Club Pennant Racing
Sandy Bay Sailing Club runs weekly Pennant Racing on Saturday afternoons during Term 1 and Term 4. We welcome most off-the-beach classes, including Optimists, International Cadets, 29ers, 49ers, iQ Foils, WASZPs and ILCAs. Club membership includes discounted pennant racing, and members are asked to register with their boat name, sail number and crew (if required). Only helms need to enter.
Members of other clubs are also very welcome to enter one, some or all of our weekly pennant racing — we’d love to see as many boats on the water each week as possible.
We usually run three to four races each Saturday, weather permitting, on the beautiful Derwent River. Racing is launched directly off Nutgrove Beach, right in front of the clubhouse, which makes SBSC a fantastic place to watch the action. From the lawn, beach or clubhouse deck, parents, friends and supporters get a front-row seat to the racing, with great views of starts, mark roundings and finishes.
One of the things families love most about SBSC is how much there is to do off the water as well. While racing is underway, younger siblings can play safely on the beach, build sandcastles, paddle at the water’s edge or kick a ball around on the grass. It’s a relaxed, social environment where families can spend the whole afternoon together, even if not everyone is sailing.
The canteen is always open before racing for lunch — including our world famous* chicken burgers — and after racing, families and sailors often relax on the lawn, watching the last races come in while enjoying drinks and snacks with friends and fellow club members.
For those new to sailing, pennant racing runs as a season-long series, with boats racing each week and accumulating points. The goal is to finish the season with the strongest results and be crowned pennant winner at our end-of-season prize night.
Pennant racing is generally the next step after Green Fleet, but support is always close at hand. If you have any questions at all, just ask a committee member or one of our friendly volunteers around the club — we’re always happy to help.
(*OK, maybe not world famous… but definitely famous in the Hobart sailing world.)
