throw in some slalom racing from time to time.

If you fancy upping the ante a bit and making the racing out in Broken Bay then I'd be a starter for sure. (I would arrive from Pittwater) Perhaps just once in a while.

AUS-817,
Congrats on your placing in the NSW Raceboard States. Sounds like it was quite difficult conditions.

Whereabouts are rigging up?
I usually sail ettalong beach.

Thanks
PJ

Was planning on setting up on the grass on the southern side of Gosford Sailing Club, on the Waterfront side of the parking area.

Thanks, it was certainly pretty tough going on the Sunday. I see you're in the hunt for a Raceboard! The next heart of the summer raceboard stores is at St George Sailing club on the 30-Jan. If you're nearby so in and have a chat to the gang. Unfortunately I'll be overseas for that race. Back early Feb so planning to start regular racing from mid Feb.

hi all, also thinking of getting a long board to race, based at Umina.Gosford sailing club now have a mixed fleet racing each Sat, pretty certain we would be able to get start in that division if we asked nicely .Just have to keep an eye out for a decent board

You should be able to find an old F2 lightning or Mistral Equipe or Pan Am around and they are still reasonably competitive. I guess it comes down to how competitive you wish to be and how much you wish to outlay.

And then you need to work out how to sail one - which I am trying to do... good fun to re-learn a sport.

I have a imaculate mistral Pan-Am for sale at the moment located at St George sailing club in Sans Souci if anyone is interested.
Pm me for additional info & images

Hi,

John, was it you sailing around on Saturday, with the Severne sail.

I'm one of the mixed fleet sailors, there should be no issues with you joining in the mixed fleet racing, I will personal like to see it. I did race with a Formula board for a while, but I was too good at it , plus I'm a bit too well padded these days.

Race entry and sign-on/off is at the sailing club, cost for a days sailing is $10. Non-club members sailors can race 3 times, more than that then you are expected to join the club.

They only other major thing to mention is the dreaded "I" world. It is mandatory that all sailors have third party liability insurance (to $10 million). Club members do get the Yachting Australia's personal members insurance.

For more details then it would good to contact Peter Walsh, the sailing administrator, contact details @ http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-10984-0-0-0&sID=356017

Cheers
Peter

Hi Peter that was me out there last Sat, first outing on a longboard in a very long time was was a bit rusty .I think John might still be overseas at the moment,so will catch up with him when he is back.Agree that I dont think there should be any problem sailing from Gosford Club and hopefully we can attract a few more and might end up with a nice little fleet

Hi guys, great to see some interest in longboard racing at Gosford, I'm just back from overseas and had the weekend down at Huskisson for Heat 5 of the Raceboard series This past weekend.

So all going well I plan to sail out of Gosford Sat 20-Feb. Anyone interested in joining me is most welcome. I aim to be there by 1pm ish.

Great to see the return of windsurfer racing at Gosford. Boards were going really well in the southerly today. Thanks for your efforts John. I hope to join you guys next week, cob webs and antique gear may not give you much of a challenge, but looking forward to it. Lyndon

Yes it was great to get out on the water at Gosford again and great to see we have at least a few interested participants in some regular racing.
I'm away next weekend at the State Windsurfer One Design titles at Pelican on Lake Macquarie, however Pete might be keen again.
For anyone else interested we aim to meet around 1pm and start racing 1:30-2pm. We can set small courses inside between the sailing club and end of Point Frederick, or out in the bay depending on who turns up on the day and/or the conditions.
See you again at Gosford Saturday 5th March.
John

This is awesome guys. Well done.

Thanks John I will be there this Sat, aiming to be at the club at 1pm.Forecast looks pretty good 15-20 from the south so we could even venture further down the bay, will be rigging up on the small grassy strip waterfront side of the car park, cannot wait

You need to come down and join us one Saturday. Division 2 boards are most welcome. It'll inspire me to jump on my Lechner :)

It was great to get the old Caveman Custom from Andrew Regan who was taken from us sadly. Salute to Andrew for making a board probably about 20 years ago now that can still mix it with the recent stuff. However especially with my weight its pretty clear the bat-wing has a big advantage in marginal reaching conditions. Even my over sized sail didn't compensate. I don't see myself spending up on a new race board but perhaps a slight handicap and a blind eye turned to a big sail and I might give you guys some competition to chase down. Hey I even got the mast track to work, But sadly my boom end broke and I mostly sailed with the boom roped to the mast. Challenges of older gear. Looking forward to more boards coming. If its a 15knts plus southerly and solid are you going to stick with raceboards or bring along short boards for some reaching races?

Great to see you out there Lyndon, the Caveman still goes along pretty well, it's a classic .The phantom has a bit of an edge in the marginal stuff , it's just great getting the long boards back on water.The wind kicked in around 3pm, I ended up sailing upwind across to Saratoga then doing long deep broad reaches back down to Koolewong, it's amazing how far you can travel in such a short time, hopefully we can get a few more out next weekend

Hi John

I found your post, it is looking good, particularly the mixed fleet idea.

Regards


Peter

Great to hear Peter and Lyndon made it out last Saturday, and also great to hear the Caveman is back in action Lyndon, I look forward to seeing it on the water, pity I couldn't make it due to the Windsurfer One Design States at Lake Macquarie. I'm planning on being at Gosford next Saturday so hope to see you both there.

Lyndon, as for your question about using shorter boards when the breeze comes up, I see no reason why we can't set a slalom course on those days.
John

If you went to slalom I'd even join in... Lack of long board does render it difficult otherwise!

Lyndon you should use the starboard Gemini. That would go well I reckon!

I'll bring the Gemini along. It would be fun on the reaches. It goes up wind ok for a recreational board but I don't see it coming close to the race boards up wind. If anyone wants a go just bring the usual standard twist plate base (like the old fin box and now 90% boards use as mast base plate connector) and swap your sail over for a go afterwards. Usually works best with the heavy one on the back. Front guy can end up sort of floating in mid air if you get going.

Hi guys, it's looking good for breeze tomorrow and I should be down at Gosford by 1pm. Let's aim for a beach start around some of the fixed marks from 1:45pm. Perhaps 2-3 short races.

Sounds good, hopefully not to windy as I still only have the 9.5 , might be able to head down towards Tascott and marks down there, NE in front of sailing club is pretty gusty and shifty

Excellent news Pete. I'm going my brother will be able to join us as well. I'm happy to head down the bay and might see if I can talk to someone at the club about the possibility of joining their mixed fleet races.

Just sent you an email John re second sail for raceboard. Mixed could be ok, had a look ag the sailing instructions they generally seem to do a sausage, traingle, sausage and then just increase the number of laps.we would need to see what our VYC handicap would be, did see some info from a couple of years ago rated raceboard with 7.5 sail at 97, so hopefully a bit faster with 9.5