Sail Away Apr 12 - Albury-Wodonga Yacht Club

Terry Caldwell
Hi folks
Club Calendar for 2012-2013 and comments
The current draft of the 2012-2013 calendar is at the back of this newsletter.
The training and sailability dates are just my guess at the moment with the organisers of those activities
to confirm dates.
The Open Day (or “Go Sailing” Day) will be held earlier so that visitors will have the opportunity to sign
up for training programs which will probably get under way early in November.
The National Championships for the International Canoes will be hosted by AWYC, September 30 –
October 1 (NSW Labour Day weekend). The RL24 Australian Championship will be hosted by AWYC
from January 6 to January 11, 2013. There is a chance of a National Championships for some catamaran
classes from December 29 2012 to January 4 2013. The 14 footer group who were here over Easter are
keen to be back with a lot more boats next Easter. Some TY sailors at the National TY and Sportsboat
Championships in Tasmania over Easter have indicated that they will lobby for the next ones to be at
AWYC. Could be a busy year for the vice-commodore, race officers and volunteer race committees!
The popular mini-regattas for junior, novice and lady helming look set to stay. There are not any night
races scheduled, but the Full Moon dates are on the calendar so that anybody, who is keen to have a
night sail, can plan ahead. The fortnightly social gathering, which sometimes includes sailing, is to
continue, probably still with the members draw.
Paul Ransley reports on the TY Nationals in Tasmania over Easter
The series started with a passage race of 20 nautical miles in a light noreaster, around 10 to 12 knots. A
good fleet of three divisions, our division was 3 E5.9's, 2 C650s, 3 TS16s, an 18 & a 21, and a spinnaker
start. The last leg was a beat to finish and the wind died from the north and swung to southeasterly,
very Lake Hume. We managed to stay in the northerly flow out of the tide then caught the seabreeze
and finished 2nd across the line and 1st on handicap, the TS16s struggling as the breeze died.
Day 2 and the wind was variable from the west/norwest at 5 to 25 knots. Unfortunately, the W/L course
was hard to set and ended up being two shy reaches which suited the Hartleys, we struggled for a 4th
and two 5ths.
Day 3 was very windy, gusts to 35 knots and sustained above 25. There were three or four capsizes in
the Sportsboats, a broken mast, shredded spinnakers and broken rudders. We sat at anchor alongside
the Bellerive oval and listened to the footy!
Day 4 was more of the same. In the first race we noticed the rig was losing tension, so retired, found we
had a broken spreader. A very interesting nats, to say the least.
For some good photos of the carnage and even a good shot of Hawky working hard, check out http://
www.flickr.com/photos/james975/
JA is now in cruising mode and heading off to Norfolk Bay, think I'll need the thermals though.
Paul Ransley
“Sail Away” April 2012