This week the weather lived up to the forecast with winds (at the South Channel) of 20kn plus during our race period. Your Scribe made it to the start line but then decided that the wind and waves were beyond his excitement level. Clancy T-W also made it to the start line but decided to retire with the scribe. This left the race as benefit for the Creak Family with Peter (Div 1), Tony (Div 2) and Harry (Div 3) the only starters and leaders in respectively Div 1, Div 2 and Div 3. Peter might have thought that a second race was in order, but ultimately retired with the others after the first race

Ollie set a fine course with both an outer and inner triangle which gave Tony and Peter some very fast reaches where the Sabre nearly kept up with the Laser R. Tony showed great control until he tipped as he neared the shore. Glen was able to assist setting the course and trailing the boats while Angelique trailed the Opti’s and the learner Quest (which was under a reefed sail).

Julie prepared wraps and dim sims and was, perhaps surprised, when a young child was not sure what a dim sim was. Maybe it’s an acquired taste.

Thanks to Anne in the tower.


Coming up:

Saturday 20 December 2025.
1400 Lady Nelson series continues.

Saturday 27 December 2025.
1400 Lady Nelson series continue if boats wish to sail (but it is the second day of the Boxing Day test).


With no sailing over the winter your scribe had a bit of spare time which he put to use by borrowing a couple of books from the Club so he could learn to navigate. Here are some of the things he learnt:
In the northern hemisphere they have a star called Polaris often called the North Star which is nearly exactly over the North Pole. So if you can use your trusty sextant to determine its angle above your horizon you can convert that to your latitude. We in the southern hemisphere don’t have that luxury and must rely on other moving stars and an almanac to find what their angle at that time was and then convert that to a latitude. But first you need to know the stars, and probably more than one to double check. Most of us know the Southern Cross, but the stars forming the Cross are not really bright enough. But if you look to the east of the Cross you’ll find the pointers, the outermost of which is called Rigil Kent which is prominent and useful and can lead to other stars. Follow the pointers back westward to another constellation that is more scattered and less bright than the Cross. This constellation is known as the ‘False Cross’. There are no stars of use to navigation in this constellation but if you go slightly west again you see one of the brightest stars in the southern sky which is Canopus which can be used with Rigil Kent. If you go further west beyond Canopus you come to Achernar which is another excellent navigational star. So the Southern Cross can give you three stars and there are lots of other constellations with other stars.