This is an interesting idea I have been handed.

At the very beginning of next season we could hold a training weekend. This was put to me as a spinnaker training weekend but it seems to me there's no need to limit it to spinnakers only. We have had training weekends later in the season, but if we hold it early it gets everyone up and running for the season and if it's before most clubs start racing, this gives us more choices for weekends (which is important - read on).

The idea is we pick a venue - some club that doesn't mind us coming along and which can provide a rescue boat and maybe a couple of turning marks/flags. We don't need any races run.

Then we pick a couple of weekends in late September or early October. Now we set up a form on the VMCA site so anyone who's interested in coming can send in their phone number or email address. Then on the Thursday or Friday before the first weekend the "organisers" will look at the forecast and decide whether to say "GO" or "LEAVE IT TILL NEXT WEEKEND" and let everyone know. That way we have another chance at getting a weekend with the right mid-range wind strength.

On the day(s) we can do some on-shore stuff and then go out and sail up and down the course with someone on the rescue boat shouting abuse - sorry I meant advice.

The last weekend of Sept (first of October) is the opening regatta at Lake Bonney YC, so it would probably be good for anyone thinking of going if we have the training weekend before that. A sort of substitute for the sadly missed Bendigo Icebreaker.

Venue suggestions so far are Latrobe Valley (again - but the water is warm and there's camping), Port Melbourne (central with a few Mosquitos), and Somers (not quite central but lots of Mosquitos).

What does everyone think?

Sounds like a good idea Tim. Needless to say I could only make it if the weekend was set and not revised and rescheduled at the last minute as suggested. Any of the first 3 weekends of September would probably be okay for me at this stage. Look forward to regatta season starting again. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

i am interested in the idea and keen to participate, could also be held over one weekend at two clubs, eg Frankston Saturday, Carrum Sunday.
Lake Bonney Reggata sounds good but could be a clash with Mcrae Cat championship, an excelent event last year with large mosquito numbers.
If we all turned up to one event it would be great.

Tim,

I like the idea of a training weekend before the start of the season. It should help clear out the cobwebs prior to the various club season opening days.

I also like the idea of having it at Hazelwood because the water's nice and warm and there is probably more chance of completing a full weekend without having to bail out because of too much wind. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I reckon having it on the ocean (Somers) or Bay (Port Melbourne) is too bloody cold at that time of the year . Maybe I'm just a bit soft and need to harden up. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Regards,

Peter

Hi All,

Isn't there anyone else interested in a training weekend ?
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I also thought that having it at Hazelwood on one of the weekends when they have their scheduled races would also provide some scope for use of their patrol boat and crew over that weekend.

Do we let this one slip or make it happen ? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Regards,

Peter

With respect to the opening day of the Lake Bonney Yacht Club, if we can entice 6 boats from interstate, plus the same number from Adelaide, including our own fleet this will give us 20 Mosquito's on the water. If you wanted to incorporate a training component into the weekend then we could talk about that too;- being a long weekend gives us some options.

Andrew

Publicity Officer
LBYC Barmera

I Like Andrew's Idea, only problem is that it's NOT a long weekend in Victoria. Options can be taken in relation to work though, I'm sure. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

20 + mozzies sound great, we'd almost have a swarm! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

When are the McCrae C/ships this season?

According to the VYC the "Catamaran Championship" is at McRae again this year and it's on the weekend of 14th & 15th October.

I don't mind the idea of having the training at Lake Bonney but I don't think we would get so many of the Victorian spinnaker sailors attending.
There are a lot of Mozzies with spinnakers around Melbourne and I think it would be very useful for them to get a chance to just drag downwind, watch what the others do and talk about technique (outside of a race situation). I would just like to hold the event somewhere that most people can get to.

If we can do this before the end of Sept then the keen ones will be inspired to head up to Lake Bonney, to try out their new found skills!

I know we've been to Hazelwood a lot this year, but for me it is the most attractive place at that time of year - warm and flat water.

The main purpose of the original suggestion was to improve the overall performance of our fleet of spinnaker sailors, but if there is interest there is no reason the weekend can't be used as a general Mozzie work-out.

Come on you guys, you are going to need all the training that you can get if you are to have a chance of "keeping up" with the F14's, particularly if any of you are going to sail the "Milang to Goolwa", the "Goolwa to Milang" or the "Goolwa to Meningie" point to point races? We could even be persuaded to put up a "little prize money" if you think you have the "where withal" (the above is all said in good humour and for the sake of friendly competition)

Hi Darryl,

the last thing you want is the S.A. Mossies training with the Vic. Mossies, <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

At the Sauna Sail, the Mossies won 2 out of the 3 races across the line against the AO F14 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

You wouldn't want the S.A. Mossies travelling that fast would you? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I assume that is what you meant, you weren't challenging the Vic. Mossies where you, that would be no contest <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Regards Gary. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

That’s just what I would like to see Garry, We love the Vic’ Mossies. They have gone out and achieved a great progressive improvement in their boats and that’s why I would like to see ALL the Mossies training together. From my point of view the better the competition the more demanding and satisfying the racing. Personally I would rather get beaten across the line (just though, He. He.) than win by two legs. It's the close racing that turns an "average" day into a memorable one. Your right, two out of three at the Sauna sail, but I saw enough there to make me feel that any "return match" could have an entirely different outcome! (and that 80 yardstick is an insult to the "actual" performance of the Mossies with kites, they are much better than that) That’s why it would be great to see all your “Vic’” Mossies at the point to point races that I listed, and yes, I suppose that I am putting out a challenge for “across the line” in those races to the Mossies (with kites), and if your guys would like to take up the challenge I am more than prepared to put up a decent amount of prize money. Who knows, if it worked out it could become an annual interclass challenge?
The Mossies and the F14’s are in a “strange place” neither of us can make a challenge to the F18’s (on an equal basis) as the F18’s wouldn’t take it seriously, and any class without a spinnaker just “isn’t in the race”, but there seemed to be some sort of relative “parity” between the F14 and the Mossies with spinnakers, so what better way of fostering interest in both classes than having an annual “challenge” race/series?
Another big reason is that the Mossies here really need to see the kites on their class "in their own back yard" before they are "shocked" into accepting them as "the best way to go" for the class.

G'day Darryl,

Getting away from the training weekend a bit but, when are these Goolwa Races on?????

Hi Colin,
The racing program hasn't come out from Yachting SA yet, but the Goolwa to Meningie race is usually around the 20th of November (although this is one hell of a good race, it never seems to attract the "big" numbers of sailors that it deserves- it could have something to do with the fact that you need someone to take your car and trailer around from Goolwa to the finish at Meningie before then driving all the way back again to get home - a big ask for friends/family? To just finish it at times is a real ego boost). The Milang to Goolwa always attracts a VERY large number of every type of sail craft that you could imagine and it is at the end of January. The Goolwa to Milang, which is the REAL "downwind" test for cats, (and always has a BIG turnout) is at the end of February (they call it the "Lake Alexandrina Classic"). I will post the actual dates when the finalised YSA program is out.
Darryl.

Tim
I look forward to a training weekend and a chance to dust off the cobwebs, Hazelwood is always a good venue and with the warm water even better at the start of the sailing season. I think that a venue closer to melbourne 1-2 hrs max travelling would get more mossie sailors attending but the hard core group will always travel for a good weekend of sailing and campfire chat
although I don't sail with a kite I would like to hear your ideas on sail handling and discuss with others on what the best retrieval methods are.
With more mossie sailors wanting to get into kites even those without kites may find this topic combined with training on getting good starts or boat handling techniques of benefit

if you need a hand let me know

Can I get some feedback on whether people think it would be better to go to LVYC (Hazelwood) for one day only or make it a weekend and camp there on Saturday night (and maybe head in to the pasta place in Morwell for dinner).

Give me your thoughts please.

When are you planning to have this training??? A quick peek around the corner shows that September is ready and waiting in the wings. Shiftwork means I will need to know within the next week or so to organise rosters (still with no guarantee of making it. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />)

I would prefer an overnighter due to distance.

I have now spoken to Bruce James of LVYC and they have a winter race on the 1st and 3rd weekends of September. So that would be the weekends of 2nd/3rd and 16th/17th. If we tie in with these weekends then we already have a rescue boat on the water and lunch on at the clubhouse on the Sunday.


I would like to propose the first weekend with a phone-around on the Friday night before to give us the opportunity to postpone for 2 weeks if the weather looks crummy.

When: 2nd & 3rd of September
Where: Latrobe Valley Yacht Club - Hazelwood Pondage
Schedule:
Saturday
12:00 - Hit the water
Later - Talk and Lunch (bring some lunch)
Later - More sailing
Later - More talk
Later - etc...
Evening - Dinner in Morewell
Sunday
More of the same starting around 11:00

Accommodation: Camping by the clubhouse

This is not a regatta. The idea is to talk through any rigging, tuning or sailing questions people have and to let everyone get a good look at what each other are doing on the water.

LVYC are running a winter race on Sunday afternoon, which we will probably join.

Check the VMCA site for updates.

Hi All,

looks like I can make it to help with coaching if you want. I know my methods on the Mossie vary a bit to most Mossies, but if you are interested I will be happy to pass on how I do it. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Very keen to work on those Mossies with spinnaker, but happy to help those without if you want it.

Regards Gary. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />