Winter fun for all waterlovers

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Today like so many days Tauranga Harbour is a water lovers playground. Here you can see sailors of all ages and young windsurfers heading out fur a race at TYPBC. The boat ramps are full and busy with fishos heading out to sea. We have a great line up of training courses and kit to rent that can get you out there easier and probably easier than you think. Catch you soon Pete

French Bay Yacht Club has booming 2011-2012 season

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'Idyllic French Bay Boating Club'
French Bay Yacht Club's prizegiving and Nosh Night was a chance to enjoy the company of new friends and on the water rivals, and to celebrate the year's high notes.

Like the fact that membership has grown by 66% this season. That there were 65 boats at the club's annual regatta. That a team of up-and-coming youths competed in the Starling National Championships. That our very own Jim Quinn was named Counties Manukau Masters Sportsperson of the Year. That several dozen volunteers lent their support over the season, and that the club is, officially once again, thriving, with participation levels back to where they were well over a decade ago.

In an herculean effort of interior decorating, overseen by the Stuart family, over 100 people packed a clubhouse made cheerful by bunting and balloons, and filled with platters of delicious food, bring a plate style.

'It was wonderful to see so many new faces join the club and all our fleets to expand to close to sustainable levels,' said Commodore, Matt Hall-Smith of the generally heavy-weather season, in his address to attendees.

Highlights of the summer sailing season included a calendar packed with over 40 sailing days, a race fleet where the age difference is more than sixty years between youngest and oldest, the development of an enriched coaching program for junior and adult racing sailors, the introduction of Learn to Sail for adults, and Holiday Learn to Sail for children.

Young sailors - French Bay Boating Club -
The club has also launched a program of renovations and improvements for its building, and is working with Manukau Coastguard to improve use of the beach area.

'We're all here for different reasons, but the focus that we've placed on making this club a place that families can come to enjoy sailing and boating is perhaps our greatest treasure.'

Sponsors of the prizegiving included Dynamic IT, North Sails, TeamVodafoneSailing, and Boating New Zealand Magazine – thanks for a great line up of equipment and prizes.

The club continues to sail over winter and will resume its full program in Spring. Full details are at www.frenchbay.org.nz and anyone keen on getting involved with club activities should sign up for the club's emailing list to be kept informed.

by Zoe Hawkins (source - sailworld.com)
Its been great to be part of this active and forward thinking club, Pete@ Elements Watersports

Thanks to Topaz from Oceanz1

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At Elements Watersports we have been using the Topaz Uno and Omega dinghies from Topper for the last 6 years. With support and encouragement from Hugh at Oceanz1 we run sailing session for school groups, yacht clubs as well as adults that missed the opportunity when they were growing up.

6 years on and the boats are still going strong, when Topper say they are virtually maintenance free they are not kidding, all we do is waterblast the hulls clean every few months (no need to be gentle with soap and water), a few shackles, rivets and bits of rope have been changed. After 5 years we chose to replace the Topaz mains, that’s 5 tough years of daily use through the summer months!

We focus on minimal shore tuition to maximise on water time, this leads to plenty of knocks, bangs and running aground. not one centreboard or rudder has needed to be changed. From time to time the boats t-bone or crash into each other, they just keep on taking it, a glass fibre hull would just puncture and need constant repairs, each repair making the boat look more and more knocked about - not the topaz.

They say you can fire a 12 bore shotgun at the hull from 10m and no holes, we havn't done that but have had a boat blow off the top of our trailer (3.5m up in the air), land on a trailer handle and bounce of, there was a scuff mark but no scratch!

This summer we only had to cancel a few sessions due to too much wind, the boats reef down so that 2 kids can still sail happily in 20-25kts of wind. The high boom makes moving in the open transomed boat safe and easy. In addition having two in the Topaz means that teamwork makes learning easier and more enjoyable.

The Omega dinghies are powerful and spacious, groups of upto 5 can head out with an instructor and all have something to do. The boat is so stable and predictable that trying the trapeze or flying the asymmetric can all be covered in taster session.

We either store the hulls on their side so 3 boats can fit in same floor space as 1 on a trailer or we store them in a rack 1 above the other, we store upto 6 hulls and trailers taking up the space of just 1 boat. Being plastic the hulls can live in or outdoors, with the New Zealand UV it's good to put a sun shade over the top boat.

I first used the Topaz in 1996, there were minor changes in the 1st few years. Since then the range of boats has been used as an obvious choice for watersports centres, clubs and recreational sailors who simply want a fun, simple and tough boat.

I cannot recommend these boats enough for tuition or family users. They are a true multipurpose adaptable boat that exceeds the needs of many users around New Zealand and the world.

Happy Sailing
Pete
Elementswatersports.co.nz

Variety is the spice of what we do

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Hi, one of the things that makes running elements watersports so much fun is the variety. For example in the last few days I've been teaching powerboating and VHF from a super yacht in Auckland Harbour and then back in Tauranga getting a new sailor cruising up and down wind in an Omega dinghy from Kulim Park, Tauranga Harbour). This variety is not just good for us, it's often given as the reason for why students choose us, particularly on the more advanced or big group bookings. When run an activity we are also drawing on delivery methods and skills from other activities. In my experience the best seasoned instructors always have a random coaching qualification, gained to improve instructional technique/ diversity. In my case it's a basketball coach award, I can't say I've used it much on a court but it comes to mind every time I develop drills and brief groups for an activity.