Water levels in the lake may be very low but there is still plenty of water and loads going on. For full details please read on

Lake – Low water level risks

With such low water levels comes some additional risks, with significant drops off the sides of the slipways, and rocks scattering the ground. Please take care launching and recovering your boats and in particular when wading and recovering boats in shallow water as there may be rocks etc submerged just below the surface.

I am pleased to report that all permissions are in place and the planned works over a week or so to improve the laser slipway are now scheduled to go ahead starting on 15th September. We also hope to include over the same period additional work to sure up the main slipway to the north of the clubhouse, where this is suffering significant undercutting. As a result, there may be some days when one of these slips cannot be used – please follow any instructions in the clubhouse and from the OODs on the day.

Training Opportunities

As we head towards the end of the training year your opportunities are running out so be sure to read on and book onto your first aid, PB2 and other courses detailed below asap.

  • RYA First aid course on Saturday 13-Sep-25 now only 4 places left. It’s the full day RYA course required by instructors but good for everyone. Still only £30 including RYA first aid manual and certificate valid for 3 years. Please book via Webcollect, any questions please ask.
  • Saturday 13-Sep-25 – we have our own in house powerboat safety course also known as ARHSC. The clubs aim is that all rescue helms should also hold the RYA safety boat certificate or have attended our in house course in addition to being PB2 qualified. The only prerequisite for this in house course is that you have done your PB2. It is one day and FREE we have plenty of spaces to book simply email jeffstratford@btinternet.com.
  • PB2 course on 27/28-Sep-25 is fully booked.
  • Our final in house safety course (ARHSC) of the year on Saturday 18th October is two thirds full so only 3 spaces left, as above it’s one day and FREE to book simply email Jeff.

Finally new to the Club? We offer short introduction to our powerboat sessions, not helmed a RIB for a while and want a refresher, want an introduction to our electric boats just get in touch here

Volunteer ‘Pay and Play’ coordinator required

We are still looking for a member who’s keen to get a little bit more involved in the running of our activities by becoming the co-ordinator of our Pay & Play (P&P) scheme.

For those unfamiliar with P&P, it’s a scheme the club set up many years ago. It’s an informal, flexible way to offer taster sessions to people interested in finding out more about the sport (and joining the club!) and also to offer current, but inexperienced or lapsed, sailors a way to refresh skills or try new ones in controlled conditions. By far the greater number of requests is emailed in from non-members keen to see the club and taste what the sport has to offer.

It’s important to emphasise from the off that P&P is not RYA training. No formal instruction is offered or expected. As P&P isn’t RYA training, no instructing qualification or sailing competence is required to co-ordinate the scheme. The task is a simple process of marrying requests for sessions with the list of club instructors and experienced helms who have offered to take people out and make the scheme work.

Any keen member could do this, even a shore-bound one, to the benefit of all.

It would be great if someone could step forward to see how it works and we’ll do it together for the rest of this season. Drop me a line to find out more:
Dave Orme

Chief Dinghy Instructor principal@chewvalleysailing.org.uk

Lake and Cake

The next Lake and Cake is on 20th September – come and join us for some gentle sailing and maybe a friendly race, followed by delicious cake! Let’s hope it’s a lovely sunny day with a gentle breeze!
Looking forward to seeing you then

For more details please contact Jo here

Lost property – last call before sale

We are planning to auction all lost property currently in the signing in room on the ground floor northwest corner of the clubhouse during this years Bart’s Bash event on Sunday 14-Sep-25. There are a number of good wetsuits, spray tops and other bits of kit that, in particular, may interest parents of growing children, but a good number of full size kit also…

The auction will be run and organised by some of the fantastic Junior sailing team and any proceeds split 50% for the Barts Bash charity and 50% towards the clubs junior training for the coming year.

So – final call – if you have recently mislaid any item please check through the lost property store and take it back, before we sell it on!

Chew Valley reservoir Run event 05-Oct-25

Please take extra care on the entry road on Sunday 05-Oct-25 as runners competing in this event will be using the trail and crossing our road from 9 until around 11.30am.

There will be marshals in place and some additional signage but please drive carefully and following any instructions from the marshals.

Cruising Update by Simon Conway

Lunch on the Lake:

The penultimate Lunch on the Lake is set for Saturday 20th September (weather permitting)

Windermere Spring 2026:

The Royal Windermere Yacht Club have kindly agreed to host us for a week (6 days) in May 2026. Space is a premium in Windermere and so there is a limit to the number of boats they can accommodate. At the time of printing, there are 2 spaces available.

The cost for the venue is £70 per head and the accommodation will be up to you (although there are some rooms on hold at this stage at a local B&B if you are interested)
The arrival day is Friday 22nd May (no sailing) and we can sail Saturday through Thursday.
We will have full use of their clubhouse, facilities, bar and restaurant.
If you are interested then please contact Simon at sailingskismo@gmail.com

Falmouth Summer 2026 by Phil Pemberton:

8 Boats (7 Wayfarers and a GP 11 and 3/4) with 16 members of CVLSC spent a week during the Shanty Festival and the Falmouth Classics Regatta from the 13th to 21st of June hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht club (RCYC). It started badly with a thorough Cornish soaking whilst rigging the boats at the Falmouth Park and Float. It could only get better and it did. We sailed every day to various locations including Maenporth, Loe Beach, St Just, Helford River and St Mawes/Percuil Creek. If you are wondering what you missed this year then the RCYC webcam is a good starting point. Have a look at https://royalcornwallyachtclub.org/webcam/

The above photos were taken from 2 of the 3 self-catering holiday accommodation venues that we use which are a stones throw from the RCYC. As the sunsets on Falmouth 2025 the sunrises on Falmouth 2026 5-13th of June. Our accommodation is almost fully booked but if you have a Wayfarer and are interested in coming or would like to crew then get in touch with John Balcombe johnbalcombe@hotmail.co.uk or ….
Phil Pemberton 75. phillippemberton@btopenworld.com

Member travels by James Williams

As you would expect, August has been busy with members travelling to numerous championship events across the continent.

Starting with the ILCAs, Oli Allen-Wilcox sailed at the European Championshipsin Marstrand, Sweden, while the club was also represented in all three fleets at the UK Nationals with Sarah Harding in the ILCA4, Giovanni Bianchi in the ILCA6 and Ed Baker in the ILCA7.

Also venturing across to the continent, Alex Knight (with Stu Keegan crewing), finished 8th at the International 14 European Championships at Eckernförde in northern Germany

The symmetric boats covered a few more events, firstly with the Scorpion Nationals at Penzance SC. John Rose crewed for father Peter alongside David Bennett and Martyn Tuohy-Smith and a handful of other former club members.

This year the Flying Fifteen World Championships were held at the WPNSA, preceeded by the UK Nationals. Bill Chard / Josh Preater and Ian Cadwallader (crewing for Ian Pinnell) sailed at both events, with the highlights on the results sheet being a 4th and 3rd in the first 2 races of the Worlds for the Ians.

The following week was the Fireball World Championships held at Circolo Vela Arco on Lake Garda in Italy. Derian and Andy Scott (pictured competing in the event below) made the long journey out for the event, finishing 25th in the 136 boat fleet, including a 12th in race 1

Bart’s Bash & Family Fun Day

Sunday 14-Sep-25 is the annual Bart’s Bash race at sailing clubs around the globe. Funds are raised through entry donations for the Andrew Simpson Foundation. This is the biggest event in world sailing, with thousands worldwide competing on handicap giving the chance to gauge your performance against Olympic medallists and other top sailors. That said the day is all about participation, it’s a fun, relaxed family event and so even if you don’t normally race, come along and join in on this day! Last year we had over 50 boats racing, with a strong contingent of junior sailors and novice racers. If you only race once this year, this is the day to do it.

Following the morning Bart’s Bash race will be a selection of activities for the whole family. The Sailing Committee are finalising these, but will include activities both on and off the water. Look out for posts on the club Facebook page and a subsequent newsletter for all the details, or just come down on the 14th ready to get involved!

See you all on the water!

Andy
Andy Jones

Commodore