Brisbane Blokart Club

Hello everybody and season greeting to all,
John from Hunter Landsailing has posed a question on the OZ site, so I thought I would post it here and let everyone have their say on the subject.
Cheers Brett




Tuesday 2nd December:

"I will be up at the Sunshine Coast two days after Xmas for about a week, just wondering if yourself, or any other Brissy members would be keen for a sailing adventure on Fraser Island (or rainbow beach - depending on winds) around the 28th or 29th of December ? ( "Farewell 2008 Sail on Fraser Island" ) Low tide is in the afternoon .. last Barge leaves the Island at 5.30pm.

I am told that you can leave your car at Inskip Point carpark and catch the Barge accross to Hook point for free ? (only 10min trip ?)

Is there any Brissy members that sail at/or around the Sunshine Coast ? Any local knowledge about Fraser Is. or other good spots around Sunshine coast would be greatly appreciated.

Also is Bribie Island any good for sailing ?

Cheers
John"


My reply 02.12.08

"Howdy John, congratulations on another fantastic video, be sure to embed it everywhere you can.

Sailing.... hmmm let me think, yep definitely interested in catching up after Christmas, I have the week off too.
As for Fraser, well it's been 27 years since my last visit and I believe it hasn't changed much. Which means low tide means HIGHWAY for 4WDs and they give no mercy (not to mention the light aircraft landing rights), so I personally wouldn't venture there during school/christmas holidays. This also applies to Double Island from Northshore to the Blow before Rainbow Beach.
The same goes with the north end of Bribie from the 4WD access, we've been told not to go past that point for our own sakes, but if the wind is SE then Red Beach on the southern end is perfect with about 3-5km of play room. If we are blessed with Easterlies then any and all beaches are a GO ZONE and bugger the fourbies.

I'll put a thread into BBKC.org and funnel them back here as well. While you're there, check out our list of venues and see what grabs you.
If you don't have my mobile, find it on our site as well as the other fabulous Brisvegas karters.

Keep in contact and see you soon.

Good tides. Everyone should be on holidays. 28th could be a good day for a get together. With a bit of luck we'll have some wind in a generally south-easterly direction so the beaches are usable. I'd love to have a run at Mudjimba or Marcoola. There will probably be too many people and dogs at Red Beach.

It's so long since I've been out, I think my wheels might have rusted up.
Hope to see everyone soon.

PRAY FOR WIND!

I am on holidays but will be at Moore Park in Bundaberg and as we are camping right on the beach will be praying for an easterly as well!!

Had a great head start to Christmas sailing at Sandgate on Wed arvo with a perfect NE wind blowing 20 -25kts and nearly no people on the beach. Spent 2 hours criscrossing the dry runs and a couple of water blasts, thank goodness it's summer and hot, but still very messy and some monster stingray holes to avoid.
Had one enquiry from a local guy Laurie who seems keen to get his hands on a kart and start using his front yard, the beach.
There must have been 40 kite surfers on the water from the jetty to the bridge going hell for leather, always a good sign for our sport on low tide.
One of them had a buggy sitting on the beach but wasn't using it, must have been out on the water.

Once again this could have been a fantastic opportunity for a setup track and demo trial rides for promoting the sport. We'll have to organise a day with a few karts and some serious selling to the public.

Catch up on a beach somewhere soon.

Cheers Brett

Hi John, hope you're reading this forum for updates.
Sunday the 28th looks a great day for arvo sailing as 20kt NE winds are expected, and the beaches where you are staying will be working well.

I'll call to make final arrangements, but most likely head to Marcoola (near Twin Waters Resort) for a big beach run.

Hope some other Brisbane karters will join in, I know some are away but maybe the lost tribe will return (are you with us Greg...) and come to play.

Cheers Brett

p.s. you'll probably find me at Bribie main beach (north carpark) on Friday arvo

Hello all, anyone interested in sailing on the sunshine coast on Sunday are welcome to join me at Mudjimba beach (near Twin Waters resort).
Take the Sunshine Motorway and exit at Bli Bli, then take the David Low Way north a short distance and turn right at Mudjimba Beach Road. At the end of that road is a beach carpark (on the right) and onto the beach from there.

Low tide is 3pm Qld time with a 2hr window either side of low and 15kt NE - NW winds expected. I will endeavour to be there around 12noon, grab some lunch and get setup ready for sailing.

Hope to see some friendly faces there to share the day.

Cheers Brett

Mudjimba: Met up with John and Chris for some very light wind sailing and being Chris' first time in a kart made it easy to teach and he picked it up super quick. The strong NE wind that Judy and Bernie are enjoying at Moore Park, Bundaberg didn't make it to us, but we still had a couple of hours of fun on the beach.

Sat 3rd Jan 2009 is looking good for Red Beach as a 20kt+ ESE is expected, but low tide is early at 7:15am so it's one for the people who get up at sparrow's fart (Greg). Sunday is even better with 25kt+ SE and 8:00am low which will be my pick and I'll get there between 6am and 7am to sail till 10am. Then it will be time for coffee and cake at the local bakery.

Hope some can join me there.
Happy New Year to everyone.

Cheers Brett

Mid to late next week, Kay & I will probably be spending a few days with good friends who now live at Bribie, two blocks from the front beach. Tides are good and wind looks OK, so we'll all go for a run or two. (Kay has promised to have a go.) I've been trying to convince them to get a Kart. They've recently retired, are quite fit, don't fish, golf or bowl, so you never know. Maybe we'll meet up with some other karters, especially if we're still there on Saturday.

PRAY FOR WIND!

Hello Greg good to hear from you, don't pray to hard for wind as there's plenty around now.

I went to Red beach this morning at 6.30 and used 3m sail in 25kt ESE and did 62kph in the first run to Skirmish and averaged 33kts over 2 hours before the rain moved in.

Don from Sydney called me as I was packing up to ask if there was any where to sail on Bribie as he is there on holidays. He came round to Red beach but the tide had already pushed in so he only had 200m of beach but managed 38kph. He went back in the arvo for late low tide and had a wild time with his 4m sail but in 30kt gusts broke a pulley whip and bent a downhaul hook. That happens...

Sunday morning is on with stronger winds predicted and maybe rain (wet weather gear People...), John Shorthouse, Don, Judy, Bernie and myself will be there. We are the sailing mailmen (come rain hail or shine) and everyone is welcome to join us.

Going to the RSL for lunch after if you're interested so bring some clean dry duds.

Cheers Brett

Top day out with a great bunch of Blokarters and one landsailer; sailing, chatting, after event coffee and then lunch at the RSL to round it off.
Starting at 6:30am (too early for some), I arrived to find Don (and Pat) already rigging up for the 20kt ESE waiting at the other end of the pathway. We hit the beach and got underway on the widening beach which had been eroded quite a bit over night.
We were joined by Dave, Andrew (shock, thanks Christine), Bernie, Judy and John. While we were busy blasting up and down the beach, Pat and John were taking photos and video of the day.
Other friends dropped by for test runs and kiddies joy rides so no racing was done but the fun lasted for hours.
It worked out well having an early tide and left the rest of the day to relax, catchup and make new friends, and another person joins the Blokart fraternity. Steve from Sydney picked up a great deal on a second hand kart and will now be on the Cockroach team for the next State of Origin.

Thanks to everyone for attending and making such an enjoyable day.

Cheers Brett

p.s. That concludes the Christmas sailing, well at least till next weekend...