Sailing down under

[William_H]

Sailing season has started here in Oz. Thought my friends might enjoy a photo of sailing last Sunday.
It was a pursuit start race with 4 boats in division. One guy in 32ft fin keel started on28min we started on 7min another friend in 22ft finn keel stated on 8min and another 32 ft fin keel started on 6min. Wind was light with no 1 jib on and large spinnaker. Wind seems always light at start of season and with a/f only 4 weeks old she went well. Caught up with 2 boats in front and finished 10 seconds in front of the first starter. So elapsed time 20m mins better than him over 2.5 hrs. Anyway enough bragging. Son did brilliantly as skipper.
With that load of crew on 21fter (lift keel) the stern sinks terribly. So ol'will mostly sits in side as far forward as possible. Used to sit on fore deck but not so agile now.
A few things might be noticed in photo. The radio antenna on stern rail. The attachment of main sheet to boom. Carbon fibre boom so hopefully head bang friendly. Haliard winches in lieu of clutches.
3 kids on board. I enjoy having kids on boat . racing is not serious. But they do make a lot of noise. Or at least grand daughter does. Visitors are a bit more shy.
Any way the madness continues next Sunday. 2 short races 40 mins typical each. I really enjoy them. Love the close tussles. ( shouts "water on the buoy") Yes i know it is a lot different from many of my friend's on this forum's sailing experience but it keeps me amused. ol'will

 

[Grith]

I am now over that race around the bouys in different yachts trying to outsmart the handicapper!
Been there done that!
We are just back to currently chilly SA from over 8 weeks out on The Great Barrier Reef and The Whitsunday in a trailer sailer.
Who needs to worry about sailing seasons when you can hookup your yacht and tow it to cruise where the weather is better!
Still did lots of magnificent sailing and even hosted a friend from Perth for a week onboard who flew in and out of Hamilton Island.
We did see a few other trailer sailers cruising up there but none on the outer reef which we also snuck out to in a weather window.
It took us over 8 hours under spinnaker at 4-5 knots to get back into the Whitsunday islands.

We were often the smallest yacht in the anchorages and always the closest to shore.
In fact at times during some strong winds over 25-30knots we went really close in to the islands to shelter!

 

[Neeves]

I am now over that race around the bouys in different yachts trying to outsmart the handicapper!
Been there done that!
We are just back to currently chilly SA from over 8 weeks out on The Great Barrier Reef and The Whitsunday in a trailer sailer.
Who needs to worry about sailing seasons when you can hookup your yacht and tow it to cruise where the weather is better!
Still did lots of magnificent sailing and even hosted a friend from Perth for a week onboard who flew in and out of Hamilton Island.
We did see a few other trailer sailers cruising up there but none on the outer reef which we also snuck out to in a weather window.View attachment 165604
It took us over 8 hours under spinnaker at 4-5 knots to get back into the Whitsunday islands.
View attachment 165605
We were often the smallest yacht in the anchorages and always the closest to shore.View attachment 165606
In fact at times during some strong winds over 25-30knots we went really close in to the islands to shelter!
View attachment 165607

You will not need me to extol the virtues of a catamaran nor an owner the virtues of aSoutherly .

As most in the UK know - its always sunny in Australia. We live with barbecues on the beach, we variously wear bikinis and budgie smugglers, wear flip-flops (or thongs)?, cannot spell shoes and make up stories of mythical man eating spiders to keep the tourists away.

Jonathan

 

[jamie N]

Whitsundays Sailing Club, Airlie. QLD
"Obnoxious in Victory.
Surly in Defeat"

 

[davidej]

I have many happy memories of my years spent sailing in Sydney Harbour with the occasional excursion to Pittwater.