NZ Weta Sailing Update - WetaFest and Fun sailing at Torbay

by Miranda Powrie on 7 Nov 2013
WetaFest in just two weeks - 22nd to 24th of November

The NZ WetaFest will be at the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club and is kicking off in relaxed style with the TYPBC rum race on Friday afternoon. For Saturday a sailing orienteering race is scheduled. In teams of two or more sailors search the harbour for codes to prove that they have visited each landmark, so navigation and planning skills will come to the fore. For anyone who needs an extra hand, there are lots of Tauranga Yacht Club kids who are keen to join in. Then on Sunday there will be normal course racing set up by the club.

We have 15 entries so far, make sure you are a part of what promises to be a really fun and family friendly weekend. If nothing else this is a great chance to up your skills and confidence with coaching and support from Chris and Roger.

For more information, entry and NOR check out http://www.wetamarine.com/about/events

Fun racing at Torbay Sailing Club

We had five Weta on Sunday at Torbay Sailing Club, Barry, Alex, Philip, Gary and Helen and me. Everyone got out racing which was great to see, especially Philip who managed his first ever sail boat race.

We had a light northerly of 5 to 8 knots and a busy race course, with Opti's, Starlings, Lasers, Jollys and Paper Tigers, who we started with and raced against.

The light winds made for some challenging downwinds, deciding how to utilise the screecher and weighing up how far and fast to sail vs sailing more slowly but more directly to the mark. I sailed the first race on my own and had a great tussle with the Paper Tigers, managing to hold out Mark Orams, my old laser coach which was fun, Alex was not far behind having a tussle of his own with some PTs followed up by Barry, Philip and Gary and Helen.

The second race I took Helen with me as a super crew and I tried to explain about VMG, lifts and knocks, wetted surface and dirty air, which to her credit she understood and figured out! Barry took out that race, Helen and I hunted down Alex and just got him at the finish with some great boat handling from Helen!

For the last race of the day Helen went back to crew for Gary and impart her new knowledge and I was on my own against the Paper Tigers as the wind dropped to hover around 5 knots, the PT's were slightly faster upwind and I was faster downwind. The lead PT got a jump on me after the first leg, but as the wind lightened off the Weta came into it's own downwind, I made inroads each downwind and held on upwind to pass the lead PT on the final downwind leg just before the mark to take out the overall race for team Weta!

All in all the racing at Torbay has been really fun so far and great to see everyone getting amongst it. Torbay is a really chilled out and friendly yacht club and very welcoming to new sailors if you want to race, or if you want to join you can find more information on their website - www.torbaysailingclub.org.nz

Hope to see everyone at Torbay in on the 17th it should be a great warm up for WetaFest!

Miranda

For more on the Weta check out www.wetamarine.com