Happy new year! I hope everyone was able to enjoy the festive period, albeit it seems to be receding rapidly in the rear view mirror.
There was a packed social calendar in the run up to Christmas, and great to see members enjoying themselves at the Christmas breakfast and lunch, while those hardy souls that braved the freezing temperatures saw John Smalley lift the Tap Trophy in his K1, and Ollie Wilcox in his radial win an extremely competitive Resolution Trophy in a race where seconds separated the top 8 overall.
Sailing Update
While training activity awaits warmer times, we are now two weekends into our Frostbite series racing.
The new frostbite format sees two back to back races start from 11am, allowing us to return ashore and enjoy a warming lunch from the galley while ruminating over where it all went wrong.
Looking forward, the sailing committee are already well advanced in planning next years calendar, with a fantastic range of events scheduled.
First up will be the BUSA Western Area Team racing qualifiers over the weekend of 4/5-Feb-21 the club will therefore be a hive of activity that weekend with our general sailing, and racing on Sunday also continuing. As is the norm for these large events, we are requiring that all student competitors and members coming to the club that weekend confirm a negative LFT, and adhere to the clubs covid guidelines. Any members needing to launch from the southern pontoon while the team racing is going on should please speak with the event ‘beachmaster’ who will help arrange a suitable gap in proceedings.
A host of other events are also being planned and although there may still be some changes you can get an early view of what to anticipate by clicking the sailing calendar.
Frostbite membership
For those of you with friends at clubs that may not offer sailing over the winter, don’t forget they can still join us for the frostbite series racing and keep their boat at the club for the bargain price of £69. Please do encourage them to come and experience racing at the best inland water in the South West!
Pizza Evening – Antonia’s Deli Update
Hello to everyone and Happy New Year:)
Now Christmas is over and done with… we want to celebrate the arrival of the new pizza oven with a monthly pizza night!
They will be held on the last Wednesday of the month with the first on 26-Jan-22 from 17:30-19:30. Eat-in or take away. Nick has kindly offered to open the bar and we are trying to organise some ongoing entertainment too so watch this space!
Feel free to pre-order by popping us a message on antoniasdeli@protonmail.com (but not essential)
We will pop up reminders on Facebook along with a menu. Hope to see you there!
Antonia & ben
Costly accidents….
Inevitably mistakes happen and things occasionally get damaged. Over the past few months our valued bosun, Steve Turner, and our pontoon maestro Simon Conway, have had to spend considerable time, and several thousand pounds, repairing damaged RIB props, a RIB hull and the walk ashore to the pontoon.
I hope that by raising awareness we can reduce the likelihood of damage recurring, so here’s a couple of areas of immediate focus…please bear them in mind, let’s all work together to try and eradicate these:
RIB drivers – please take extra care around the edge of the lake, coming into the pontoons and when you are manoeuvring them on the trailers.
Users of the southern pontoon – please assist the duty teams and ensure that the walk ashore is pulled clear of the water at the end of each day
Club Chandlery
Did you know, the club has a small supply of sailing ropes of various diameters at reduced cost which can be used by members as needed?
The smaller diameter ropes are kept on a stand in the buoy storage room and the larger diameters in the rear of the garage. The prices are attached to the stand as too are scissors. Please measure off the required length and pay the cost to the OOD in the same way a a cost for hire of the club boats.
Road Closure
Please note the road across the dam near Salt & Malt is closed from Monday 10-Jan-22 to 25-Mar-22, so a diversion will be required for members that approach the club from that way
Lost
On Sunday 02-Jan-22 a member accidentally dropped a yellow sailing watch (as picture) and a woolly hat either in the car park or in the changing room. If you came across this please let me know and I will put you in touch with the owner.
December caption competition – the winner
Thanks to those that entered the December caption competition and well done to the winner John Kelly, who made me chuckle with:
Andy Jones
Commodore
Ollie Wilcox sailed brilliantly to narrowly win the Resolution Trophy
Tables set for the Christmas lunch
Competition in the frostbite series is hotting up with close fleet racing guaranteed
The group that visited denny island before Christmas to sing carols and say farewell to family and friends