Big River Sailing Club, Harwood

Once the fitting out was underway I turned my attention to where to sail - a pretty vital matter.

Non-sailing friends asked if I planned to launch at Byron Bay. My sailing friends realised that launching off the beach into the surf and then out into a Pacific swell was a total non-starter.

The Richmond River at Ballina was a possibility but its estuary is very tidal and launching at the sailing club problematic.

I looked at Manly on the Gold Coast and it wasn't my scene at all.

Then I found the Big River Sailing Club at Harwood on the Clarence River and it felt just right - the only downside being the 2 hour drive to get there.

It's a low key place nestled behind the cane fields and near the sugar refinery but it comes alive every Saturday in season. It runs a sailability program, teaches sailing as well as racing from juniors in sabots up to seniors in trailer sailers. The river is wide and looks pretty safe - good for novices.

I checked it out during the annual regatta on the 15/16 March and watched all the trailer sailers getting winched out of the water at the end of the day. Part of my huge learning curve was to find out how it was done. One experienced owner (who had better remain anonymous) caught his mast on a branch of the tree (the tree in photo 1) and that was the end of his racing for the weekend. Whilst sorry for him in a strange way it gave me confidence - if I come to grief I won't be alone! I spoke to several owners and they were all happy to hear that I planned to join their trailer sailer fleet - although I don't think they believed me when I said I did not intend to race.

The photos were taken a few weeks later when we launched (post on 4 shielas launching coming soon). Photo one shows the area open grassed park-like area where one can camp and prk trailers. Reg was guiding me (very patiently) while I reversed down to the ramp to winch Little Dragon out.

Photo 2 shown both John Woods and Reg advising me on how to tilt the trailer so I can winch Little Dragon onto the trailer.

Photo 3 shows the broad Clarence River at Harwood and John still giving a hand.

The trailer sailors of Big River Sailing Club have been great - thanks to all of you for your help and encouragment.

Fitting out

Some of you may want to skip this as "boring" but I have happy childhood memories of "helping" Dad fit out Chanty, our clinker built 18 ft Essex One Design, in Johnson and Jago boat yard at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

I reckon Little Dragon was an excellent purchase, although 22 years old she had been freshly painted, her hull, spars, sails, outboard and marine battery were all in good order. However she hadn't been sailed much for many years and some work was in order.

First I had to locate boatyards, chandlers, shipwrights, riggers, canvas bimini repairers, marine auto electricians, trailer repair yard and outboard motor workshop - I think that's all. Byron Bay is a surfing centre not a sailing centre so none of these exist locally. However networking with local trailer sailor owners paid off and I have found them all.

The trailer has now got a new winch and jockey legs, the outboard has been serviced, the auto electrician has rewired the radio and navigation lights, a rigger has swaged new shrouds and given some very helpful advice on how to get the mast up.


Then it was time to visit Whitworths the chandlers in Southport. They have provided me with 5 star service. Nothing has been too much trouble for them (of course nothing is cheap!). I needed various new fittings to attach to the mast and boom to get the vang, outhall, downhall and reefing all shipshape as well as shackles, mooring lines, flares, V sheet, winch so it goes on.


Another great find has been Michael Cocks the shipwright at Boatworz in Ballina, he sails an 18 ft trailer sailer himself and is enthusiastic to get Little Dragon properly rigged and trimmed.


I don't want to give the impression that all I have done is trail Little Dragon from one workshop to another (although there has been a bit of that). I have done as much as I can myself. Sanding and repainting the cabin doors, siliconing minor leaks, fitting reefing lines to the mainsail for starters.


Finally I must thank all my supporters, mainly swimmers, who have popped round after our post swim coffee and helped me get Little Dragon in and out of the garage and the mast on and off, advised on how to flush out the outboard, undone recaltricant screws etc etc. I have been on a huge learning curve and welcomed advice about many technical issues such as the best battery charger for my purposes etc etc.

Brunch to celebrate the arrival of Little Dragon

I was so excited when I finally "moored" Little Dragon on the street outside my house that I wanted to show her off to all my friends immediately. So I invited all those who had expressed interest to an impromptu brunch on Saturday 1 March. I should be honest and admit that I had an ulterior motive - the reason that Little Dragon was in the road not my back yard was that I didn't feel competent to drive her in!

Thank you so much Terry Crowe for demonstrating such phenomenal backing skills. I'll never get that good. The first photo shows us all watching her arrival at her "mooring" in my back yard.



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Here Terry is showing me how the jib furler works - I had never used one before.
Terry and Cheryl own a trailer sailer and Richard Flavell is a professional boat builder - so their advice was (and I hope will continue to be)invaluable.

Finally thank you to all my friends, especially those of you who volunteered to crew. I can't launch and sail her on my own.


I started to feel like I was captain of my ship - even if I was only surveying my back garden not yet the ocean.