Mainsail blows out at BRSC regatta

This was my first time as a participant at the Big River Sailing Club annual regatta. The forecast was 13 - 18 knots SE, so Nicky and I were looking forward to a thrilling sail in Little Dragon. We planned to follow the fleet from Harwood to Iluka and back (we don't race).

The fleet was divided into six divisions from super fast cats across various fast mono hull classes such as the NS14s and finally a bunch of trailer sailors - mainly Hartley 16s.

It was less than 13 kts when we set off but the wind just kept increasing and on the way back it was gusting up to 25 kts (or so the post mortem claimed). We were having a ball and extremely pleased with Little Dragon's performance. Nicky took the helm most of the way and I kept control of the main sheet. We were trying to keep well out of the way of the race fleet - but that was easier said than done. I wished that I had a reef in but it seemed too difficult to reef while under way. I didn't anticipate needing one when we set off. Small boats were capsizing all over the place and when we returned we learnt that a Hartley 16 and a Cole 19 had gone over.

A boat overtook us gesticulating madly and yelling. We were puzzled as we weren't in their way so we assumed it was just friendly encouragement. Within seconds we realised what they were trying to tell us - our mainsail was starting to rip and before we could come head to wind the rip went across the width of the sail. It was all over for us, we got the main down and motored back to Harwood.

I spread my damaged mainsail out in front of the clubhouse at breakfast the next morning. The consensus was "repairable" and I was introduced to one of the competitors, Andrew from Grafton, who is an experienced sail maker. With a spot of luck I should have it back with a new panel within a week. Andrew confirmed that it was almost certainly the original sail so almost 30 years old - not bad.






The Big River Sailing Club members, and in particular the catering group, do a splendid job and I look forward to attending their next regatta - the Bridge to Breakers next November.

I am sorry Beronice and Savaad that I had to cancel your Sunday sail, I think the photo of the sail shows that sailing was out of the question. It might not have been such a bad thing as by early afternoon it looked like the wind was coming up to well over 20 kts just like the day before. It was also rain and shine, hence the rainbow.

Modelling the nautical caps

Caz Coffey gave me the jaunty nautical caps, so Nicky and I felt we should model them, thanks Caz. I reckon if we showed our up wearing them at the Big River Sailing Club we would be expected to shout a round of drinks!

Nicky and I decided to launch at Brushgrove on the Clarence River (between Maclean and Grafton). It is a good ramp and we launched uneventfully. However we were spooked by the high voltage power line just below the ramp. It said 10.9 metres and we clear under 9 m but they did look like instant death. So I towed Little Dragon about 100 m behind the zodiac just below the power lines and then we raised the mast.

Although it was almost 3 pm before we got under way we had a great sail almost all the way downstream to Lawrence and back again - only slightly marred by hassles with the jib furler. Nicky got heaps of practice tacking. The wind was NE initially around 6 kts and increasing to maybe 14 kts. I thought about putting a reef in and we would probably have sailed better if I had. Next day we met a Big River Sailing Club member who told me that he had capsized his Hartley 16 racing the previous day at Harwood, so it must have been blowing.

We returned to Brushgrove and anchored for the night just clear of the power lines and rowed across to the pub for dinner. Excellent. Then it was a moonlit row back to Little Dragon for a night aboard. We rapidly spread the fly wire across the entrance to the cabin as the mozzies were ferocious
Next morning it was, as seems the norm on the Clarence River, a dead calm. We had a leisurely start and sorted out the problems with the jib furler and there still wasn't any wind. I was hanging out for a cappuccino at Ulmarra, so we decided to motor upstream. It was fascinating to watch the bird life and observe rural life on the banks. We really need to learn more about the vegetation. Were the impenetrable reeds native or weeds? We tied up at the pontoon at Ulmarra and found that the trendy coffee shop was closed for annual holidays. Never mind the beer garden at the pub is gorgeous.

By lunchtime it was absolutely stinking hot so we braved the muddy water and went for a refreshing swim. At last, at 1.30 pm, the wind finally arrived, initially a light NE but it soon increased to a brisk breeze. We set sail and hadn't been under way for long when there was a heavy rain squall. Nicky at the helm got drenched and a bit chilly. It was amazing to be so hot and within an hour cold. I was snug doing some repairs in the cabin - very well timed.

We got back to Brushgrove by 5 pm with the sky looking like a thunderstorm was imminent so we packed up and got ashore as fast as possible. After enjoying a cuppa and snack we set off on the long drive home. Thanks Rob for cooking dinner for two weary, windswept but happy sailors.

The last photo is of Little Dragon with her anchor light anchored at Brushgrove.