The Alfred's News Alfreds News November-December 2017 | Page 6

Centreboard
Centreboard News
News
Centreboard 2017/2018 Season
Spring Centreboard Season
The season is well underway including Class Regatta’s across the state and country. It’s fantastic to see so many centreboard
representatives at regattas. If you wish to know more about the coming events and or travel arrangements, speak with the
Centreboard Committee or Rear Commodore David Taylor.
A note for the diary! On Sunday December 10, any Optimist needing their sails measure can do so from 0900hrs. Tony
Bellingham will be down on the lawn ready to assist pre the Nationals, this includes Green Fleet boats.
Also keep the date free to enjoy a Buy / Swap / Sell event on the lawn. Bring down your old or new gear, sails, boats and
more.
Optimist ACT Travellers’ Trophy
The Canberra Optimist Regatta is one of the most popular regattas of the year for both the sailors and the parents. Racing is
held from the Canberra Yacht Club in the Nation’s Capital on the waters of Lake Burley Griffin. Team RPAYC had 9 Open Optis
and 9 Intermediate Optis attend the regatta, which again made RPAYC the most attended club. The majority of the RPA
families all stayed together in Kingston at some serviced apartments and enjoyed plenty of social activity after racing on the
Saturday evening.
Saturday was clear and sunny and the afternoon had
a NNW wind forecast of 10 – 12 knots predicted. The
forecast proved to be correct and racing got
underway on time and 4 races were run in the
afternoon. The top mark proved very tricky for some
with the mark being laid close to an island and very
large wind shifts occurring near the mark. In the first
Intermediate race of the day, Markus Sampson from
RPA had a huge lead at the first bottom mark and
rounded the bottom mark to starboard instead of
port. Just about every Intermediate boat followed the
same way until the first Open boat had started
lapping and went the right way. To avoid the
confusion and congestion at the bottom mark, the
next day the race committee added a gate as the
bottom rounding marks.
Whilst the racing is on, this regatta does not require ribs to be taken to the event as racing is held right in front of the club.
Parents are able to enjoy the afternoon sitting in a camping chair, watching the racing through binoculars, eating fresh fish
and chips, and sipping on the odd beer or wine.
Sunday the forecast was for stronger winds and the wind had shifted more to the West and was much stronger with gusts to
20 knots and the lulls well under 10 knots. Again racing got underway on time and another 4 races were held in gusty
conditions, however this was the most consistent any of us had seen the wind in Canberra for the last 3 -4 years we have all
been attending this regatta. Racing was completed around 3:30pm allowing time to pack up, attend the presentation and
leave Canberra around 4:30pm for the easy drive home.
For any new Green Fleet sailors looking to take on their first regatta, the Canberra regatta is definitely one to consider, easy
going and the racing very close to shore. It is also a very social regatta with other team members from RPAYC and always
great fun. The regatta is held late October each year.