Sailo's - Taree Aquatic Club Sailing Committee

What a weekend at Great Lakes Sailing Club. Taree Aquatic Club sailors headed to Wallis Lake for our annual regatta, in conjunction with the Skiff and Scow Moth NSW state championships, of which Nigel Ferguson and Ben Ferguson contested. Nigel claimed the state title with four bullets to add to his already successful run at the nationals, where he also won in January. Ben had a very steep learning curve the first time sailing a skiff moth and really started to pick it up on day 2 with some great results, overall finishing fifth in his division. The Impulse Traveller event was a good test run for the upcoming state and national titles to be held at Great Lakes Sailing Club next season. 8 boats contested the event with 5 clubs being represented. Gus Young from Big River Sailing Club, with consistent form, won the event ahead of Bruce and Brett in third. Jeff from Port Macquarie toiled away to finish 4th overall
The Taree aquatic club fleet had a great weekend on and off the water. Saturday was a nice 12nt SE breeze with 2 races scheduled. Race 1 was a sprint race with two separate starts for the fleets, Nigel and Ben sailing in the moth fleet and the misc monohull fleet on the second start. It was difficult to keep an eye on all the battles. Adam was first over the line in race 1 ahead of No More, Full bag of Rats, Dead Reckoning, Into The Woods, Drawing The Line, Cam on his laser and Ollie on Ace.
Race 2 Saturday got away with good breeze out of the ESE, and some good reaching angles made the afternoon's racing fun. The fllet stretched out with the extended course. The results were much the same, except for Drawing the line switching places with Into The Woods.
Race 3 Sunday commenced in light shifty conditions from the ESE. A few sailors opted out of the challenge ahead for the day and stayed ashore. Full bag of Rats in his favoured conditions got around the fastest, followed by dead Reckoning, with Into The Woods holding off Ace, Cambo pipped Drawing The Line on the Line by a few seconds on the last beat.
Race 4 Sunday got away after a course reset due to the fluky decreasing breeze again Full bag of Rats smoked away and took the win Ahead of Dead Reckoning and Into The Woods, who exchanged the places on numerous accession through out the race, with Dead Reckoning getting a little puff of breeze to sneak ahead near the finish line. Ace sailed by Ollie, who stayed right on the boats in front, showing great determination to complete all four races and definitely his best results for the season. Drawing the line came next, ahead of Cambo on his laser which was probably alittle under powered today, but was great to see him stick it out and finish all four races and picking up second on handicap for Saturday.
Fastest times and handicap results were combined for Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday
Fastest Times HCP
1 Infusion 1 Infusion
2 Dead Reckoning 2 Cam Laser
3 Adam 3 Into The Woods
4 Into The Woods 4 Adam
5 No More 5 Drawing The Line
6 Drawing The Line 6 Dead Reckoning
7 Full Bag Of Rats 7 Ace Ollie
8 Cam Laser 8 No More
9 Ollie Ace 9 Full Bag Of Rats
Sunday
Fastest Time HCP
1 Infusion 1 Infusion
2 Full Bag Of Rats 2 Dead Reckoning
3 Dead Reckoning 3 Into The Woods
4 Into The Woods 4 Full Bag Of Rats
5 Ace Ollie 5 Ace Ollie
6 Drawing The Line 6 Cam Laser
7 Cam Laser 7 Drawing The Line
Massive thanks to Great Lakes Sailing Club and the volunteers.

A quick wrap-up of the last two weeks. Saturday 14th and round 6 of the HCP series saw a handful of sailors sit tight waiting on a fairly warm day for the breeze, which did come in enough to be able to get a start. HCP started to see Cam & Ollie take off and was never challenged to Round the top mark ahead of Drawing the line, Adam and Dead Reckoning. Full Bag Of Rats was next ahead ofEmpty Spaces, Winot, Even Flow and Infusion. Second Lap around saw Drawing The Line get to the top first ahead of Dead Reckoning, Adam unfortunately succumbed to gear failure, Full Bag Of Rats was next around with Cam, Ollie, Empty Spaces, Winot, Even Flow and Infusion making big inroads on the boats ahead. Lap 3 saw Even Flow, Cam and Ollie retire. Big moves were made in the rest of the fleet, with Infusion jumping to the lead and taking the win ahead of Winot, Empty Spaces, Full Bag Of Rats, Dead Reckoning and Drawing The Line, finishing off a long race for the crews.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Empty Spaces 1 Infusion
2 Winot 2 Winot
3 Infusion 3 Empty Spaces
4 Dead Reckoning 4 Full Bag Of Rats
5 Full Bag Of Rats 5 Dead Reckoning
6 Drawing The Line 6 Drawing The Line

Saturday 21st round 7 of the annual HCP series crews again waited for breeze, only a few hardy sailors met the start line in light a N/E breeze, while others opted for beverages ashore. In what started as a light patchy N/E breeze rotated to an NNE breeze up to 10 knots, which too the delight of those who started were able to stretch their legs a little. The small fleet and breeze early in the race made it hard for the scratch boats to make any inroads on the limit boats. A threatening storm forced the race committee to shorten the course and percentage calculations came into play. Crews Head to Great Lakes this weekend in conjunction with the Moth NSW State titles.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Dead Reckoning 1 Full Bag Of Rats
2 Full Bag of Rats 2 Dead Reckoning
3 Predator 3 Drawing The Line
4 Drawing The Line 4 Predator
5 Infusion 5 Infusion

Taree Aquatic Club held the fifth round of the Club championship and round 17 of the annual point score series on Saturday, 7-2-26, the crews had to wait ashore for breeze to build and eventually hit the water in a fluctuating NE breeze, with tricky wind shifts creating challenging conditions. With a scratch start, the starter got racing under way. Into The Woods got a great start, quickly being caught by the faster-moving Predator. No More, Full Bag of Rats, All In, Dead Reckoning and Drawing The Line exchanged tacks on the beat to the top mark. Around the top mark saw Predator lead No More. Followed shortly by Full Bag Of Rats then All In. Dead Reckoning, Into The Woods and Drawing the line had a close battle for most of the race, keeping each other very honest and trading places multiple time throughout the race. Predator showed great pace, extending their lead each lap, several minutes later, All In settled in and sailed a great race to be second over the line and Full Bag Of Rats third. Followed by No More getting the blue swimmer award, Dead Reckoning snuck through on the final few legs to edge out Drawing The Line and Into The Woods, All Sailors enjoyed a well-earned refreshing beverage after the race with our Christmas party dinner. Big Thanks to the race day committee. Next race day is the 14th of February, we have round three of the 18 of the annual point score series and round 6 of the annual handicap series with Richard on duty crew.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Predator 1 Drawing The Line
2 All In 2 Full Bag Of Rats
3 Dead Reckoning 3 All In
4 Drawing The Line 4 Into The Woods
5 full Bag Of Rats 5 Predator
6 Into The Woods 6 Dead Reckoning
7 No More 7 No More

TAC sailors made their way to Manning Point for our annual regatta. It all started on friday with a good game of social bowls and dinner afterwards and great company into the early hours of the next morning. Saturday racing was abandoned due to a strong NE breeze exceeding safety limits of sailing craft. Sunday was a great day for sailing with a nice NE breeze of around the 10-12 knots. With back to back races of three laps conducted. Race 1 saw 7 starters getting away Even Flow got to the top mark first and cleared away from the rest of the fleet. Full Bag Of Rats sailed a great race to follow Even Flow all race in second place with Dead Reckoning holding out Drawing The Line, Into The Woods and it was great to have Matt back sailing Ace. Young Cam sailed his Sabot and looked like he had the boat going fast. Race 2 was a very similar scenario with Even Flow a clear winner from Full Bag Of Rats, Dead Reckoning, Ace sailing an improved second race, Into The Woods and Drawing The Line after a water temp check finished up racing for the weekend. It was a fantastic social weekend and many thanks to our volunteers without your amazing support these events don't happen.

Race 1

Fastest time Handicap
1 Even Flow 1 Even Flow
2 Dead Reckoning 2 Drawing The Line
3 Full Bag Of Rats 3 Full Bag Of Rats
4 Drawing The Line 4 Ace
5 Into The Woods 5 Into The Woods
6 Sabot Cam 6 Dead Reckoning
7 Ace 7 Sabot Cam

Race 2

Fastest Time Handicap
1 Even Flow 1 Into The Woods
2 Dead Reckoning 2 Ace
3 Full Bag Of Rats 3 Full Bag Of Rats
4 Ace 4 Even Flow
5 Into The Woods 5 Dead Reckoning
6 Drawing The Line 6 Drawing The Line

Next week racing is back at Taree with Nigel on Duty Crew.

A quick wrap-up of the last two weeks. Saturday 10th saw a handful of sailors sit tight waiting on fairly warm day for the breeze of which were rewarded with a nice 10nt NE come in late. Scratch start saw Winot take off and was never challenged for line honours. The following boats also pretty much settled into their places pretty quickly, with Dead Reckoning in front of No More and Into The Woods.

Fastest Time Handicap
1 Dead Reckoning 1 Dead Reckoning
2 Winot 2 Into The Woods
3 Into The Woods 3 Winot
4 No More 4 No More

Saturday 17th crews again waited for breeze, only a few hardy sailors met the start line in light a s/e breeze, while others opted for beverages ashore. In what started as a light patchy SE breeze rotated to an ENE breeze up to 10 knots, which too the delight of those who started were able to stretch their legs. The small fleet and breeze angle early in the race ended in a follow-the-leader type of race. With Predator taking line honours ahead of Full Bag Of Rats, Dead Reckoning and Into The Woods.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Predator 1 Full Bag Of Rats
2 Dead Reckoning 2 Predator
3 Full Bag Of Rats 3 Dead Reckoning
4 Into The Woods 4 Into The Woods

Taree Aquatic Club held round 11 of the annual point score series on Saturday, 20-12-25, in a fluctuating NE breeze, with tricky wind shifts creating challenging conditions. With a scratch start, the starter got racing under way getting away. Winot got a great start, quickly being caught by the faster-moving Infusion. No More, Full Bag of Rats, Dead Reckoning, Into The Woods and Drawing The Line exchanged tacks on the beat to the top mark. Around the top mark saw Infusion lead Winot. Followed shortly by Full Bag Of Rats, No More. Dead Reckoning, Into The Woods and Drawing the line had a close battle for most of the race, keeping each other very honest. Infusion showed great pace, extending their lead each lap, claiming the win even with a couple of water temperature checks. Several minutes later, Winot sailing 1 up, sailed a great race, was second over the line and Full Bag Of Rats third. Followed by No More, Dead Reckoning, Drawing The Line, pipped Into The Woods on the line by a few seconds, All Sailors enjoyed a well-earned refreshing beverage after the race with our Christmas party dinner. Big Thanks to the race day committee. Next race day is the 4th of January, we have round three of the club championship series.

Fastest Time Handicap
1 Dead Reckoning 1 Infusion
2 Infusion 2 Into The Woods
3 Winot 3 Winot
4 Drawing The Line 4 Drawing The Line
5 Into The Woods 5 Dead Reckoning
6 Full Bag Of Rats 6 Full Bag Of Rats
7 No More 7 No More

Taree Aquatic Club held our third round of the handicap series on Saturday, 13-12-25, in light, shifty conditions and a strong run-in tide. The course was set for our long course race up to the Oxley Island south passage. With Drawing The Line getting away as limit boat, soon followed by Into The Woods, Dead Reckoning, No More and Full Bag of Rats. Several minutes later, Empty Spaces, Fusion and Predator began the chase. The beat all the way to the rounding mark was tough going, pushing against the strong tide. At the highway bridge, No More had caught and passed Dead Reckoning and Into the Woods. Empty spaces suffered gear breakage under the bridge, with the forestay saddle coming detached on one side, but fortunately not dismasting, but that was the end of the day for Empty Spaces. With great fortune, an additional boat on duty today was a saving grace to assist Empty Spaces ashore. At the top mark and turning for the long run home, the tide finally became friends with the sailors. Drawing The Line had maintained the lead from No More, Full Bag Of Rats, Dead Reckoning and Into The Woods. Infusion and Predator had started to bring back the deficit and continued the chase. The run home was a mix of staying in the breeze and tide. Dead Reckoning slipped past Full Bag Of Rats, as did Predator, to pick up a few places. Drawing the line sailed a great race led from start to finish, followed by No More, Dead Reckoning, held off Predator Right on the line, then came Full Bag Of Rats and Into the Woods, with Infusion rounding out the fleet.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Dead Reckoning 1 Drawing The Line
2 Predator 2 No More
3 Drawing The Line 3 Dead Reckoning
4 No More 4 Predator
5 Into the Woods 5 Full Bag Of Rats
6 Full Bag Of Rats 6 Into The Woods
7 Infusion 7 Infusion

This Saturday is round 11 of the annual point score @ 2pm with Richard on duty crew.⛵️

Taree Aquatic Club held our 2nd round of the Club Championship series on Saturday, 6-12-25, in a very strong run-out tide and an ENE breeze of 8-12 knots. With a scratch start, the boat end was favoured, and all boats condensed on that end. Empty Spaces and Even flow getting away to the first mark in clear air, followed by Winot With Dave and Maddie coming back after a few weeks away, Full Bag of Rats, Dead Reckoning, Drawing the Line and Into The Woods. At the top mark, Even Flow led from Empty Spaces, Winot, Full Bag of Rats, and Into the Woods had wiggled his way in front of Dead Reckoning and Drawing the Line. On the downwind leg, the front runners stayed the same, but in the Sabre battle, Dead Reckoning got in front of Drawing the Line and Into the Woods. Not much changed until the final two legs of the race, with Drawing The Line having a fall in the boat and breaking the tiller clean off and letting into the woods get through, but to his credit was able to limp home to still get a finish.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Empty Spaces 1 Full Bag Of Rats
2 Even Flow 2 Dead Reckoning
3 Dead Reckoning 3 Into The Woods
4 Into the Woods 4 Even Flow
5 Full Bags of Rats 5 Drawing The Line
6 Drawing The Line 6 Empty Spaces
7 Winot 7 Winot
This Saturday is rd 3 of the Handicap series with our long course race around the island @ 2pm with Brett on duty crew.⛵️

Taree Aquatic Club held its second round of the handicap series on Saturday, 22-11-25, in what turned out to be better than forecast conditions with a 9-10 knot NE breeze. With the NE course laid and 3 laps to be completed, the limit boat, Drawing The Line, got away, soon followed by Into The Woods, Dead Reckoning, Full Bag of Rats, and Boat 736. Several minutes later, Infusion and Predator began the chase. At the top mark for the first time, Into The Woods had made it into the lead, not far in front of Drawing The Line, the two had a close battle on the run down to the club. Dead Reckoning, Full Bag Of Rats, and Boat 736 were slowly making up ground on the leaders. At the Top mark for the second time, Drawing The Line had gained the lead, narrowly ahead of Dead Reckoning, Boat 736 and Into The Woods, who missed a few crucial lifts, dropped back a little. Shortly after was Full Bag Of Rats and the fast-moving Infusion and Predator. Lap 3 saw a lot of positional changes with Infusion jumping to the lead at the top mark, followed by Boat 736, Dead Reckoning, Drawing the line, Full Bag Of Rats, Into The Woods and Predator flying up into contention for the minor placings and passed all but Infusion on his spinnaker run home. Infusion showed great pace on the windward legs and really seems to be getting a handle on the new boat, getting the Handicap win ahead of Predator and Boat 736. Full Bag of Rats slid past Dead Reckoning to claim fourth, finishing just minutes ahead of Drawing the line and Into The Woods.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Predator 1 Infusion
2 Dead Reckoning 2 Predator
3 Boat 736 3 Boat 736
4 Infusion 4 Full Bag of Rats
5 Into The Woods 5 Dead Reckoning
6 Drawing The Line 6 Drawing The Line
7 Full Bag Of Rats 7 Into The Woods
Next Saturday, there will be no sailing due to a power boat meeting on the Manning River. The club will have representatives at sailing regattas on Lake Macquarie next weekend. We wish them good luck.⛵️

Taree Aquatic Club held our sixth round of the annual point score series on Saturday, 15-11-25, in a solid 15-knot NNE breeze, with tricky wind shifts creating challenging conditions. With a scratch start, the starter got racing under way getting away. Into The Woods got a great start, quickly being caught by the faster-moving Even Flow, Infusion and Empty Spaces. All In, No More, Full Bag of Rats, Dead Reckoning and Drawing The Line settled in on the beat to the top mark. An early swim saw Full Bag Of Rats with plenty of work to do to get back in touch with the fleet. Around the top mark saw Even flow lead with Infusion and Empty Spaces. Followed shortly by All In, Dead Reckoning and No More, Into The Woods and Drawing the line had a close battle for most of the race until a dip in the river while completing a penalty turn proved to be expensive, with Into The Woods getting away. Even flow showed great pace, extending their lead each lap, claiming the win. Several minutes later, Infusion, sailing a great race, was second over the line and Empty Spaces third. Followed by All In, No More, Dead Reckoning, Into The Woods, Drawing The Line and Full Bag Of Rats rounding out the fleet. All Sailors enjoyed a well-earned refreshing beverage after the race. Big Thanks to the race day committee. Next week we have round 2 of the handicap series.
Fastest Time Handicap
1 Predator 1 Predator
2 Empty Spaces 2 Infusion
3 Dead Reckoning 3 Empty Spaces
4 All In 4 Dead Reakoning
5 Infusion 5 No More
6 No More 6 Into The Woods
7 Into The Woods 7 Draw The Line
8 Drawing The Line 8 All In
9 Full Bag Of Rats 9 Full Bag Of Rats