The South Australian RC Laser team from Mawson Lakes Model Yacht Club are in the news. Their achievement in winning the State Shield at the recent 2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations held at the Gold Coast last November has been recognised by the magazine, Mawson Lakes Living.
Congratulations to Adrian Heard, Scott Mitchell, Don Turnbull, John Berry, Lindsay Sawyer, Jurgen Luther, Bob Whitehead and Mark Easton for winning the Shield and to John, Lindsay, Bob and Ken (President) for the great group photo.
The South Australian RC Laser team will be one to contend with at the 2018 RC Laser National Championships taking place on their home waters October.
More news on the National Championships will be published here shortly.
Pinders Pond, near Roxburgh central Otago. A hot 33C day blowing strong and gusty from the north. Boats sailing with C And B rigs. Photo courtesy of Robert Todd.
The number RC Lasers in NZ is growing rapidly with small fleets of boats increasing both in the north and the south. Latest boat sales have been in the South Island – Dunedin, Central Otago and Invercargill.
There is talk this year of a South Island Championship, a North Island Championship and an RC Laser NZ National Championship. We will keep you posted so RC Laser sailors outside of NZ can make travel plans.
Not to be missed for North Islanders is the Open Day at Gulf Harbour onSunday the 25th of February
being held at Regency Lake in Gulf Harbour, Auckland between 10am and 3pm.
RC Laser sailors are invited to come along and join in the sailing. Anyone interested in trying RC sailing is most welcome! There will be boats to try and people on hand to show you the boat and how to sail it.
For further information contact Linton Little golfview@outlook.com or Graham graham@crewmate.co.nz
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.
Please 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.
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.
The South Australian RC Laser team from Mawson Lakes Model Yacht Club are in the news. Their achievement in winning the State Shield at the recent 2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations held at the Gold Coast last November has been recognised by the magazine, Mawson Lakes Living.
Please join us for the RC Laser Social Racing Series at Festival of Sails, Geelong. 
