Hi all,
we have a small sailing club using dinghy's etc that has taken to setting its race course right smack dab in the middle of where we sail in a nor-easter.
Yesterday was a classic example. Quite a few guys out when the committee boat lays the course with the leeward mark and windward mark right at the bottom and top of the area we sail in. Didnt used to happen but lately its become quite prevalent.
They come downwind from the club and just charge straight through where we sail. Yesterday I was just starting to bear away on a speed run when 2 boats cruised right in front of me. Luckily I had a gust and bore away at nearly 30 knots in front of their bows, needless to say the looks on their faces was priceless.
A lot of other guys had similar experiences.
So does anyone have any experience in contacting, what to say, working out a solution etc?????
A lot of them capsize and certainly dont look around so we are worried someone is going to get hurt, more than likely us windsurfers!!!
Any help appreciated before we contact them to try and work out a solution.
Be very careful how you handle this and what you say to them because it is clear from what you say here that it is the windsurfuers who are causing the danger by flogging along at 30 knots in a manner which makes it difficult to avoid obstacles. So if it comes up before any local authority to decide, they will decide in favour of removing the danger,.. i.e. you.
This is much the same problem that kiters face and mostly the judgement goes against them because it is they who are the danger to others.
It sounds like this is a learner's course from what you've explained of the sailors not looking around and capsizing frequently. Chances are they only sail at a particular time on a particular day. I used to be involved with the learner's program and setting race courses at my old sailing club in QLD. Sometimes it's down to the person setting the actual course and not the fault of the club as such. I've raced around some pretty odd courses on days when inexperienced people were setting the marks... (sometimes the people with the experience aren't available)
First thing to do would be to contact the club and ask to speak to the head of their sailing committee. Explain the situation that you've described here and ask if there's a particular reason for laying their course so close to the sailing area that has been used by windsurfers for so long. (eg area might be the most suitable for anchoring their course marks???)
Perhaps you could explain that you don't have problem sharing the area but just not in such close quarters. Ask if it wouldn't be more sensible for everyone if they could move the course away from you guys to just give enough room.. I'd still be willing to compromise a little, ie they could move the course a over a bit, but you might still have to dodge a few boats on their windward legs.
If all else fails perhaps you could join the club, get on the committee and get arrange a dedicated area to windsurfing??? 
Is this at Narrabeen Lake?
I have seen the dingies come down to their downwind mark and have given them wide berth.
Keelboat sailors on a race think of the windsurfers as 'sailing into their fleet', causing hazards; ie they think its our responsibility to keep clear of them. If the course is marked the competitors do not feel responsibility to keep off 'their own' marked race course!
The only and obvious solution is to have a good chat with the committee of that club. Get a copy of the same chart they use, draft on it the area the windsurfers use in each wind direction, and take it along. You may find they have a course charted for each wind direction, and negotiation may result in it being tweaked.
Of course, if you just take a gang of windsurfers through at 30 kts screaming 'STARBOARD', 'WEATHER BOAT', 'WATER ON THE MARK' and the like, relations may deteriorate.
Most legitimate sailing clubs these days have an aquatic licence issued by the waterways authority which states the areas they are allowed to set up their race courses to try and stop races overlapping or going in different directions around the same mark at the same time (heaps of fun). They are still supposed to abide by the international collision regulations but I think you'll find that they don't have a lot of say in where they set up their course.
easy solution Larko, quit sailing the pond and come sail the Bay!!
One major thing to keep in mind also is the big 8 knots sign in the water there. (unless it has been removed) Your 30 knots is a damn sight faster than that and that could be your ultimate undoing.
By the way Aus 301, I'm not sure we have the more manouverable craft. A dinghy can almost tack and gybe on its axis where as a sailboard takes a considerably longer time to do so as well as slow down and stop.
There may be more space on Botany Bay but you have to share it with jetskiers and 'pleasure boats'. Add the fact its extremely crowded onshore and parking is a nightmare, makes the crappier conditions at Narrabeen almost worth it.
I dont think there is any easy solution to this. Have a chat with the guys in the startboat, ask nicely if they could move their start. I doubt they can really do a lot considering the size of the lake though. Just abide by the rules, Starboard, leeward boats have rights. Boats tacking or gybing have no rights.
The biggest issue is probably that the boards are reaching accross the wind, while the dinghies are probably doing windward leeward courses, so sail through the boards line a number of times. The boards may not be looking into the windward or leeward quarters for approaching dinghies.
And as already mentioned, make sure you keep below the 8kt restriction :-) or else you have no rights at all because you are breaking the law, so it might be best to consider sailing elsewhere when they are on the lake :-(
JB
