Sailing Club News – Friday 10-Jun-21
As we hope to move out of Covid restrictions, there are signs of the old life returning. Not only can we use our changing rooms – there are number limits, but we will see fewer bare bodies in the car park(!) – as this news shows, members are travelling to events, and we have our first open meeting for more months than I can count this Saturday.
On behalf of the committees, I apologise for the inconvenience as we see the new lift gradually appearing at the front of the clubhouse, and hopefully the Gazebo on the lake side of the Training Room where we already have a new patio area. Also there will shortly be news of a new data collecting barrier by the signing in hut…. no more need to sign in perhaps – watch this space. AND a replacement weather station has arrived and is awaiting fixing in position.
All the more reason to hurry up renewing your membership….. In fact as the picture shows, those at the Club a couple of weeks ago were treated to a Bagpipe rendition of Scotland the Brave (amongst others) from a young prospective new member. In fact anyone around the lake at the time will have enjoyed the melodies from this impromptu performance. Perhaps playing a musical instrument should be a condition of membership…
Membership Renewal – 01-Jul-21
The Renewal Emails were sent out last week to our 2020-21 memberships which are due for renewal by 01-Jul-21. Thank you to everyone who has renewed already.
If you intend to renew but haven’t done so yet please can you renew before the 1st July. Renewal is for 9 months (1July– 31March) and your subscription & boat fees reduced by 25%.
If you haven’t received your renewal email please let the membership secretary know – Rosie can be contacted on membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
A request for Duty volunteers from Tom Skailes
Please could you do a call for volunteers for the following duties:
Rescue Crews x 1 each for Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th
Rescue Helm and Crew for Saturday 19th
Rescue Helm x 2 for Saturday 26th
Finally, Tom tells me he will ‘open up’ the duty lists for July – September shortly enabling members to select their preferred dates.
Racing News – Andy Jones
We are now well into our racing season and already news is filtering through of success on the Nationals circuit, with Paul and Harrison Smalley finishing a brilliant 9th overall in the Restronguet Mirror National Championship from a star studded field, with Paul and Gabriel Nichols coming in a very credible 32nd.
An equally impressive performance was put in by Rosie and Susie Sheahan at the recent Hayling Island Feva Nationals. From a large fleet of 85 boats they qualified for the gold fleet racing in 16th place and then posted a great first day in gold to be right among the pace-setters. While they couldn’t quite maintain that brilliance they still came home 16th overall, only narrowly behind double Olympic medallist Simon Hiscocks and a position that shows that on their day they can surely beat anyone.
Closer to home, the Spring Series racing has now drawn to a close, with several fleets decided only by a small number of points and in one case, on countback. The new series commences this Sunday, with the all in handicap Admirals Chase starting at 11am also incorporating this week the Steve Morris Trophy. Racing for the Admirals chase series will be over a conventional course, while in the afternoons we revert back to separate fleet starts for the Summer series, with windward leeward and conventional course options for the handicap fleet.
Also this weekend it will be great to see our first open meeting for some considerable time, with what I hope will prove a strong fleet of Lasers and Solos competing on Saturday over three races. With the Police nationals also starting mid week, and the Feva inlands later in the month the racing season really will be in full swing.
Meanwhile, the Wednesday evening series rolls on and looks to be heating up nicely across all the fleets.
Other sailing:
Of course there is much more than racing going on.
The Thursday Improvers and popular Start Racing series continues over coming weeks. If you want to come along and give some racing a go this is a great way to ease yourself in; with input from Nick Martindale and Derian Scott you couldn’t be in better hands and I can guarantee you will improve your sailing.
It’s also been great to see the CLADs sailors enjoying time on the lake recently, and don’t forget also the ever popular Lake and cake sessions on Saturdays – details of this and everything going on are in the club calendar!
Buddy Sailing and Safety
One of the consequences of the last year has been an increased desire for members to access our waters for sailing. Under the terms of our lease we cannot sail all week but there are some days, for example Thursdays during the day, when it would potentially be possible to sail. One of the challenges faced is that we have no desire to increase the burden of duties already rostered between our club members and so we have been thinking through how we can support such informal sailing while maintaining high levels of safety.
Our club safety policy already includes arrangements for sailing in benign conditions when, subject to the outcome of a risk assessment and ‘benign’ conditions, a single RIB crewed by a suitably qualified helm, and crew can provide safety cover on the lake (although two RIBs must always be launched in case of mechanical failure).
The existing policy has been further clarified and expanded in a new “Buddy sailing and safety’ policy to allow for groups of sailors to sail subject to a risk assessment on each day and the provision of un-rostered rescue. I must stress this is not a relaxation of the existing policy, it is simply an interpretation and clarification of the requirements when formal RIB cover is not rostered.
Details of the policy and its application, for those interested in potentially using it, are on our website in the club documents section and linked here.
Please do take care to complete the required documents and follow the guidelines should you sail under this arrangement; safety remains paramount and obviously we will be keeping an eye on how it is applied and may make any changes in the future we feel needed.
Powerboat Training News from Jeff Stratford
We are slowly returning to a new normal. On the 22nd, 29th and 31st May-21 we ran the full RYA first aid course with 14 people gaining the 3 year certificate. Due to current restrictions we are limited to 5 students per course – we wait to see what happens on the 21st June. Thanks to Sharon for running the courses.
We have also returned to powerboat training and are currently halfway through a PB2 course. Numbers are reduced currently to six students per course which everyone prefers. Again, we wait to see what happens on the 21-Jun-21.
Currently we have suspended the advanced rescue helm safety course as it involves numerous close contacts. Hopefully the 21-Jun-21 will enable these amazing ‘add-ons’ to the PB2 to re-start.
RYA Level 1/Level 2 Course Completion
Congratulations to Jennifer Bodde, Lucy Edwards, Andrea Laity, Anna Ellis and Christi Foster who all successfully completed their combined RYA Level 1 and Level 2 RYA beginners’ course on the 5th June.
The stormy weather in mid to late May provided a bit of a baptism of fire, but once it had blown through the conditions settled down to become nearly ideal for the course.
My big shout out to the team of instructors who helped deliver the success. The picture(s) show a session towards the end of the course and celebrations afterwards.
Dave Orme CVLSC RYA Principal training.cvlsc@gmail.com
Lake & Cake ‘3’ – 5-Jun-21
Lake & cake met last Saturday on a beautiful sunny afternoon with light winds. So they practiced manoeuvres round a short course, and some took the opportunity of the lovely weather to practice capsizing and righting. Then it was cream teas, cakes & savouries (miso & spinach pinwheels!) on the balcony afterwards with good company. They were joined by the new RYA L1&2 sailors.
The next date for your diaries is Saturday 03-Jul-21 for the Ladies trophy day. There is training beforehand for those who would like it, and tea & cake afterwards which is mandatory. Meet at 1:45pm, changed, rigged and ready to sail – more information will follow.
Three’s company!
Check your shrouds are attached before setting out…
Duty Crew RIB check – note the novel way of checking tube inflation!
Successful Level 2 dinghy course candidates and instructors
Club Quests in use for the course
Chew Boats Compete in 2021 Gul Mirror Nationals – Paul Nichols
Signs are improving as Restronguet SC successfully hosted the Mirror Nationals coming out of the COVID lock down. Cornwall played host to a high calibre fleet of competitors containing cross fleet National, World and Olympian Champions alongside a high contingent of young improvers and longer in the tooth steadfast competitors such as myself.
Competitors came from all over – Bassenthwaite to Brightlingsea! To form a field of 45 boats enjoying a series of 8 Races over 3 days, battling varying levels of Wind and Tide across the famous Carrick Roads sailing grounds in the Fal Estuary.
Overall winners was Ben McGrane, followed by ex Olympian Simon Hiscocks, 2nd & David Edwards 3rd.
Chew sailors Paul & Harrison Smalley – Primary Cruz (70964) were consistenetly fast to the winward mark across all races securing a well deserved 9th overall clutching two 4ths on Day 1 alongised the disappontment of Race 2 where although finishing ahead of the fleet on the water, was judged over the line @ the start falling foul of the well used “U” flag.
A late boat change for chew Sailors Paul & Gabriel Nichols saw them compete in a Winder for the first time, – Dipperforce (71007). Whilst managing to complete all races the right way up and achieveing a credible 31st they finished knowing that there is more to come from helm and boat.
Still Going Strong ! – Mirror sailing is one class which is seeing a resurgence, over 71,000 boats since the first wooden kits were built in the early 60’s for £64. Now there are many acclaimed sailors using this friendly boat to bring their children and grandchildren into sailing and Racing.
The youngest crew to complete all races at the championships was 6 and there are a high number or parent child teams. Several families also have multiple boats competing in a very friendly and welcoming fleet. RYA focal & Ex World Champion Chris Balding supplemented the event with after racing training for the growing number of youth sailors.
For Chew the class is also strengthening with 3 regular competitors. Whilst the Mirror Dinghy has changed over the years – it is still competitive throughout – Wooden, and Gaff Rig Vs the GRP Bermudan Rig now flaunted by the stylish Winder MK3 version.
With events already secured for the Nationals @ Hayling Island for 2022 and the Worlds in Sligo, Ireland the Red Sails are bound to continue to feature for many sailors long into the sunset.
Restronquet on the River Fal estuary
Team ‘Chew’ at the Mirror Nationals
Paul and Gabs Nichols in their new boat
Launching
The wing mark
DF95 sailing at Whitefriars Sailing Club – Errol Edwards
A couple of weeks ago I received via FaceBook an invitation to take my DF95 to sail at Whitefriars Sailing Club in the Cotswold Water Park between Cirencester and Swindon. I jumped at the opportunity to experience radio controlled racing at a venue away from Chew. It was a much smaller club than Chew but the facilities there were just as good, and the lake was about 40 acres in size. The orientation of the club foreshore was approximately East/West which was great for the westerly wind which was blowing that day. There were 5 other DF95s sailing and 2 smaller DF65s with a range of experience and abilities . Just like the Chew sailing DF95 sailors, they were all experienced dinghy sailors, and some of which were continuing to sail when they were no longer able to sail dinghies.
As the radio sailing section of Whitefriars SC has been longer established, their racing routine was very efficient, and 10 races were managed in a couple of hours, with the session interrupted and terminated by thunderstorms.
I initially thought my lack of experience would be obvious. However, in the first race I was second, beaten just by Paul, who obviously had local knowledge of the wind patterns as well as many years of radio sailing behind him. This gave me confidence that I was doing something right and that I had good boat speed. It was also very apparent that behaviour on the water and compliance with the rules was very good. It was only when I returned home and received a message from Paul from WSC that I realised just how well I had done. I had won 5 of the 10 races and top 3 in the other 5. It was reassuring to see that I wasn’t as bad as I thought I was.
The Whitefriars sailors were a great bunch of guys and a pleasure to sail with. They have been invited to visit and sail their DF95’s at Chew in the future.
Thanks to all the contributors of ‘news’, and of course providers of pictures. Please keep things coming; where have you been sailing? How have you modified your boat – anything that might be of interest!
John Smalley – commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
DF95 open today at Sutton Bingham
DF95s