Hey,

Merry xmas and seasons greetings from the wilderness.

Have been out of action due to repairing the boat, cracked decks, bridle fitting rebuilds, rudder box repair and more.....

Will be back up and racing for 2011 and will keep you posted for what happens up this way.

Looks like I am the lone Qld sailor for awhile.

My club colleague who bought the Boyer moulds has got busy with other things and sold them. Damo has gone to the dark side in a Nacra 5.8 although he suggests he may get into a mossie at some stage.

I have a nice new mainsail on order with Irwin and hope to up the horspower somewhat over the very old main I was using.

Hopefully can get a bit closer to front of our mixed fleet racing and excite others into the thought a mossie is worth consideration.

Unfortunately cannot make it to nationals this year, the dates just do not work within some work commitments, perhaps can make it in 2012.

Hi Drew, i still have my mossie and am looking forward to getting back into some sailing this year, unfortunately sailing last year had to take a back seat as early in febuary last year i got diagnosed with hodgkins and so spent most of last year on chemo and radiation so unfortunately sailing (and everything else) got put on hold.
Im glad to say though now that so far all tests have come back giving me the clear and so now i can start to get life back to normal including getting back out on the water more often. Id love to come down to cleveland soon for a race again though i think ill need to put a bit of tlc into the boat first to get her back up to speed.
So there is still going to be at least 2 mossies on the water here in qld this year and if all goes to plan with my new job i may ever look into getting a new/newer mossie.

Michael.

Hey michael,

So good to hear you are around and sorry to hear of your health troubles.

Will be at Lake Samsonvale Sun 16th Jan for LSWSA regatta and then at Cleveland most sundays plus a few other regatta's around for rest of season and through winter.

Would be great to see you somewhere on the water.

Hey,

Sailed Sunday at Cleveland in cat plus kite mode.
We had around 18 -20 knots and quite a wind against current swell and chop.

Windward return course and the first downwind was on the edge and had a couple of close calls with digging the bows.
Dropped the kite early as holes in the troughs were getting deeper.
Second downwind found a deep hole and buried the bows and over I went nose first, according to all the others it was pretty spectacular.

Got back up and finished and went in as there were two more shorter races but I was unlikely to able to run the kite and had enjoyed the sail and hit out anyway.

It was great to be out and managed not to break anything, only bent my new tiller extension, just seems to be my thing though bending these though.

Awards at the end and managed to get a 6 pack of beer for 4th and the lucky boat draw of a bottle of scotch, not bad really.

Sounds like a good day. A few knots less next time will be even better

Flat water and 15knots or so and would have been screaming.

Had a 5.8 on my tail around the mark, popped the kite and left them behind until I went swimming, oh well, there is always next week.

Hey there,

Sailed Sunday at Cleveland and what a hoot.

10 - 15 knots, windward return, 2 races, around 9 cats, hobie tiger, 5.8's, 16sq,5.0 and myself.

Great sailing conditions and racing.

My highlights - round the top mark, pulled the kite and a delight doing wild thing and even trapping with kite.

Managed a 3rd and a 5th on yardstick which I am chuffed about.

Had the new main up and plenty of power, just have to tune up so I can point better as could not notice any height gain as yet.

Open to suggestions on what to do for pointing gain.

Blew the downhaul system trying to get more downhaul on, maybe that will help with pointing when I have fixed it.

All good up here in sunny queensland. Looks like a light one this Sunday, may be favourable to me.....

Hi Drew
I like the way you sudgest I have gone to the dark side racing a Nacra 5.8 LOL its only a fill in while I sort out a few things as I bourght a busness recently. I will be on a Mozzie shortly sailing with you out of Cleveland but might have to buy a second hand because of time. See you at the next club day from the dark side!!
Cheers
Damien

Ha...ha....

Thought the dark side comment may get a bite.

Latest from up here....

Sailing last two Sundays, steady 10 - 12 knots, sunshine, just absolutely beautiful weather.

Just couldn't put it together though the other day, had awesome downwind speed, was able to make up over half a leg on others but upwind really struggled to make an impression.

We have a top mix of keen sailors in our fleet and is always great just hitting that line and being in the hunt.

Hey Michael - any plans to make it for a sail?

Here's a pic of some downwind work.

Ive been pretty busy as of late getting my career back on track after everything being put on hold last year, not to mention getting engaged and consequently having to do the rounds visiting family, hosting party etc etc but id love to come down that way again soon for a sail (not many cats up here), not sure when ill get a chance though yet, next wee end ive been given a crew spot in the Surf to City so ill be busy with that, first big yacht race for me, so im keen for that, plus its on a fast boat (its a planning mono-yacht that basically sails like a big skiff, usually beats me around the course!) so should be fun, and unfortunately last weekend i broke both of my tiller extensions, one before the race, and one during (i thought i was still hooked onto the trapeze wire ... apparently i wasnt..... but i was still hanging onto the tiller extension, hence its now broken state ...), not my fondest race (rediculous wind shifts + 9kt tides resulting in being pushed onto a mark, collisions with sandbars, tillers breaking etc etc) so needless to say ive got a few things to do/replace before ill be back on the water.

Hey,

Been awhile, certainly have been out sailing.

Spent last weekend up at Lake Cootharaba for the Cat Challenge.

Great sailing and racing, excellent cat course.

Managed 2nd in the mixed cat division, (read we need somewhere for all those one off's that are not an A Class, Hobie or Nacra).

Some very nice young person in a RIB snapped a few shots as well.

Bit of wild thing on the downwind leg.

Hey Drew
No Mozzie for a while at Cleveland how have you been? Have you got a number for your mate "Mat" who has the Mozzie at Bribie?
Thanks
Damien

Damo,

Hey there, hope you are well and having a blast on the Tiger.

Not sailing at Cleveland anymore, shame, but the whole thing over the split divisions and helping handicaps made me go somewhere else. Thought the idea of a club was to look after all of it's members.

Lake Samsonvale is my club now plus the various regattas I go to.

Have no number for Mat, my mate is another mossie - Michael from Bribie - may be up at Humpybong in a few weeks, will see if I can look at the boat.

Its a shame I was holding out buying a Mozzie till I could find out if you were joing Cleveland again, word has it you have moved on. I'm just concerned about my weight at 100kg but running a kite might change this. I'm not sure I wanted to be the sole Mozzie here but I will check out Mats boat as he has made contact and given a contact number, he will send pics shortly any way. Stay in touch any way.
Cheers and thanks. Is you mate selling his as well (whats the sail number?)
Damo :-)

Hey Drew PM mme yor mobile cheers
Damo

Hi there,

Damo - should be fine, others down south think OK as well, would trust their judgement.


More sailing and pics.




Samsonvale the other weekend.

I have a whisper this pic will be on the Lake Samsonvale new years regatta entry form as well, wow!!!!













This is from Cootharaba a few weeks ago, worked out how to put it in the post.









Thanks to all for the help I had a while back on trimming the main, went flatter than I ever thought I should and works a treat, very happy, getting good upwind angles and I am having a blast downwind with the kite.

Are there any queenslanders heading south for the nationals? If so would you be willing to take a hull mould back north with you for Damo?

Hey,

Was going to be coming to Nationals but my plans have changed due to work and family commitments.

I was hoping for some miracle to make it possible again but that looks less likely each week.

I am the only truly active qld mossie sailor and I do not know of any others likely to make the journey.

Will advise if something changes and can do the journey.