NEWS
Jervis Bay Sailing Club 2009 Presentation Night Report
Over forty members and guests of the Jervis Bay Sailing Club recently gathered at the Trio Trattoria restaurant to celebrate another successful summer sailing season.
Once again members did the club proud at various State and National Championships through the year. A strong club contingent went to the Spiral National’s and did very well overall, with Merv Lotze taking out the Grand Masters Division. Merv also won the same Division at the State Championships. Steve Lymbery and Mick Rae hauled Thinga Majig down to the RL 24 Nationals in Paynesville again and improved on last years result, placing second.
Local club racing this year saw a strong and varied off-the-beach fleet (Division 2), with the Lotze brothers neck and neck all season in the club championship tally. At seasons end it was Nev Lotze and crew Tait Fortier in the Tasar Gwendoline who were proclaimed Club Champions. Merv Lotze sailing his Spiral Dynamite was second. Third place went to Sam Lay in his new Spiral, 4Play.
Sam was also Junior Champion for 08/09, having put in another massive season attending Spiral Nationals, Spiral State Titles, youth sailing regattas as well as being a regular at club events
Gabe Tooker in his Spiral 100 Not Out was deservedly named most improved sailor for the season. Gabe put in a consistent good performance throughout the season to take out this prize.
Division 2 Pointscore winner for 08/09 was Merv Lotze, with Sam Lay in second. Merv also took out the Sprint Series with a close win over brother Nev Lotze and his crew Tait Fortier.
In Division 1 Thing Majig, sailed by Steve Lymbery and crew Mick Rae, had a standout year. Steve put his claim to both the Club Champion title and the Sprint racing series.
This year’s keelboat racing also saw an epic battle all season between Graeme Watson’s Endeavour 24, Grace4U and Andrew Bonney’s Hood 23, Miyun. The intense, but good natured competition between these two boats was great to watch. At season end it was Grace4U crewed by Graeme Watson, Malcolm Cameron and Jenny Lay in second place for the championship. Miyun, crewed by Andrew, Josh, Lewis, and David Bonney was barely behind in points for third.
Grace4U also took the lead in this year’s Pointscore series, with Miyun again close behind on points.
Richard Norton, our committee boat captain, was honoured on the night for his mighty performance throughout the year. Richard’s right hand man Ron Dunbar was also warmly thanked. Their efforts and excellent race management are much appreciated by all members.
The club is now into its winter Frostbite series, sailed on the first Sunday afternoon of the month. The next race is on Sunday 5th July with a 1:00 pm start. The AGM will also be held on that day starting at 10:00 am. All club members are urged to attend, whether racing that day or not. Be on time, or all the good jobs will be gone.
Jervis Bay Sailing Club Report 18 October 2008
Jervis Bay Knockout
It was a battle of the bay versus the boats on Saturday for the Jervis Bay Sailing Club fleet. In many cases it would be fair to say the bay won, with the 20 knot north-easter finding weaknesses in men, women and machine.
Sam Lay managed to break his new Spiral 4Play. Fortunately it was only a bent tiller. Tom Phillips in Sailbad the Sinner VII went a step further snapping off his rudder blade. He then spent much of the race bobbing about waiting for a tow home.
For Charles Webb-Wagg and crew Matt Harwood it was a case of bottoms up again this week. In addition to upending Kaos they also managed some rudder damage which ended their race hopes.
Bob Lindsay finally got the JB north-easter he had been waiting for, but after an hour of backbreaking hiking, vicious chop and a swim or two, he and Will O The Whisper had had enough.
Both Gabe Tooker and Georgia Copely had their Spirals out with reduced sail area. However by the third lap 100 Not Out’s innings was over for Gabe, the wind was just too Psycho for Georgia, and the warm shower at the clubhouse beckoned.
It was another wet weekend for Mick Dunk in his Moth Jimminy Crickets. Despite numerous dunkings he held on till the third leg when a nasty squall at the wing mark saw him unable to make the turn and charge onwards in a shower of spray, straight for the nearby beach. That was enough for Mick.
As for the survivors, Adam Fortier and son Kyle not only brought their Tasar home intact, they took Late on to a line honours win.
Merv Lotze got his Spiral Dynamite away to a great start and kept up a relentless pace, finishing very close on Late’s stern.
Bill Paterson also stayed the distance in his Spiral Isla Giatt Too, with only one very brief swim and one granny gybe to his credit.
On corrected time the winning order was Dynamite, Isla Giatt Too, and then Late in third.
In the keelboat fleet Steve Lymbery and crew Mick Rae in the RL24 Thingamajig took everything the bay could throw at them and laughed it off. A wild ride, even without a kite, saw them over the line well ahead of their rivals. Steve also scored a first place on corrected time.
Onboard Miyun, the Bonney boys also had the measure of the tough conditions. In their first race for the 08/09 season, Andrew, David Lewis and Josh showed they intend to go for gold this year, powering the Hood 23 into second place on corrected time
Graeme Watson in his Endeavour 24 Grace4U stayed the distance, taking out third place on corrected time, assisted this week by Malcolm Cameron and a very tired by the end of it all Jenny Lay.
Next week is the ever popular sprint racing format.
Jervis Bay Sailing Club Report 11 October 2008
Summertime Fun on JB
After the dismal weather and disappointing winds of the long weekend Regatta, the Jervis Bay Sailing Club revelled in sunshine and a delightful ten to fifteen knot north-easter last Saturday. The race was the first Pointscore for the summer season and attracted a good fleet of thirteen boats.
Spirals dominated the fleet this week, including new boy in town Bob Lindsay. Will O The Whisper and its skipper are a legend in Sydney Spiral circles and are now a welcome member of JBSC.
Also down from Sydney, but just for a visit, was Peter Eslick. Peter is more used to dodging ferries and gin palaces on Sydney harbour, but took well to the uncrowded waters of Jervis Bay, sailing his Spiral The One After across the line in third place.
Two more new faces welcomed to the club this week were Joe and Mark Bakewell sailing their NS14 Half Baked, pun intended obviously.
There were lots of people having a great time on Saturday, but the biggest smile of the day was permanently fixed on Sam Lay’s face. Sam has just taken delivery of his brand spanking new Spiral, which goes by the name of 4Play. He didn’t hesitate in showing how fast the new boat is, leading the Spiral fleet for most of the race, only to drop back slightly in the latter stages, a victim of the shifty breeze.
Merv Lotze overcame some poor early legs to overtake almost all of the fleet in his Spiral Dynamite. At the finish line he was 8 seconds behind line honours winner Tom Phillips in Sailbad the Sinner VII.
Peter Eslick was next to finish followed by Bill Paterson in his Spiral Isla Giatt Too, who managed to hold off Sam Lay and a late charge from Bob Lindsay.
After his brilliant performance against some formidable Tasar competition in the previous weekend’s regatta, Charles Webb-Wagg was back on the water in Kaos. Filling the front seat this week was Matt Harwood.
Gabe Tooker’s choice of a smaller sail on his Spiral 100 Not Out was a canny one on the day. Gabe stayed upright and fast the whole race, and had a great dice with Georgia Copely sailing her Spiral, Psycho.
In the keelboat fleet Steve Lymbery and crew Mick Rae and Geoff Watmore pushed Thingamajig well out in front of the fleet, including the dinghys, through the benefit of some handy kitework.
Talking of pushing dinghys out of the way, Dave Braidwood and crew Ian, Nigel and Cooper in the Cole 23, Runner managed to cause quite a commotion on the start line. David seems to have taken over from the Commodore in terrifying smaller boats.
Graeme Watson is getting very keen, out again this week on the Endeavour 24 Grace4U, ably assisted by Malcolm Cameron.