I haven’t been around to visit the club recently but hope everyone is well and enjoying some good sailing. There is much of importance to update you on with this news and so, without further ado
Access Road Closure 10/11-Feb-22
Please note that BANES will be resurfacing some stretches of our access road, repairing the potholes and making good some of the wear and tear their building works has caused. Unfortunately the work will necessitate the complete closure of our access road at the end of next week and so members will be unable to get any access to the club from Walley Court Road on Thursday 10th or Friday 11th February.
If you need to access your boat to travel to an event that weekend please take note and collect it during the week before the work commences
Anyone wanting to access the club on those days should please park at Woodford Lodge and can access the club from there over the style by the lakeside
Recreational Trail Update
Work on the recreational trail continues to progress, and we have been in close liaison with our landlords, Bristol Water and BANES on the impacts for the club, particularly in respect of the crossing point over our access road. BANES recently provided details of the proposed road safety signage and traffic calming at the point where the sailing club road and CVRT meet.
We have previously expressed some concerns about the safety of the crossing and some thoughts on measures to prevent trail users speeding onto the road to the project team. The current design proposal has been produced by B&NES and reviewed by their highways safety engineer as well as both B&NES / BW project teams.
While there may still be a few small changes I attach below the drawing showing what is proposed – please do let me know if you have any comments or concerns and I will ensure these are passed onto the project team.
BUSA Team Racing Qualifiers
Sat 05-Feb-22 and Sunday 06-Feb-22
This weekend sees us host the BUSA team racing qualifiers with over 100 sailors attending across a whirlwind of 120 races, weather permitting.
- Like all competitors, we are requesting that all members attending the club this weekend undertake a LFT to help minimise any risk if virus transmission.
- Car parking will be busy, please park tidily and follow any instructions given by the duty team
- Any members needing to launch from the Southern slipway should liaise with the event beach master who will clear the pontoon and help arrange unencumbered launching
- Please speak in the first instance with the duty team should you experience any problems, they will do their best to assist you
RYA First Aid Course – Saturday 12-Mar-22
There are two spaces available on the March first aid course running at the club from 0930 to 1700. The cost will be £25 to include the current first aid manual and cerificate valid for 3 years. Students are advised not to wear their best clothes as they will be kneeling or laying on the floor.
You can book and pay for the course on webcollect or alternatively please contact jeffstratford@btinternet.com
Clubhouse Improvements
Various areas of the clubhouse will be receiving attention in the coming weeks with plastering and decorating work taking place in the Bar, Club Room and Mens Changing Room.
This will potentially mean some slight disruption and while we will try to minimise any impact on sailing days, please bear with us
Club Bar
I am sure the excellent job being done by Nick Martindale, Ruth Kenyon and their supporting army of bar volunteers wont have escaped your attention. Thanks are due in particular to Ruth and Nick for the work they have already done renovating the furniture in the bar and there are now more plans well underway to further freshen up the area for 2022.
Pay and Play 2022
Call to all experienced club helms.
The requests for “Pay & Play” sessions are already beginning to roll in, so it’s time to kick off the scheme for 2022.
As a reminder for those unfamiliar with the scheme, “Pay & Play” is an informal CVLSC scheme that helps members improve and develop their skills and introduces non members to sailing via taster sessions.
Experienced helms can help deliver the scheme, subject to a simple approval from the sailing committee, and are able to claim £35 towards their expenses
So, if you are an experienced helm please let our training principal, Dave Orme, know or ask any questions at training.cvlsc@gmail.com
Junior and Youth sailing 2022
I am delighted to be able to confirm some new faces across our Junior and Youth Training Group Roles. Huge thanks are due to those that are standing down and taking a well earned breather, Nick Edmonds, Toby Peacock, and Philippa Power
- Michael Dennis is now the CVLSC Youth Coordinator
- Lacopo Bianchi the Topper race/improver group
- Angus Penrice is continuing as a Chew Crew Organiser
- The Feva training will continue to be organised by Clare Sheahan
- Other plans afoot include a return to Team Racing and a Youth Laser training group. More news on all these activities in the coming weeks.
The biggest challenge at the moment is to find additional organisers and instructors for Chew Crew. Can I ask that anyone interested in either role to contact both Michael Dennis at youth@chewvalleysailing.org.uk and Angus Penrice chewcrew@chewvalleysailing.org.uk.
As a Chew Crew Organiser you don’t need sailing experience but do need to be good at coordinating activities on the day, and booking instructors, confirming attendee numbers in advance etc. To be able to extend the program through the summer, and potentially increase the number of attendees on Sundays by using the afternoons, we will need a number of organisers/coordinators. We are also likely to be limited by available instructors. If you are a RYA Dinghy Instructor, or a sailor keen to learn how to instruct then contact Michael and Angus as well. The current plan is to organise an Assistant Instructor course in April to allow parents and other club members who are sailors, but not fully qualified Dinghy Instructors, to be able to help out on the water.
We are expecting Chew Crew to be oversubscribed again this year. Bookings will open later in the year once the program has been agreed once organiser and instructor numbers are known. Although every parent will need to help over the course of the sessions, the only way of guaranteeing a spot on the program at the moment is to volunteer as either a coordinator or instructor.
Tony Pinnegar
Once again, I find myself having to pass on more sad news about a long-standing Club member, Tony Pinnegar, who passed away on 14-Jan-22 aged 85.
Tony was a shining example of the perfect gentleman who, like his widow Naomi, held strong Christian beliefs.
For many years they gave up their Christmas Day celebrations to work in the Soup Kitchens feeding the homeless; that was their way of celebrating Christmas by helping the needy of the community.
Shortly after joining Chew, Tony started to use his energy and enthusiasm on our club committees – he was sailing secretary from 2000-2003 and then went on to work on the Rear Commodore’s house and grounds committee until 2005. He enjoyed helping out at the massive Junior July weeks at that time and was a willing volunteer for the Solo fleet at open meetings.
Tony loved his sailing; especially so whilst racing, when most of the Solo sailors at that time ended up looking at his transom!
John Smalley remembers when the ‘new’ FRP Winder Solos appeared on the scene, and he often found himself at the front of the fleet. One Sunday he and Tony swapped boats for a Sunday’s racing. Despite handing John his beautiful black, wooden Solo, Tony emerged victorious in the Winder!
Tony also gave so much of his time to us Wednesday social sailors by giving practical advice on improving our sailing techniques and joining in on our many social events.
The best way I can sum up is by saying that Tony touched and improved the lives of so many people with his strong Christian beliefs, his very placid
demeanour, his sailing skills and his (and Naomi’s) friendly approach to all members at all times.
He leaves a widow Naomi who was devoted to him.
The funeral is to be held on 12.00 noon 10-Feb-22
at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Julian Road, Bath. No Flowers please, donations to International Red Cross
Brian Brooks
On the Road
Braving icy conditions our racing members continue to perform well on the winter open circuits:
At the King George Gallop Oliver Houseman + crew finished 16th overall in their national 18, while James Williams and Sarah came 22nd. sailing their RS200 in a fleet of 73.
Andy Jones
Commodore