This Week In Sailing - 10th August 2023

BRISBANE TO HAMILTON ISLAND YACHT RACE

A huge Congratulations to our 2 SYC yachts ‘She’ and ‘38’ competing in the annual Brisbane to Hamilton Island Yacht Race. Skippers and Crews reported one of the wildest and fastest races yet.

Results HERE

HAMILTON ISLAND AND AIRLIE BEACH RACE WEEK

It is the exciting time of year again when skippers and their crew are headed up North to compete in the Hamilton Island Race Week and the Airlie Beach Race Week.

These both extend over a week-long regatta and are very popular for Southport Yacht Club sailors to participate in.

We wish the best of luck to the following boats who will be competing in these upcoming events.

Skipper Name	Boat Name
Greg Tobin & crew	38
Craig Molloy & crew	Avalanche
Robert Engwirda & crew	Coconuts
Rod West & crew	Esprit
Peter Cook & crew	GCCM Arctic Blonde
Andy Lamont & crew	Hutchies Yeah Baby
Rick Billson & crew	Impulse X
Barry Schoonenberg & crew	Makani
Bill Barry-Cotter & crew	Maritimo
Philip Bell & crew	She

2023 BRASS MONKEY SERIES

After 14 weeks of racing, Ella Small skippering Mister Bojangles has come out on top! Winning the 2023 Brass Monkey series for the Inshore Division.

Congratulations to her and her crew for their consistent attendance and triumphs throughout this series, walking away with the well-deserved trophy !!

SAFETY AUDITS

As advised by Australian Sailing, Safety Audits are now valid for 12 months from the date of your last audit.

Updated Safety Audit Forms and a list of equipment auditors are available from the SYC Website using this link.

Sailing Resources/Auditing

THIS WEEK @ OXENFORD WATERSPORT CENTRE AND SQUAD UPDATE

By: Amber Hudson

At SYC Oxenford we are now halfway through our Learn to Sail term three programs with participants progressing with their skills and knowledge. Despite having four weeks of sailing behind them, some of our Tackers 1 sailors needed a little extra one-on-one time. So, one of our instructors hopped in a tackers boat to support them by demonstrating how to build confidence when the boats tip and for sitting on the gunnel. They sailed with one participant at a time, going through the skills and empowering them to take it on themselves.

Some of the students in the Out There program have been working towards refining their skills this term so that they are ready to progress to the Out There Fleet at Hollywell in Term 4. At Hollywell, there were some new faces in the group and some have advanced into sailing the club Nacra. Offering these e may have some new budding OTB catamaran sailors!

Coming Up!

Airlie Beach Race Week is sure to set pulses racing and hearts pumping when the multihulls and sports boats take to the water for the 35th running of this event from 10-17 August. We can’t wait to hear all about it from our star Sailing Instructor and all round superstar Jasmine Ruck, have fun Jas!

SAILOR OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to Joe Thompson who is a sailor of the week. Thank you for sharing your story with us Joe:

“I first started sailing at Oxenford Lake in 2020 when I was 11, my mum organised me and my brother to attend the 2-day school holiday program. I loved it so much that I started Tackers 1. I then went on to do Tackers 2, and 3 in 2021 and after that, I moved over to Hollywell, Junior Fleet. It was a big move from a lake to the seaways but with more wind and tide came more speed. I loved it; it was a natural progression to go from Junior Fleet on Sundays to Thursday night club training. In the transition to Thursday night training I went from an Opti (a bathtub-looking boat) to a Laser (an Olympic sailboat), it was awesome.

It wasn’t long before I started club racing although I was coming last in all the races, I still loved it. I now come third or fourth in the Laser division in club races. At the same time I started racing I also started volunteering to mentor kids in Tackers 1 and 2, and have progressed to Volunteer Mentor the Out There sailing and Free Sail for kids, which inspired me to get my Assistant Instructor Certification in November 2022.

Some of the boats I can sail solo are an Opti, a Laser, a Hobi wave, RS Quest, and I have crewed on larger keelboats and cats like the SYC Melges 24, Hobie 16, Wauquiez C45, and SCUDS with Sail Ability where I learned how to use a spinnaker.

My short-term goals are to continue improving and going to as many regattas to get coaching and racing experience, and for my future goals, I want to get to an Olympic standard in my Laser. After my first big regatta in Yeppoon last year, I have been to many others in between and I will be returning to Yeppoon again this year which is the biggest youth sailing event in Australia! Currently, I’m working on my hiking posture and boat handling skills in my Laser, as well as my speaking skills as a Volunteer Mentor training other youth sailors.

I love the competitive side of sailing because it pushes me to my limits and makes me work harder every time, andI also love the social side because of the fun I have with my sailing mates and the sailing community that offers so many opportunities for growth. With a special mention to the many coaches that have guided me on my sailing journey, I wouldn’t be where I am without them.” Joe Thompson