Thread: Ubeaut's Wooden Boat Squadron - SA division

"Safe" depends on how much sailing experience you've got Richard.
15-20 out the open will translate to 10-20 on WL. Your little boat
carries possibly more sail than I've put on Teal, so will be more of a
handfull. (I'm a lazy sod...)

Next question is "where" at Westlakes.

Have checked the rowing club calendar & it is clear, so provided there
isn't a dragonboat or sailing regatta on, we should be ok anywhere on
the lake.

I've never put in, nor inspected the parking or facilities at the rowing
club on the west bank. See the odd boat sailing from there but don't
know if they trail them or keep them at the clubhouse.

I last put in at a reserve & beach behind the shopping centre in
Brebner Drive. 50M carry to water, but an excellent beach & access.

There were also people putting boats in at a sandy beach & reserve at
the north end off Dotterel Drv. Looks a bit closer from vehicle to lake
than Brebner. That end of the lake might be a bit more interesting to
sail too, and there's the Sporting Club / pub not far away on Bartley
Tce.

Hmmm... have got much to do tomorrow, but if I get a chance I might whiz up there for a bo-peep.

Final question is "where's Mik, & has he got the DF van & PDR's ?"...

cheers.

[quote=Buzza;703854]Brighton South Australia is not close to Elizabeth South Australia but West Lakes is a bit closer. I can sit in my car and watch all of the fun from there.
[\quote]

Why not join in if you can ?

If there's no rowing on, the rowing club is the go. There's a large car park there, a public loo and a ramp leading down to the water with a nice, sandy beach next to it. There's even a playground if you've got little kids.

Last time I was there, Mike and I ran our boats down on the trailers, off loaded them onto the sand and went from there. I pulled my trailer down and back up again by hand if I remember rightly, it's not steep.

Lots of water there too.

So, Friday arvo by the rowing clubs on Westlakes. Is that a goer? What time?

"Safe" depends on how much sailing experience you've got Richard.

Wot's this 'experience' stuff to which you refer?

Richard

Hi All,
I can help with the conditions at Brighton Seacliff and others. In a Southerly and Westerly Brighton Seacliff can get very lumpy with short steep waves.
The Rowing club at West Lakes has a great beach and not so steep ramp and will be OK with challenging conditions with heavy gusts and variations in direction if the wind is up 15-25 Knots but great otherwise.
Snowdens beach at Port Adelaide near the Port River Sailing Club is OK for launching but for a few rocks on the bottom which are easily avoided with plenty of parking at the waters edge. This has the advantage of being able to explore the Port River and Barker inlet.

Hope this helps.
Rob B

Originally Posted by Daddles

So, Friday arvo by the rowing clubs on Westlakes. Is that a goer? What time?

Wot's this 'experience' stuff to which you refer?

Richard

Done.
13:00 is the earliest I can do.
No curfew unless John has one...

Experience - it's the stuff you need before you make the mistakes that you gain it from.
Or, in its absence, a good scapegoat sometimes suffices..

Thanks for the info Rob B. Suspected as much. Looks like WL is the go this time.
cheers
AJ

Let's finalise it then, just so there's no confusion.

Good Friday,1 pm.

Rowing club on Westlakes (on Military Road, about half way between Trimmer Pde and West Lakes Blvd - look for a carpark with a playground). If it's busy thanks to a regatta we've missed or something stoopid like that, we'll move to the northern end of the lake off Bower Road.

Meet there regardless of the weather. If it's dreadful, we won't move to somewhere nice before 1:30. If you can't find us, ring me on CUT BY MIK (mods, please remind me to remove that number on sat )

I'm easy to spot - look for a boat with a big spider on the transom

Richard

Just as a matter of interest, does anyone know what the safe clearance under those bridges is? My dodgy memory suggests it's row boat territory.

Richard

No boats, but I'll get a bus over - or if the winds are favourable a bicycle. See you then.

MIK

b.o.a.t. I am not only boatless, but I am on the heavy side over 100KGS and have knee replacements. Diving under booms is no longer an option for me.

A bull in a crockery shop methinks.

I often think of Fletcher Christian, who (it is written) could make a standing jump into a barrel, and then a standing jump to get out of said barrel again. A proper sailor lad our Fletcher.

I will convince the women folk to go for an after lunch ride to West Lakes then, keeping a look out for a transom mounted spider.

I wonder why he perfected that particular skill. Maybe a little like

Christian: SUUUUUUUUUURPRISE!!!!!
Bligh (with a start): I am sick of you and all your little practical jokes - that one last night of dusting the ships parrot with gunpowder and letting in loose in the candlelit officer's mess was really thoughtless, for the crew and the parrot.
Christian: That's your problem Captain - no sense of humour - did you hear the one about the Irishman the ...
Bligh (darkly serious): Stop that Mr Christian - Right now.
Christian: Lighten up captain it could be a really happy ship. Do you want to borrow any of my joke books? I also have every edition of "Uncle Scrooge" published since 1777.
Bligh: No I don't Mr Christian, and if ... where'd he go?
Christian: (muffled giggles)
Bligh: We've all seen that 87 times Christian - GET OUT OF THAT BARREL - or there will be trouble.

Well now all of those that were present, know I am not even a distant relative of Fletcher Christian. More than likely I have Hereford in my blood after all. My first attempt at kakyaking resulted in a damp set of clothes dur to the fact that the boat would simply not stay upright, no matter which side I leant to.

It was great to meet the crew that turned out, and I did know I would have trouble with a kayak, it has been too long since I did any canoeing, and that was as I said, my first kayak experience. To see the other little boats on display and bobbing about was great.

Now tolook for a set of out-riggers. . . . .

What a Bl**dy good little boat meet it was too.

Everyone had a go of just about everything!!!

Nutshell, Redback, 2 kayaks (different designs), a Bolger Teal (modified), 2 mouseboats.

Lots of nattering about boats and soggy trouser hems.

A grand couple of hours. Thankyou all, specially Richard whose devious plot it was

Michael

It was a fun afternoon. Weather was near enough to perfect. The water was suitably wet. Mik waved his magic wand and discovered the 'good little boat' hiding inside Redback (thanks mate, even I could feel the difference moving that halyard mount made) The lies were suitably restained The lad discovered sailing and methinks we've got a convert

Roll on Stansbury in a few weeks time. Hey Mik, reckon I'm game enough to sail Redback from Vinnie to Stansbury? I'm certainly game enough to spend the day banging around in the harbours now

Richard

Howdy Richard.

Two steps for the lad.

Just dump him a PFD and a bailer by a suitably safe stretch of water and go away. At another time get him to practice righting a capsized boat in deep water (so he can't touch bottom too easily) on a day with an onshore breeze.

Thats what my parents did and the result was ... as you see.

(actually they didn't know enough about sailing to suggest the capsize drill - so that is my suggestion)

MIK