New Dates for Spiral Coaching
Given some of the COVID uncertainties, the association has made the decision to postpone the event. This will now take place on the Saturday and Sunday of February 6th and 7th. This will still take place at Avalon Sailing club, which will allow for some to experience sailing in on new waters.
A few vacancies still exist and I would urge anyone wanting to advance their sailing skills to get along for this great event - please contact Grahame Tindall for any questions tindalls7@me.com, ph: 0403491716.

And new dates for Spiral Nationals, and a new location as well!

The last committee meeting decided to move the Nationals to Oak Flats Sailing Club to run over two weekends with an invitational race on Saturday 27 February and the Nationals running Sunday 28 February and 6-7 March. Camping will be available at the club overnight. The details of the program will follow soon. Oak Flats is only 109 kms from CRSC, and being on the south coast should have reasonable breeze. It is also the home of a strong 4.5 fleet so if you have children or grandchildren who would like to sail, Oak Flats can organise 4.5 rigs and possibly club boats too if needed. Think about it, as it is a good opportunity to introduce young people to the class at a major event as well. The AGM will probably happen on the Saturday 6 March and we need some committee places filled. Committee meetings have a Zoom link so you do not have to travel to meetings. More details of this to follow too.

Spiral TT4 - NOWRA marathon results.

An excellent forecast encouraged twenty two boats to enter for the iconic Kel Campbell Marathon, despite a number of usual Sydney entrants deciding not to come with Sydney’s Covid problems. The Marathon starts just east of the bridge and goes to Shoalhaven Heads for the first leg, where competitors have a wonderful lunch with slices and fruit for dessert. Then the fleet restarts for the sail back to Nowra.

The big fleet made a great sight for the start in light breeze, and as the fleet worked down the river with tidal assist the north easterly gradually increased enabling the faster Finn and Lasers and best Spirals opening a lead on the rest of the fleet.

On reaching the left turn for the last couple of kilometres to the Heads the wind was filling in so by the time each sailor finished in around two hours for most, we were ready for a rest and the lunch put on by our remarkable wharf crew and supporters who this year had the added complication of Covid restrictions. It was also a good opportunity for sailors from the region’s clubs and others including Southern Highlands, to catch up.

By the restart the wind was fifteen knots with some gusts higher and the square run start was really exciting with a number of swims, though the best of the sailors stayed reasonably dry except for the spray from high speed sailing. There were memories created to last a long time!

By the time the fleet reached Broughton Creek the breeze began to ease making for a nearly leisurely trip back to Nowra. The Nowra Yardstick was applied to the times for each leg added together to allow for the different speeds of the seven different classes and sail sizes in the fleet, and the results were very close.

Veteran Spiral sailor Merve Lotze from Jervis Bay Sailing Club won the event by just twenty seconds on corrected time from Nowra’s Mick Fairbairn on his Finn, after well over three hours sailing! Wayne Norris took third by less than three minutes behind Mick and brothers Tim and Jonathon Vandervoort, both sailing Spirals got fourth and fifth separated by twenty seven seconds.

Remarkably considering the wind at the restart at the Heads, there was only one D.N.F. though a couple of boats took a while to get back to Nowra. Everyone agreed it was another cracker of an event as well as being unique in sailing.

The TT4 Spiral results for the Nowra Marathon – 1^st Merve Lotze, 2^nd Wayne Norris, 3^rd Tim Vandervoort, 4^th Jonathon Vandervoort.

Bill Jauncey. Acting Publicity Officer billjauncey@hotmail.com