It may be the summer, but with the lake now thankfully free of the dreaded Blue Green stuff and fair winds and warm water there is still a lot going on, and much to update you on.
Annual Dinner and prize giving – Saturday 28-Sep-24
The Annual Dinner, Prizegiving and Celebration is happening on Saturday the 28-Sep-24 at 6pm.
The evening will feature a sumptuous meal from Ben and Antonia, great company and the opportunity to celebrate the winners of our major trophy races, including the award of our discretionary prizes like the President’s trophy and the Cruising Award. Like last year, the prize giving element of the evening will be kept short, snappy and sweet so everyone can get on with enjoying the night!
Included in the price will be a couple of bottles of wine for each table.
A short after-dinner talk will be given by the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust on their range of work in the Chew Valley – Ihis will be of interest to those lovers of our waterways, it’s nature and the ecological system.
You will get all this for the bargain price of £20 only for the evening. and tickets will be available very shortly via web collect – keep your eye on our facebook page and we will post the booking link there when available.
Start line discipline
Several members have mentioned to me recently that their start has been compromised in the final minutes of the countdown to their race by other classes awaiting a later start.
Please can I remind everyone to keep well clear of the start area if it is not your start. The best place to wait is well to leeward of the line if possible, or well outside and away from the lay lines for the approach to the start
Wingfoiling Trial
Next month sees the start of the winter Windsurfing season, commencing from Saturday 14-Sep-24 and running through to the middle of March.
This year, in response to increasing demand from our members, we have agreed with Bristol Water to permit a trial of Wingfoiling on the lake. Wingfoiling is a fast growing part of water sports with kit available for a relatively modest investment, and appeal from young to old.
For the period of the trial Club Rule 17 has been amended to read as follows:
17 SAILBOARDING & WING FOILING
Sailboarding & Wing foiling is permitted on the lake during the close season as noted on the sailing calendar and is available only to Members who otherwise register and sail a dinghy at the Club.
Boards are only permitted to remain on Club premises during the sailboard & wing foiling season and must be kept in the owner’s boat space. Boards not displaying an authorised and current Club plaque (in accordance with Bye Law 7) will be deemed not to have been registered and may be removed.
Owners & users of craft go afloat at their own risk and must be insured to third party liability with a minimum value of £2 million in accordance with Bye Law 6.
Anyone considering Wingfoiling at the club should please read the attached guidelines, which may be updated in light of experience as the trial progresses.
The trial will be reviewed when it completes in March next year, at which time it may be either adopted on a permanent basis, or the concession removed, so please do let me or other flag officers have any feedback as it progresses
Barts Bash/Family fun day
This year Bart’s Bash will be held on Sunday 15-Sep-24, with funds being raised for the Andrew Simpson Foundation ( please complete your entry and make a contribution here). This is the biggest event in world sailing, with thousands worldwide competing on handicap and the chance gauge your performance against Olympic medallists and other top sailors -that said the day is all about participation, it’s a fun, relaxed family event and so even if you dont normally race, come along and join in on this day!
As the family regatta was cancelled earlier this year due the BGA, we are this year also laying on other activities for the whole family – including a pirates fancy dress parade and treasure hunt on Denny Island (timings as shown above)
So don’t hold back, lets have lots come along and join in the fun on the day and lets see if we can be the club with the biggest participation in the UK!
Member Travels by James Williams
August is prime Championship season, with another 16 boats containing Chew members competing at a variety of Nationals and Worlds in addition to the many mentioned last month.
The Scorpions sailed out of Castle Cove for their Nationals. Ian Cadwallader & Ellie Devereux finished in 20th, with a 7th in the final race, joined by John Rose, crewing for Peter and David Bennett & Martyn Tuohy-Smith.
Damian Boreham sailed his Firefly at their Nationals at Restronguet SC and Ollie Houseman steered his National 18 (pictured below) at their UK and Ireland Championships at Royal Findhorn YC, with a best finish of 2nd in the final race.
As ever the club was well represented at the ILCA Nationals at the WPNSA, with Sarah Harding in the ILCA4, Giovanni Bianchi in the ILCA6 and Oli Allen-Wilcox best placed in 10th overall followed by Josh Morgan, Ed Baker and Peter Sherwin in the ILCA7 fleet.
On the asymmetric side, Alex Knight and James Clark ventured out to Torbole at the Northern end of Lake Garda for the I14 Worlds, finishing 12th overall in a fleet of 70, including a 5th in the penultimate race.
Paul and Harry Smalley (in their first RS200 event together) and Ed Harris (with Alex Nikoloudakis) sailed in the RS200 Nationalsat Mounts Bay, with Paul then coming part way home to sail in the RS400 Nationals at Royal Torbay YC with Anna Kerslake, finishing the week with an 8th in the final race.
Paul and Anna blast along at the RS400 Nationals – now that’s a photo!
Also sailing out of Royal Torbay a couple of weeks earlier were Martin and Emily Elms in the 2000 Nationals.
Not all events over the summer are Championships. Chris Meredith has travelled with his Solo to Starcross and Dittisham, with a consistent day at the latter giving a 4th place finish in a fleet of 36.
Our RS700 Inland Champion Rob Higgins fancied a more sedate week than usual, so jumped in a MG346 for Falmouth Week. He was also joined for the week by Dave Sweet and James Williams in a Stewart 24 Quarter Tonner (Dave sailing the latter half in an Ajax).
Andy Jones
Commodore