22 December - Tynan : On Saturday I went sailing. I sail an MJ. It’s name is Red Devils. My skipper is Emmett. We have not even lost a race yet. We have only capsized once. I really enjoy it. After the senior race Santa came to our club. I got 2 packs of Mighty Beanz.
17 December - Joseph (with some help from Christopher) : On the 20 of November 2010, Christopher and I came to lake Illawarra for our fifth sailing lesson. We brought our NS 14 along rigged it up and took it to the water. It was a lot of work getting it off. After that we walked it through the water to the club, secured it and went in.
Brad, told us which way the wind was going and the course for the race. Then we took it out, with a single sail, for the first time; I was amazed at how fast it went. We were excited to see that we were able to overtake a lot of the other boats. Pretty soon we got the hang of handling the NS, learning how to tack properly. Then Brad got us to capsize it to see if we could get it back up again. The hardest part was actually getting it to capsize, but then we finally managed to do it. However, once we got it back up we discovered that I had left the main on, so as soon as we got it up, capsized AGAIN! Then we sailed around a little longer, then headed back to a delicious burger.
11 December - Elliot : First I went sailing by myself but my rudder got stuck on a buoy. Then the rubber ducky untangled me and took me to sail with Christopher on a Skyrider. There wasn't much wind so we took the mast off and had a paddle race around the black buoy and back in. Afterwards I had a hamburger. The best bit about the day was having a paddle race.
17 November - Olivia : Brad asked me to write about my sailing day.
I sailed with Elliot. I had a lot of fun. I also sailed with dad. Me and dad went on a Manly Junior. We went very fast on the lake.
9 November - Niamh : Erin and I went sailing in a race and we tipped over. It was fun in the water. I didn’t get scared, we had a swimming lesson. I liked it and I will sail next week.
4 November - Rourke : I 1st sailed in 2008 when I was 5.This year I am 7 and sailing a Manly Junior.
This morning it was a sunny day blowing about 10 -15 knots north east. Today we raced I was sailing top cat with my cousin Jackson Walsh. We tipped over twice and cap sized three times, sounds like lots of fun! My foot got tangled in a rope and then we cap sized again and luckily I had my lifejacket on. Then the rescue boat came and Bobby dived in and helped me get out of the rope tangle. I swam around to the centre board and helped bring the boat back up. Big thanks to Bobby and the rescue team. That’s why life jackets are important to wear when sailing.
Can’t wait to sail again next Saturday.
14 October - Jackson : This weekend was the first weekend of junior sailing. When we got there we rigged up a boat and then had a briefing. After the briefing the level 1 kids went with Hayden. The kids that sail Manly Juniors went with Brad & Todd to learn how to rig up a Manly Junior. Then we got our boats and went for a sail. I sailed with Roarke on the club Manly Junior. There wasn’t much wind.
In the afternoon I got to sail on a 420 with Dean. I got to put the spinnaker pole up and down. I also was on the trapeze and working the spinnaker at the same time. It was awesome. Thanks Dean for the experience. I can’t wait to sail next week.
16 September - Emmett : I’m really pumped about this sailing season. Mum & Dad bought me a Manly Junior for my birthday. It is called Red Devils. I was excited about the name because I play football for the Red Devils. Mum also bought an MG14 so that she could sail with me in the afternoons. It is called Cobra. I like sailing because I like making new friends. For my birthday I also got a long wetsuit, booties and a shackle key. I am ready to hit the water. Bring it on!
8 April - Erin : Sailing on the weekend (March 27th) was fun because I got to sail on an MG with Jacina and her dad in the afternoon race. Before I went out I had to practice going out on trap, which was scary but I got the hang of it. You can’t bend your front leg when you go out on trap, when I bent my font leg I went smashing into the jib and got a big bruise on my leg. But that didn’t stop me because I love SAILING.
7 April - Jackson : On Saturday at sailing we had a race. I was sailing on a Manly Junior with Emmett. As soon as we got there we rigged up and had the briefing. After the briefing we got on the water. Emmett and I got off to a really good start but couldn’t hold it. We ended up about 3rd. I can’t wait to sail again next week.
27 March - Bella : last saturday the club had a race around goosebery island and back. there was hardly any wind and we took ages to finish the race and i was on a lazer with Jessica and my sister wa on a Manly Juniour with Zoe. Me and Jess won, and it took us a while to get to shore. It was really fun. When we got back and finished the race, and got into our pjs, we all sat in our beds and watched hoodwinked while eating lollies and chocolates. it took everyone ages to get some sleep that night so in the morning i was a bit tired.
The next day we went on the Nirvana 7. It was the biggest boat there was and we got ready to have another race. It was me, April, my dad and Zoe on that boat. it went really fast and we put up the big colourful spinnaker.
15 March - Declan : On Saturday, 13th of march, I went to sailing. I sailed on a skyrider with Jordan. It was fun. Jordan steered and I pulled the sail. We capsized about 3 times and went round the bouys 16 times because it was so windy that we were on an angle like what Kelly Slater would do while he is surfing. when we capsized our last time, we were nose-diving like our boat was sinking. On our first time round the bouy we smashed into it and came onto our boat.
After a while we got off and swapped with some ohter kids. Then we had a shower and we signed off and went home.
9 March - Joshua : On the weekend I sailed a Manly Junior with Kaitlyn and Erin. The weather was perfect and the breeze was just right. I started off sailing with Kaitlyn and about halfway through she swapped with Erin. Hope it will be like this next weekend.
2 March - Scott : I wish every day was a Saturday! This was my 4th week going to the junior sailing at PKSC and it just keeps getting better........ I'm enjoying the coaching sessions (thanks!) and doing the triangle courses and I practicing my working to the bouy. My crew Riley has been helping with rigging my Hobie Hawk and enjoys holding the main sheet. I need to fatten him up a bit though to help keep the boat level??? We are having lots of fun chasing all the boats around the bay and enjoy our little chats! Can't wait til next weekend....
24 February - Mitchell : On Saturday, for the first time I got to sail a Sharpie. I was the sheethand for the boat 'Maniac' and sat right in the middle and got smashed with water. It was the fastest boat I have ever sailed in. We won our race by a lot even though we capsized twice. It was great fun and I hope one day to do it again.
23 February - Amelia : Sailing on Saturday was fun when Maddi and I went off to do our first triangular course. It was all going well when we had gone around our first buoy, but when we were heading for the second - the dinghy capsized. We tried to get it back up but needed some help from the safety boat. Luckily the water was a nice way to cool off from the hot sun above. I found this week really enjoyable to go out and sail in deeper water and sail the triangular course.
18 February - Isabella : Today there was a nice breeze to start the day. We all went to the garage to get the boats and we saw a DEAD FISH! It was gross and disgusting, but no one paid much attention to it.
When we all went into the water we went into a triangular course and I rode in a laser for the first time!. As I was steering I nearly crashed and made a hole in a Manly Junior. It was fun and exciting to go on a boat that's bigger than all the others!! At the end of the day we had the meeting and
I had a big hamburger and it was Delicious. Thankyou PKSC
12 February - Maddi : I liked going fast today, and i liked the warm water splashing up on my legs. I also liked the feeling of when the boat almost tipped over, and sailing around the people was fun too. It is really easy and fun to sail when you have some helpers around
16 December - Tynan : On Saturday I went sailing. Our coach is Brad. My crew is Riley. We sailed on a Skyrider. It was number 7. We capsized about 5 times. In the afternoon Santa arrived through the garage door. Everyone was very excited to see him. He gave me a present, a fizzy drink and a lolly bag. When I opened the present it was a book called Zac Power – Shipwreck. Zac Power is a spy!
8 December - Josh : On Saturday I learnt how to use the spinnaker with Emmett and it was fun. We sailed a manly junior. The wind was perfect so we went fast. We also were hiking out lots at the end. At one stage we tipped over near the rocks.
I enjoyed sailing with Emmett and the spinnaker. I can’t wait to do it again next week.
25 November - John : Last weekend our club held the flying ant state titles. The wind forecast was supposed to be strong but unfortunately it was light for most of the races. The last race on Sunday was the strongest so we had good spinnaker rides and a close race but the wind died off in the last leg. Over all it was a good weekend and two of the Port Kembla boats went well with 4ths and 5ths.
18 November - Jared : This week I helped rig up some boats. I sailed with my friend Crista and my sister Alanah . We went out to the deeper water and around the buoys. We took turns at being skipper. I like sailing with Crista because she doesn’t mind when we go fast and keel over. My sister gets scared and doesn’t like it when we capsize. I love capsizing! I love sailing!
11 November - Emmett : On Saturday I went sailing on a Manly Junior. I had two crew. They were Harry and Josh. I got a shock how fast they went compared to the Skyriders. The thing I like about sailing is getting out and having a great time.
3 November - Bailey : On Saturday at sailing we learnt about compasses- N,S,E,W (Never Eat Soggy Weetbix) and I sailed on a Skyrider with Riley, but dad also helped us. I went out really far in the water where we couldnt stand up and went for a swim afterwards. It was really windy and we didnt tip over!! I had a great time and got a halloween chocolate after sailing.
27 October - Mitch : This Saturday during sailing classes we got to get the boats out and learn how to rig them up. Then we took them out into the water and took them sailing. I got to take the Laser out and cap sized three times. After that we had to swim 50 metres in sailing gear which is harder than it looks. I had heaps of fun and learnt heaps.
22 October - Alanah : I like going sailing. I like learning sailing. I liked riding in the boat without a sail because it was easier. I like it better with one person, because it is harder with too many people. Putting the boat together takes a long time. I like being with the other kids. I'd like to go sailing at Hervey Bay at my Nanna and Pop's. I saw a jelly fish. I don't like it when the boat capsizes because you get soaking wet and cold.
15 October - Erin : Yeah! My first week of sailing was lots of fun. No, we didn’t sail but we still learnt lots. We had a tour of the club and Brad showed us the boats that we will get to sail and the rescue boats that will be out there while we are sailing. Brad gave us a folder that explains how to sail and all the different bits on the boat. We have to bring it each week so we can get marked off on each level. We are all starting on level 1. I’m looking forward to my first capsize! NOT! I can’t wait to go out on a boat next week.