The newest boat at the Club??!

Sailing Club News – Friday 28-Aug-20

Although I have been away enjoying a break in sunny (yes – sunny!) Scotland, I have still been sending out the booking emails, and enjoyed seeing that so many of you have been taking advantage of the opportunities to sail. As ever, the numbers tend to be weather forecast dependant, and sessions are very seldom over-subscribed. Sundays and Wednesdays have proved the most popular with between 50-80 members booked each day.

Sailing Bank Holiday Monday

Yes, the booking email has been sent for sailing this weekend, including BH Monday. However, we would very much appreciate a volunteer to act as OOD for the day – 10.00-16.00. If you would be prepared to do this, please contact me on 07817 025139, or Tom Skailes on 07809 877591

Return to Sailing Phase 3

From the end of lockdown our small Covid team of Helen, Andy Jones and myself have been in almost daily contact to keep abreast of government and RYA guidelines, to monitor what is happening at the Club as we have moved through Phases 1 and 2 of our Return to Sailing. We also have to consider the now growing number of requests for various activities from the Club’s diverse membership. At the same time we have a ‘Clubhouse’ group who have been meeting to determine what can happen within the Club, including the very welcome return of Rob in the galley, and how to manage this. Lately we have also taken advice from Tom Skailes as Dutyman starts to play more of a role in allocating and informing members of forthcoming duties.

Our Phase 3 trial will commence on Saturday 05-Sep-20

The main changes will be:-

  • Removing the two time slots for each sailing day. Members will be able to book to sail and can choose when they arrive and leave, but within the outer time limits.

Given the numbers we have seen so far we don’t think the club will be over-crowded and we believe this will spread out the arrival, launch, recovery and departure times, and allow more flexibility for members to sail when it suits them.

  • The three sailing days, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday will operate the same sailing hours – 10.00 – 16.00. The end time of 16.00 is to be considered the ‘off the water time’.
  • There will be one duty team allocated per day. The intention is that this will continue to be one OOD with two RBHs, one of whom should be additionally dedicated as the tractor driver (as at present).

Duty teams will still be drawn from those who have already sailed in a session.

  • Racing will still happen on Sundays, although the format may be changed. Race Officer teams will also be selected, again concentrated on those who have participated to date.
  • The Sailing Area limitation will be removed with the proviso that the day’s Duty Team may choose to impose a limited area if they deem it necessary.

We anticipate we will also see more training taking place involving both our own and occasionally authorised visiting groups, and of course our two large University groups due to return in September.

As we move into the colder months consideration of possible sites where sailors could change out of the elements is happening.

Some words from Helen

  • None of us really know the consequences of youngsters going back to school, good thing though it is. Our “Covid secure” measures and expectations remain exactly the same so please keep checking the ‘Instructions to members’ and ‘Rescue / OOD guidance’. They will change again soon; we are in the process of updating them in line with phase 3.
  • Water levels have dropped even further – take great care please sailors and rib drivers. If you are on the club members Facebook, you may have seen Paul’s dramatic footage!
  • The sailing area is still limited and those of you that have followed all the newsletters will of course understand the reasons, please respect that and the duty teams.
  • There is an interesting reflections on assessing and managing the risks with double handed sailing from Ian Walker, RYA Director of Racing – I would recommend that you watch – Return to Play Guidance
  • Congratulations to Ollie Wilcox, junior member, who is now the ILCA 4 (laser 4.7) national champion. Racing over 2 days at WPNSA, in a fleet of 50 he counted 3 firsts and 2 third places.

The more mature laser sailors at Chew have really enjoyed having so many of the youth sailors joining in club racing, formal and informal, with such enthusiasm and good humour – please keep sailing.

Back to Racing Series

This has now reached a total of 8 races and Bill Chard is keeping the website updated with results.
In the fast handicap races, Rob Higgins in his flashy Ferrari red RS700 is leading the way, followed by Derian and Andy Scott in their Fireball and Colin Evans in the Finn. 26 different boats have started at least one race.
The Slower handicap has been a mostly Solo affair. Now they may be slow, but things are tight at the top with Chris Goldhawk leading the way from Steve Penfold, Dave Oakey and Toby Peacock.
As always, the list of Lasers in the results is long! The face at the top of the pile is well familiar – Pete Sherwin is narrowly ahead of Ed Baker and Austen Milner. An amazing 43 boats have taken part at some stage – that is at least as far as can be determined due to the perpetual problem of many not being able to remember their sail numbers. If you are ever stuck behind someone at a till who can’t remember their pin, ask if they sail a Laser!!

Mercury Macklin & Melvin Watts Trophies and Anniversary Cup

The Sailing Committee are hoping that these trophies, originally planned to be sailed on Sunday 6th September, will still happen over two consecutive Sundays, the 06-Sep-20 and 13-Sep-20.
The Age related trophies will be sailed for using the same two-race format as we have been using in the Back to racing series on the 6th.
The Anniversary Cup will use a 75% PY format pursuit race on the 13-Sep-20.
Hopefully a socially distanced prizegiving may be possible after the pursuit race.
Look out for more detail in the booking emails for those Sundays.

Radio Sailing

I am pleased to say this is progressing with John Spelman joining the ranks of DF95 racers.
John Shimell sent the picture of his new, coloured sail – essential for him to identify his boat which we all hope will enable him to abide better by the rules (his excuse was that he was sometimes uncertain which boat he was steering!)

Dry Robes

I do not have shares in the companies manufacturing these things, but I can confirm as a ‘user’, that they may well become an essential for open air changing as the weather becomes cooler and wetter! As the pictures show, there are several different makes and they are suited to adults and children alike. On our recent holiday, wrapping cold grandsons in them not only warmed them up but helped to prevent the inside of my car turning into a beach!

Hope to see lots of you taking advantage of our lovely lake this Bank Holiday weekend – it’s got to be better than hitting the roads! Keep watching for the sailing booking emails.

John Smalley – vice-commodore@chewvalleysailing.co.uk

Running repairs!

Rob Hatherell inspecting the renovation

Waybarging from Saltash out to Bovisand

The Wayfarer cabin!

John Shimell’s new DF95 sail

Guess who is modelling these fancy Dry Robes – a matching pair!

They also fit children

They also fit children