So where in south east QLD is there any form of windsurfer course racing run on a regular basis. I tried to get thing started with the Paradise Point Sailing club and the post appeared to get some initial support but come race day no other windsurfers turned up- so as the question states above, where is this form of discipline run from these days? Prefer near the Gold Coast.

I race my Phantom 320 at lake Cootharaba Sailing Club every Sunday. I have been the only one sailboard in a fleet of boats. A couple of other Raceboarders have expressed interest in joining in soon.

The bayside Sailboard club does Slalom Racing.

Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Brisbane Have RSX and Techno racing.

You are most welcome join me at Cootharaba any time. We usually have a race at 11.00 am and an other at 1.30 pm most Sundays September to April.

hey handyman every saturday arfternoon there is a fleet of 5 to 10 that race at Royal Queensland yacht squadron if you are free next sat you should come down and see what all of the fuss is about and join in

RQYS Have RSX and Techno293 one design racing. They do course racing usually on trapezoid courses. Basically its an Upwind Downwind format.

What board and sail are you using?

The RSX and techno sail a similar course to the laser fleet at RQYS. If the boats are racing, the Sailboards would also be racing. They usually do two races each saturday afternoon.

What sail size do you usually use?

The RSX class use 9.5 for men and 8.5 m for women and youth. They are also very serious racers. State and national champions.

You will find that you will not keep up with them with your old 7.5m sail. I have sailed with them with my 9.5m sail and couldn't keep up even with the ladies.

The youth class Techno293 use smaller sails (6.8 & 7.8)and do a shorter course. You could probably sail with them. Some of those kids are pretty good too.

You are always welcome to sail at RQYS or Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club with us. However If you want to keep sailing on the Gold Coast, I would recomend you get a bigger rig for the light days so that you can keep up with the lasers.

The new large rigs are not hard to handle in light winds. There is plenty of second hand stuff on the market in the large sizes if you don't want to spend too much. You can come and try some of my eqipment sometime if you want to get an idea of how the biger sails handle.

There seems to be a few people looking in on this post and I always hear people asking about Course Racing. Perhaps we could get a show of hands from anyone interested in a course racing structure using

1. Raceboards
2. Kona / SUP style boards
3. RSX
4. Bic Techno

Obviously there are two venues already running the races which is half the battle. RQYS has a great setup with the courses set up, safety boats etc and for the resourses available fairly reasonable membership fees.

Tony's venue at LCSC is also ideal with cheaper fees but a bit of a drive for those based in Bne. For some reason the people asking about the course racing are not taking advantage of these facilities so lets take this opportunity to look at the reasons why.

WQ

Hey Farles,

Regarding RQYS not sure $900 or there-a-bouts a year counts as fairly reasonable membership fees. Great facilities no doubt, but basically expensive as hell considering.

This topic has been discussed by previous committee's of WQ and Bayside for years. There are numerous options for developing such programs, but the ultimate stumbling block has been that everyone wants to get involved, but considering the lack of people with gear out there we have all been hesitant to jump in head first.

I personally never had the benefit of sailing or racing long boards, but in recent discussions with various industry people and other club members, there is a trend that we need to do something for the competitive side of the sport. Our slalom racing is suffering from a severe drought of conditions for the last few seasons, and i along with others are missing that time on the water battling it out for sheep stations. Well it feels that way anyway.

I know with my involvement in the club administration this season, the discussion for more racing is growing, so lets collectively look at it. My suggestion is if you want to take up course racing, and are not just airing an opinion, but are serious about the prospect, then shoot the Bayside Sailboard Club and email with your contact info. If the interest is there and legitimate then maybe the club can do something about running races.

emai is: info@basidesailboards.com.au

Tony,

The issue with the old boards is they are not available anywhere - period. Apart from Simon having a few boards last year, there is nothing second hand available. Mainly because people with them don't let them go. Thus we have to look at new gear - which is not a problem, but we need to get people interested. I personally think that a few of us will end up biting the bullet and just start something through the club, and maybe it will grow, maybe it won't.

I'm aware the DPSS have been really approachable about this. But the issue is not one of just racing, but more so racing against your mates. The crew at Bayside has developed into a great group of people that not only enjoy sailing, but also the banter that comes with trying to beat your mates on the course. Now personally, it is this component which has held me back from purchasing a raceboard to go and race the boaties with. I want to enjoy this sport with my friends who i currently sail with.

Also i think it is more that sailboards want to compete against sailboards - its the old like against like. In the immortal words of Sean Connery in the untouchables - "you don't bring a knife to a gun fight"

I don't dispute any of your comments Daryl. I would just clarify that sailing with the boats is just about avoiding the logistics of organising a separate race while the numbers of raceboarders are small. Then again there is no harm in making some new mates too. The boaties are not so bad.

Question: It's 8-12 knots.

What is the fastest thing to get around a proper triangle course?

Da Vecta,

That wind range you are describing is exactly the range that we are talking about for more racing. From all i've spoken to the raceboardsill point higher and be faster in the lighter wind than say a formula. Whey they are planing the formula's are faster no doubt, but they cannot reach as well as a long board, they go up and down wind well - but the reach can be a handful.

They hybrids do both OK but are not great at either. They were promoted to have the benefits of both, but from my discussions the opinion is more likely they have the drawbacks of both. ie not as good as a long board in sub planing, and not as good as a formula in planing. And the RSX - well i've never heard anything good about it, and when i was with WQ there was an national push by the AWA to have the RSX removed as the olympic board in favour of one design formula.

Needless to say it did not eventuate.

Getting back to your question, tony is right in that the fastest person around the course will be the better sailor. The gear in these cases should not have as much of an effect on performance, but everything has it's niche regarding conditions.

Tony, you need to end your love affair with the RSX - it's a pig of a board. I know you love them, but seriously the new ones i hear are going to be 10K!!!! Not sure if this is true but if so, this board will do nothing for windsurfing. For light wind or course racing either go long or go formula.

From a club and participation point of view, club administrators need to look at increasing our participation rates in the lower wind speeds. Lets face it at 12 knots, Bayside is running slalom racing, it is the 8 knots we want to get people out in. And i think the long board is the best solution. It is a topic that i hope gains some momentum, and these discussions are a good start.

Daryl, Just for the record, I much prefer the longboards to the RSX for many reasons. I have had a Starboard Phantom 320 for the last two years.

I mentioned the RSX sail in my last post to illustrate that it is not as simple as picking a board. Luke Bailey on his RSX will beat me on any course any time no matter what sort of sail I have. He is just that much better than me that even the handicap of an RSX in a light breeze won't stop him. I,m sure he will be happy to come and show what an RSX can do once you have organised a race.

It is easy to criticise the RSX but those that are using them have become very good at getting the best out of them. If you have Olympic ambitions they are obviously the only choice so we just haveto let them have their place.

I agree completely that if you are looking for a light wind option, the racebords are the way to go.

Tony,

Sorry mate, but the way you presented your argument it read to me that a good sailor on an RSX would beat an old long board rig, which inferred to me that you believed the longboard was inferior to the RSX, which is just not true. I stand by my previous comment that the RSX does not do what it was claimed to do.

Regarding Luke, I'm sure he is quite good at getting the most out of his RSX. How would he go up against an eaually talented raceboard sailor on the same course?? I reckon there are few old guns in Brisbane that would still have the goods.

Now if we can get them out there helping to encourage those of us that missed out on the longboard experience that would be a hoot.

If you have never tried the tactical process of course racing it is probably hard to understand the dynamics and rewards that are involved in this type of competition- it is not about having the sharpest knife or the biggest gun (because you have the deepest pockets), it is about being the best you as an individual can be at what you are doing- and when you get beaten this is the motivation to analyse why you got beat and work harder not to let it happen again. You may still get beaten but you can have moral wins along the way- by say making ground on someone you know is much better than you on one leg or section of the course because you picked a wind change the other guy didn't- sounds like I' rambling again.

Because hydrofoil moths cost about $20,000 and have you actually ever seen anyone having fun sailing one?