Registrations for the 2016 RC Laser National Championships have been coming in and now we have representation from each state. So far: 2 from QLD; 6 from NSW; 5 from VIC; 2 from SA; 2 from TAS.
For interstate competitors flying in, it’s a 272 km drive north from the Melbourne Airport to the Yarrawonga Yacht Club. Most of it is country driving on 110 km/h freeways and has little traffic, it will take around 2 hrs 45min. The venue ticks all the boxes, great launching for all boats at once, large grass rigging area, ample car parking, ready access to the club house, toilets, function room, and a wide range of accommodation choices.
For more information contact Anthony at a_smith16@bigpond.com
There is a new club for RC Lasers on the Central Coast, north of Sydney. Brian Lindsay has now formed the “North Lakes Radio Sailing Club” to race and promote RC Lasers on the Central Coast, after the great success of a recent one-day informal regatta for RC Lasers held at Summerland Point on Lake Macquarie and participation in the Radio Control Yachting promotion day at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.
The North Lakes Radio Sailing Club (NLRSC) is well set up; it’s already affiliated with the NSW Radio Yachting Association, has obtained an electric-powered rescue boat and course marks and soon plans to start regular racing at Tom Burke Reserve, Lake Munmorah on Saturdays.
The NLRSC is keen to attract new skippers to RC Laser sailing and has organised a loan boat from the RC Laser distributor Radio Control Sailing Australia for newcomers to try.
North Lakes Radio Yacht Club Invitation Series
NLRSC is also organising a “Travelers’ Series” of four events to be held at various locations between Sydney and Newcastle. These Travelers’ events will be open to RC Laser sailors from all clubs. .
Brian Lindsay, President NLRSC, on the beach at Rafferty’s Resort where the Club’s first invitation race will be held on July 31st.
The first of these will be run by the North Lakes Club at:
Raffertys Resort, Cams Wharf, Lake Macquarie on Sunday July 31st.
The Resort provides a stunning location for the event. Sailing will be from a sandy beach, with lawn foreshores. Skippers could make this a great weekend by booking overnight accommodation at one of the luxurious cottages in the complex; enjoying the excellent Al Lago restaurant; and swimming pool.
Subsequent events are planned for Dobroyd Point, Sydney on August 21st; Grahamstown Lake, near Medowie on September 25th; and Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club ( date to be confirmed.) Be sure to put these dates in the diary and look out for more information on this website.
Entries for the “RC Laser Series Round One” at Raffertys Resort are now open, and can be made on the NSW Radio Yachting website. http://www.rcyachts.net/nsw/
All enquiries for the North Lakes Radio Sailing Club should be made to Brian Lindsay at linrace@valhallaweb.com.au or phone 0438589910
Message from Scott Fleming, Patterson Lakes Radio Model Yacht Club (PLRMYC), Commodore
We wish to invite and welcome all Radio Control Yacht sailors and friends along to the 2016 RC Laser National Championships to be held at Yarrawonga Yacht Club, hosted by members from Patterson Lakes Radio Model Yacht Club.
The 2016 RC Laser National Championships will be held over the weekend of September 17 & 18.
For interstate competitors flying in, it’s a 272 km drive north from the Melbourne Airport to the Yarrawonga Yacht Club. Most of it is country driving on 110 km/h freeways and has little traffic, it will take around 2 hrs 45min.
Frank Katers from PLRMYC has kindly offered to PRO the event along with Mario Gulic who has also offered to be assistant PRO & Scorer for the event. Several other members, family and friends are also helping out which is always greatly appreciated.
We looked hard to find a suitable venue for this event and I believe that this is a fantastic location and setting. RC Sailing locations utilizing established yacht club facilities are hard to find in Victoria. This ticks all the boxes, great launching for all boats at once, large grass rigging area, ample car parking, ready access to the club house, toilets, function room, wide range of accommodation choices, etc.
Thank you to the Yarrawonga Yacht Club and to all the volunteers who have made it possible for us to run this event and for their hard work and dedication. I look forward to seeing you on the water.
2016 RC Laser National Championships Entry Form, NOR & Program
We are seeing some good racing in SA with the South Australian RC Laser series underway. And there is the likelihood that three SA skippers will compete in the national championship in Yarrawonga over the weekend of 17-18 September.
Following is a report from part of the South Australian RC Laser series from SA RC Laser sailor Adrian Heard.
South Australian RC Laser Series Round 3 – Saturday 2nd April West Lakes
Start of the first race in Round 4, showing Linsay (171) and Mark (165) on C rigs and Jurgen (127) and Adrian (192) on B rigs. Photo Mark Easton
This was a round very different to all previous rounds. Firstly it was at West Lakes in a southerly, where the outer mark is far away and judging getting around it on a starboard tack is none too easy. It was blowing 12-15 knots and B rigs were near the limits of their range. The expanse of West Lakes meant there was sufficient fetch for the wind to develop a small but significant choppiness on the water that made boat speed critical, getting about more difficult and getting into irons a hazard. Quite simply, Jurgen had the best upwind boat speed all day, and was almost without exception the first boat to the first windward mark. In the three races where Adrian beat him, Jurgen was just pipped at the finishing line on two occasions and had gear failure on a third. Also Jurgen’s dominance increased as the day went on, because the wind increased in strength slightly, and Adrian and Lou had increasing problems getting into irons. All in all it was an impressive display, leaving Adrian and Lou scratching their heads and mindful of just how much improvement they have to make to be competitive in moderate winds and choppy seas.
South Australian RC Laser Series Round 4 – Tuesday 3rd May Mawson Lakes
Results – 1st Linsay Sawyer, 2nd Adrian Heard, 3rd Jurgen Luther, 4th Mark Easton, 5th Lou Lamberts
This was to be the round when Scott and Jayne Fleming, who were visiting South Australia for the State International One Metre Titles, were to join the South Australian fleet at Mawson Lakes. Unfortunately, this did not eventuate due to difficulties in securing a loan boat.
The competitors were greeted at Mawson Lakes by intermittent showers accompanied by squalls of over 20 knots, with winds of 15 knots between the squalls. Jurgen and Adrian opted for B rigs, while the rest of the fleet chose C rigs. A severe squall at the windward mark put paid to their chances of winning the race as the downwind leg became a series of nosedives for both of them and the remainder of the fleet sailed well ahead. With C rigs in place for the second race, Adrian failed to give way to starboard and attached his boat firmly to Jurgen’s, so again Linsay, Mark and Lou took the first three places. With two wins already under his belt, Linsay proved this was no fluke by winning the third race and showing his strong wind credentials. By this time the strong winds were starting to have a telling effect on some boats, with Lou having repeated problems with his mainsheet attachment. Also with regular checks of equipment and changes of rigs, a couple of sailors forgot to monitor their boats and had to be rescued from reed beds near the sailing area.
After the third race, Jurgen and Adrian had a major crack at reclaiming the lead after poor early showings. Adrian won one race, which was literally too close to call and then followed up with a second win when Jurgen had another crack at using a B rig. Back on a C rig, Jurgen won two of the last three races, with Adrian claiming the other race. Meanwhile, Linsay was sailing very consistently in heavy winds to pick up 2nd and 3rd placings, so consistently in fact that he emerged the winner of the round. The heavy weather was by now also effecting Mark’s boat and both Mark and Lou had to miss or withdraw from two of the last three races. Adrian and Jurgen had a very close and competitive round with both finishing one point behind Linsay, and Adrian taking second place on a countback.
RC Sailors from around the world have been invited to the Gold Coast to compete in the 2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations being hosted by Paradise Radio Yacht Club.
Peter O’Grady, 2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations coordinator, has left for Europe to promote the Championship of Nations with a letter from the Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. The letter is an invitation to RC sailors from around the world to come and compete on the Gold Coast in November 2017.
Peter will be delivering the letter of invitation when he competes in the European RC Laser championships in Valenciennes, northern France, May 14- 16.
All RC Sailors wanting to learn more about the event should contact Peter O’Grady at: secretarypryc@gmail.com
Registrations for the 2016 RC Laser National Championships have been coming in and now we have representation from each state. So far: 2 from QLD; 6 from NSW; 5 from VIC; 2 from SA; 2 from TAS.
We are seeing some good racing in SA with the South Australian RC Laser series underway. And there is the likelihood that three SA skippers will compete in the national championship in Yarrawonga over the weekend of 17-18 September.
Results – 1st Linsay Sawyer, 2nd Adrian Heard, 3rd Jurgen Luther, 4th Mark Easton, 5th Lou Lamberts
