Sailing and Social Report 05-Apr-20

The lake and Committee Boat were still there today!

Sailing Club News – Sunday 05-Apr-20

I am sure many of you would have been looking forward to a sail today – a warm fresh breeze and sunshine – these are strange times we are living through. On a more cheerful note, Helen and the Club security rota team tell me the fly infestation seems worse than ever! At least we won’t be swallowing flies!

Update from Helen

I wonder how it has been for you this week. For me the reality of a different way of life, albeit temporary, has rather hit home. Living very close to Chew, I am pleased to contribute to the “security rota”, it is lovely to visit the site – very beautiful and very quiet, but it feels odd especially on the days when it would have been buzzing.
What is the security rota? Local members, as part of their daily exercise, visit the club on a rota to check the dinghy park and clubhouse. The local Police Community Support Officers are checking the outer gate on their rounds and Bristol Water rangers take in the club when they can.
Thank you to everyone who has already renewed membership and boat registration fees. Please help Rosie, our wonderful Membership Secretary, by renewing now. If you want to renew but aren’t in a position to pay at the moment, email her for instructions for your Webcollect account, membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk.
Sadly, we may be out of action for some time. We will of course be aware of that when we consider next year’s subs etc.
On a positive note……. Virtual Racer is up and running, first trial race on Sunday. Detail of how to participate above /below

To the members involved in essential services, thank you.
To all of you, I wish you good health, humour and creativity in managing these extraordinary times.
Helen
commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk

Virtual Racer Inshore

A growing group of us have been getting our ‘fix’ of racing from this app. – follow the link https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/inshore-game/

You can find more information by clicking – https://www.rya.org.uk/Pages/virtual-regatta.aspx

Andy Jones has been the instigator and he sent this update:-

Chew Virtual Racing Series

Well we can’t sail BUT… a group of almost 20 intrepid sailors this weekend locked horns in the first Sunday Virtual race series using an online platform called Virtual Regatta. This was very much a test event although everyone confirmed that it was a lot of fun, suitably chaotic and well worth repeating again – an additional zoom conference that ran alongside allowed sailors to interact and try to distract whoever was in the lead, with the top slots being as hotly contested as you would expect!
Sailing at venues around the world including San Francisco and Sydney, and with entries including notable ex-member Andy Harris in Australia, the final outcome was controversially tipped in favour of the consistent Toby Peacock (woozle) when the race management (Andy J) forgot to screenshot the results of the last race!
So, if you too would like to join the fun, either as a racer or to find out what’s going on, first thing to do is message me, Andy on 07720412505, and I will arrange to add you to the What’s App group and keep you informed of future events. We can then help you out if you experience any problems or have questions.
You then simply need to set up your individual profile on Virtual Regatta (Virtual Regatta app available for phones and tablets by that name, desktop website also). You don’t need to pay anything, it’s free to use unless you start getting serious!
Once you have done that you can get some practice for our club events if you wish by competing in the open racing events, which run continuously on the platform.
Our current plans are to hold regular Sunday racing from around 11am, and also to start our Weds evening series beginning this week with a series of races starting via the virtual platform. Keep an eye on the Whatsapp group for more details, zoom codes and race entry codes etc
Races are limited to 20 max at any one time, which may prove a constraint, but we are just working through how we might manage that so hopefully everyone that wants to can be included…..
We will hope to see you on the ‘virtual water’
Andy

What I can tell you is that the ‘virtual’ racing does a most passable job of imitating the real thing. There are different series you can enter, using different boats from the non-spinnaker Star to the crazily fast 49er. You experience the jockeying for position during a 1 minute start sequence, a standard windward/leeward course with windward spacer mark and leeward gate, and penalties inflicted on your boat if you infringe boat-on-boat, or mark-rounding rules. (This involves your boat being slowed for a time interval – most annoying! You soon learn not to break the rules!) There is a short tutorial available when you sign up which I would recommend you take……
Earlier today notable for her resounding success was Anna Mason – a revelation in the virtual racing world – well done Anna!

Dragonflite 95s

There must be so many of you ‘boat bimblers’ out there whose fingers are just itching to get to grips with some tricky line length measuring and knot tying – what better way to deal with this than to set up a Dragonflite model yacht?!
Avid readers will be aware that the members who have already bought into this craze have been sailing them on Wednesdays. I realise that is not possible now, but never fear, there are 5 rigs to buy and set up – ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ and you’ve guessed, ‘E’!
The pic shows a construction in progress and the finished article.
RC Yachts, and many other RC sail suppliers are all still carrying on with mail orders.
A new boat complete is around £320; rigs around £80 – but both need much measuring and nimble fingered knot tying – sorry F/F sailors! What better way to keep busy??

‘Lakeless & cake’ (or ‘non-lake’ & cake)

Saturday 11-Apr-20 was to be the ladies first lake & cake get-together at the club of 2020. Instead they are having an ‘Zoom’ visual catch-up & chat at 4pm. If you would like to join in please let Rosie know rosie.bowers@btinternet.com so we can set-up your invite.

Finally I hope you may agree that it is good in these times to keep the News going – if only to remind us of the Sailing Club. If that is going to happen I need some copy from you budding writers – what are you doing to stay sane during the isolation. Also pictures please…..
Keep healthy and stay safe.
John Smalley – vice-commodore@chewvalleysailing.co.uk

Dragonflite 95s

There must be so many of you ‘boat bimblers’ out there whose fingers are just itching to get to grips with some tricky line length measuring and knot tying – what better way to deal with this than to set up a Dragonflite model yacht?!
Avid readers will be aware that the members who have already bought into this craze have been sailing them on Wednesdays. I realise that is not possible now, but never fear, there are 5 rigs to buy and set up – ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ and you’ve guessed, ‘E’!
The pic shows a construction in progress and the finished article.
RC Yachts, and many other RC sail suppliers are all still carrying on with mail orders.
A new boat complete is around £320; rigs around £80 – but both need much measuring and nimble fingered knot tying – sorry F/F sailors! What better way to keep busy??

‘Lakeless & cake’ (or ‘non-lake’ & cake)

Saturday 11-Apr-20 was to be the ladies first lake & cake get-together at the club of 2020. Instead they are having an ‘Zoom’ visual catch-up & chat at 4pm. If you would like to join in please let Rosie know rosie.bowers@btinternet.com so we can set-up your invite.

Finally I hope you may agree that it is good in these times to keep the News going – if only to remind us of the Sailing Club. If that is going to happen I need some copy from you budding writers – what are you doing to stay sane during the isolation. Also pictures please…..
Keep healthy and stay safe.
John Smalley – vice-commodore@chewvalleysailing.co.uk