Manly Yacht Club - Lasers

https://laser.asn.au/?p=6784

Manly Yacht Club Seeking Professional Youth Head Coach | Manly Yacht Club Seeking Professional Youth Head Coach Published May 8, 2026 Manly Yacht Club MYC have one of the largest youth fleets in NSW and a development plan that includes helping sailors move into ILCA4s. They have a strong vision to continue to grow their very successful youth programme ....

Today was the last sailing day for the 2025/26 Season. Two Club Championship heats sailed to make a total of 12 for the season which triggered the two drops.

A dozen boats signed on for the race. Phil out injured and myself deciding to help him on RO duties. There has been a lot of injured sailors this season with many either having accidents and others just being taken out really.

The conditions were perfect with 10-15kn SE breeze and clear sky with a low tide during racing. Big thanks to Lisa who again helped with RO duties and enabled RSG to be launched.

With Phil Reid in the ropes due to surgery recovery and Iain Cameron MIA, Ian Saunders pounced. He won the first race by a close margin ahead of Tim Docker and Ali Devlin.

In the second race Ian was busted being over the line at the start and had to find a way to get back and start again. This excited the fleet as everyone thought they had a chance. In the end Ian managed to sail through the fleet to bag a 3rd with Geoff Gill winning the race just ahead of Dave Walton who was racing with a busted shoulder, if he had of capsized he’d probably still be out there.

At the end of the day we had crowned a new Club Champion with Ian Saunders winning by a bunch of points. A well deserved victory with the amount of work he puts into the fleet. Dave Walton ended up 2nd overall which is a fantastic effort and one to watch next season.

The reign of Phil Reid has come to an end although if he wasn’t injured who knows he could of taken a fifth title. Gordon was 4th overall so just let that sink in.

The main reason so many spectators tuned up today was to see who would win the Keg Cup. There were a few contenders that had a chance but in the end Gordon Lacey was just too good, an amazing sailor with impeccable tactics and took out the title.

Next Event Is the Presentation Night on May 30th. It will be about 6pm which gives everyone time to get to the Skiff by 7:35 foot the Waratahs v Force game.

Big congratulations to Ian Saunders for being the best in 2025/26 and special mention to Tim Docker for making everything work. To the new people that have joined us I hope you get something out of mucking around in boats on a Sunday arvo.

Autumn Westerly winds arrived early this year and ironically the catch up races we are sailing for currently are due to Winter Westerlies hanging around longer than expected in September and even October.

Ten boats rigged up and started in 15-20kn WSW gusty breeze and Dutchy as RO with the injured Dave Walton and Lisa helping. We managed to complete both races and now gives us 10 heats in the bag with two more scheduled for next weekend.��It looks like we now have completed an offical “Series” with ten races and if we get the 12 there will be two discards - “11.8 When 10 to 12 races are completed in a Series, the 2 worst scores will be discarded.”

With Phil Reid out due to injury and Iain Cameron also out, Ian Saunders saw an opportunity and pounced taking two bullets which has elevated him to leading the Club Championship overall. Al Beasham sailed very well and picked up two 2nd’s with Gianni Watson taking both 3rds as well.

On the all important Pointscore results Gianni Watson picked up yet another win in the series and Phil Eadie also taking home a Pepper Tree after doing the same last time.

The Keg Cup is being led by Ian Saunders going into the last 2 races with both Gordon Lacey & Same Jackson in 2nd & 3rd.

Catering was put on by Hoppo with a fish & scallop fry up and many refreshments and well done on providing that which was a nice gesture.

Next week is the last two races for the season where the Club Champion and Keg Cup will be crowned.

Perfect sailing conditions in a S/SE 10-15kts. With a big swell running the reaching mark was brought in from Dobroyd head a little to ensure everyone's safety. Phil Eadie in the first race , being off scratch, foxed the fleet, started 1 minute late, sailed some extra distance towards the end of the race and still smashed them over the line with a WIN! Well done. Corrected time is confusing for me (check the results)!
2nd race close racing with Phil Read and Iain Cameron fighting it out big rig against Radial. Phil took the Choclates on Scratch. On HCP Geoff Gill surged past and took 1st!

There were plenty of cold silver bullets Resches and some Dad's & Dave's pale ale to ensure everyone was happy washing down some Doritos ( with no one scheduled for catering this week, it was well done!) Lovely day sailing and afternoon sunset on the deck!

Rgds Hoppo

We held a Regatta!

From the manlyyachtclub we started racing what were called Laser’s many years ago. We just followed YA marks so it was a bit of yacht racing in a 14’ dinghy. Quite boring really.

Not long back we decided to lay competitive windward/return courses and the boats arrived with a fleet of over 20 boats today.

Some of the shippers with plenty of girls can actually go quite well. Many started branching out and sailing regattas around Australia and the world. We finally decided to host a regatta on home water.

Ian Saunders took the idea by the scuff of the neck and sold it to Lisa & the Board. They brought in and then we pitched the Association and we were granted the 2026 Metropolitan Championships.

Then the panic set in as everyone realised what holding a regatta with up to 100 boats really entails. Ian Saunders believed in himself and with such a wonderful wife knew it was possible.

Anyway, we did it this weekend and it was a huge success, mainly that many sailors including a lot of youth had never raced in the the Sound of Sydney Harbour and they it

It was a great performance from the Manly team managing to pick up some prizes with Ali & Phil sailing very well. A bunch of the fleet including Ian (who might of done well), decided to help make the regatta a success and filled positions to make it happen.

I’m sure Manly Yacht Club will entertain hosts another regatta soon, maybe NSW Titles, Nationals or even World Titles one day.

Thanks

ilca_sailing
NSW & ACT District Laser Association
Manly Yacht Club
dadndaves
Northern Beaches Council

Please to announce that Dad & Dave's Brewing have stepped up as Beer sponsor for this weekends 2026 Metropolitan ILCA Championships at Manly Yacht Club. With up to 100 competitors and many more volunteers and spectators should be a great weekend.

Sunday welcomed nine boats for the final heats of the Micro Regatta Series it 15-20kn Southerly breeze and Gordon Lacy as RO with Sam Jackson helping.

Well the Micro Regatta Series wrapped up on Sunday with Iain Cameron taking the Series by 9 points in the end after even dropping 3 x 25 points, followed by Phil Reid in 2nd and Ian Saunders in 3rd overall.

The first race got away with a clean start and at the top mark some carnage with one boat capsizing on the mark only to be joined by a couple other boats. In the end Phil won two hearts and so did Ian Saunders.

Well sailed by Ian Cameron to take out the series in the end.

Catering was put on by the “Risk Taker” Mike Franklin and served up Hamburgers with toasted buns, pickles, colslaw along with honey chips.

Next week is a big weekend with the Metro Championships being held at the club on both days. Thanks for all the skippers who have chosen to volunteer for the vent even Geoff Reid has put his hand up.