Goolwa - the first Oz PDRacer championships

[bitingmidge]

It IS on folks! 10-12 March 2007.

If you have a PDRacer, half a PDRacer, something that looks like a PDRacer, or a sister who just likes the sort of people that sail PDRacers... (for Mik, I'm taken! :p ) then your big opportunity is coming!

Go to www.woodenboatfestival.com.au and download an entry fee. $40.00 includes all three days at the festival and music events for TWO people. Crikey the savings on admission fees alone are enough to build a boat or two!

I can confirm that we have five starters already registered racing on Sunday and Monday as well as participating in the great sail-past.

Now if you don't have a boat, or don't know what a boat looks like, here is your big chance! Come on down and sail one of ours, have your photo taken and become famous!

We'll be there just for that purpose, so don't be shy!

Cheers,

P

[dopeydriver]

I don't know whether to laugh , or cry.
I've been slowly working away on the PDR 118 , there is probably only a couple of days serious work left to do , and I had visions of somehow getting her to Goolwa , and waving the flag and maybe even learning a bit about sailing.
And hopefully even staying there for the next school , and coming home with a GIS.
But there were a number of issues that would make it very difficult to leave the farm for more than a day , that had to be resolved.
Anyway , after Christmas I was contacted by an American wanting me to instruct her in carriage driving , something I've been doing for a few years now, but was giving up on.
Well , she came , she stayed , we drove lots , and now she wants to come back again in March !.
And I've just got more e-mails from the USA , I reckon I'm gonna get more clients !.
MIDGE , MIK , I'm sorry , it looks like it will be next year , somehow.
Hopefully , we will have a new address , and this driving thing will have run its course.
I was really looking forward to starting the next phase of my life this summer , too !.
Rob J.

[bitingmidge]

ROB!:oo:

It's only a weekend! Bring the seppo girlie! Drive her down in a carriage! Lie about your age!

Do anything!

(I've got a spare mast and sail you can borrow if that's all it takes!)

Cheers,

P (no pressure of course!)
:D :D :D

[dopeydriver]

Midge , I have a sail , and not much work left to do to the boat.
But I have 2 full time students now , an Aussie that can wait , and an American that is spending big money to drive with me.
And I might have more , within days.I reckon its their cold winter .
I'm going to keep working on the boat whenever I can , ya never know .
I'm just as disappointed at not getting a chance to build a GIS !.
Rob J.

[bitingmidge]

It's real!
The boats are on the trailer, the spars on the roof, now all we have to do is pack the tent and fill up with petrol..... and drive for a week or so! :oo:


More details of the trailer coming to a thread near you!

Cheers,

P

[Daddles]

I've given up worrying about your sanity Peter ... I'm convinced :D

Richard

[Cliff Rogers]

...... and drive for a week or so!....
Have fun. :2tsup:

[Christopha]

STREWTH!!!! Here I am stuck in the wilds of bloody WA, I finally got bloody dial up tonight and go straight to the WW Foirum to find out how the blasted PDR Univerese wide Champeenships went and there aint nuffin 'bout 'em.....
TELL ALL! Spill the bloody beans... please!!!
Oh, by the way, did anyone notice that on the big coloured Ad for the Goolwa festival in the AABB that me and me wee strange boat was there in beeyooteefool pictorialness?

NOW TELL 'BOUT THE PDR RACING!!!!

[Ramps]

and some pics ... no wait ... lots of pics of the event pls:)

[Cliff Rogers]

STREWTH!!!! Here I am stuck in the wilds of bloody WA, ....!!

How'd ya go with the cyclone(s)?

[Christopha]

Cyclones both went well south of us, just got some strongish wind and a few inches of rain. Dropped the temperature nicely too, so what was someones heartbreak was really a non-event here in Bidgy.

[Christopha]

will Someone Please Tell Me About The Pdr Champeen Ships, I Know They Are Champeen Ships, Each And Every One But Please Please Tell All About The Event!!!!!

[Ramps]

I theeeenk day teezing uzzz :C

[catbuilder]

Surely all the protests have been heard and results finalised. What the hell happened? Who is the Australian Champion Puddle Ducker? Results....PLEASE!!!!!!

Regards

Matt

[Daddles]

Midge is still on the road. Mik is still hiding in horror. I'm still basking in the sunshine of my wonderfulness.

We're waiting for Midge to get home, collect his wits (big task) and give the official excuses ... err ... explanation.

Richard

[bitingmidge]

Alright kiddoes, I will apologise for the lack of communication: Hasn't Storer been slack? :D

My excuse? Well there's no internet cafe in Wilcannia, and even if there was, my 'puter pooped itself the night before we left, so every time I tried to get back to you, all I got was a handful of computer poop!

It will be a few days before I can get all my data back in shape, and things working sufficiently to fill in all the gory details, but suffice to say we had a great time, thanks for asking!!

No, I'm not going to reveal all the details yet, 'cause you wouldn't come back would you, but here's the first couple of records claimed in the PDRacer world for your acclamation:

Mooloolaba to Goolwa, as it turns out, taking the shortest possible route Down the Darling River, is a mere 2,583 kilometres, or 1,605 miles with
about a quarter of that distance on variously sand, gravel or bulldust (no it really is Bulldust!).

Of course the return journey was a little longer as we came home the scenic route, with only a few hundred k's of dirt, so the total return journey was 6,904 kilometres towing both boats.

Now there are a few things to point out here: Firstly we couldn't actually
race after all that, as the conditions were a tad on the "too much for a PDRacer" side, so actually only got Walks Like a Duck into the Water. That probably means the distance record for the longest drive to a regatta should be held by "Walks".

On the other hand, "Talks Like a Duck" has the distinction of having travelled 6,904 kilometres not to have been sailed, surely a record which will go down forever in the annuls of human stupidity!

Of course all those kilometres were spent finding suitable places not to go
sailing in a country wracked by arguably the worst drought on record, so once again, I ask for a little patience till I can get the full tale told, complete with suitable pics!

Maybe a whole new thread is about to unfold!

Cheers,

P

[Pat]

Peter, don,t you need water for boats???:;

[bitingmidge]

Peter, don,t you need water for boats???:;
Where were you with that advice BEFORE I left home Pat?

Just to give you some idea of our lack of success, here is a shot taken at Louth, the bridge is over the Darling, and it was taken at about the time that we became convinced our plans of sailing to Goolwa were in a bit of trouble!

cheers,

P
:D :D :D

[Pat]

Well they don't need water on the Todd:D