After our return to the water action has quickly ramped up and there has been lots going on, and lots planned.
But first, we are of course entirely dependant on Volunteers to run the huge array of activities at the club, so please take the time to read the two important updates from Mark, our duties Sec below.
Wednesday Daytime Duty Volunteers urgently needed
We are very grateful to those members who continue to undertake Wednesday daytime duties, although the number of members who have indicated availability to fulfil future Wednesday daytime duties is fast diminishing.
We now urgently need OOD and rescue helm volunteers to join the rota covering Wednesday 10am – 4pm general sailing (Note: this duty counts towards your annual tally so will mean that if you currently do weekend duties these will be reduced in frequency in the future to balance – so you may be able to join the weekend racing etc more often)
With volunteers currently at a low, we will soon be at the point where we may have to stop scheduling duties for some Wednesdays (e.g. those that are less popular for member sailing in the winter months), and members will then only be able to sail if they arrange cover on the day with other sailors to comply with our safety policy
If you are able to help and join the rosta (particularly if you are a qualified / experienced club Rescue Helm), please contact Mark Dinwoodie, the duties secretary on duties@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
General Duties Update – PLEASE READ
Thank you to those who have volunteered for duties and by doing so selected their preferrred duty type and date. Please continue to do so, as duties that you volunteer for count towards your annual total as a requirement of membership. Otherwise, if you are allocated a duty, the onus or responsibility is on you to arrange a swap via Dutyman if the date is inconvenient. If you find that you can’t do a duty and have tried to swap, please contact me as early as possible and preferably with at least 4 weeks notice and I will try to find a replacement. Requests for short notice duty volunteers, which count towards your annual duty tally are placed on the club’s facebook page.
As Duty Officer or Rescue Helm, if you are aware of a problem with one of the ribs (or Race officers in the case of the Committee Boat), as well as detailing the problem in the sailing register on the duty desk, please also email the club bosun: pb-bosun@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
The vast majority of members turn up on time and complete their duties for which the club and fellow members are very grateful. A few members however, fail to turn up for their duty without any communication. It is appreciated that on occasions this can be due to email problems or last minute emergencies. Where it isn’t, it is inconsiderate to fellow members who have to cover your absence. Those members who fail to turn up for duties will have their missed duty date reassigned to the first available duty slot. Repeated duty absentees will be brought to the attention of the General Committee.
Please ensure you are signed into the sailing register on the duties desk when you undertake a duty and ensure that you arrive in plenty of time to do your duty. We request that you arrive at least 1 hour (earlier if OOD) before the scheduled start of sailing to ensure adequate preparation. Sailing is scheduled to start at 10am on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Mark Dinwoodie Duties Sec
Pay and play Scheme Update by Dave Orme
A big shout out is due to Danielle Tinker, who has stepped forward and taken over administration of the club’s popular “Pay & Play” scheme
If you or anyone you know is interested in finding out more about booking a session, a new email address has been set up to use – payandplay@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
If you are an experienced helm and would like to support the scheme, helping our new sailors build their confidence or develop their skills (through informal coaching – this is NOT RYA training!) or introducing new people to the club and our wonderful sport, please register your interest with Danielle at the same email address above. You can claim £35 for any P&P session you deliver.
Lake and Cake by Jo Cudmore
The next Lake and Cake is on 10th August. We will not be running Ladies Trophy Day on this date as our race officer Derian is not available. I will be posting details when we have found a suitable date for her and our busy club calendar!
We hope we have sun and a gentle breeze for a wonderful sail and tea & plenty of cake on the balcony (Editors note: although perhaps the cake in the picture below of Jo’s parents wedding is a little over the top for Lake and Cake?)
Start Racing (by Chris Meredith)
The “Start Racing” Thursday evening course completed with a mini Regatta of 3 races on Thursday 25th July. Blue Green Algae and 30kt winds led to a re-worked schedule but we completed the 5 sessions with a fantastic 9-15kts regatta. Thanks go out to the attendees for their continued enthusiasm and all the volunteers, especially on Regatta night (Ruth, Simon, Damian and Steve). The next steps take the new racers into Club racing on Sundays and Wednesdays – please make them especially welcome. Finally, huge thanks to Helen Martin & James Williams for their time and experience in helping to run the course.
Wednesday evening Wind down
As in previous years we are looking for volunteers to run racing on the final Wednesday Evening of the year (21st August). This is the wind down day and doesn’t count towards the series points. Please let James know if you can help
Barts Bash/Family fun day
Bart’s Bash is in to its 11th year this year and we will be holding our race on Sunday 15th September. It is the flagship event of the Andrew Simpson Foundation, inspired by Olympic Gold and Silver medalist Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson MBE who passionately believed that everyone should have the chance to try sailing and enjoy the many benefits that it brings.
Since the first Bart’s Bash in 2013, the global sailing community has turned up in its thousands in support, with clubs across the world competing across the same weekend in what has been confirmed as the largest sailing race in the world in previous years. In the inaugural years CVLSC was one of the biggest contributors to competitors across the world. Look out for a sign up link in next month’s newsletter (registering means your result is counted world wide). We would encourage anyone to take part, even if you have never raced before!
Alongside Bart’s Bash we are hoping to put on other activities for the whole family (especially given the disappointment of having to cancel the Family Regatta in June), so mark it in your diaries and look out for some more information in the next newsletter at the end of August.
CVLSC members sail 60 miles in open topped dinghies by Simon Conway
Chew valley members Simon Conway and Graham Burgess recently completed the 60 mile sail/row (without engines) from Fort William to Inverness, sailing Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness in the process and living aboard their dinghies for 8 days straight.
If you want to make a cuppa, put your feet up and read how it went then click here.
Part one of the video documentary is available on YouTube
Member Travels by James Williams
Action from the RS100 Eurocup @ Carnac
As you might expect, CVLSC members have been travelling far and wide over the past month at a range of local and championship events. By my count the club has been represented in championship events in the last month alone by:
- 3 boats in Southern Champs
- 2 boats in Inland Champs
- 8 boats in National Champs
- 2 boats in Eurocups and
- 3 boats at World Champs
The club was represented in all three fleets at the ILCA Masters Qualifier at Weymouth, with Peter Sherwin in the ILCA7, Julien Shawyer in the ILCA6 and Sarah Harding finishing 2nd in the ILCA4 fleet. Sarah Also travelled to Rutland with around 35 others for the inaugural women’s training and racing regatta weekend. Travelling somewhat further, Ollie Allen-Wilcox and Ed Baker took part in the ILCA7 U21 World Championships at Viana do Castelo in Portugal. Solo class captain Chris Meredith took his boat to the open at Teign Corinthian YC, showing his Start Racing coaching credentials to win overall in a fleet of 15.
The symmetric spinnaker boats have also been out and about. In the Flying Fifteens, Ian Cadwallader (crewing for Ian Pinnell) and Bill Chard & Josh Preater ventured across to Strangford Lough for the British Isles Championships, with the Ians coming in second overall in a 10 race series. The same two boats also travelled to Grafham for the Inland Champs. In between the two championship events Ian stepped in to the back of the boat for the Royal Corinthian YC open, this time winning with Ellie Devereux crewing. Matt & Hannah Greenfield made the annual pilgrimage to Salcombe Merlin Week, once again finishing a creditable 14th overall in a field stacked with talent. Two Chew Fireballs were represented at their National Championships at Rock, with the ever present Derian & Andy Scott joined this year by Mark & Helen Dinwoodie. Although not boats permitted at Chew, our members have also been showing their hands in larger symmetric keelboats, with Tom Jeffcoate finishing 2nd at the Squib National Championships at the Royal Forth YC and James Williams 3rd at the Ajax Nationals (the Squib’s bigger sibling) at the Royal Harwich YC. I’m sure there are more big boat adventures I don’t know about!
David Smart took the club colours to Bala for their RS100 open, finishing in 2nd overall in very light conditions.
Elsewhere, Andy Jones took his boat to Carnac in Brittany to win his fleet and become RS100 Eurocup Champion.
Dave Sweet and Anna Mason (pictured above) also crossed the channel for the RS200 Eurocup racing, beating the RS100s on the water when the breeze was up. The RS200’s have also seen racing closer to home with Nick Martindale and Anna Gribble finishing 4th at an unsurprisingly shifty Bowmoor SC, before 4 boats travelled to Parkstone for the following South West event (Nick this time with Alice Semenenko, Martyn Stubbs & Yvonne Smith, Dave Sweet & Izzy Johnson and James Williams & Ruth Kenyon). Unfortunately the wind didn’t play ball for any Saturday racing, but Dave, Izzy, James & Ruth stayed on for the Sunday to count for the Southern Championships, with James & Ruth 7th overall in a 35 boat fleet. The Southern Championships was shared with the RS400 fleet, with Paul Smalley and Anna Kerslake sailing consistently to also finish 7th in their fleet.
Not forgetting the faster end of the spectrum, Alex Knight finished a windy Prince of Wales race in his I14 with Rob Higgins as part of the National Championship week at Royal Torbay, followed by a tour of Chichester Harbour for the I14 Gallon Trophy at Itchenor with James Clark. One of our newest members Connor Miller sailed in a 73 boat fleet at the Musto Skiff World Championships at Weymouth while Paul Croote finished a close 2nd at the Cherub National Championships held out of Dale YC in South West Wales (RO’d by our very own Arky Wainwright who has taken charge of more events than I can count this year across the country).
Lynne Adams
Finally, members that recall Lynne Adams from her time at the club will be interested to see the article here and details of a ride that took place in her memory and to raise funds for the Brain Tumour research charity (just giving page linked in article)
Andy Jones
Commodore