21st March 2009
There was no holding back from Trevor in this race, a very handy led indeed. It might not have been like that for the entire race but it’s what happens at the finish line that counts! Those other Ngaroto sailors must have been a social lot or was it a rubber band that held then together?

While driving back towards Hamilton on Friday the 27th Trevor Crosbie with Bojangles in tow was spotted travelling north; to compete in the Gulf Classic? Best of luck!

... that four club jokers took the first four places in the Round Waiheke over the weekend. Now that couldn’t be Resivor, Espresso, Bojangles, Columbine and Sugar Shack by any chance.
Let’s see some photographs guys.

The blue sea pushed in on the late afternoon in coming tide. The wind from the northwest prevailed all afternoon reaching 10 knots at times. A Paper Tiger raised a hull now and again and the puffs and wave action initiate planing for my Laser. The Paper Tiger took line honours in the three races; in my Laser I took a third behind the Finn in the opening race and then a couple of second places. Christine Headey sailed a Hartley 16 (a big do up job, that her father was still working on before the race), a great finish to the boat that also supported new sails. Three Frostplys and an Optimist made up the rest of the fleet in an atmosphere that was very much Coromandel style.

The WTYA Centreboard Championship regatta is being run on the 18th and 19th April 2009 and hosted by the Thames Sailing Club. The venue is up at Te Puru a few kms up the coast road from Thames. The Te Puru School is the base for the regatta. The water off shore is blue and the wind can be great. The TSC will need a few extra hands over the weekend, registration, BBQ, results etc. If you are not sailing consider making yourself available, many hands do make for light work, enjoyable too. Contact Christine Headey finnsailor@ihug.co.nz at the Thames Sailing Club.
Let the Ngaroto Sailing Club led the way with a big fleet of centreboarders; Optis, Starlings, Lasers, Phase 2s and whatever! We’ll have the new marquee up there as the base for the club. Camping on site will be fun.

Ross Wrenn

15th March 2009
Another great days sailing with over twenty yachts on the lake. The wind reached 15 knots at times, causes a few spills for some, the direction varied from the southeast through to the north. The zephyrs of breeze often accompanying a change of direction tested sailors’ skill.
Aleisha Ferguson took a couple of narrow wins over Shaun Rumbles. The shift wind tested the juniors sense of direction, great to see them finishing.
Micah Wilkinson fresh from the Auckland Phase 2 Champs last weekend was too good for sister Alex and Jaeden Buxton in the Starling fleet.
The Open Centreboard fleet included a Prindle 16 brought back to the lake by Brian Moorhead who last raced here near 20 years ago. She went well in the top end gusts, Linda Civil now well adapted to the wire. Arthur Ferguson was the best of the six Lasers heading off Ross while Nigel and Evan had a close battle in mid fleet. Phil Gardyne and daughter Giane nudged through in their NS 14 to take the line honours in the final race.
Mike Allison picked their way through the Jokers during the final half of the morning race to take the gun! Trevor Crosbie sailed well in the final race to have a margin of a minute and a half in the afternoon race.
Thanks to Murray Rumbles for the on the water management and the many others who made sure the sailors were fed and watered on shore.
Next weekend Thames Sailing Club is having sailing for youth sailors on Saturday and for all on Sunday. At Ngaroto the Mark Foy series will provide good fun.

The Tamaki Yacht Club hosted the regatta to coincide with the Auckland Laser Champs. A smaller Phase II fleet than expected competed over the two afternoons off Mission Bay with three of the boats travelling up from the Waikato. With westerly winds of 15-20 knots on the Saturday afternoon, two fast races over the course made for exciting sailing.
By the race start on Sunday midday the winds had picked up to 20-30 knots and wind versus tide along with a very busy race area made for difficult sailing. Adrian France and


Evan Teao battled heavy winds (and gear problems) with a few swims along the way but their perseverance gained them 4th place. Micah and Alex Wilkinson showed some promise on the Saturday but two gear failure incidents on the Sunday put them out of contention. Their thrill of their weekend was being stalked by an America’s Cup boat and watching the 49er’s, flying fifteens, racing skiffs all revelling in the conditions, as well as the ships, ferries and scores of pleasure craft that shared the water. Hamish & Nicki McPherson won the first race on Saturday and their consistency over the weekend gained them second place for the regatta, behind the first placed Geoff and Johnny Bates (Tamaki) with third place taken by Chris and Aidan Knight (Torbay).


Evan picked up the prize for the youngest crew member to compete.
Conway Stewart and Alan Ramey (Royal Akarana) were awarded the Masters Trophy.


The 3 Auckland boats are looking forward to all heading down to the Ngaroto club for the Nationals in April.

8th March 2009

It was a great day for most. A few minutes after the boats hit the water a south westerly kicked in, gusts up to 20 knots at times tested sailors. Wind shifts were frequent and kept sailors on their guard on the upwind legs of the triangular windward leeward course.
Nigel Ball shone out for the first four and a half legs of race 1, but a capsize down wind put him back a little. Ross passed by but later broke a boom as the Arthur’s’ pushed through to head the fleet. Arthur Giffney took the gun in this and the second race in a fleet that contained eight Lasers in the 13 strong fleet. Alex blitzed the field for the on the water race.
The Jokers had their traditional tight race, being in the lead with clear wind made it hard for the followers to pass. Resivor won the first and Bojangles the second race.
Junior and intermediate sailors had to sail with skill to navigate the course in the windy conditions. Jaeden upgraded to a Starling along with Shaun, thanks guys you certainly encouraged the wind to strengthen even if it really tested you. Alisha Ferguson took out both races in an Optimist sailing in the Junior fleet.
Matt Ward showed his Starling experience in the Intermediate fleet to finish and win both races.
Thanks to Murray Rumbles, Murray and Lianne Wall and Danny Padman who all pitched in on the water at times. The Clubhouse was well managed by Regina and Kate.
Race 3 and 4 in the Club Champs are to be sailed next Sunday, 15th March.

1st March 2009

Blake Buxton sailed in a Laser for the first time, having many very fast reaching rides in the two afternoon races. Blake interspersed the speed sections with a few cooling dips on a warm day that winds reached 15 knots from the northwest. Jaeden sailed very well in the club Firebug, experiencing much faster speed than in the Optimist he usually sailed.
The starting handicaps proved a little difficult to set for some, the conditions very light for the first 10 minutes of the first race. This gave the later starters and advantage, soon catching the youngsters up front. Nigel Ball (Laser) made good of his handicap advantage for most of each race, but was undone by being stuck outside another yacht at a wing mark, taking an extra leg in the next and a capsize at the same wing mark when the wind peaked in the third race. The handicapping amongst the Jokers was good with Shane, Trevor and Owen all in close contact at the end of each race.
Winning each race despite being the last starter (along with Arthur Ferguson) managed to go through to win all races. The Lasers had an advantage over the Jokers on the reaching legs when planing was the order of the day.
Thanks to Danny for the OD duties, fore going a great sail to see that a dozen others had a top day.

(Other club sailors were Hamilton Lake for the Burgess Trophy on Friday and stayed on to experience the gale on Saturday (with some broken gear) and better conditions on Sunday. We look forward to hearing their experiences and results).