Wednesday Evening pre-fight!
Sailing Club News 25th April 2019
There was an awesome almost 60 boat turnout for Wednesday evening’s race this week – and lots of sunburned faces after the Easter Bank Holiday heatwave! Hopefully we will see the numbers increase as the series progresses.
Membership Renewals
Membership renewals were due on 1st April. If you haven’t renewed your membership and intend to do so, please renew before the end of this month. The 2018/19 memberships have now expired.
If you can’t find your Membership Renewal Email, or want guidance, please let the Membership Secretary know – Rosie can be contacted on membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Lake & Cake – Sat 13-Apr-19
There was an excellent turnout for the first Lake & Cake of 2019. 14 boats (12 Lasers & 2 Toppers) out on the water as the ladies sailed in a group around the lake in both directions to blow away any winter cobwebs, and the cold Siberian wind didn’t deter anyone. Then, as is lake & cake custom, after a couple of hours sailing, everyone headed to the bar for tea, savouries, and delicious homemade cakes. Many thanks to the Duty and Rescue boat team for their support.
The next lake & cake is on Sat 11th May, meet in the bar at 1.45. Rosie will send out an email reminder nearer the time. If you would like to be added the email distribution list (there are always new people to join in) please contact Rosie on rosie.bowers@btinternet.com
Cruising / Recreational Sailing – Sail and Ale!
Saturday 27t-Apr-19 is the first Sail & Ale afternoon. Come along for sailing, capsizing or even if you just want to say hello in the bar, you are all more than welcome. We will be there from mid-morning to have a leisurely sail round the lake assuming that there is some wind. If it’s considered to be too windy by my crew (Ann), then the Quest will remain in the boat park and I will go out in the Kuba as I don’t mind capsizing and giving the rescue ribs some exercise.
There is no itinerary regarding sailing apart from meeting in the bar at 3pm for Ale, tea, soft drink, cake and a chat.
For anybody who cannot make this Saturday the next Sail & Ale will be on Saturday 25-May-19. We will set up a further couple of dates ready to publish in a future sailing report.
We sincerely hope that as many of you as possible can come along so that we can start to build up a good sized sailing and social group who enjoy both the sailing and the social chit chat. It’s been estimated that approx. half the club membership are recreational sailors,and until recently have had no representation on the sailing committee, which is why we are here to listen to your views and suggestions on what you would like to get out of the club.
Come along on Saturday and share your views with us. We are good at listening!
Windfinder and the Met.Office are predicting a somewhat breezy day(!!) so if anybody is being put off, what about cleaning your dinghy, boat maintenance or perhaps cutting the grass round your boat space. We will still be here regardless and yes I will be cleaning both boats plus cutting the grass.
Hope to see you in the afternoon around 3pm.
I still haven’t decided what size cake to bring yet so if you intend to come along let us know on either of the following emails – chris.platts12@gmail.com or cruising@chewvalleysailing.org.ok
Chris & Ann – CVLSC Cruising Representatives
Fleet Day/Class race Day 1 – Sunday 05-May-19
This will follow the pattern of a ‘normal’ Class Race Day – one race in the morning starting at 11.00, and two in the afternoon.
The difference is that your various fleets may organise some training in the morning. This will still allow you to take part in and qualify by sailing the two afternoon races.
CALLING ALL Chew Mirrors (and there are LOTS in the dinghy park)
Sunday 05-May-19 the Mirror Class Association have been invited to join in with our Class Race Day as an Open Meeting – Entry for Chew members £10 – there will be prizes! We hope that a few visiting boats may come, but in any event, please dust off your red sailed beauty to join in the fun! There should be one race in the morning and two in the afternoon with a prize giving at the end of the day. Contact Paul Nicholls for details – paul.nichols@shell.com
Have a go at Team Racing – Bank Holiday Monday 06-May-19
This represents a unique, new opportunity for all of us to get some training, and then experience some actual team racing. Jim Rosser from Clifton College is keen to encourage club members to try our hand at what we watch the University groups do throughout the winter.
This will be a full day of training and friendly racing open to all (max 14 sailors). Come as a helm/crew pair, full team, or individual. Please use the application form
Jim also has offered a “turn up and team race” evening on Thursday 16-May-19 from 18.00 onward.
New Members Day – Saturday 11-May-19
The Sailing and General Committees are looking forward to meeting you.
There will be a second hand sailing kit ‘sale’ – bring along any out-grown gear or stuff that is in 2018 colours – you know how fashion conscious we dinghy sailor are…..
If you have joined the club since May last year and haven’t received your invitation please contact Anna Mason,
new-memb@chewvalleysailing.org.uk.
PUSH THE BOAT OUT DAY – Saturday 18-May-19
We share a wonderful pastime and belong to a fantastic club. We need you to help us showcase sailing and our club, and potentially gain new members – please come along and support this great day.
We’re looking for volunteers for a number of roles:-
- Helms to provide sailing taster sessions either in the club’s boats or your own.
- Meeters and greeters.
- On shore dinghy demonstrators to show visitors the different types of dinghies at the club, and the basic sailing controls.
- Launch and recovery helpers.
Contact Andrew Martyn-Johns
Tel: 07785 331512. vice-president@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Powerboat Training
There are four places still available on PB2 course on 25th May and 1st June – please book via webcollect.
Also four places are still available on the RYA First Aid course on 15th June – please book via webcollect.
We would still very much like to have a complete windsurfer for our Advanced Rescue Helm training. If you have an old one lying in the garage please contact Jeff Stratford – jeffstratford@btinternet.com
A note from the Dutyman duty man
Wouldn’t it be great if you could choose your duty dates, instead of being rostered randomly on inconvenient dates? Well, actually you can! And as there’s around 1100 duties to be rostered across a season, volunteering for duties helps the duties team immensely.
The full range of duty slots to the end of 2019-20 season is up on the system ready for you to choose from. We are rostered to the end of July, although there are some vacant slots up to then to choose from, but after that there’s plenty of choice. This can all be done by using the ‘volunteer for a duty’ facility in Dutyman.
Things to bear in mind:
- Most members will do an average of 2-3 duties across a season
- Wednesday evening race duties are for those taking part in the race series, and aren’t counted towards your annual duty tally
- Wednesday daytime and Thursday evening Rescue/OOD duties are only suitable for Rescue Helms
- Rescue Helm, Race Officer and Senior ARO duties require experience/training
- If you make a mistake and can’t unravel it, contact us on duties@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
to sort it out - See the Dutyman tab on the CVLSC website for more guidance
CVLSC Duties – Tom Skailes.
Forward planning and the future (from Helen, Commodore)
The Directors and General Committee believe we should be looking ahead, five to ten years. A small forward planning group has started looking at the wider picture using some research from the RYA about societal trends, where sailing ‘fits’ and what the future might look like. We can then consider Chew – where we are, where we want to be and how to get there. This is still at a very early stage at the moment, but a much wider discussion with members is planned in due course. Watch this space…
Lost and found – a heart warming tale!
All too often we hear stories of things going missing from the club, but I am delighted to report the return of my racing compass. I must have dropped it from my bag between the changing rooms and car sometime on Wednesday last week. I realised within 10 minutes and searched all over for it, as well as making enquiries at the galley and race hut to see if it had been handed in. With nothing found, I left the club rather disappointed – but my faith was fully restored this week to find that it had been handed in, and was sitting on the duty officer’s desk awaiting return.
It is really heartening to know this happened, and a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone concerned in making its return possible. It is a wonderful endorsement of the spirit of a members’ club to know this happened.
Simon Chapman. Solo 5843.
Please address any general sailing queries to:
John Smalley, vice-commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk