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Main Clubhouse: Bethwaite Lane, Clive Park, Northbridge Seaforth Clubhouse annex: Sangrado Street, Seaforth Postal Address: PO Box 39 Northbridge NSW 2063

Northbridge Club 2014-2015 Season Report

Commodore’s Report

We concluded the 2014-2015 sailing season with some impressive outcomes .

This season saw the extension of our coaching program – with Lizzi Rountree providing a structured program and additional coaches available for the Junior fleets and Flying 11s. The season also saw the introduction of more varied, fun-based events including specific sailing streams in the Sailing School that catered for both the more competitive and the more social young sailors with on-water games, destination sails among other high diversions. The focus was on fun (and I for one was a little surprised to see Lizzi driving a bunch of young sailors through a fitness program that would have left many senior sailors gasping after the first rotation – let alone the fifth)..

Please take the time to read the Class Reports which provide details around the many firsts that the sailors and the Club have achieved in this last season.

In addition there were several “all-in” opportunities with Teams Racing which saw some very enthusiastic young sailors showing their parents how to get around the track.

David Ferguson at full hike, coming in for a Michael Giffney working hard under the command fast finish on port tack but #2 closed them of a junior sailor out for a victory by getting on to starboard

Who says Pacers’ can’t plane given enough wind?

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 2 We also once more hosted the Opti State Teams Racing (in almost survival conditions!) as well as a Travelling Trophy for the NS14s and strong participation in the joint regattas with Middle Harbour Yacht Club junior sailing that saw Northbridge take home the proverbial silverware, led by Maddie and Sam.

Sam and Maddie doing some pre-start plotting, Drummoyne

Financial Report The Club's membership and financial performance continues to be at reasonable levels.

Memberships have declined over the year to 161 (2014: 190) with a decrease predominately in the number of first year Learn-To-Sail enrolments. The Training activities of the Club were down slightly on previous years due mainly to a lower attendance at both the Learn-To-Sail program and our annual Live-In.

 In the coming season, Hugh Morrow with Evan Andrews have initiated a comprehensive marketing plan extending to the local primary schools to promote our Open Day. In addition the Committee has invested to expand our training fleet of Optis to enable greater capacity within the Club’s existing Learn-To-Sail and to provide more flexible sailing programs – both on Sundays and after school during week days lnsurance costs remain a large part of Club's expenses being $21 ,326 however we have again managed to reduce premiums in the current period of insurance by over $5,000 while maintaining the same coverage as in previous years. A special thank you to John Smidmore for leading this activity and delivering such a great outcome.

The CIub commissioned maintenance works at the Northbridge clubhouse over the year including replacement of the floor in the Bay which had partially collapsed and repairs to the club's pontoon to replace the hinges and associated parts with new stainless steel

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 3 parts. Total maintenance expenditure during the year was $18,842 (compared with 2014: $44,301). In addition, after review of the ongoing maintenance of the pontoon itself that has provided more than 20 years service, the decision was taken to replace the pontoon in preparation for the forthcoming season.

The Club had a net cash outflow from operating activities of $14,889 and concluded 2015 financial year with $110,735 in the bank (compared with 2014: $125,624).

Development of the Club’s Operating Plan Commencing in November 2014, the General Committee sought input from members on the current challenges as well as opportunities to clarify the future direction of Northbridge Sailing Club.

A series of submissions were received from members and in light of these, the Committee reviewed and prioritized the issues as follows using a voting system:

1. No clear sailing pathway for older teenagers (19/48 votes) 2. Poor teenager engagement (8/48) 3. Need to keep instructors (7/48) 4. NSC Expensive compared to other (non-licensed) Clubs (5/48) 5. Maintenance (4/48) 6. Space for boat storage (2/48) 7. Get parents sailing (2/48) 8. Provide a valued choice (1/48)

As reported to members in February 2015, four key initiatives are now underway:

1. Establish Two Sailing Pathways are Required to Meet the Club’s Needs  The Lasers have already initiated several “try a ” sessions and have formed a coaching group and already our first youth sailor is beating some of the older hands. The next step is to seed the program by encouraging more youth sailors.  The existing NS14s continue to look for crews however this program needs some MGs (NS14s with spinnakers) to commence sailing. If this program is to build momentum, accessing boats and finding crews will need additional effort in the forthcoming season

As a further initiative to encourage transition between classes, more of our Sunday afternoon racing will be structured around multiple short races – providing the opportunity for additional starts and more frequent opportunities to learn, rather than trailing legs behind as youth sailors gain familiarity with a new class. This will also encourage more activity around the buoys for all sailors, sharpening our rules (but hopefully not resulting in noise complaints from waterfront residents as “on –water” instructions are issued to converging boats).

2. Instructors and Coaches – we need both

The introduction of formal coaching has helped rapidly build sailing skills within the Club however a core element of our culture is the volunteer instructors – they are the life blood that makes us unique and central to activities such as Live-In.

Commencing February 2015, Sunday mornings saw the introduction of “kick off” meetings to bring the different aspects of the morning sailing program together. In addition, the Club has sponsored junior instructors to the CYCA Winter Teams Racing and will continue to support

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 4 instructors obtaining their formal Australia qualifications and necessary accreditations (e.g. First Aid, Boat License etc).

3. Engage our Teenage Members

In February 2015, under the guidance of Andy Saunders and Adele Pile, the Flying 11s are now having regular pizza parties and now the Juniors have kicked off a social program too.

4. Offset our Funding to rely less on Members Fees and extend use of the Club’s Facilities

Michael Giffney has reached out to surrounding schools as well as investigated opportunities to expand our sailing “portfolio”. In light of the level of interest, the Club put out a tender, and in collaboration with another Club has purchased 12 Opti trainers at a substantial discount. This will not only provide greater flexibility in the Club’s ability to cover Learn To Sail programs, it will also enable us to offer after school programs, offsetting members fees.

The Committee anticipates that this initiative will also mean that many junior sailors who in the past may have commenced sailing in NJs will instead start sailing via the Club’s boats. This will provide a lower financial threshold for parents to support sailing and aligns our activities with the Yachting Australia path, simplifying our curriculum, accreditation and providing a more transferrable experience for our Instructors if they choose to progress through the Instructor qualifications at YA.

The Club will continue to support existing NJ sailors for the coming 1-2 seasons but we anticipate that as new sailors will no longer commence in this class – this will lead to its eventual demise. No doubt this will concern some members however the Committee believes this is the best approach to achieve a more sustainable sailing program.

The Club’s success is built on its members. They are the “special sauce” that makes our Club unique. On behalf of all members, I would like to thank the many individuals who contributed to the Club’s success – from morning parents, class captains, office bearers and members of the General Committee and last but not least, all sailors.

After five years on the General Committee, I will retire by rotation. It has been a rich personal experience and I would like to thank all those who have assisted the Club during my watch.

Junior Sailing Report 2014 - 15

This season has seen the Junior Sailing program go from strength to strength. From the very successful Learn to Sail Program through our Transition Fleet, to the Green and Open Fleets there have been large and active fleets often in excess of 30 boats each Sunday.

The kids have had FUN and it is always a tremendous sight to see them learn and grow in confidence. It is awe inspiring to see the first timers take that nervous first sail in their first boat. To see the small wins and grins and the tears when it gets scary. At each level of the fleet we have had kids transitioning; from the first time ‘out and back’, to round the buoys, to their first race and their first regatta to their first Nationals. It is a credit to them all and their parents who week in week out turn out to make sailing at Northbridge the success that it is.

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 5

The Junior Sailing program has been ably led by Tom Sloane and assisted by a hard working and enthusiastic parent group. The coaching team has been outstanding with Steph Sheridan, Conor Campbell and Lizzi Rountree guiding, challenging and nurturing the Transition, Green and Open Fleets with some remarkable results.

JUNIOR SAILING COACHES - Thank You!

This season has been incredibly successful for Junior Sailing. We have seen a whole new group of keen junior sailors join the club and those who have been around for a few seasons have continued to develop into great young sailors.

This has been in no small part due to our wonderful coaching team! From the sailing school team so ably led by Chitty and Rosie and including everyone through the instructor and assistant instructor ranks who volunteered their time to teach learn to sail and live in, through to Steph, Conor and Lizzi who led the junior sailing program week in week out including attending many regattas. Thank you on behalf of all the parent group and the kids!

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 6 A special mention to Steph who won't be returning to transition fleet next year (something about her career being more important?).

Steph has done it all.

She learned to sail at NSC, became an assistant instructor, instructor and eventually head instructor with the sailing school and has ably led our transition fleet for a number of years. THANK YOU! We hope you will still find the time to come back and be a guest instructor sometime.

One of the best things about sailing is that the girls often beat the boys…

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 7 Live-In This year's live-in was a great success, mainly due to the fantastic bunch of kids and parents that joined us and especially to our WONDERFUL instructors. The week was mostly smooth sailing, only a few minor holes in boats - nothing compared to the holes one might find in a crumpet through.

Many shakkas were thrown: Sailing shakkas, rigging shakkas, eating shakkas, dancing shakkas, teeth brushing shakkas, sinking shakkas, lost a baton shakkas, kung-fu ninja shakkas and even… crying shakkas.

Live in really did live up to its reputation of the best week of the year and I wouldn't have dreamed of running it with anyone but my best bearded friend.

See you all again super soon!

Queen Crumpet, out (aka Rosie Lee)

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 8

Lizzi reinforcing some theory. Is that Steve Worrell sneaking a few tips in the back row?

Northbridge Juniors (NJs)

After many years of wonderful service the Committee has decided to phase NJs out of the Junior sailing program from the 2015_16 season onwards. This move will be met with some sadness and plenty of nostalgia as the NJ is one of NSC’s home-grown classes. From next season the Junior Sailing training programs will be focusing on the dinghy as the preferred training class, a move that puts us in sync with the YNSW development pathway and consolidates the coaching programs at NSC. It is envisaged that there will be a transition period of 1-2 seasons where NJs can be sailed but with the emphasis being on developing the Optimist fleet.

Regatta Round-up Optimist National Championships The Nationals were hosted by Fremantle Yacht Club in Western Australia. 4 families made the big trip across to the west with 7 sailors competing and some outstanding results. The best result was undoubtedly Lachie Brewer with 7th overall (6th place out of the Australians) and a place on the Australian Sailing Team for the World Championships in Poland but all the group made massive improvements on previous regattas and sailed a fantastic regatta.

 127 in Open Fleet; Lachie Brewer 7th, Jack Ferguson 51st in Gold Fleet. Cian Campbell 5th, Mina Ferguson 35th in Silver Fleet  78 in Intermediate Fleet; Ben Brewer 17th, Max Giffney 27th in Gold Fleet  15 in Green Fleet: Angus Brewer 5th NSW State Optimist Championships A large contingent of NSC sailors competed in the NSW Optimist State Championships on Botany Bay. For many this was their first ever regatta and there were some outstanding results.

NSC had 6 representatives in the Open Fleet with very hot competition coming from the 30 plus boats who travelled from all over Australia to compete. Lachie Brewer finishing an outstanding season in 3rd place (2nd in NSW), Jack Ferguson the big improver of the

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 9 summer and proving he is just on the threshold of some major results in 16th (6th in NSW), Mina, Cian, Max and Ben all finishing in very creditable 46, 49, 55 and 59th respectively in a fleet of 62 (and in the top 30 in NSW).

Sven Willet was our sole representative in Silver Fleet coming an amazing 30th out of 63 on his first regatta.

In Green Fleet there were so many entries they split the fleet into two flights. Angus Brewer was first in 'Yellow' flight with Finbar McLeay 2nd in 'Green' flight, Shuei T. 6th, Harry Worrall. 7th, Shasha Willet. 9th and Grace Morrow. 13th. Incredible results considering this was a first regatta for all but 2 of our Green Fleet! Well done sailors and well done Conor, Steph and Lizzi for your expert guidance to bring this group so far so quickly.

Conclusion

In summary, the 2014/15 Junior Sailing season has been very successful. The club spirit is alive and well, the kids have had a ball and the emphasis has been on fun. Along the way we have a great group of kids who have developed great friendships and are developing as sailors. What more could we have asked for?

Thank you to all the parents and coaches who have put in such a big effort to make the season such a success.

Tom Sloane

Flying 11 Report

The Flying 11 fleet had a real renaissance this season, growing from the 3-4 boats of regulars in Spring to regular fleets of 12+ by the end of the season. We’ve had some stalwarts from previous seasons (many of whom are now moving on to bigger things), some graduates of the junior classes and the Live-In, some die-hards who do more sailing than anyone else at the club by combining F11s with junior sailing in the mornings (and so sleep well on Sunday nights) and even one enthusiastic soul who bypassed learn-to-sail altogether and simply jumped in (yeah! Jayden!). The growth in the class has meant some growing pains, as we’ve started colonising the bays (and made life hell with the awkward masts and cradles – if anyone can come up with a good storage solution we’d be all ears…). We now have 15 boats in the fleet, most being sailed very regularly, and are occupying ever more of the deck on Sundays, slowly pushing the NS14s down the ramp (sorry!). Some days we even managed to all get off the deck by the race start.

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 10 Sam Worrall and Maddy Sloane took out the Club championship this year in Ace. Perhaps lucky that Stephen and Rebecca Hancock in Hydromatic were only one race short of qualifying, and that the fast improvers of Sarah and Luke Bartels in Predator and Kashi Saunders with either Sam Alexander or Bezi in Anzac ran out of season to keep improving – only 3 points between each place, but all the top 4 teams showed excellent consistency.

The Flying-11 is peculiar in that small tuning or handling tweaks give large gains in performance. Most pleasing was the progression during the season of the intermediate and learner sailors, with the spread between first and last places shrinking dramatically over the season, showing how rapidly skills are being built up.

Patrick H in XLR8 gained an exuberant crew (Jayden) and went from strength to strength and Will and Jonno took over their brother’s mantle (kennel?) in Bad Dog. Sascha and Kate got Mischief going after a few weeks, and improved so much over the season they couldn’t get wiped out by a southerly at the end; Tori and Majella (the BFFs) took Feelgood and turned it into the gossip ship of the fleet, just cruisin’ around Middle Harbour. Angus and Ben in Redback didn’t see a huge amount of water, but their pedigree should see them back and firing next season; Nikki and either Josie or Katie took ages to rename Double Bluff but by the end of the season were rapidly moving up the fleet; Hamish and Matty (the Party Boyz) got the bugs ironed out of Kill the Pigeons and will be a force to be reckoned with over the coming months. The Whispering Assassins (India and Maddy M) started out as a really tight team in the wonderfully-named import Slartybartfast (after getting Grandad to drive up to Brisbane to buy it), but India found the itch needed scratching and so In Good Nick is about to be renamed Golden Snitch, with Vadim and Myah stepping in as crews for those boats. On top of all that, at least two new boats will start the next season, Kashi and Bezi getting one of their own with Flying Llama, and Patrick F bringing Smokin’ over from MH.

For those in less promiscuous, sedate fleets (yes, I’m looking at you Tasar oldies!), my estimation is that of those 15 Flying 11s, not one will now have the same crew as a year ago. Partly that is natural churn of new kids in and out, friendships and preferences changing, but we’re also encouraging learning from each other and the sense of camaraderie that Northbridge is known for. We also had a few social functions (pizza nights and sleepovers), and long may it continue.

The class was well represented at regattas. Stephen and Rebecca Hancock (Hydromatic) came an outstanding 3rd at States (held in very different conditions at Belmont and Drummoyne) and 7th at the National Championships in unexpected light winds in Brisbane. In the States Silver fleet, Ace (4th) was narrowly pipped by Predator (3rd), but another six NSC boats competed – we are becoming a force in the class.

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 11

We’re also spreading the KungFu Ninja virus more widely – see the evidence!

Of note is the spectacular revitalisation of the Sydney Harbour Championship between ourselves and Middle Harbour 16SSC, with 6 Sundays alternating between the clubs, cramming in as many races as time allowed – a total of 18 over the season. NSC dominated this championship – basically we could hold our own in the Middle Harbour chop and current, but our knowledge of the Northbridge wind patterns was unbeatable at home. Sam and Maddy in Ace dominated, with Kashi and Sam and Bezi in Anzac second.

The efforts of our coaches gave us these results. Evan Andrews showed what a powerhouse of an asset he is in the second half of the season, but Cam Walker, Alex Chittenden and Aidan Bryant deserve more than a mention for their early work. The kids listen when you speak – you’re that good.

The spirit of giving back to the sailing community is alive and well with this generation of sailors. Seasoned F11 sailors Sam Worrall and Maddy Sloane joined Stephen Hancock, Sarah Bartels and many ex-F11 veterans as NSC Sailing Instructors this year. Each of them volunteered 10 Sundays being mentored by our seasoned instructors and also instructed at Live-In. The Club was also well represented at the National and State F11 Associations and contributed support boats and hard working parents to various regattas. Warwick Hancock will be continuing on the National F11 Association and Adele Pile as Secretary of the NSW F11 Association and Tom Sloane will be the club rep for 2015-16. All in all it bodes well for the class in the future.

I referred to you as kids above. You’re not. You all, each and every one, are turning into wonderful, responsible and remarkable young adults, and visibly maturing in front of our eyes. I’m unbelievably proud of each of you, and I wish you well. The highlight of my year was having five of you, after a week of 20-30kt breezes at CHS, a cold, and lengthy Sailaway, then a late-night sleepover with no toilets working, the following morning begging

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 12 me to be able to take out a boat just so you could mess around for a while. We all are doing something right if you’ve gained such a love of sailing!

Stephen and Beck getting an inside line at the wing and passing 5 boats at States

Andy Saunders

Laser Report 2014-15

The Lasers maintained a competitive fleet throughout the season with typically 10-14 boats on the starting line each Sunday.

There was always close racing (sometimes too close!) with the lead often changing..

With light winds coming on Club Championship race days meant the Radial fleet didn’t attract much interest this year however in the Standard rigs, the Club Championship was hotly contested between Tim Alexander and Steve Penny – with Tim finally triumphing by one point.

Laser Club Championship Results

1st – Tim Alexander 7 points 2nd – Steve Penny 8 points 3rd - Phil Susans 15 points 4th - Ian Clare 17.5pts

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 13 Other winners in the Laser fleet:  Willoughby Shield Ian McGregor  Presidents Plate: Stephen McCulloch  Commodore’s Cup Tim Alexander (with Ian Clare a close 2nd,)  Afternoon Spring; John Smidmore  Afternoon Summer; Steve Penny  Punchbowl Pennant: Steve Penny  Sealed Handicap; Ian McGregor

The Annual Point Score for 2014-15 was as follows:

Laser Standard Lasar Radial Ian McGregor 1st on 108pts Cameron McDonald 1st on 135pts Steve Penny 2nd on 136pts Phil Susans 2nd on 139pts Tim Alexander 3rd on 140pts Carolyn Hinton 3rd on 141pts

This year in February Northbridge had a strong contingent head off to the Laser State Masters Championships at Sunshine, Lake Macquarie comprising Tim, Peter, John, Ian Clare, Sandy and even an itinerant Tasar sailor (Tony Stephens).

Very light wind conditions made for a very social event both on and off the water. Training on and off the water was on offer from the Top Guns and Northbridge took good advantage of the advice being offered.

NSW Laser Association: April 2015 http://laser.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Standards1.jpg

Next year the National Masters will be held at Port Stephens in February, already a number of members are making plans to go. Last time it was held at Port Stephens there were about 260 Competitors!!.

After a top 4 showing in the Grand Masters at the Nationals, in July 2015 Tim Alexander is off to the World Master in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, proudly flying the Northbridge Sailing

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 14 Club flag as part of a 33 strong Australian contingent. Congratulations to Tim we are all looking forward to hearing the results.

In July 2015 Tim Alexander is off to the World Master in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, proudly flying the Northbridge Sailing Club flag as part of a 33 strong Australian contingent. Congratulations to Tim we are all looking forward to hearing the results.

Ian Clare and Peter Doyle have been discussing and comparing notes while on a trip to Beachcombers, Perisher Valley for a winter lay up. Ian Clare, Peter Doyle and Cameron McDonald could be the ones to watch out for this coming season especially as Peter & Cam have new boats!

Phil is sailing somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, much safer than caravan camping (Phil learnt righting capsized caravan proved to be more complex than the traditional “California Roll” to recover from a Laser capsize to windward). Having said that Steve Penny has a new van and rumour has it that Jim Beeston has been recruited to make racks for the Laser to go on the roof ……..

I’m sure like me you are all looking forward to the start of the sailing season.

The Laser class are keen to welcome new members and have given a warm welcome to the first of the Junior members joining our ranks. With the three sail sizes it is easy to find a size that suits you and when the conditions change - you can make a quick decision to choose the most appropriate rig. This also accommodates growing teenagers and is why the class is so successful.

The Laser fleet are planning the usual Daylight saving training nights usually on a Thursday evening and Tim will be sharing some of his tricks and new techniques, which are a must for all Laser sailors - especially as he has been keeping his feet wet sailing the Laser Association winter series.

We would like to invite you to try sailing a Laser and find out how exciting they are to sail. Prospective sailors are welcome to try a Laser at the Open Day on August 30th.

A big Thank You to all Laser sailors & Northbridge Sailing Club Members for a wonderful season last year and I look forward to seeing you all on the water again soon.

Sandy Kiernan.

NS14 Report

They say three boats constitutes a fleet, and so the NS14s had a fleet, at least when everyone turned up. The three stalwarts (in alphabetical order) of Mike Tait (Carbon Neutral), David Bentley (Invisible) and Malcolm Graham (Samba Pa Ti) turned up most weeks but not necessarily all at the same time. Sometimes they even had crew!

For the first half of the season Mike was busy coping with Hugh’s Australian wedding (Hungarian one to come!) and two new grandchildren, so that increased his chances of getting 3rd place. So Malcolm and David found themselves starting with the most weeks, and let’s be honest, giving a demonstration of why they are the better boats. No rivalry!

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 15 Malcolm had the Club (and NS14) Secretary, Steph Sheridan, up the front all season and the benefits showed with slicker boat handling and better speed in most conditions, and consequently taking out the Willoughby Shield, Commodore’s Cup, Spring Series, Annual Point Score and Club Championship. It would have been quicker to name the events he didn’t win!

Fortunately he didn’t have it all his own way, David edging him out of the Summer series, President’s Plate and Sealed Handicap. David conducted a mini sailing school all season being crewed by Sam Worrall, Jess Green, Maddie McLeay, Julia Creighton-Jones, Jim Beeston (actually, Jim doesn’t need lessons), and Aurelian Renard with whom he finished the season. On a few occasions he sailed without a crew and discovered that (a) up to 12 knots the boat is a joy to sail one-up, (b) over 15 knots he was way over powered and (c) the Commodore gets annoyed when he is passed by someone sailing without a crew and full rig. If the crew shortage persisted David was thinking of borrowing Mike’s MG to create another NS14 variant! Mike also had Max Alexander, Jess Berry and daughter-in-law Anna on his boat, so three boats managed to get 13 sailors on the water.

Despite the small fleet, Northbridge was represented in a number of events.

In February, all three attended the Single Handers Championship at Chipping Norton Lake, as fine a piece of water as ever you will see. Too bad about the wind, which is light, finicky and unreliable, the rain which loitered around this year, and the jet skis that pay no heed to the 8 knot limit. This makes for great racing as places change regularly and great leads can quickly turn into last places, though the reverse is never true. While there have been a number of rig experiments over the years, consistency rules, and this year Mike Tait took home the Handicap trophy which is the prize to win (the scratch prize is a old oil painting of George’s River that does not have quite the glitz of the silver bowl).

In March Northbridge hosted a heat of the Metropolitan Trophy that brought Alex Chittenden (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Ted Stephens (Rainbow Magic, rhymes with Tragic) out of retirement. It was hardly metropolitan, as all the visitors came from Gosford. In blustery conditions the well prepared Alex and crew Sarah Warner took out first place, closely followed by Malcolm and Steph while the underprepared Ted had a lesson in boat maintenance. And rumour has it the ever consistent Malcolm took out the Metro Trophy this year. Must be all that secret practice at Connells Point on Saturdays!

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 16 David went to the Nationals at Teralba on Lake Macquarie, using a guest crew from Tasmania, with several other Northbridge regulars. His light air experience showed, remaining in the top 10 places in the lighter airs but he had to settle for 18th place overall as the wind kicked in for the final races. Graham Lee, a regular Tasar and NS14 sailor, who was there with daughter Rosie on Shine, did the opposite to David, improving as the wind picked up to finish 9th, Calan Andrews dragged the very red Selenium out of Aidan’s garage to sail with Sarah Warner, and Evan Andrews provided shore support and took some fabulous photos on the water. Of course, Alex Chittenden and Megan Meredith did much better, coming 4th overall in a series that was so close that any one of three skippers were in contention going into the final race, with the final result decided by half a point.

Hugh Tait also campaigned his NS14 as an MG14 – adding a spinnaker and his wife Anna to finish 3rd in the MG14 NSW States held at Port Hunter in April 2015

Glorious spinnaker rides during Fridays race - MG NSW State Titles Rohan Nosworthy http://www.sail‐world.com/Australian‐Champions‐win‐MG14‐NSW‐State‐Titles‐on‐home‐turf/95024

Mike Tait didn’t make the NS14 Nationals, instead taking his semi-regular crew and mother of his grandchild, Anna Szili, to Perth for the Tasar Worlds. No doubt he will appear in another class report.

David Bentley

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 17 Tasar Report

This season saw some new crews of inter-generational sailing families joining the fleet – in particular Grant and Max Thurkettle and David and Jack Ferguson. In addition Ken Pearson taught some young hands some new tricks including Louis Cleghorn and even Jack Thurkettle (just to keep the Sunday dinner table conversation very animated at the Thurkettle household). Peter von Roekel even stretched inter-generational rules further by sailing with his grand-daughters (Natalie Berry or Jess Berry).

A core fleet of 4-5 contested most of the races with the two top guns Ric Day and Hugh Tait always showing up for the Club Champs but due to different family commitments (Ric & Barb – grandchildren, Hugh – first child!) meant their time at the Club was limited although Hugh still sneaked out to sail some of the key Tasar Association events (see summary from Mike!).

Maz Sorensen continued to provide valued guidance to me around the course – things must have improved because we sailed the entire season and never got Maz’s hair wet (her condition of going sailing on Sundays, given she is jet blasted with spray in a 16’ Skiff on Saturdays).

A summary of the results for season saw Hugh dominate when he got down to the Club. did strike more than one with Tony and Maz beating Ric and Barb on some occasions but Ric delivered when it counted. David and Jack Ferguson showed ominous promise when they did get in their boat…

Tasar Club Championship Results

1st – Hugh Tait with Anna, Mike or Tara 5 points 2nd – Ric and Barb Day 11 points 3rd - Tony Stephens & Maz Sorensen 12.5 points 4th - David and Jack Ferguson 15 points Other winners in the Tasar fleet:  Willoughby Shield Tony Stephens and Maz Sorensen  Presidents Plate: Peter van Roekel and Jennifer Sheridan  Commodores Cup Tony Stephens and Maz Sorensen  Afternoon Spring; Grant and Max Thurkettle  Afternoon Summer Tony Stephens and Maz Sorensen  Punchbowl Pennant: Hugh and Michael Tait  Sealed Handicap; David and Jack Ferguson The Tasar Annual Point Score for 2014-15 was as follows: Peter van Roekel with Jenny, Natalie or Jess 1st on 67 points Tony Stephens and Maz Sorensen 2nd on 100 points Grant and Max Thurkettle 3rd on 114 points

We look forward to more close racing in the coming season and to welcome more families sailing together – it keeps the post race stories more credible.

Tony Stephens

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 18 Team Northbridge at the Tasar Worlds

If you are going to go, it is good to go as a team.

After doing the Worlds at Cascade Locks (US) Hugh & Anna always intended to do the Busselton (WA) Worlds. However the arrival of young Zachary Tait caused an expansion of the team. Unsure if Anna would be up to sailing Hugh called on his long-term highly successful crew, Dr Tara McCall, to step in for Anna. But later Anna figured she would be able to sail OK, if not at the top level – so enter Michael (with Tony’s kindly provided Iceberg). Then Tara’s now fiancé, James Burman, didn’t want to be left out; so he secured a boat from Victoria and persuaded Alana Brachen to abandon Ynglings for a year. Finally Rae was co-opted into skippering Zach around the boat park.

So one car full of tools and sailing gear and one full of baby gear and towing the double trailer set off to the west on Christmas Day. This enabled a few days practice and repairs/improvements – you can’t win regattas if your boat breaks. Good to have a house with plenty of room for these activities and to have everyone together for the camaraderie.

www.tasar2015.com

Good rigging area at the club with beach launch to sail on the beautiful clear blue waters adjacent to the (very long) Busselton Pier. And where the afternoon sea breeze actually comes over the land – need a map to explain! Winds during racing varied from not much to mostly 15-20 knots and sometimes nearer 25-30 knots. A fleet of 123 started on one line albeit split either side of the start boat. Great racing throughout the fleet – Hugh and James enjoying the close racing at the front of the fleet and Michael the middle. The race track went from beyond the pier (and into the lee of an anchored cruise ship at one point) to close to the beach and town which was good for the spectators.

With back-to-back racing you expect to sit for a while between races. However at the end of one race we were all ushered to one side of the course for some time. What were the race team waiting for to start the next race – even more wind? Then the abandon flag went up and we all rocketed back to the beach. The reason? A large shark that closed all the beaches and caused racing to be abandoned for a shark for the first time at a Tasar Worlds. From then on the seaweed on the sandy bottom took on all sorts of shapes through the clear blue water!!

The Tasar class provides on shore entertainment at the end of each day’s racing with the Champagne half-hour and daily prizes and stories. The New Year’s Day lay day meant a trip

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 19 to Margaret River wineries and a visit to the other side of the point to see the sun set over the ocean.

Despite not getting in the intended practice beforehand the team put in a commendable performance. Hugh & Tara came 6th in the world (4th in the Nationals) with James and Alana coming in 12th. Mike and Anna came mid-fleet and Zach was commended by the flight crew for being an angelic passenger. So the regatta was great fun and going as a group supporting each other makes it easier and more rewarding.

Mike Tait

Moth Report

The open design class welcomes diversity of design and sailor – and we have all this at Northbridge which incorporates Seaforth Moth Club

Once again there was a core group of Jim Beeston, Andrew and Ian Sim and Pete Harney as regular sailors with with Amy, Shagomi, Doink and John Mac occasional sailors. Pete manages to somehow sail a foiler no matter the fluky conditions of Northbridge and is an inspiration too many as he gracefully glides around the course. However we also have several (including JimB) who continue to “sail their own” as has been the tradition for many years.

Ian and Andrew Sim attended the 2015 International Moth Australian & World Title Championships at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, Victoria, Australia with Andrew winning the Australian divisions. Andrew now has a foiler but mainly sails it at Balmoral, however we are expecting more appearances next season.

It is great to see that Seaforth is home to moths once more, with up to 9 moths sailing on a weekend.

Moth Club Championship Results

1st – Peter Harney 5 points 2nd – Jim Beeston 11 points 3rd - Ian Sim 11 points

Other winners in the Moths:  Willoughby Shield Peter Harney  Presidents Plate: Peter Harney  Commodores Cup Ian Sim  Afternoon Spring; Peter Harney  Afternoon Summer Ian Sim  Punchbowl Pennant: Andrew Sim  Sealed Handicap; Peter Harney

Pete Harney

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 20 Winter Sailing Report

The tenth season of winter sailing at Northbridge Sailing Club concluded in August 2014. This season we had 20 entries with over a dozen competing in most races. The winter series brings together a mixture of club members and visitors – some from other clubs and some who have joined Northbridge as Winter members

The 2014 was held in generally light winds. We were again lucky to avoid any really bad weather days, but there were some when a little more wind would have been welcome. However, those days made for an even more pleasant after race BBQ at the club. Northbridge sailing club is a delightful “sun trap’ on even a cool winter’s day.

The sailing was again closely contested. Two new entries – J24s (Graeme & Chris Lee) and Jaybird (Mark Crew and Northbridge scouts) filled 1st and 3rd place respectively – the winds suited them well. Pinta (Martyn Riddle) sailed very consistently for 2nd overall. The next four boats were only a few points behind.

As in past years many of the crews come ashore to enjoy the BBQ lunch on the club deck after the races – joined by others who have come purely for the after-race gathering. It is good to see the club and the upper Middle Harbour waterway put to year-round use.

The Marine Watch Middle Harbour Group is to be again thanked for their trophy sponsorship. Special thanks to our starter/finisher Rick McFee and Colin McCall who has kept the results promptly up to date.

As this report goes to press the 2015 series is underway. A little down on numbers and again hoping for more wind for the last 2 races, the lead is again closely contested.

We intend to run the series next year in a similar format, with first race scheduled for early May, and then every 3rd Sunday till end of August.

John Smidmore

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 21

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Northridge Sailing Club Season Report 2014‐15 page 22