Peter at Caloundra Wind and Surf asked me to let everyone know he is intending to organise informal one design races every 4 weeks at the lake and is looking to get as many one designs on the water as possible.

I believe he has some setups that may be able to be borrowed as well if needed. I think he has 4 total.

if anyone is keen please give him a call. i know there are people who don't often visit the forum that own one designs. it would be great is the word were to spread.

p.s. I got dibs on one setup for at least one race.

Excellent!! Good enough news to prompt this long-time lurker to register and comment. I've been racing my wally semi-regularly at LCSC for the season just finished and would love some company. Unless I constrain my beer intake to reduce my "displacement", light-wind racing on yardstick against the cats, dinghys and raceboards can be a tad frustrating. Some class racing on the other hand would be a giggle no matter what the wind strength.

Apparently paying the mortgage off is important, so imposed budgetary constraints have meant that I've tried bottom-feeding to build a raceboard platform to (unsuccessfully) keep up with Zane, Tony and Brian on their Starboard/Severn rocketships. But I keep breaking gear (once I drove all the way from home in Eumundi to Paradise Point for a race, only to have my mast track rip out a few meters out from the beach on my first uphaul). I guess you get what you pay for, but gear failure has been a real frustration this season just gone.

On the other hand, my plastic-fantastic is pretty much indestructible, providing the cheapest racing on offer. With a few more Wallys out on the water we could get some really good one-design racing going with a minimal startup cost to getting involved, making it attractive for beginners to course racing. I lashed out and bought my Wally from Windgenuity in NSW: even shiny new it was a complete package for the sort of money that wouldn't buy you a raceboard rig, let alone a board to plug it into. And of course there were gazillions made back-in-the-day, so finding old ones shouldn't be too tricky. A "classic" (dagger board) fleet could be fun - lots of those around pretty much free to a good home.

There's no doubt that raceboard sailing is a blast, but there's a bit of a commitment to get started. Instead, start cheap on a wally (no one can beat you with their wallet so there are no excuses) and "upgrade" later if you feel the need for speed when you're hooked on course racing. Meanwhile there's something cool about that white knuckled feeling (in fingers _and_ toes...no straps remember) that you get from the simple one-design platform. Speed is relative - it's about making whatever you're sailing go as fast as you can.

Can you keep us up-to-date if you hear anything Gestalt, cheers.

hi Duncan,

great first post. I agree with you. one design can pretty much do it all and it's cheap. plus it puts the focus on the sailor. open class is very much about the gear. it was the cost for me that made me stop raceboard class as well back in the day. I got to the end of a season and was left with the option of upgrading my race gear or replacing my trashed wave gear.

it's a shame we didn't get you up to burrum heads this year. we had a small but fun packed fleet of one designs state titles. thanks to pete's extra boards we had some additional contenders join in.

i'll keep you up to date. I know there are a few people with one designs tht don't visit seabreeze that often. I guess peter can contact people via phone as well. then there's the guys at Hamilton island. i'll give them a call as well to let them know.

I'm keen to do a few races but am unable to attend them all. peter is the man to touch base with.

LCSC will be happy to help facilitate Windsurfer One Design racing at the lake next season.
Wally sailors are also welcome to participate in our May Day regatta on the 3rd and 4th of May.
This is on at the same time as the Raceboard Championship.

first session is being planned for sat 10th may. meetup at boreen point. I think the plan is for a very informal setup.

other than trying to join in with the racing I'm not the organiser so I can't provide more details. if you need more details please contact peter nitschke.

Further details have come to hand: retro-grouches to meet at 10ish in front of Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club.

Be there or be square...

Hi.

Could you let me know what a 'one design' is? My friend was given an older board and I am supposing it is some form of older racing or slalom board. It is very long and narrow with centreboard and long mast track. I am not really interested in this type of racing but thought that someone may be looking for this type of board. My friend is new to the sport and only wanted something to fool around on. This setup came with a special alloy mast and some mid range slalom sails (no cams). I think that the sails are too obselete but the board may suit some special need perhaps.

hi mark,
there are 2 or 3 versions. the sort after one is the one with the retractable centreboard. if you have a one design and looking to sell it I'm looking for one myself.

the aluminium mast and slalom sails make me think yours is not a one design but keen to know either way.

Thanks for the reply. My friends board has a retractable centreboard but is much sharper in the nose section. Down the back it tapers rather than square. From memory it may have some cut outs on the aft rails. Sorry I don't have any pics at this point.

Select to expand quote

Gestalt said..

hi mark,
there are 2 or 3 versions. the sort after one is the one with the retractable centreboard. if you have a one design and looking to sell it I'm looking for one myself.

the aluminium mast and slalom sails make me think yours is not a one design but keen to know either way.

Mate , I have one the same as the one in the picture I would be willing to sell to someone keen on getting into the racing . Board it in vg condition have fiberglass mast and swing centerboard ,no sail or boom.

Located Brighton Brisbane

Pm me if your keen
Jay

Had a look at jay's board. Unfortunately not an original one design and has a delam issue from taking on water plus the footstrap screws have been epoxy filled.

I'm still in the market.

Hi, I'm in WA and just managed to find a secondhand wally yesterday. Hooray! It took 18 months to find it. Good luck on your quest Gestalt.

Do any of you know Rob Clay (from Yeppoon)? I sailed with Rob at the 1987 National Titles held in Hobart. No internet back then and was a hopeless letter writer so we lost contact. Just wondering if he still sails? Cheers

nice one wally sailor,

I saw you facebook post, well done!!

i'll keep searching for now but figure something will come of it eventually.

Speak to Kerry Bergman or Roger Crawford, they come across 2nd hand boards on the East Coast. You can get it shipped to you. Perth was proving a bit difficult to organise and pay for shipping. I went to Narrabeen Yacht club recently and the hire business there had a near new one about to go on sale.

cheers I'll do that,

I know Kerry quite well now as she helped me organise the OD state titles at burrum heads this year. I thought I had that board above sorted and was going to touch base with Kerry regards a rig.

i'll give her a call and see if she has any leads.

cheers.

got myself an old battle worn board with a few minor issues but it's dirt cheap and will get me on the water. now just need a fin, a centreboard, centreboard flaps, uni, base plate and maybe a sail......... although I do have my old tyronsea base plate if that's class legal.

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Gestalt said...
got myself an old battle worn board with a few minor issues but it's dirt cheap and will get me on the water. now just need a fin, a centreboard, centreboard flaps, uni, base plate and maybe a sail......... although I do have my old tyronsea base plate if that's class legal.

Parts are available from windgenuity

You only need class legal if you are leading.

very true handyman, and that won't be me.

cheers Duncan. will chase up greg if I come up short.