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Helly Hansen are offering GFS members a special 20% discount on orders placed on their web site before midnight on 21st April 2019. Just use the code GFS20 when you check out with your purchases.

A few photos taken by Geoff Lucas of the sunset and light conditions for the most recent GFS twilight. The twilight race started with a whimper and finished with a bang when a 20 knot southerly kicked in. The first half of the race (all the way to Goat Island) took 2 hours while the return for some took 20 minutes.

Geoff took the photos with his iPhone camera.

Drone1If you were wondering what was the buzzy big mosquito which was ducking and diving around Humbug on the Wednesday twilight a few weeks ago – ponder no more. Chistian Chalambous was piloting his drone and captured some interesting footage of the yachts beating home.

 

You can see Christian’s  footage on You Tube HERE

 

There is no sound which, considering some of the close encounters is a good thing, as it may have to have been sensored.

The Twilight on 9th December went really well with a nice NE breeze despite a building storm. Results are HERE.

With folks settled into BBQ and post race re-sails – as you do – the heavens opened up and so undeterred everyone bolted inside to resume and complete the presentation.

For GFS sailors as for the US Postal Service  “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

9 Dec 2015 Presentation

Presentation goes on inside

Storm 9 Dec 2015_S

Free fireworks and it’s not even NYE

Sheltering Cloud 9 Dec 2015

Refugees from the weather

Storm on the Horizon 9 Dec 2015

Storm is brewing

Rescued Wine 9 Dec 2015

All good the wine is saved!

gWhizz_Presentation

GWhizz Commodore’s Cup Prize Presentation

Passion@SailPS

Passion on the way to a close second at Port Stephens

Passion David Edmiston was just beaten on a countback in the Performance Cruising Division of the Sail Port Stephens regatta concluded over the weekend. There were 21 yachts in this division part of the fleet of 88 which contested the regatta. GWhizz sailed well in the hotly contested series to finish 8th.

GWhizz

GWhizz waiting for breeze at Port Stephens

GWhizz John Veal and Graeme Davey won the last race of the lead up event the Commodore’s Cup at Sail Port Stephens and was pipped by just one point for the series.

More about the GFS participation and photos are on the Passion web site here.

The full regatta results are here.

The Sail Port Stephens website is here.

 

DoubleDThe dynamic duo of Tahnee and Dagmar Wade were on hand providing the after race BBQ catering for the last twilight of the season.

This was their last function for GFS as they are shortly moving to Queensland.

Thanks to them for the organisation and work over the past years.

The final twilight race on Wednesday 1st April saw a useful breeze, a shortish course and an excellent rollup both on the water and for the fully subscribed après sail BBQ.

The many committee and other folk who make the GFS twilights such a success were recognised and thanked.

You can see some of the happy faces of the sailors and friends and a few of the many prize recipients in the photos below.

IMG_1369 IMG_1377 IMG_1388 IMG_1390 IMG_1398 IMG_1401 IMG_1402 IMG_1406 IMG_1411 IMG_1435

 

The results for the series are here.

Congratulations to all the sailors and as we are reminded “Everyone’s a winner”.

Here is a bit of news handed to me on Wednesday night during our meal inside the club just prior to our prizegiving.  It is about a boat that used to race with GFS.  Thompson 8 Sports Boat “Rush” in the 45 mile Marley Point Race on 7/8 March 2015 on Gippsland Lakes, Victoria.

A copy of a letter sent to Darren Spence Digital Director Australian Sports Boat Association.

By RV (sorry no photographs-it was an overnight race-I could have put up a black photograph).

“Hi Darren

Sorry not able to report Sunday, finished at 5 AM some celebratory beers and some sleep before I’m reading getting a declaration in and breakfast at the club 12:30 PM will stop by this time we are all looking for some more sleep.  Least that’s my excuse.

The race.  Most difficult part was getting to the start from Paynesville if you are elected to motor down into a stiff breeze and nasty chop, we achieved 3 kn with 5 hp going hard, 12 L gone before the end will stop sailed the bottom lake, wet trip lots of water in the boat no time for the crew to go ashore and to attend the briefing and get back.  Sent one member to do the formalities (our female lawyer).

Start 7:45 PM.  One line 120 boats in the dark.  Tight reach with masthead chute across Lake Wellington, 1st into the river with a group of tri’s on our tail.  Breeze was up and down in the river the gap ever-changing.  Managed to get out of the river in front of 2 tri’s hanging on.  Fickle breeze in the top lake, down  to 2 tri’s and us.  The Corsair 28 got through, we read took the lead again before the club finish 1st time.  Only the lap of Raymond Island to go.  Had a nice break into Lake King, only to see him catch us up at the back of the island.  Held on for line honours by 50 metres.  Big thanks to the great crew Peter Antill, Jill & Steve Brajkovich, Tim Ellis and Dirk Hoogland,

Graham Coffey RUSH”

250 happy folks attended the Christmas BBQ following the twilight summer series race 2 on 17th December.

You can see from the photos the deck was overflowing with extra chairs and tables brought in for the appreciative diners. Thanks to all the organisers and caterers who managed to cater for the record crowd.

The raffle on the night raised $1800 of which $900 was donated to the Salvation Army.

The winner of the best dressed crew Jackpot can be seen in the photo belowJackpot17Dec2014.

Results for the last twilight of the year are here.

BBQ17Dec2014

BBQ_First_SummerThe first of the summer Series Twilight races was run on Wednesday 10th December in conditions similar the the past few weeks and very “un-summer”  like. We only experienced one close lightning event a big improvement on last week when the now regular Sydney storms with lightning and a 35 knot front caused the cancellation of the last Autumn twilight race.

Conquista_Winner

Conquista Rob Hale Black Division Winner

Peter_Clarke_Avanti

Peter Clarke Avanti Blue Division Winner

This week we just had 5mm of rain and 90 degree wind shifts. Much fun was had by all and every one was a winner if a little damp for the experience.

A smaller than usual group of diners stayed on for the BBQ cosy in the shed. You can see their happy faces in the photo above along with photos of the Black and Blue Division winners on the night receiving their prizes donated by our valued sponsors. Full results are here.

Next week will be the Christmas BBQ which is always very popular.

 

Rich Imlay is acting as Rear Commodore Junior Sailing until we can get a new recruit to the role.

Rich explains…. After 8 years and putting my three kids sailing through GFS it is time for us to “hang up the boots”. My kids have transitioned to more senior dinghies at Lane Cove, but they will all still put in appearances at GFS on most Sundays.

I am hoping that someone else in the club or perhaps a new entrant would be interested in taking up responsibility for Sundays. This could be a Sabot parent or a Laser sailor. The role is quite manageable if you can delegate responsibilities amongst a willing volunteer base. The responsibilities of the Rear Commodore role are here.

Please give it some serious thought. It is an important part of GFS and to the sport of sailing.

You can see Paul Atwood’s description and photos covering Caliban II’s fabulous podium finish in the 2013 Sydney Hobart on the link here.

thecrew

The smiling Caliban II crew in Hobart

 

 

old_logogfs.org.au looks a little different – don’t adjust your computer this is our new web site.

You should be able to find all the relevant information, documents and results from the old site here. We have added upfront spots for news and notices. Standby for other improvements.

If you hanker for the old site you can still visit it here. There are some sailing photos and videos on the old site which you can see on the link here.

Jackpot2GFS Black Division Jackpot owned by Maree and Adrian Van Bellen’s finished the CYCA Short Offshore Points series with Division 1 handicap win, 5 points ahead of the second placed boat. Jackpot also finished 6th (out of 17) in the extremely competitive Division 1 of IRC.

Another GFS yacht Velocity, Brian Carrick finished the same series with a credible 7th with Soundtrack, John Amos just 2 places further back on handicap in division 2 of the same series.

New member Michael Groves won the recent Jeanneau rendezvous regatta in Aggrovation on the Pittwater, not too bad in a boat that literally was just launched a couple of months ago.

YALogoGreenwich Flying Squadron is a sailing Club affiliated to Yachting NSW and Yachting Australia (YA), this affiliation means that GFS is part of the broader sailing community bringing with it many benefits, tangible as well as more abstract. YA holds a Personal Accident Insurance Policy that provides insurance to all current registered Club Members, providing insurance cover while participating in Sailing. More details can be found on the YA web site here.

All GFS on water events are conducted in accordance with the Racing Rules of Sailing 2013-2016. Rules 46 and 56 relate to those in charge and crews’ membership of an affiliated sailing Club, rule 56 allows for a non member to participate in 3 races in any one sailing season. To comply with the Racing Rules of Sailing and provide all crew with the benefits of YA membership, we should ensure they are members of a YA affiliated Club, GFS Crew membership forms can be found here and the joining process is outlined on the Membership Page of this site or click here.

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