Clarence River Sailing Club, Cnr Kent & Fitzroy Streets, Grafton (2026)

31/03/2026

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31/03/2026

Saturday 28th March 2026
Post Xmas Comp. Race #8
Season Final

Crews enjoyed magnificent conditions for the final event of the 2025-26 sailing season. Although shifty at first, the determined south easterly gradually filled in. By the second lap it was blowing a steady 8 to 10 knots with brief gusts of around 14. Combined with the glorious autumn weather and brilliant sunshine, conditions were near perfect. The race start was pushed back to 3.00 pm and with the best of the breeze happening later in the afternoon, this worked out superbly.

Race official Dennis Boyd set another great course. Delivering fast off-wind sprints mixed equally with demanding upwind works it exhilarated and challenged everyone in the fleet. Departing from the usual mid race loop, crews steered a roughly boomerang shaped track with the apex east of Susan Island and leeward marks on the southern and northern sides. A solid three laps were sailed with most crews completing the distance in just over an hour. A remarkably quick time for a race of this length.

Viper 16 skipper Peter Walker took out line honours in the Catamaran Division. Sailing his high performance craft single-handed is a considerable undertaking, but even more so when flying a spinnaker as well. A great display of controlled sailing and a well deserved win. Despite crossing the finish nine minutes ahead of his nearest rival, Peter’s overall position remained on hold until yardsticks were calculated. With a punishing yardstick of 67.5 it was a tough call, but on this occasion the numbers came back perfectly - awarding him the prize with a margin of just three seconds. It doesn’t get much closer than that. Just missing the prize but happy with second, Hobie 18 crew Lindsay Cowan and Tansie Higgins put in a top performance and were so close it didn't matter. Third place went to Mosquito crew Greg Lee and Deb Michell followed by Nacra skipper Ben Higgins.

It was all Lasers again in the Mono Division. John Nelson took the prize this week after a tight contest with Peter Zietsch. Getting away to a near perfect start John dominated the fleet in the early stages before Peter was able to haul him in on the upwind leg of lap #1. Finding favourable lifts along the northern bank Peter was to carve out a comfortable lead before John clawed back the advantage at exactly the same point in lap #2. Only twenty seconds separated the two at the finish. Deb Parkin took out third place. Had the breeze been just a fraction stronger, it may well have been Deb's race.

See the Club’s website for more results.

Full results, photos and more details are on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

A big thanks to race official Bob Fish and boat driver / photographer Dennis Boyd.

Sailing is now in recess for the winter break and will resume on Saturday 5th September 2026. Watch this space.

15/03/2026

Saturday 14th March 2026
Post Xmas Comp. Race #7

A lively south easterly breeze kept crews busy in Saturday’s Pointscore heat.Gusting to 15 knots at times, it was a breeze that demanded total focus to stay competitive. Regular shifts added to the challenge but also gave pro-active skippers opportunities to gain the edge on their rivals.

With only three races left in the season, a highly motivated fleet contested the event - split equally between the monohull and catamaran divisions.Racing got underway early to take advantage of the breeze which was nearing its peak and predicated to ease. A tight start line and big fleet demanded quick reflexes as crews jockeyed for the best positions on the hectic sprint to the first mark.To everyone’s credit, all boats got away cleanly and fast.

The course this week was a marathon four laps – but with the abundance of breeze all crews still clocked very impressive sub 90 minute times.Course designer Dennis Boyd read the conditions perfectly and delivered some of the fastest and exhilarating sailing of the season.

Deb Parkin was the standout performer in the Laser dominated Monohull Division. Battle hardened after recently competing very successfully in the State Cherub titles, Deb’s remarkable upwind speed and endurance saw her cross the line almost three minutes ahead of her nearest rival. Taking advantage of the frequent wind shifts, Deb tacked regularly to maintain the best line and maximum boat speed. Minor placings went to John Nelson in second, Peter Zietsch in third and Neil Burgess in fourth. All skippers elected to use their smaller Radial (5.7 sq m) sails rather than the usual 7.1 sq m rigs which can be a handful on breezy days.

In the Catamaran Division two races emerged as the 18 foot cats pulled ahead of their smaller 16 foot competitors. At the front of the fleet Hobie 18 rivals Luke Denham and Lindsay Cowan / Tansie Higgins battled it out in an epic contest that could easily have gone either way. Sailing single-handed, Luke did it tough in the bigger gusts but had the advantage in the lulls with a lighter crew weight. On the other hand Lindsay and Tansie were able to fully power up in the gusts but weren’t as quick when it eased. With the lead changing regularly it was anyone’s guess who’d prevail but it Lindsay and Tansie on the day when they crossed the line with a margin of just 30 seconds. Racing doesn’t get much better than this. In parallel to the main event, the two 16 footers (Ben Higgins in a Nacra and Greg Lee / Deb Michell in their Mosquito) also went head-to-head in a tightly fought contest. Ben had a faster top speed but Greg and Deb were quicker tacking and gybing. Both sailed exceptionally well but the Nacra gradually gained the lead and went on to claim the prize.

A big thanks to race official Dan Parkin and boat driver / photographer Dennis Boyd.

Sailing again next Saturday (21st March) for Race 8 of the Post Xmas Comp and second last event of the season.

Visitors or anyone wishing to have a go at sailing are most welcome to come along. Start time is around 1.00 pm each Saturday

More details on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

08/02/2026

Saturday 7th February 2026
Post Xmas Comp. Race #5

Club Commodore and Hobie 18 skipper Luke Denham had a sensational win in Saturday’s competition and claimed the points with a crushing two and a half minute margin on his nearest rivals. Sailing single-handed with the prospect of a freshening breeze in a highly competitive fleet, Luke’s initial odds didn't look promising. However, they quickly shortened when he sprinted away to a near perfect start and led the pack to the first mark. Fending off multiple challenges and keeping his powerful rig under control as the breeze filled in, Luke eventually wore down the opposition and crossed the line to a highly deserved first prize.

Hobie rivals Lindsay Cowan and Tansie Higgins were next home to take second place. Lindsay and Tansie struggled in the lighter breeze in the early stages but quickly picked up speed as it freshened. By the final lap they were closing in fast but unfortunately too late to change the outcome. Visiting Viper 16 skipper Peter Walker took out third place after a very impressive run in his high-performance rig. Peter also claimed line-honours before being relegated to third on yardstick. Minor placings saw a tightly fought battle between Mosquito crew Greg Lee and Deb Michell and Nacra 16 skipper Ben Higgins. Crossing paths regularly and pushing each other the whole way, the results were too close to call until right at finish when the Mosquito got the flag with less than a minute to spare.

In the monohull fleet, Laser skipper Neil Burgess consolidated his recent successes with another decisive win. First away at the start and finding breeze that eluded his peers, Neil maintained consistent speed throughout the race despite the highly variable conditions. Rival skippers John Nelson and Peter Zietsch had him in sight regularly but were unable to match his near flawless tactics. The battle for second was a tough one with John and Peter locked in a gruelling tacking duel right to the finish where Peter finally got the flag just 30 seconds ahead.

In an interesting variation this week, Race Controller Dennis Boyd set a new course that not only matched the breeze perfectly but challenged skippers to switch off their ‘auto-pilots’ and explore different strategies to maximise their speed and height. The leeward end of was centred around the tip of Susan Island in a roughly boomerang shape with the catamarans sailing slightly further back downstream. This presented skippers with dozens of possible options - each affected differently by the constantly shifting breeze, nearby shoreline and strong incoming tide. With the race over three laps, mistakes made in one lap could be corrected in the next and everyone finished the day a slightly better sailor.

See the website for full results and photos.

A big thanks to race official Bob Fish and Dennis Boyd in the rescue boat .

Sailing again next Saturday (14h February) for Race 6 of the Post Xmas Comp.

Visitors or anyone wishing to have a go at sailing are most welcome to come along. Start time is around 1.00 pm each Saturday

More details on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

02/02/2026

Saturday 31st January 2026
Post Xmas Comp. Race #4

Everyone had a solid workout in Saturday’s Competition Series when a surprisingly lively nor-easterly delivered unexpectedly good sailing conditions. Only moderate at first it just kept getting better and by the final lap was consistently gusting over ten knots. Even better it remained rock-steady enabling crews to coax maximum performance out their rigs and achieve some remarkably fast times.

Officials set a marathon three-lap race and with the steadily freshening breeze, crews had to dig deep on their stamina reserves towards the finish. A regular easterly course was sailed with the windward mark near the bridge and the leeward end off Susan Island. Midway was an extended double loop (sausage) between the Marina and Convent. Course controller Dennis Boyd aligned this perfectly giving crews some fantastic reaches across the river and back.

In the Catamaran Division, Nacra 16 skipper Ben Higgins got away to an impeccable start and dominated the fleet for much of the first lap. However sailing his powerful rig single-handed, Ben’s advantage was gradually eroded as the breeze picked up. By the second lap Hobie 18 rivals Lindsay Cowan and Tansie Higgins had caught up and revelling in the fresher conditions they pushed through and went on to a narrow win. Only 40 seconds separated the two at the finish and some great sailing by both crews. Mosquito crew Greg Lee and Deb Michell took out third place and posted a very impressive time of 01:33:23

Laser skipper Peter Zietsch took out the prize in the Monohull Division after a tight battle with Radial challenger Deb Parkin. Taking advantage of the standard Laser's bigger sail, Peter made gains on downwind legs only to be pegged back by Deb on the upwind returns. This equilibrium continued until the final lap when a couple of favourable shifts near the finish gave Peter the advantage he needed to claim the day.

See the website for full results and photos.

A big thanks to race official Bob Fish and Dennis Boyd in the rescue boat and setting the course.

Sailing again next Saturday (7th February) for Race 5 of the Post Xmas Comp.

Visitors or anyone wishing to have a go at sailing are most welcome to come along. Start time is around 1.00 pm each Saturday.

More details on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

27/01/2026

It is with great sadness that we inform the members of the CRSC and the sailing community of the passing of Brian Wright. Brian passed away peacefully today, January 27th, at Grafton Hospital after a courageous six-year battle with cancer. Rest in peace, Brian. Brian's wishes were for no funeral and to be cremated with his ashes scattered on Clarence River. May you have smooth sailing on your journey with the tides.

25/01/2026

Saturday 24th January 2026
Post Xmas Comp. Race #3

Crews had their patience tested on Saturday in a fickle and frustrating breeze that couldn’t make up its mind what to do. Conditions looked promising in the early stages but the anticipated north easterly just couldn’t get traction. An opposing north westerly regularly overpowered it, leaving an almost becalmed fleet stuck in the middle. A strong incoming tide (especially along the southern bank) added to the challenge which skippers needed to carefully factor in to stay out of trouble.

Fortunately, there were brief occasions when one breeze or the other took control and provided some very pleasant sailing. Switched-on skippers who took advantage of these opportunities made substantial gains on their rivals.

With a smaller fleet competing this week, everyone sailed in a single division. To hedge against the uncertain breeze officials set a different course to normal - equally split between upstream and downstream of the twin bridges. The upstream section was bounded by a gate which required skippers to choose between rounding to port or starboard. The starboard option proved to be the most favourable. The fleet then headed downstream to a tight double loop off Pound Street before returning for the next lap. Navigating the adjacent sets of bridge piers in an erratic breeze was interesting but sharpened everyone’s skills. The non-standard course worked nicely and made the most of the diverse conditions.

Laser skipper Neil Burgess was the standout performer of the day. Finding every patch of breeze and using the current to his advantage Neil gradually built an uncatchable lead before finishing with a very decisive margin of nearly three minutes. A great exhibition of light weather sailing and well done Neil. Next home was Laser sailor John Nelson. John pushed his rival hard in the first lap and was ready to pounce had the opportunity presented. However Neil’s flawless technique stymied every challenge leaving John to be content with a very respectable second place. Deb Parkin (Laser Radial) took out third prize after beating Leader skipper Luke Denham to the points on yardstick. It was a change of pace for Deb who recently competed in the Cherub Nationals on Sydney Harbour in 25 knots of breeze.
See the website for full results and photos.
A big thanks to race official Bob Fish and Phil Cavanagh in the rescue boat and photos.

Sailing is on again next Saturday (31st January) for Race 4 of the Post Xmas Comp.

Visitors or anyone wishing to have a go at sailing are most welcome to come along. Start time is around 1.00 pm each Saturday.

More details on our website. https://crsc.yachting.org.au

Clarence River Sailing Club

31/03/2026

31/03/2026

15/03/2026

08/02/2026

02/02/2026

27/01/2026

25/01/2026

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