Sailing Club News – Thursday 14-Jan-21

With the national lockdown still in place, the prospect for any active sailing club ‘news’ might seem bleak indeed! However, I have tried to unearth some summaries of what was happening over the festive sailing period before the pandemic intervened.

The pictures from Helen and her security patrol team seem to show we have not been missing much – either no wind at all or too much.

This news includes a Sailing Quiz kindly prepared by renowned Flying Fifteen stalwart, John Kelly. We will be relying on total honesty when any of you email me to report a 100% score and possible mention in future dispatches!

Read on to learn about the proposed Zoom talk on speed sailing and the resurrection of virtual racing on Sunday mornings for those feeling ‘the need for speed’….!

Some words from our very own ‘Dutyman’ – Tom Skailes

A big thanks to everyone that volunteered onto or accepted a duty on January’s roster of sailing duties on Dutyman! Of course, with the new lockdown all duties have now been taken off the roster up to 14th February inclusive. As per the November lockdown, my plan is to slide the populated roster list forward once we have an idea when we will be sailing again – so if you were on January’s roster, your duty is likely to get shifted into late February or March, depending on how things go. Let’s see, but in the meantime, please let me know if this might be an issue for you, or if your circumstances change with regard to shielding/self-isolating etc – duties@chewvalleysailing.org.uk – thanks! Tom

Notes from the Sailing Committee – Andy Jones

It was good to see a variety of leisure sailing and training groups resume their activity on the lake after the November lockdown; thank you all those who willingly gave up their time over some very cold and windy December weekends to cover the various duties and keep us sailing. As it turned out, racing was unfortunately hampered by extreme winds and the latest lockdown bought all activity to an end with only 4 races in the Back to Racing Series 3 completed.

Leading the Handicap fleet (conventional course) standings when the music stopped were Paul and Harry Smalley in their Mirror, with Derian Scott and Charles Clapham in their Aeros snapping at their heels.

With a growing group of RS100s and skiffs in the windward leeward fleet Rob Higgins in his RS700 was only denied 1st place on a tie break, allowing me to pip him at the post with Skylar Paulich in his Musto Skiff 3rd.

For the laser fleet we were trialling a slightly different starting sequence, and while it is too early to draw any conclusions it was good to see some very close finishes over the final weekend’s racing, with the lead radial and laser standard both coming to the finish close together. The overall standings saw Nick Martindale take top spot, followed by Julian Cooke and Ollie Wilcox

Last but by no means least, the Solo fleet showed just how competitive their racing is with four different race winners across the four races, the Chris’s Meredith and Goldhawk finishing 1st and 2nd overall with Toby Peacock close behind.

Doug Pattison and his Speed sailing Exploits circa 1980. Friday 05-Feb-21 7pm.

Although the sight of foiling 60ft yachts travelling at speeds in excess of 50 knots is now almost commonplace, have you ever taken time to ponder who were the early pioneers of speed sailing and what those early attempts at maximising wind powered speeds looked like?

Join us at 7pm on Friday 05-Feb-21 when our very own Doug Pattison (check out the picture!) will be giving a zoom talk on his own crazy speed sailing exploits of circa 40 years ago.

Quiz Questions

  1. The International 14 2020 Worlds took place in Perth Australia in January. Which club member finished second?
  2. What tribulation did the crew have to overcome before the first race?
  3. Will Hodshon gave a talk at the club last February about his non stop sail round Britain with Rich Mitchell in Wayfarer W198 Nipegegi. How old was Nipegegi (plus/minus 10 years) and what was the family connection with the boat? (One mark for each).
  4. CVLSC is often a host club for ‘BUSA’ events. What does BUSA stand for?
  5. What is a Dragonflite 95?
  6. What club organises the ‘Round the Island’ Race the annual race round the Isle of Wight?
  7. Port out, starboard home is generally thought of as the origin of POSH. A south west dinghy racing event uses the same acronym. What does this POSH stand for?
  8. Plymouth Sound is to become the first NMP in the UK. What does NMP stand for?
  9. Another famous design by Topper/Wayfarer designer is a Proctor V. What kind of dinghy is a Proctor V?
  10. What race started from Les Sables d’Olonne on 8 November 2020?
  11. Charlotte Dobson and Saskia Tidey have been selected for the now 2021 Olympics to sail the 49erFX. Both competed in the 49erFX in the 2016 Olympics, Dobson for Great Britain and Tidey for which country?
  12. Giles Scott is hoping to scoop two big wins in 2021. What are they?

‘e’ racing is back! – from Toby Peacock

For those of you missing the cut and thrust of the racecourse, you will be pleased to hear that Toby Peacock will be reinstating our Virtual racing with a new Lockdown series of races.
As before, racing will be hosted via zoom beginning on Sunday morning (17th Jan) from 10am. Precise format and details will be sent out via the group WhatsApp and will be subject to the limits of wifi and time available, but is likely to comprise 4-5 races in various boats, with 1 discard.

For those that didn’t get involved before, participation is managed through a WhatsApp group – please contact either Andy Jones  or Toby  and they will add you. Zoom codes and details of all the racing will be published via the group.

The Virtual regatta software is free to use and you can find more details here

There are also lots of useful youtube videos to get you started, for example here but there are loads more if you get really keen!

You don’t need to race every Sunday, you can dip in and out as you wish, and the software is all free. The racing is guaranteed to be fun, plus you get a chance to encourage and coach your fellow competitors and generally indulge in sailing related banter, so please do come and join the group.

Answers to Quiz Questions

  1. Alex Knight
  2. They had to repair their mast.
  3. 60 years and it was first bought by his grandfather
  4. British Universities Sailing Association
  5. A radio controlled yacht 95 cms long
  6. The Island Sailing Club
  7. Paignton Open for Singlehanders
  8. National Marine Park
  9. An International 14
  10. The Vendee Globe
  11. The Republic of Ireland
  12. A gold in the Finn in the Olympics and the Americas Cup sailing with Sir Ben Ainslie

I hope that this news occupies a very small part of lockdown for you. Please, if you have any contribution you can make – boat projects in lockdown, extolling the virtue of your type of boat, recipes for Lake and Cake, anything really, pictures particularly welcome –send to me for the next edition.
Stay safe,

John Smalley – commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk

Proof the lake is full to overflowing. Thanks, Helen!

Committee Boat servicing!

Some flat calm days we are fortunate to have missed!

Memories of the largest single class open held since the millenium.

21/22-Jul-07 – 182 Toppers! Amazing!

Can this really be our ex-Commodore and F/F sailor??

Yes, ‘e’ racing returns this weekend. Time to start practicing Mr Appleton!

A wall of icicles – Cheddar Gorge