Sailing Club News – Thursday 27-May-21
As the pictures show, we have been enjoying some great sailing in the last couple of weeks.
You will have noticed the work happening on the lakeside of the training room where a patio slab base has been created for the planned gazebo. It’s only a year late (!) but the structure is finally promised to arrive next month. Also we have our fingers crossed that work will start on replacing the lift in the next couple of weeks. I am sure many of you will also have experienced delays in things happening as we emerge from the various lockdowns, Brexit and dodgy ship captains in the Suez canal!
An oft asked question recently has been the possibility of a ‘Buddy Sailing’ provision at Chew. The possibility for this to happen is already in our rules for those keen enough to read the minutia. This was intended for those days when either the Duty team failed to attend or were not scheduled. Andy Jones has been formulating a protocol to make this possibility more obvious to everyone, and particularly to enable members to organise sailing on ‘non-dutied’ days, particularly Thursdays. Details of this will be available shortly.
Many of you have made it clear you are keen for the Bar to re-open. Guidance regarding table service have meant that the committee have felt it prudent to wait until the next easing point in Covid restrictions before the grand re-opening. The great news is that we have a new bar manager in John Kelly, our very own affable quizmaster from north of the border. John has the bar re-stocked and is champing at the bit to get going……
Do not miss the great news that Thursday 3rd June sees the first session of the Start Racing informal course. If you are ‘new’, either as a member or to racing, or you want some hints and tips to move you up the fleet, there is absolutely no better way to spend a couple of hours.
The evening sessions are free!
Nick Martindale is one of our most accomplished and feared Club racers with a wealth of knowledge and experience he is itching to pass on.
Just turn up, rig up and improve….
Membership Renewals
Yes, it really is that time of year again and we are shortly coming to the end of the extended membership year. Our 2020-21 memberships are due for renewal by 01- Jul-21. The Renewal reminder emails are being sent out next week.
Renewal is for 9 months (01-Jul-21 – 31-Mar-22) with subscription & boat fees reduced by 25% – please wait until you have received your reminder before renewing or you may not get the reduced tariff!
There is a link in the reminder email to your WebCollect account. When renewing please check your details are up to date: check your email & postal addresses, you have the right membership category and haven’t grown out of (or into) a different category, and your boat registration fees. Finally, don’t forget to check your duty preferences in Dutyman.
If you would like help, want more advice, or not renewing – please contact the Membership secretary membership@chewvalleysailing.org.uk.
Welcome back to another new sailing year!
Duty Volunteers Wanted
Duty volunteers requested for this Sunday 30th – we are short of a Rescue Crew and an ARO; and Monday 31st – short of a Rescue Crew – if you can cover one of these, please volunteer via Dutyman or contact duties@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Also there is still a need for volunteers among you to man the Club for our opening from 10.00 – 16.00 on Wednesdays. PLEASE if you are free on Wednesdays put your name forward for these relaxed and friendly duty days; alternatively the manned sailing hours on Wednesdays will have to be shortened.
‘Start Racing’ – begins Thursday 03-Jun-21 – 6pm
If you’re comfortable cruising around the lake and tempted to have a go at racing then this is for you..!
You still need to book to sail but otherwise just turn up at 6pm (preferably rigged and ready to sail) for a relaxed introduction to racing at Chew.
We’ll be meeting over 5 successive weeks and covering the basics including race format, tips and techniques, a bit of theory and a few simple rules.
The emphasis is very much on FUN and lots of practice on the water so each week after a quick chat we’ll get afloat and run short races around a simple course. Afterwards there’ll be time for more chat and questions.
Previous years have seen 15 – 20 boats dipping in and out of the sessions and getting a good grounding to join in the club racing proper.
Hope you can make it – any questions please get in touch
Nick Martindale nick_martindale@hotmail.com
News flash from the Powerboat Instructor team
Your PBI team have added an additional PB2 course to this year’s programme.
It will be on Saturday 05-Jun-21 and Saturday 19-Jun-21 and is available to book on webcollect NOW. We have restricted it to six students and there are currently 3 spaces spare. The on the water training will be 1 to 1 and the feedback we have had has been very good.
I know this is short notice but don’t delay book today.
We have further courses in July, August and September; hopefully we will be able to add 3 further places to each course if restrictions are fully lifted but we didn’t want to advertise them and then have to cancel.
Any questions or queries please ask.
Jeff Stratford – jeffstratford@btinternet.com
Lake & Cake – Saturday 05-Jun-21
The next lake & cake is on Saturday 5th June. Meet on the grass by the picnic benches at 1:45pm, changed, rigged and ready to sail if possible for more fun on the lake and tea & cake afterwards. Any sailing ability will do so join us if you can. If you want to know more about lake & cake and join our WhatsApp group contact: rosie.bowers@btinternet.com
Club boat maintenance
With high ongoing demand for our club boats the bosuns are all working hard each week to keep on top of any repairs and maintenance. If you do use a club boat and there is any breakage or other problem needing repair, please let Rob Henderson know on
07876 069068 as soon as possible and he will do his best to remedy the issue.
Junior and Youth News from Nick Edmonds
Anyone at the club on Sunday 2nd May couldn’t fail to notice that Chew Crew has returned! With a very reduced number of Chew crew sessions running for the latter part of the summer in 2020 there’s been huge demand for the revised Chew Crew program in 2021. There are almost 40 participants aged between 8 and 15 split between RYA Stage 1 & 2, and RYA Stage 3 courses. Numbers have been such that there’s no Chew Crew drop-in program running, until the completion of the RYA junior courses. A huge thank you to Philippa and Angus, this years Chew Crew organisers, for running the program and to the club Dinghy and Assistant Instructors who have stepped forward to help deliver the sessions. Also a special mention to the 5 parents, and Noah Curtis, who attended a full 2 day Assistant Instructor course run by Cathy Bartram, and who have now completed the necessary teaching hours to become RYA qualified Assistant Instructors enabling them to help teach the courses.
As you can imagine it’s a challenge to corral 40 young participants throughout the day, so to make things a little easier we are trying to base each of the groups in certain locations. So if you launch to the north of the club house you will hopefully see a group of Stage 1&2ers rigging on the triangle of grass, and the Stage 3ers on half of the next section of the grass. It would be really beneficial if you could leave these areas free for the Chew crew participants. We have started the sessions much earlier than in the past, and the plan is to launch before the club racing, so hopefully we can minimise congestion on the slipways.
Although the Beginner and Improver sessions are at fully capacity, there’s still spaces left for any intermediate and above junior and youth sailors on the Stage 3+ programs. These have a minimum experience level of having successfully completed Stage 3 (or equivalent skill level) and in general are a group of 12-15 year olds keen to improve their sailing and try out some racing. It’s also the club’s pathway to those looking to gain a place in the RYA Regional training groups, and sessions are taught by RYA Race coaches.
The Topper group is organised by Toby Peacock and is running on Sunday afternoons – for more information and to sign up Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club: Topper Race and Improver Group 2021
The RS Feva double hander group is organised by Clare Sheahan and is running on Saturdays approximately once a month – more information and sign up Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club: Chew Fevas Training Sessions
The club are hosting the Feva Inland Championships in late June, and a Topper Open in September, it would be great to see a good turn out for both events from our junior members.
RS100 training day – Saturday 15-May-21 (see the pictures …)
Saturday was a perfect day for training with a light to moderate breeze for the 11 RS100 sailors (and Tim sailing his D1). Tim had brought along a friend, Bruce, who was so taken with the RS100, that by the end of the day he was so taken by the boat that he had committed to buying one and joining Chew. A great result, although Tim was disappointed that he didn’t even try the D1. David Smart coordinated the session, with plenty of help from Steve Jones and Simon Bennett, three of the ‘old hands’ in the RS100. The fleet continues to grow at a phenomenal pace, with the training helping the newbies get up to speed with the necessary bimbles and get time in the boat to learn the techniques.
Radio Sailing
Our growing radio sailing group have now settled into their Thursday evening routine, with the action starting at 18.00.
The pictures show a session on a very windy Wednesday using small rigs when no sensible sailor would have considered launching their boat.
Anyone keen to ‘have a go’ will be made most welcome and can have a try out with one of the boats. It is great fun and potentially addictive, you don’t get wet (unless it is raining) and collisions don’t result in hefty repair bills!
Club Boats for Hire and Guest Fees
Just a reminder for you all that the Club has a number of boats available for members to hire. The Committee has allowed this to happen without payment for the duration of the pandemic, but from Monday 17-May-21 we are once again charging as follows:-
- RS Vision, 2x Quests, 6x Fevas, 4x Teras and 2x Picos – £15 per 2 hour slot.
- 10 x Toppers – Free to Under 16’s £5 per slot for adults.
- 10 x Optibats – Free
(All of these boats may be unavailable if they are required for Club RYA Training/Coaching or Chew Crew sessions).
Members may bring a Guest to sail with them for a fee of £5.
A visiting boat will also be charged £5.
As always, there is so much happening at the Club – make sure you are not missing out!
John Smalley – commodore@chewvalleysailing.org.uk
Racing on Sunday 16th courtesy of Jo Cudmore in the Race Hut
She managed this while still keeping RO Adrian calm!
RS100 training with Dave Smart
Tim Johnson was made an honorary RS100 for the day!
Well well – two former Commodores trying out DF95s
Guess who had which boat?!
Then our Solo fleet captain tried his luck
And serious concentration from Anna taking a moment away from her Laser..
A day for small rigs on the DF95s
Chew Crew becalmed