It speaks for itself – time to get ‘virtually’ afloat!
Sailing Club News – Tuesday 14-Apr-20
Helen has sent me this brief update –
Into week 4 of ‘lockdown’ and this glorious weather turns the mind to thoughts of sailing in warm sunshine. If it’s any consolation, there was almost no wind on the lake on Saturday and Sunday. And today, Monday, even in the sunshine you’d have wanted the thermals and dry suit back out again in the brisk, cold north east wind!
I thoroughly enjoyed catching up, through Zoom, with the virtual racers last Wednesday evening.
Who’d have thought I’d be motivated to practise managing those arrow keys. Never having been remotely interested in computer games I am on a steep learning curve.
‘Lakeless and cake’ had a get together (Zoom) Saturday afternoon – lovely to see everyone and it offered a moving snapshot of the challenges and opportunities of our changed way of life.
Tomorrow evening the General Committee are meeting via Skype. We are trying to look ahead a bit. Whilst we don’t yet know when, and with what guidance, the restrictions will ease, we want to consider what ‘relaunch’ might look like and what needs to be in place before it can happen.
Rosie continues to calmly and efficiently process membership renewals, thank you Rosie. Do get in touch with her if you need to, membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Please take care and keep in touch with each other.
Helen
commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Last Sunday’s eRacing
We would normally have started our Spring Points Race Series last Sunday but, not to be deterred, 20 of us ‘met’ on Zoom to race using the Virtual Regatta platform over 5 races to determine a days winner. It was fast, it was chaotic and it was great fun, with cries of ‘starboard’ and ‘room’ being interspersed with shouts of ‘oh no it’s the Ocado delivery,’ and ‘I’m getting another beer’.
At the end of the day Ted Lane showed us all how to do it with 4 straight bullets, although behind the competition was intense with slender margins splitting the pack!
Forthcoming Racing Events & Trophy Races
Our plan is to broadly follow the 2020/21 Sailing Calendar, building on the success of this virtual format, starting with our Wednesday evening racing proper this Wednesday 15th from 7 pm when we will hold around 5 races across a variety of boats (ranging from racy 49ers to the super tactical Stars). The 5 races should take a little over 1 hour in total and will be combined to give overall positions which will be counted towards the weekly Wednesday evening series. So, you can enjoy all the banter, competition and what if stories that are normally part of your Wednesdays from the comfort of your own home!
Sunday 19th would have been the Club’s Aero Spring Championships, so we are going to get really serious with a ‘trophy day’. (Trophies to be decided and awarded at the Annual Prizegiving – hopefully!). Competition is bound to be intense and we are expecting a big entry for what should be a really enjoyable days sport.
Getting Involved
If you want to get involved, first step is to register on the Virtual Regatta Inshore phone or tablet app or desktop website and then you will have a boat to race. It’s free and there are lots of how to type guides on their site to help you get going.
All the Chew racing is being coordinated through a WhatsApp group run by Andy Jones, where you can sign on for events, get zoom codes for the meetings and links to race documents and results etc. so make sure you contact Andy on 07720412505 and he will add you to the group.
Finally, if any of you want to see what racing on the virtual water is like before joining up, I can thoroughly recommend the brilliant ‘unofficial’ tutorial Kate Jones has produced on YouTube
Youth News from Nick Edmonds
For our junior and youth members who will be missing either the start of Chew Crew, or our summer race training program, the RYA have put together some great resources.
The first is #SailSmarts on the RYA Youtube channel. It’s every Wednesday with Jake from RYA OnBoard. Fun learning for kids aged 8 to 12. Subscribe now:https://www.youtube.com/rya1875 All the previous videos are available. Would definitely suit anyone in Chew Crew.
The RYA Green Blue’s website also has a range of on-shore quizzes and games to keep your children entertained and educated. You can download your free copy here👉http://rya.org/UG9650z4Ep4
For the aspiring junior and youth racers, and no doubt some of the club’s adult members the RYA have put together a 12 week #SAILFROMHOME program that is now in Week 3. Topics for this week include a foiling special on the #MondayMotivation show, Stability in weather with Simon Rowell on Tune-In on Tuesday, Hydration on Workout Wednesday, and Boat Tactics with Alan Williams on Thursday. Previous sessions have included interviews with Luke Patience, Saskia Sills, Tom Squires and Saskia Tidey. Sessions on Met & Tide, strategy, boat maintenance, and workout sessions on Wednesdays that have included an introduction and the importance of stretching. Well worth watching. The sessions are available on the RYA British Sailing Team YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/BritishSailingTeam
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT8VcJpiy5ERx6EQnRS7Rjig4jYrnxIod
Powerboat News from Jeff Stratford
11-Jul-20 and 18-Jul-20 – Powerboat Level 2 course.
Jeff asked me to publicise this such that, if life is returning to normal, this course might go ahead. Obviously if circumstances dictate it will be cancelled potentially at short notice.
He also mentioned that with lots of you at home doing those long-put-off clearing up/out jobs, someone may have come across a long forgotten, complete windsurfer they would like to donate to our training team!
Many thanks to Graham Joyce, one of the ‘locals’ on Helen’s ‘Club visiting’ rota, for these beautiful pictures reminding us of good days to come when this is all over. I am sorry, Graham, but this format does not do them justice.
Once again, please send me any copy, nautical ways you’ve been keeping busy and pictures….
Keep healthy and stay safe.
John Smalley – vice-commodore@chewvalleysailing.co.uk
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