RACHEL'S SAILING
Sailing a Sabre on Clarence River, Harwood, NSW, Australia (November 2019 )
It all started with a sailing holiday in 1999
in Clew Bay, Co Mayo, on the west coast of Ireland
One week of sailing in Toppers (and windsurfing). Back again the following Summer and sailed in Laser Picos, at Collanmore Island in Clew Bay with Glenans Irish Sailing Club.
View of Glenan's Irish Sailing club with sailing boats from Collanmore Island
I was hooked!
Moved to Australia and sailed at Williamstown Sailing Club in Melbourne, Victoria from 2001 until 2015.
Dinghy sailing every weekend for almost 15 years
I've done lots of sailing, and almost never got photos of myself on the water, but every now and then, someone would snap a pic and send it on to me.
Sailing my sabre "Flyte" in Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne (March 2015).
Boats I sailed at Williamstown Sailing Club
Crewing in the Mirror
Length: 3.3 Metres, (10 feet, 10 inches)
3 Sails
Sail Area:
Main = 49 sq ft (4.6 square metres)
Jib = 20 sq ft (1.9 square metres)
Spinnaker = 47 sq ft (4.4 square metres)
Lots of experience flying a Spinnaker
Rigging the Pacer
Pacer (Puffin Pacer):
Length: 3.8 Metres, (12.58 feet)
3 Sails
Sail Area:
Main = 6 square metres
Jib = 1.9 square metres
Spinnaker = 7.4 square metres
Lots of experience flying a Spinnaker
Sanding the Sabre prior to painting (winter maintenance)
Winter Sailing - Hobson's Bay Brass Monkey's Series (2011 and 2012)
"Three Ring Circus" (Yacht I crewed on for two Winter Series)
One off Events/Regattas
Ongoing sailing
Length: 4.5 Metres,
Sail Area:
Main = n sq ft ( square metres)
Jib = n sq ft ( square metres)
Rotating Mast
Sailed at Mordialloc Sailing Club, and Yarrawonga Yacht Club Regatta (Crewed)
Sailing on a gloomy Saturday in Melbourne (Port Philip Bay, 2013)
Spending Summer in Ireland (2011)?
Quick! Head to Dun Laoghaire and trawl the yacht clubs until you manage to score a spot on a boat and get racing in Dublin Bay!
I was luckily to find a regular spot on "Axiom" which was an X-37 built in Denmark (37 footer), sailed from Royal St George Yacht Club during Summer 2011.
X-37 "Axiom" sailed in Dun Laoghaire in Dublin, Ireland 2011. (Photo above was taken elsewhere.)
Back in Australia 2014
Sailing from Port Macquarie, NSW
Back in Australia I decided to leave Victoria and move North to Tweed River area (Northern NSW), so I could sail dinghies all year round.
Thus I joined Tweed Valley Sailing Club
Here I sailed a Corsair, NS14, Pacer, and had my first sail in a Laser.
Skippering an NS14 on the Tweed River, Northern NSW (2018) - Screen grab of a video - the play button won't work!
Length: 14 foot (4.27 metres) Sails: Main: 7 Metres squared Jib/Genoa: 2.3 metres squared
Returned to Melbourne 2025
Sailed the following boats (Feb to April 2025):
Impulse (Off the Beach), Pacer (OTB) - Williamstown Sailing Club
Sabre (OTB)- Hampton Sailing Club
Castle 650 Trailable- Bendigo Yacht Club (on Lake Eppalock)
Holland 25 Keelboat - Mornington Yacht Club
Here is the video, if you wish to play it. (1 minute 3 seconds long)
Sabre Sailing on Clarence River, Harwood, NSW, Australia (November 2019)
(It was a blowy day, and I did capsize. (Many did!))
Could I be on YOUR boat?
Or perhaps this could this be
my next boat?
A boat that fits into the boot of your car, one I can easily take with me, the
Reverso Air
Fits into the boot of your car. Ultra portable, sail anywhere! https://www.sailreverso.com/
Cartoon Rachel, Sailing (naturally!)
Cartoon of Rachel commissioned from: Caroline Hyland Illustrations in Rathfarnham, Dublin. Copyright 2023 - 2025
(If you would like to commission your own personal artwork, please visit Caroline's site for more info. https://CarolineHyland.com )