Mixed Single Hander & ILCA Class

At Hunters Hill Sailing Club, we enjoy the close racing and challenge of one design Single Handed sailing.  Historically we have raced the various Laser classes, however with the arrival of new single-handers such as the RS Aero, Melges M14 and the like, as well as old favourites like Spirals, OK Dinghies and Sabres popping up from time to time, we've decided to expand our Single-Handed Fleet to incorporate every one of these dinghies.

We race on a Sunday afternoon, and our scores are adjusted by Yardstick to even out the speed of the dinghies, and of course, handicaps are applied in our point score racing. 

Our sailors have the opportunity to engage in regular training during the spring and summer season, and we support and encourage sailors to compete in regional, State, National and International regattas!  

If you'd like to learn more about our Single-Handed Fleet, please contact info@huntershillsailingclub.org.au or pop on down to the Club one Sunday!!

Some QA responses about ILCA sailing ...

Would you have storage space for these boats? How much is it per year?
1.    We have storage space for ILCAs both in the shed and outside. In 2024/25 (starting April) the cost of indoor storage for ILCA will be $375, and the cost of storage outside will be $275 - members will need a cover for their dinghy of course. 

Are these Lasers? How easily can they be sold say a year or two later? Does the club organise sales?
2.    ILCAs are Lasers. There was a major copyright legal proceedings a couple of years ago and the Class changed its name to ILCA ie the International Laser Class Association named the boat the ILCA rather than the Laser.  Same boat.  Now 7 manufacturers world wide, with another North American builder coming on stream soon.    ILCAs have a good resale market if you have bought a nice boat and kept it well.  Anything with a boat number / sail number over about 19500 will preserve value nicely.  Boats older than that are good for entry level cheap sailing (and you might find a good one), but older boats do leak and have become less stiff than the newer ones.  Mind you, at beginner level the stiffness is not material, but a heavy boat is slow and unbalanced so leaks are bad and proportionally expensive to fix, relative to the price of the boat.   We let members know if there is a boat for sale, and encourage the removal of older dud boats for sale elsewhere, and the sale of better boats within the club!!   We have three or four older boats in the club at the moment we would like to move out … 

Would there be other costs than storage and membership fees?
3.    The membership fee and boat storage for the ILCA includes training throughout term, throughout the year. In Terms 1 and 4 that is Tues, Thurs on water, club racing on Sunday.  In terms 3 and 4, it is Sunday morning training, and likely to be a fitness and theory session during the week at a time most convenient to people.  Sailors are also expected to work on their own fitness in their own time, and we have great advisors who can assist with gym programs etc.    There will be training camps on in each of the school holidays going forward, which will have a stand alone fee.  If there are regattas a sailor will attend (and we encourage regatta sailing for all the squad members) then there will be entry fees and coaching coasts, shared pro rata amongst participants. 

Are all Sunday races in Hunter Hill or elsewhere in Sydney/NSW/country?4. During our season (sept through April) we race Sundays at HHSC, with the occasional addition of races at neighbouring clubs for the inter club “Monarch of the River season” . This is all included in the membership fee.  The NSW ILCA Association runs a series of regattas over the year that are held around NSW, and there is a Nationals as well. We encourage the squad kids to participate in these events … nationals in 2024/25 is likely to be in Qld.  A number of our sailors also compete at World Championships overseas. 

All make sense? Shout out if you need more info...

Cheers
Chris