Combs Sailing Club Newsletter

Transcription

1 Combs Sailing Club Newsletter The Open Day No 233 June 2014 Commodore s Notes We are now well and truly into the season and we have seen plenty of activity both on and off the water. Thanks to all the members who gave up valuable time to come along to our pre season work parties. We had unprecedented attendances and were able to satisfactorily complete all the planned tasks. A special thanks to members who gave their professional services to carry out much needed work on behalf of the club. Garner Harrison led a team which sorted out our boat park fencing. Kevin Belford serviced the gas boiler whilst Norman Whitely plumbed in the new ladies shower. Suspended meters above the water, Louis Saunders gave the much loved Club House Ash tree a thorough check up and trim. A lot went on behind the scenes in the run up to the new season. Our intrepid bosuns Neil & Stuart Reid ably assisted by Russell Talbot have overhauled the Topper fleet and converted the sheeting to centre main. This was a significant undertaking as not only the sheeting but the tiller extensions and associated blocks had also to be modified to accept the new layout. It maybe a little tricky in the interim for members who have only ever sailed Toppers with the transom main, but as nowadays practically all sailing dinghies have centre main, it is without doubt the way forward. You will see that each of the club dinghies have now been given a name by the bosun team. My particular favorite is Topsy Turvey The 2014 Sail Training Programme is underway with a record twenty members on the Programme. The first couple of Saturdays have not produced ideal sailing conditions! But things will hopefully improve as we move through May. Well done to Alex Bowden, who came out top of the group on her recent Dinghy Instructors course. Held in March with cold water, easterly winds and numerous capsizes to contend with, Alex was highly commended by the RYA Officer running the course. Alex is putting her Instructors skills into practice along with Norman, training the beginners group. If you would like to get involved with the Sail Training Programme you will be most welcome. If you would like more information please give me a ring at home or we can have a chat at the club. You will have noted that we brought the Combs at Home Open Day forward to Saturday 17th May. We are combining the Open Day with the 2014 RYA National Push the Boat Out scheme. Designed to bring new people into the sport of sailing we are fully committed to the initiative. Starting at and running to 4.30, offering members of the public trips out in dinghies and the chance to try our sport. Racing turnouts for both Wednesday and Sunday sailing have been excellent, with fleets of up to twenty one dinghies coming to the line. It s particularly encouraging to see members of our current and previous Sail Training Programme s competing regularly and wining trophies. May I extend the warmest of welcomes to our new club members: Jane King, Garner Harrison, Joel Reader, Paul Hellewell and Family Bob Pyett, Commodore 1

2 The Combs Open Day This year the Open Day was run as part of the RYA 'Push the Boat Out' Event. For once the weather was bright and clear with a brisk but safe wind blowing off the hill. The Wayfarer and two GP's took to the water giving rides, toppers and an Oppy pottered round near the Clubhouse. The atmosphere was friendly with children playing in the shallows and parents eating cake. Alex, Paul, Louis and Neil sailed ceaselessly with boats full of families and children while the galley was busy feeding the visitors. Of course the balmy weather was not altogether typical and was possibly misleading! I believe that a record number of visitors enjoyed the sailing experience and many of them took away membership forms. Only time will tell how many of them return completed applications. However the object of the day was to present the club in a good light... and it certainly did that! Photos from the day 2

3 Derbyshire Youth Sailing Few things in sailing are quite as much fun as watching a group of young people bashing round in a DYS race. So it was on May 7 when Derbyshire Youth Sailing came to Combs for their annual competition. Unfortunately there where other youth events where taking place on the same weekend which reduced the entry to only twelve but a very gusty wind kept the sailors on their toes! Most Derbyshire clubs were represented with three Graduate dinghies from near by Toddbrook providing plenty of spills and thrills. Our own Joel Reader sailing a club Topper had a very wet introduction to inter club sailing but showed considerable fortitude in the trying conditions! As officer Louis Saunders maintained good order and some competitors continued to 'play' in the exciting conditions after racing had ended. Ist Graduate Richard Abenstern Bryn Abenstern Toddbrook SC 2 nd Graduate Harrison Coppinger Annabel Coppinger Toddbrook SC 3 rd Laser Radial William Gould Carsington SC Let us hope that in 2015 some of our current young trainees will be tempted to take part in this fun event. Remember some of our top sailors started their National careers with DYS Action from the event 3

4 GP Committee Report Throughout 2014 the Committee has needed to give consideration to the number of boats in the Boat Park which have been left by those who are no longer members. At our April meeting we have reviewed the present position and noted that there are boats belonging to members but not used on the water. Although the Boat Park is not completely full, the current high water levels have made us leave some waters edge boat spaces empty and make the Park more crowded, especially when we have visitors. We also need to have spaces available for new members who have their own boats. With all this in mind we examined the Constitution and, since our April meeting, the Bye Laws. The Constitution does not separate the two elements of the Boat Fee payable annually. These fees agreed at an AGM are 50 water fees and a further 10 for the Park; a total, at present, of 60 annually for each boat kept at the Club. The Constitution clearly states that if after 6 months from the start of the membership year (by the end of June) there are Boat Fees outstanding we can apply the abandoned boat procedure. Ultimately, this allows the Club to remove and sell a boat. The GP Committee having considered the Constitution advises all members that this rule applies to current members who may have paid both Membership Fees and Boat Fees for one or more boats. However, if a member has more than one boat and there is any part of the Boat Fee unpaid for that boat, then that boat may be regarded as abandoned. After the relevant time has elapsed the procedure for the removal of such a boat will be commenced. The GP Committee reminds members that the requirement for keeping a boat at the Combs Sailing Club is that Boat Fees are paid in full for each boat. The form for application and renewal of membership also requires details of the insurance for each boat to be given to the Membership Secretary. Bye Law 7 states that all boats and craft must be covered by third party insurance of at least 3,000,000, even if the boat is not in use. The GP committee has requested that the Commodore and Membership Secretary make the initial approach to remind those members who have fees outstanding that the due fees are paid or that a boat is removed from the boat park. The GP committee is also aware that this can be an uncomfortable task for the Commodore and Membership Secretary and feels sure that all affected members will want to comply promptly with our rules and bye laws in this matter. Judy Gibbons Secretary Other News 4 Over the weekend of May 24/25 the Reid brothers took their somewhat geriatric Javelin to Glossop Sailing Club and manage an excellent second place. When one considers that the winning boat was sailed by the all conquering family team of Richard and Katherine Smith and is only a few years old this is an exceptional result. We await the Javelin European Championships with interest!! I think it s their unique gybing technique RS

5 Under normal circumstances sailing is a safe sport, unless Robert is involved. However he completed the days racing! Family teams are not unusual at our club, myself and Louis for instance (?!) but we draw the line at team dressing. Now we have identical twins Bob and Gerald...who even dress the same! 5

6 Finally, for all those with fond memories of booming straight down wind in an old Enterprise (me too, and it was a red one ) here s a reminder of the boat s favourite trick. Maybe they should have been sitting further back? Like this Happy Sailing! 6