This weekend was supposed to mark the start of the series with a weekend at Palm Beach Sailing Club. Due to the uncertainty in the lead up with COVID restrictions the event was cancelled by the club. With the subsequent relaxing of COVID restrictions the club is now running racing on Sunday for those who turn up. With the forecast of 27 degrees and a good nor-easter what better place to be!

Given we had already cancelled Round 1 of the NSW Raceboard Series, racing on Sunday will be for the pure pleasure and not for Series points.But I hazard a guess that pleasure is why most of us do it anyway, so here are the details:.
When: Sunday 4th October, suggested arrival time 8am. Start depending on wind but not before 9am.
Where: Palm Beach Sailing Club www.pbsc.org.au/Location.aspxFree Parking at rear Woorak Reserve on Iluka Rd. (overflow parking area) Beach Entrance, Sand Lane Palm Beach.
What: Four back-to-back races, so bring your lunch and drinks.
How much: $20 to be transferred into the PBSC account - BSB: 012 370 Account #: 555 498 631 MUST include your name in the bank transfer also sail No contact Number.
After: Palm Beach (RSL) Club is open and serving meals and drinks, Barrenjoey Rd 400m from Car Park.

PLEASE NOTE: The usual COVID-19 social distancing rules apply.If you've recently been in close contact with a known or suspected case of COVID-19, are feeling unwell or breathless, or if you have recently travelled from Victoria, overseas, or any of the current NSW hotspot locations www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates#latest-covid-19-case-locations-in-nsw, don't come.

A great way to warm up for the series which is now planned to get underway on Oct 17th at Georges River Sailing club.

The series details are available at www.ausraceboard.org/raceboard-windsurfing-events

Due to the possible change of COVID restrictions during the season we are not taking series entries this season but you can still enter each event before heading there online at www.windsurfingnsw.com/join/

See you on the water soon!

A great 15-20kn NE on the Georges River yesterday, an outgoing tide so a few tall waves in the channel to play on. Good racing and congratulations to Grae Morris for winning the day just ahead of Jimmy Levy. A special thanks to sponsors Starboard, Severne and WSS boards for their continued support and the great looking shirts that created a lot of interest up in the club after sailing. Thanks to Greg O for the photos.

The next exciting event on the Raceboard calendar is the State Titles at Toronto Amateur Sailing Club on the weekend of 14-15 November.

The NOR is now available www.ausraceboard.org/raceboard-windsurfing-events#/2020-21-nsw-raceboard-series/. You can register and pay online at www.windsurfingnsw.com/join/. Don't forget you need to be a member of WNSW to compete, so make sure you've renewed your club or class membership.There are some super groovy limited edition series tee-shirts available, so enter early to avoid disappointment!

Thanks again to our sponsors Starboard Severne and WSS Boards for coming to the party with the merch!

The key points are:
WHERE: Toronto Amateur Sailing Club27 Victory Parade, TorontoLake Macquarie
WHEN: Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November
Rego from 0830-0930 Saturday, so best to do it NOW!
Briefing 0930Earliest Racing from 1030
WHAT: States - maximum of 5 races a day
WHO: Raceboards. LTs and One Designs will have separate start. Bics and other Raceboard compliant boards welcome.

Next up we're off to Jervis Bay, so start thinking about your accommodation for the weekend 28/29 November!

Results from today's racing at TASC.

Great regatta with racing combined with a large LT fleet. Lots & lots of stories. Interesting seeing Grae holding the boom in one hand & the mast in the another after a really hard pump at the first mark in the first race.


Looking forward to tomorrow.

The NSW Raceboard state titles wrapped up today. Many thanks to RO Evan McHugh & Al Haynes from TASC. The combined WCAA Raceboard event worked very well with no mixing of the two fleets on the course yet both starting 5 minutes apart.








The next event will be a two day event at Callala bay hosted by Jervis Bay Sailing Club in 2 weeks.

Only a few days to go until round 4 at Callala Bay. Remember to get your entries in.

When: Saturday 28/11 Registration 11:00 - 11:30 hrs
Briefing 11:30 hrs
Saturday Racing 12:00 hrs
Sunday 29/11 Briefing 09:30 hrs
Sunday Racing 10:00 hrs

How to enter:Go to www.windsurfingnsw.com/join/ Under NSW Series,
select NSW Raceboard Series. Entry Span RB is Single Event. Event - Raceboard is Rnd 4 (2 day).
Or bring cash on the day with the filled out Entry Form.
Sponsor:Starboard Severne and WSS Boards.
Rigging: To maintain COVID-19 separation from their juniors on Saturday morning, please don't rig on the grass around the clubhouse. Use the grassed area near the walk-way/bike path.
Social: Some tables are booked at the Club Callala bistro for Saturday night at 7pm. PAYG, but please let me know if you are planning on dining as they need table bookings due to COVID! You can't just rock up, unfortunately.
NB:Due to COVID-19 restrictions there will be no canteen facilities available at the club, so bring your lunch! And again due to COVID-19 the showers will be closed.NOR and Sailing Instructions can be found here www.ausraceboard.org/raceboard-windsurfing-events#/2020-21-nsw-raceboard-series/.
Please note the starting time on the first day is as stated above, rather than the NOR.
Technos and other Raceboard compliant boards very welcome.

So you know how you are placed in the series here are the results so far.

After a challenging day yesterday we were looking forward to some nice racing before the southerly change was expected in the afternoon. We were set to start racing at 10:00am and conditions were looking good, there were some interesting wind reading at other locations around the coast so we weren't really sure what was going to happen. Jimmy was first on the water keen to stretch out after having driven home for the night. He was looking pretty fast out there, then around the time when we needed to start heading out things started to change, the odd rogue gust, then it came in and before long it was looking pretty white out on the bay. Fortunately only 6 boards had got on the water. Grae and Jimmy got to the start area and when it became obvious racing couldn't happen were able to get a ride back with the race committee. Grae did have a bit of a swim with his rig as the start boat went off after his board and he was wondering about things other than dolphins in the water trying to keep his rig afloat. One of the boats recorded a 43Kn gust. The others who did not get so far from shore were able to get back to land, although a couple had a little bit of walking to do.

So the results of yesterday stand as the final results.




Some stats from the day they are in KM/h but show there was a bit on......

Thanks for the event on the weekend. CRAZY conditions...

The next event in the NSW Raceboard Series is #5 at Illawarra Yacht Club (1 Northcliffe Dr, Warrawong) on Saturday13th March.

Schedule:Registration 10:00 - 10:30 hrs
Briefing 10:30 hrsRacing 11:30 hrsLast possible Warning Signal 17:00 hrs
Please have a look at the detailed information about parking, COVID requirements and accessing the club below, thanks Neil McKinlay!
You can enter the event by going to www.windsurfingnsw.com/join/ Under NSW Series, select NSW Raceboard Series. Entry Span RB is Single Event. Event - Raceboard is Rnd 5. Or bring cash on the day.

The Kurnell Cup on the 14th was great fun, with a 20kt Southerly, plus a surprise visit from our most Southern of NSW Raceboarders, James Grunfelder. He notched up a couple of wins but was pipped to the post by Nathan Clift. Well sailed Nath.


IYC INFO:For those who have not visited Illawarra Yacht Club before IYC is a licenced venue under the oversight control of NSW Liquor and Gaming as such the club is subject to, and strictly adheres to Govt and NSW Health directives so some to the information outlined below may change very quickly. Sailing and Windsurfing at IYC is only a small part of the operations at IYC. That said the sailing fraternity have a good relationship with the Club Management and the various Duty Managers in charge serving the club's clientele using the Gaming Room, the Bistro and the Bar. Gates to the IYC grounds open to the public at 9am daily. Doors to the IYC club building open at 9am daily.

Convenience Food (pies sausage rolls quiches cake and coffee) is generally available from 9 am from the Club Bistro. The Bistro lunch menu is available in the dining area from 12.00 to 2pm and the Bistro dinner menu opens at 5.30pm. Table bookings can be made by ringing the club 42746622 if groups are planning an evening meal. On Saturday nights the bistro is quite popular so best to book. The window tables of the Dining Area have views over the water but it is likely that the Racing Course will be set on the Lake 1-2 km from the club building. Note that the club managers actively discourage wetsuit clad dripping sailors appearing in the Dining Area etc so if you need some food it is best to have a support person purchase it for you. The nearest fast food outlets are about 1 km east at the Warrawong shops.

The Yacht Shop Chandlery runs as a separate business within club grounds to the east of the Boatsheds. Hours 8.30 12.30 Saturdays.

Women's and Men's Toilets and Changing facilities for Windsurfers are available at lower level of the club. IYC would prefer that showers are not used due to COVID cleaning requirements. Windsurfers entering the IYC grounds can currently "sign in" using NSW govt QR code displayed adjacent to the Downstairs Doors or at the Windsurfing Container. Windsurfers entering Licenced club (upstairs) must additionally "sign in" via IYC club Reception at top of stairs.

Parking at IYC The club managers request that sailors/windsurfers park on the edges of the grassed areas adjacent to the water's edge, leaving the formal parking areas available for club patrons. To this end IYC Windsurfers request that visiting windsurfers enter the IYC grounds via the eastern gate. Parking Marshals will be on hand to direct windsurfers to appropriate parking places. Depending on the numbers of competitors, later arrivals may be directed to the adjacent Public Parking to the west, outside of the club grounds but still within 100m of the Rigging Lawn. Windsurfers who have visited IYC in previous seasons are requested not to enter the Club's Western Carpark as they have done in the past. Please enter via the Eastern Gate and be directed by the Parking Marshalls.

Windsurfers are welcome to picnic within the Club Grounds but any alcohol consumed on Club Grounds must be purchased from the Licenced Club Bar.

The Raceboards were welcomed back at IYC today with a building NE breeze peaking out with gusts to 20kn. The first race was in marginal planing conditions and the next 2 most of us were planing, then after lunch everyone was definitely planing - some just having trouble staying on the water! Well done to Grae Morris, staying ahead of his dad to take out the day.

It was brilliant. Not much weed, lots of wind. Well done Neil McKinlay & IYC for organising the day. And thanks to 2 WNSW life members, Glen Morrell & Nick Nelson on the start boat today.

I saw a few photos on FB, does anyone if there is anymore?...tks

Round 6 went ahead at DAC yesterday despite the unique weather event. Prior to starting time it hadn't been too wet (but we did get a 30kn gust while laying the course) but it certainly did rain heavily during the races and we got some pretty big gusts in the last race of 3. There was some good tactical upwind legs and the odd planing gust downwind to take advantage of if you were in the firing line at the time.

Went swimming quite a few times as the 30kn gusts went through the fleet like a cleanup set. The water tasted fresh with stormwater after tones. Nearly sailed into someone's backyard there was so much water.

Totally agree with Brett,

A Huge thanks to Lissa and Richie who put in an enormous effort to organise the Raceboard events every year. Without their efforts (and those that support them) the Raceboard series wouldn't exist.

Thank you, thank you, thank you and congratulations to the winners and the competitors that make up the entire fleet. See you all next season.