Tuesday 22 August 2006

The Frog is gearing up for Summer Racing



Leap Frog, has leapt out of the winter series with a dirty bottom, and ever decreasing crew, it has been cold and there has been some good excuses!!!!


The first race for the ASCC spring series is on Sunday the 3rd September Crew Scott, Tony, space? space? space?, space?, (let me know)

RANSA Twiligts start soon - watch this space - calling all crew - let First Mate Tony know your availability to ensure your spot for these Balmy Summer Friday Evening Harbour Shindigs.

Boat Work - Leap Frog is having some surgery, both cosmetic and structural, another hard weekend of work should see some good progress, and hopefully a slipping and antifoul in the next couple of weeks, will ensure the Frog slips through the water like a slimey frog!!!!

Saturday 3 June 2006

RANSA winter series



8th July 2006 - RANSA Race 9 - Crew Scott, Tony, Scott 2, Chris, and Anthony - Geez Louise can a race get any slower than that of Race 9. We held hopes early that the wind would pick up, and it did for a moment on the up harbour spinnaker run, where we were placing pretty bloody well. But after rounding the East Channel mark, thye wind died in the arse and Leap Frog sat on her harbour lilly pad and drifted home. Leap Frog drifted over the line around 4.10pm. Results 14th Place

1st July 2006 - RANSA Race 8 - Leap Frog Did not race - too many sick crew - too cold - too low on the enthusiasm

24th June 2006 - RANSA Race 7 Crew, Scott, Scott 2, Pat, Jo, Greg, and Dayna. Was a lovely sunny day and nice winds @ 15-20 knots. Tony sick like a dog, waved the crew goodbye (well Scott anyway) and went back to bed. Reports came in during the day from Fee Fee La Rue, who was chasing LeapFrog with Chris in the tender, but up went the spinnaker, and the Frog took off leaving the tender for dead "She looked beautiful" said Fee Fee La Rue. I hear much fun was had by all, a few beers and some more mini quiches. Result Leap frog scores 9th place well done crew.


17th June 2006 - Combined Club Race RANSA, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Sydney Amatuer Sailing Club -Scott, Tony, Justine, Fee Fee, and Kari Ferrari. A lovely sunny day on the harbour and a very busy start line with 5 divisions and 64 starters. We decided not too fly the spinnaker as the wind @15-20knots could put our crew into strife, without Spinnaker master Chris on board. The Frog sailed well and she stayed amongst the fleet, despite the fact most over boats flew there spinnakers. On the second mark at Pig and Sow Reef, dropping the pole and rounding the mark the headsail somehow became very tangled around the furler, we had too redirect the frog upwind to untangle it, loosing about 500m in ground. We thought we were doomed! The Frog and crew (go winch wenches Justine and Fee Fee) continued to perform well. It was a very long course, round Shark Island 4 or 5 times, up the harbour twice, and across the harbour 4 or 5 times. It took us 3 and 1/2 hours to complete the course.
Results. Leapfrog scores 6th in division 4 combined clubs, and 1st in division 4 RANSA. (Well done team)

10th June 2006 - RANSA Race 6 - Crew Scott, Tony, Chris, Scott2, and special guest appearance of David from Byron. It was yet another overcast cold day, with 10-15 knots predicted. Perfect weather for our


spinnaker. With the crew well prepped for another win, we set out with another first on our minds. The wind never reached over 5 knots and the harbour looked like glass, even with the spinnaker flying Leap Frog stuggled forward through the harbour, after rounding our third mark at Rose Bay East and yet another two long legs to run, we decided to withdraw from the race as we where going nowhere - later Janet called to inform us the race had been abandoned, no-one had finished the course, the wind had really died in the harbour. Well done crew, we did our best under the circumstances.


3rd June 2006 - RANSA Race 5 - Crew Scott, Tony, Fee, Justine, Scott 2, and one wassy pussycat. 17 degrees, raining, winds gusting at 25-30knots, "it's a Doona Day, rather not a sailing day" said Justine, and she was right. All crew bar the wassy pussycat put on a brave front, and all got to the boat. A quick service on the winches, we realised the starboard winch was unserviceable, and once 10 minutes till the start gun, and Leap Frog still on her mooring with winches in pieces, and the rain teasing with her icey drops. Leap Frog Withdraws from the race.

27th May 2006 - RANSA 4 - Crew, Scott, Tony, Chris, Justine, Fee, Scott2
Winds were gusting at 20knots, the spinnaker was too big to fly, we had a great start running the line, and a good sail up the harbour - spinnakerless - we lost valuable ground, all in all a lovely day out. Leap Frog placed 11th

Wednesday 24 May 2006


Leap Frog and crew in form





Additional pictures of the 1st place win RANSA & Sunday sailing for

Pit chick Justinekeeping an eye on the course above, and a happy Captain Scott below

Tony and Fee successfully returning with fish'n'chips

Monday 1 May 2006

Winter Racing RANSA Saturday series and ASCC end of Summer Series

RANSA RACE 4 @ 27th May 2006 - Crew Scott, Tony, Justine, Chris, Scott 2, Fee Fee La Rue - with BBQ at Elizabeth Bay Marina after the race

ASCC Race Race 6 @ 21st May 2006 - Woops!!!! we din't realise this race was on until we saw Mercedes sail by us flying the ASCC flags, we had no time to make the start line so Scott, Tony, and Fee Fee continued on our leisurley Sunday sail to Watsons Bay for fish and chips where we met Phil on his Carmen, and where challenged to a race back down the harbour. Leap Frog creamed the Carmen and Leap Frog continued her winning performance.



RANSA Race 3 @ 20th May 2006 - Crew, Scott, Tony, Chris, Justine, Jo and Scott2. A fairly overcast day with winds @ 15 knots and the spinnaker ready to fly. We where in for a good day. We kept up with the fleet, even overtaking some yachts under spinnaker. Despite the overcast and showery day our spirits remained high, and we powered back up the harbour to east channel, knowing we were doing quiet well. coming back down to Clarke Island we couldn't find the committee boat or finish line, so rang Janet who informed us the race had been shortened and we had infact crossed the line back at East channel. Later that night we had a call from Max informing us we had
placed a 1st in division 2 spinnaker - our hadnicap will suffer - but go Leap Frog and crew yeeeehhhaaaa!!!!!!!!!!
RANSA Race 2 @ 13th May 2006 - Crew Scott, Tony, Chris, Justine, and Scott 2. After starting the race in light winds, we decided to withdraw from the race and practise flying the spinnaker. We became pro's at spinnaker flying.

RANSA Race 1 @ 6th May 2006- Crew, Scott, Tony, Matt, and Justine
(We will be flying the Spinnaker this series)

Congratulations to our crew for the first race. Unfortunatley we did not finish in time - the disadvantage of our 9 tonne cruising boat in light winds). Thanks to all crew and friends that came to RANSA for drinks afterwards - We can only improve 'Go Team"


ASCC Race 5 @ 7th May 2006 - Crew. Scott, Tony, Andy, and Kari Ferrari
WOW what a race - We were 1st across the start line and at 25knots the wind was in our favour, we rounded Fort Denison just ahead of Maria, Roger and David and headed to our next mark at Rose Bay East, along this leg we witnessed 3 masts snap, 2 main sails shred, a spinnaker shred and a collision with two men overboard, by this stage the winds were gusting off the charts at over
40knots, so this was the stage we deciced too reef the mainsail and the headsail, (lesson to be learned, Reef early, Reef often). Leap Frog rounded the mark at Rose Bay East and having fought Maria off, we headed to our next mark at Clarke Island, with a number 1 reef in and about 1/3 headsail, we headed in parallel with a large fleet of 40ft plus boats, rounding there mark and lowering there spinnakers. Now it all goes haywire! We are pushed off course by a ferry and a out of control spinnaker flying yacht, and ended up 2 metres from the sea wall at Point Piper and headed towards two large submerged rocks about 1 meter apart,
and actually managed too sail through the rocks, crash jibbing, headsail line fouled, helm overpowered and no steerage, miracuously getting out of this nerve racking prediciment, we decided to take a brief pause and try regain our composure, it was in this process we decided to withdraw from the race. The winds still gusting off the charts at 40 knots, bringing down the maisail was not easy, Andy and Tony got the sail down, but still yet to be secured, and trying desperatley to gain control the sail Tony found crew mate Andy clinging to the mast, stating "Sorry Mate I can't do anything but hold on!" and proceeded to turn green, very green. Kari quickly jumped to Tony and Andy's aid, and we secured the main as best we could to the boom. We were now under motor, and found we had no steerage, "Damage" we thought from the rocks, we freaked out "40knot winds, and no steerage", and to cap things off we were being pushed faster by the wind than our motor would drive us, (with no sails up) after many more arrghh %$*&'s and aaarrgghh $%&####$%*'s we're $%$#%$ed. We decided our only option was to sail under a about 1/4 headsail, and prayed the rudder would not fall off. Much to our relief we now had control and way. We safely returned under our 1/4 heady very cautiously, maybe even tacking too much to avoid any solid objects, land, even floating logs; to our mooring at Elizabeth Bay and opened a bottle of wine in relief and celebration. "Yeah team"! Andy we hope your feeling much better and haven't had your sea legs too dampened, It was a %$%& of a day. Kari soaked to the bone, go trooper, and no nails broken.

Below is a picture perfect race for any doubting crew after this weekend


(Leap Frog is 2nd in overall ASCC series, and only 2 points behind 1st. Mostly due to missing 1 race that was held on Easter Weekend, although we did have fun in Byron!!! so all is not too bad.) (We wait to see what happened, we think the entire fleet ended withdrawing race 5)



Pics of the Blues Festival in Byron

Monday 13 March 2006

Leap Frog and Crew pics




Laurie on Perrin one of our competitors in the ASCC races above and Leap frog on her mooring Betty Bay Captain Scott and First Mate Tony
Anni and crew on Chesire Cat another of our competitors in the ASCC races

Crew for RANSA races


Scott Kylie and Anthony pre ASCC race

Sunday 12 March 2006

March 2006 Sailing





This month has seen lots of sailing and racing with Leap Frog on Sydney Harbour, Restoration work has progressed at a rapid rate with the interiors now almost fully scraped, sanded, and undercoated in the main saloon.


RANSA 3-3-06 Crew Scott, Tony, Anthony, and Jo. It was a tough race and very busy start line with many a starboard called - 15th place - then to the RANSA clubhouse for a burger and beer.



RANSA 10-03-06 Crew Scott, Tony, Anthony, Jo, and Scott 2 - The winds were predicted at 30knots, so we reefed our sails to the first reef point, but we soon realised that to be competitive in this race, we needed full sails, so out came the sails we keeled over and off we went, even with a slight early call on Clarke Island and some extra tacking we did quiet well scoring a 10th place









Friday 17th March 2006 - Final RANSA summer twilight
Crew - Scott, Tony, Anthony, Jo, Scott 2, and Leiza (special guest appearance from QLD), afterwards drinks and burgers at the RANSA clubhouse all crew invited past present and future invited
13th place - very much social champagne sailing - much fun had by all

Jo, Leiza and Scott 2 RANSA race

Saturday 4 February 2006

February Sailing 2006 - Save the Whales






SAVE THE WHALES - CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION
www.whalesrevenge.com


Scott and Kylie with real crew action



Friday the 3rd February 2006 - RANSA Race 12
Crew - Scott, Anthony, Jo and Greg - 9th place - well done crew in light winds



Sunday the 5th February 2006 - ASCC Race
Crew Scott, Tony, Anthony, and Fee Fee La Rue. Thanks crew great race. Raced well and thought we got a first. But we got 9th - well done team - how did this happen? (to confirm these results)


Friday the 10th February 2006 - RANSA Race 13
Crew - Scott, Tony, Frank - Cancelled due to missing crew and parties to be had


Friday the 17th February 2006 - RANSA Race 14
Crew - Scott, Tony, Anthony, and Jo - 14th place


Friday the 24th February 2006 - RANSA Race 15
Crew - Scott, Tony, Anthony, Jo - 17th place - slipping crew, less beer more focus