Last Month
Some pretty wild weather, a great month for stories
Double Island Race.
Windy – here’s what happens when you take a journalist racing & things don’t go quite to plan. Click here to read”
An Outing With the Cairns Yacht Club: Cairns, Australia by Lee Wagner
It was a seven-hour race for G&T, the smallest boat in a fleet of three, understandably we came 3rd and got back in one piece, nothing was broken so that was a good outcome.
First on handicap was Volare revelling in the heavy weather and 2nd went to Centinela after blowing out a spinnaker.
Lady’s Day Race by Niel Robson
What an interesting race we had on Saturday Splish Splash Lady Skippers Race with four boats braving the inclement weather conditions. A downwind start with light changing wind, spinnakers were up till C16 and up again after we rounded C9. The wind keeper moving to the west and then west north-west so down with spinnaker and pull the sails on.
After rounding the mark at Yorkeys, lead it was one tack back to C9 in steady wind and rain. Centinela led all the way up till just before C9 when Volare slowly slid by as the wind picked up with Vanguard then Anastasia with her all lady crew. After a lot of tacking to get up the leads, the positions were unchanged.
On handicap a well-deserved win to Anastasia then Centinela, Volare and Vanguard. Well done to all.
All in all, everyone was very happy after a wet but enjoyable race. A big thanks to Frances for her support for these races it great to see women having a helm and crewing.
Last race in the series is on the 14th April see you then.
Wet’n Happy – Volare crew romping home to third place.
Easter Bunny came & went as did April Fool’s day which probably explains the lack of stories from the Easter cruise to Fitzroy Island.
Ellis Beach Season Opener – by Barry Craven
Cats doing battle at Ellis Beach
Well, what a weekend, a great opening regatta. It was so pleasing to see so many classes of boats enter. On Saturday there was a stiff breeze blowing but all, like great sailors, battled on. In the Taser with Greg on Saturday race 1, a first, race 2, a first race 3, a third closely followed by Kelsey race 1 with a second, race 2 a second, race 3 a first, This was set for a battle set for Sunday, the laser and pacer was a good fleet with Darryl beattie winning 3 races on Saturday with the flying Dutchman very close taking out second on the Saturday racers. Reuben boat had a mishap on Saturday but like true champs they were back for more on Sunday. Hobie/Med Nacras was great to see Don there again. He was first to turn up on Saturday getting set up early. Great work Don. Jamie Leitner was out on the water, good to see you back with three races on Saturday won by Jamie. A/class with Adam Beattie winning all three races on Sat. Maybe we can get some more A/class next sail day to give him a run for his money.
On Sunday the breeze was a little lighter which turned out to be ideal for the dinghies. This was going to be a great day
Tasers race 1 saw Kelsey winning that one with Greg coming in a close second
Race 2 Kelsey got the money again
Race 3 and again Kelsey first with Greg and crew in second ( and on another note well done to Kelsey at the Nationals well mate you did CYC proud
Lasers and Pacers race 1 Darryl Beattie was first with the flying Dutchman (Marja) with Giles in 3rd
Race 2 Darryl Beattie 1st, Marja 2nd
Race 3 Darryl Beattie 1st, Marja 2nd
Hobie/med Nacras race 1, Jamie Leitner 1st with Don 2nd
Race2 Jamie Leitner 1st with Don 2nd
Race 3 Jamie Leitner 1st with Don 2nd
A/Class Race 1 Adam Beattie 1st
Race 2 Adam Beattie 1st
Race 3 Adam Beattie 1st
Race results for the weekend.
Tasers first place Kelsey and crew well-done guys.
Laser and Pacers first place Darryl Beattie.
Hobie/med Nnacras Jamie Leitner.
A/class Adan Beattie.
And our encouragement award went to Harrison well-done mate a never give up attitude.
A big thank you to Kincrome tools and equipment for the prizes and we will have more for the mid-year regatta so would be great to see the Guys from Townsville, Tinaro, Mission Beach, and Port Douglas attend.
And thank you for all the volunteers to make this a successful day and really big thank you from me. Without you guys these days just don’t happen. Sailing is back at ELLIS
Don’t forget Sail Ellis day, last Sunday in each month. The next is Sunday the 29th It would be great to get some more boats out at the best place to sail in FNQ, Ellis beach.
Jai Tooley smashing it in Singapore.
Ashleigh & Jai in Singapore – WELL DONE
Ashleigh Swaddling from gold coast and I, recently flew to Singapore to compete in the Singapore youth nationals. The regatta hosted 393 sailors from 7 different countries. We competed on the Nacra 15 class which had really close racing between Singapore and Aussie boats. Leading into the final day of competition, there was only 1 point between the top three boats. We managed to get first in the final race which tied us for first place, but we gained second on countback, leaving the Singapore boat to win the regatta. We learnt heaps throughout the regatta with a broad range of wind conditions and made lots of new international contacts. While over there we took part in a homestay setup between Singapore and Aussie sailors while also taking part in their Clean Regatta initiation, which encouraged sailors to limit any plastic waste or water bottles. We also had beach cleanups before racing where all the sailors would clean the local beaches along Singapore. All in all, it was a fantastic regatta that taught me heaps, if anyone from the yacht club would like to take part or join me on some sailing opportunities just feel free to contact me. Jai Tooley
Crewing on a keelboat is easy at CYC (download the ‘SailConnect’ app, click here)
- Download the App
- Enter your name and details as crew. Tutorials here
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Use the “filter” to select Cairns Yacht Club as the one nearby
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Go to Events, click ‘Upcoming’ and all of the events you might be interested in.
When you register an interest, all boats sailing in that event will see your interest and get in touch via the app. Be realistic in describing your abilities; some boats can take crew that have no sailing experience whereas some like to know if you have sailed in dinghies, keelboats or whatever.
Dinghy Learn to Sail – Second Course has started (Register here)
The course will be held on Saturdays from 8.30am on 2pm,
| 7th April | 08:30 AM | – | 2:00 PM | |
| 14th April | 08:30 AM | – | 2:00 PM | |
| 21st April | 08:30 AM | – | 2:00 PM | |
| 28th April | 08:30 AM | – | 2:00 PM |
The program which will go for four weeks and is designed to teach all the key skills required to sail a small sailing vessel safely.. You can register here (click).
See you on the water. Call Scott on 0410 477 166
Ellis Beach
Ellis monthly Regatta on the 29th April. Here are the boat hire and event entry fees. Get in early as boats will soon be snapped up.
Food / meals / BBQ will be available, lunch dinner and breakfast. Bring some cash.
If you are hiring a boat, please help keep equipment together, so the next person hiring the boat doesn’t have to hunt through the Clubhouse to find missing parts. Each boat has a number to help with this. If something is missing or broken, please let Scott or Barry know. These dinghies only stay serviceable with your help.
Coming UP – This Month – download nomination form here
Saturday 14th April – Lindsay Joice race five, an inlet race
Friday 27th April – NEW- Curry night & low key trivia night organised by the crew of Volare at the Boat Shed. This will be a monthly off the water get together.
Sunday 29th April – Ellis Beach is on again. Take a tent and camp the night. Bring a boat or borrow one of the Club’s fleet from two-man Pacers to one man Lasers. Great fun. There is also the sporty little Nacra cats. Have a go on these; they need to be used.
Saturday 5th May – Sam Cadman Series, Race 1. Another Fitzroy Island race for a fantastic prize, two nights on the island including transfers if you don’t feel like sailing. You can only win one of these per year, so everyone has a good chance.
Saturday to Monday 5th-7th May – Not a keelboat fan? Go to Tinaroo for the May Day dinghy regatta. Find out what sailing in fresh water is like!
Saturday 12th May – Sam Cadman Series Race 2, Bay Race – Race 2.
Saturday 20th May – Sam Cadman Series Race 3, Double Island Race – Race 2
Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26th May – Quicksilver Race Week – Port Douglas. Book your time off work, this is a biggie, and plenty of boats need crew.
WAGS – Every Wednesday. A fun sailing day with others, stress-free and a chance for non-members to sail for the day, just $20 gets you on a boat. Be at the Boat Shed at 12. No need to call anyone, just turn up. Backpackers welcome, the best value day out on the water you can have in Cairns.
Connect to the calendar HERE; you can download a .pdf copy to your phone or sync the calendar.
Commodore’s Commands
RIP carpark -For the next 12 months the CYC Carpark is closed due to refurb on Shangri La, However, current CYC members displaying the orange, soon to be green, windscreen labels will not be issued parking infringement notices by P/N to any vehicles parked in the marina point area until the P/N Carpark and barrier has been resolved .
Do not feed the meter.
Capt John, out
We are hoping the CYC car park will remain this size when we get it back
ED: We’ve had a fantastic response this month, some great stories. Anyone can have a go. Please call the editor, Hew on 0409976888. Perhaps you can tell me your story over a drink or two? Email at iwantone2@icloud.com (We can fix spelling and grammar slip-ups)
Cairns Yacht Club Newsletter 