In past years the girls have been up towards the pointy end of most competitions, but this year has been a different story.

Sweep Steve Monaghan said last weekend's round of the North Coast Surfboat Series summed up their season.

"The girls were staying in touch with Northcliffe - who are the reigning open women's champions - in the first race, but couldn't find anything on the way home," he said.

"Then a late take-off sent us sideways and put us out of action."

Monaghan said the girls' season to date had been a "slow burner".

"We're starting to slowly get into it now and they're starting to row a lot better," he said.

"They were courageous to keep going out even though they kept getting knocked around a little bit, but they kept dusting themselves off and were ready for the next race which is encouraging."

It was a similar story for the club's under-23 men's crew who were also up alongside the leaders in the first round before Mother Nature had her say.

"The last bit of the race they couldn't get any waves and a late take-off turned a bit nasty which sent them from first to last and that set us up for the day," Monaghan said.

"That set the standard; we were getting hit on the way out or on the way in. There was a lot of upside down stuff."

The club's reserve men's crew also put up a strong show with sweep Tony Kee "really starting to shine as a novice sweep".

Wauchope-Bonny Hills are now preparing for a shot at the Australian Surf Rowers League Open Championships at Mollymook on March 5-7.

They will also have crews competing at the NSW state titles at Blacksmiths Beach from March 19-21 before the Australian championships on the Sunshine Coast from April 19-24.