RC Laser Fleet Portland, Victoria

Rc laser fleet Portland Victoria
In the clubhouse with from left to right, Gary Hein, Hugh Cameron, John Lloyd and Brad Hein

Adrian Heard Visits the RC Laser Fleet in Portland, Victoria 

The RC Laser fleet in Portland Victoria is probably the largest fleet in regional/rural  Australia. I arrived at Portland Yacht Club deep in the industrial heart of Portland Bay to be greeted by the wry smile of Gary Hein. “Welcome, you must be the bloke from Adelaide”, he says.

Gary and his son Brad are the front line in defending the standing of the Portland RC Laser fleet. And what a fleet it is.

I am amazed to see six neatly-rigged RC Lasers sitting in the protection of a comfortable club house, and I am told there are more boats to come. “We only use B rigs here”, says Gary, so I quietly slip my quiver of sails back into the car. Looking out into the bay, I am relieved to see that it is ideal B rig weather.

After rigging my boat in the clubhouse we are soon out on a floating platform with the course buoys set close by. The setting in a brisk south-easterly breeze is quite beautiful. Barring perhaps Dobroyd and Robb Point, this is one of Australia’s best RC Laser venues. There is a small chop present and boat speed and quick tacking are the order of the day.

Considering that they having only been sailing RC Lasers for a year, these guys really know how to race their boats.  After being sandwiched between two boats at the start of the first race, I find the group friendly to compete with and generally respectful of the rules.

Back in the clubhouse after racing I get to know the group better. They are very interested in knowing about the wider world of RC Laser racing, but it is their story that captivates me most. It turns out that they virtually all sail trailer sailers and keelboats, but as Gary Hein put it ‘one night around a campfire and after a bit of drinking, fifteen of us decided to put in an order for RC Lasers’. What an amazing way to start a fleet. Since then David Woolner has further increased their numbers and added more competition to the group.

Portland is an amazing place and it is the home of probably Australia’s largest rurally based RC Laser fleet. Get ready, because you are going to hear a lot more about this fleet in the future. We’re looking forward to seeing the Portland crew at Mawson Lakes in October for the RC Laser National Championships. 

RC Laser fleet Portland Victoria

Invitation: RC Laser Social Racing Series at Festival of Sails, Geelong 

RC Laser social racing series Geelong Festival of sailsPlease join us for the RC Laser Social Racing Series at Festival of Sails, Geelong. 

Racing for RC Laser sailors will be on Saturday afternoon 27th January from 2pm – set up and practice from 1pm. 

Entrants for the racing series will need to register by emailing us at info@radiosail.com.au

The first 10 entries will receive a $50 voucher for the Radio Sail shop.

Lunch will be provided on Saturday and there will be prizes! 

This is a unique opportunity to race your RC Laser in a festival atmosphere, as well as enjoy the events and activities that make up the Geelong Festival of Sails. 

Don’t delay. Register today. Email info@radiosail.com.au

RC laser social racing series

Geelong Festival of Sails Invites Radio Control Laser Sailors

Geelong Festival of Sails

The Geelong Festival of Sails will be celebrating its 175th birthday with a record fleet of yachts expected to compete in the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race over the Australia Day long weekend  (26 -28 January) and RC Laser sailors have been invited to join the party.

A dedicated sailing area has been set aside for the RC Lasers for demonstration sailing and some social racing. Radio Control Sailing Australia will be situated in a marquee next to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and will be providing boats for demonstration sailing.

All RC Laser sailors, and anyone interested in trying the RC Laser, are invited to join in for some fun sailing and social racing.

Organisers are expecting over 300 boats to compete in the Passage Race and have a full schedule events and activities organised in the Festival Village for sailors and spectators.

The event kicks off with the Passage Race on Friday 26th January and celebrations in the Festival Village on Friday and Saturday nights. Entry to the Festival Village is free. Expect fireworks, well-known Australian musicians and performers, the RAAF Roulettes, great food and beverages.
For more information please visit Geelong Festival of Sails

It’s not the first time the RC Laser has been included in the Geelong Festival of Sails program. Back in 2004, we were invited to demonstrate the boat and ran a series of social races. It was a tremendous event to be part of and for 2018 we would love it if you could join us.

RC Laser sailors are invited to bring your boats and sail a series of social races and demonstrate your sailing skills! Please contact us at info@radiosail.com.au for further information. 

 

2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations Report

 

2017 RC Laser Championship of NationsThe RC Laser Championship of Nations was very successfully conducted by host club, Paradise Radio Yacht Club, with a week of extremely competitive yacht racing involving 56 competitors from 8 countries; Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom Germany, South Africa, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Sweden.

The RC Laser Championship of Nations had only previously been contested on two occasions, 2013 in UK and 2015 in Holland.

With a week of unusual and unseasonal weather which produced incessant raining days and strong to very strong southerly winds, 68 races were started and completed without any complications or damage to competitor yachts, support vessels or event infrastructure. The sport of Radio Control Yacht Racing, Paradise Radio Yacht Club and the Gold Coast being declared clear winners by all in the accolade stakes.

The yachting regatta resulted in an Australian domination of the RC Laser Championship of Nations event with 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings going to entrants from Victoria, South Australia and Queensland respectively.

Age awards were made for Masters (50 – 59 yrs), Grand Master (60 – 69 yrs) and Great Grand Master (70+). Winners of these categories were from NZ, NSW and Gold Coast respectively. A best Australian cumulative team award went to South Australia.

The week’s activities commenced on Monday 6th November with boat registrations and scrutineering followed by an organised afternoon of practice.

An official welcome event held at Lakeside Bistro followed in the evening,  with PRYC Commodore Allan Walker welcoming all competitors, partners, friends and family. Sponsors; Radio Control Sailing Australia, RACV Royal Pines, Royal Woods Resort, Mercure Resort, Thrifty Car Rentals, Gloria Jeans and The Burleigh Fish Mongers were acknowledged.

An organised pause in the event program took place at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month when all present took part in a special Remembrance Day Ceremony.

The week finished with a presentation evening and dinner at the Lakeside Bistro where video of racing was continuously screened, flags of competing Nations presented to relevant countrymen as keepsakes and trophies presented to all winners who responded to the accolades of all present.

Special thanks to the myriad of volunteers without whom the event could not have succeeded, the catering team who served over 400 lunches and kept all present topped up with water and fruit, and our Remembrance Day ceremony organisers.

From: Allan Walker, Commodore PRYC

Check out the photos from the RC Laser Championship of Nations here 

2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations Results

Championship of Nations winner Scott Fleming (Vic)

Championship of Nations 2nd place Scott Mitchel (SA)

Championship of Nations 3rd place Malcolm Kampe (QLD)

Great Grandmaster title winner Peter Burford (QLD)

Grandmaster title winner Graham Brown (NSW)

Master title winner Graham Watson (NZ)

State Shield winner South Australia

2017 RC Laseer Championship of Nations results

2017 WA RC Laser State Titles

Western Australia RC Laser State Titles

 

The 2017 WA RC Laser State Titles have been run and won.

A steady south to south westerly breeze greeted WAnderers Radio Sailing Club at the South Perth lake and it stayed in nearly all day.

All boats started with A rigs for the first few races then, as the breeze strengthened, B rigs were favoured by all skippers. With pretty tight racing throughout the day, the last few races determined the places. Various problems hampered defending champion Dave Pruden’s start to the day and he had to call it a day after 5 races.

 

2017 WA RC Laser State Titles Results 

A big congratulations to Rod Popham who came out on top, 3 points in front of Andy Cummins in 2nd with Dave Bedford 3rd,  beating Adam Viney onto the podium by 1 point. Rod has been ‘’bridesmaid’’ in 2nd and 3rd places each year since WAnderers first State championship in 2009 – he actually had Dave Pruden’s name engraved on the trophy before the event !!

A big thank you to Dave Bedford for all his hard work behind the scenes, Adam for setting up the courses on the water and a very well run and fun event – and Rod from Sailprizes for supplying the trophies.

2017 WA RC Laser state titles