Sailing Report – Rob Mitchell, Commodore

Last Wednesday evening was another interesting race with significant wind shifts and a dying breeze, a challenging course and from where I sat lots of Lasers all of which led to a mix of emotions and a test of patience with forward planning, concentration and perseverance bringing success to a few.

The wind picked up for last Thursday evening improvers session and driving one of the RS800’s in champagne conditions was an absolute delight. Sun all evening and a 12 knot breeze brought about 20 boats out on to the water on a glorious evening and whilst the forecast this week differs a little, there is still a great opportunity to break up the week with a sail if you don’t come down on Wednesdays.

Sunday brought an increasing southerly and whilst the water was warm for those that felt the need to capsize, the wind chill was more challenging than expected but four races in the day kept us all active and although numbers were depleted in the afternoon the planing was anything but marginal and a lot of fun.

There is another open mic night on Friday 23 June at 7pm for those with limited musical talent and bring what you can find in the loft that might once have been a musical instrument for a fun evening jam.

National event successes

Feva Nationals

222 sailors from around the country descended on the Royal Torbay Yacht Club for what was set to be a superb 4 days of racing. Both Ted Lane & Rupert Clapham, and Quinn Edmonds & Finley Oliver were sailing their first Nationals together. Ted & Rupert were in silver after qualifying , Quinn & Fin made gold fleet.

There were a mix of conditions from shifty lighter winds, to more full on +15knots – as well as everything from fog to bright sunshine.

Ted & Rupert finished in 22nd in silver after a few structural challenges with their boat involving a mid-night dash to pick up a second hull from Chew!

RS Feva Nationals 2017 Silver Results

Quinn & Fin battled hard in gold fleet and finished 42nd overall, which pushed them up to second place overall in the Feva Junior National Champion category for sailors 13 and under.

RS Feva Nationals 2017 Gold Results

Plenty of very proud and tired parents and sailors!

Hadron H2 Nationals

Every single H2 yet built and sailing (13 boats) came to Warsash Sailing Club for the first ever Nationals in the class. Paul Smalley showed the rest of the fleet what Chew Sailors are made of to become the first ever Hadron H2 National Champion. Well done Paul!
Full report here on Yachts and Yachting

Wednesday evening duties

The popular Wednesday evening race series is manned by those that compete in it. We’ve changed the way they’re allocated this year because there weren’t enough sailors to go around to fill all the slots – so in short:

  • If you sailed 5 races last year you get one duty,
  • If you sailed 10+ races last year you get two duties.
  • If you didn’t race last year but are racing this year then you will be allocated a duty later on in the series.

Eddystone Challenge – supporting All Aboard – Sarah Harding, Laser Fleet

Dear all

I have been invited to take part in the Eddystone Challenge to raise money for AllAboard Watersports. AllAboard is a fantastic charity based in the docks in Bristol that provides opportunities for a variety of people to take part in water based activities. Many are disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged and derive huge benefit from the leisure and learning they obtain from AllAboard. Many of the young sailors at Chew first started sailing there.

This year, Simon Chapman (CVLSC President) has invited a crew of staff and volunteers from AllAboard to complete the Eddystone Challenge on his yacht. We are all novice or complete beginners as far as “big boat “ sailing goes!

The aim of the challenge is to sail from Plymouth around the Eddystone lighthouse and back. A distance of approximately 26 miles. Generously the Challenge provides a prize fund of £20,000 which is divided up based on entrant’s sailing result and the amount of sponsorship they are able to raise.

Our aim is to raise the maximum possible for AllAboard though a combination of donations and prize money, and for this I would really appreciate your support by making a donation on the link below.

This year we want to put the money towards the replacement of ‘Aiming High’, a specialist wheelchair accessible boat which is nearing the end of its useful life. This boat can take groups of profoundly disabled youngsters and their carers out on the water, and seeing the pleasure it gives people who would not otherwise be able to have this experience that we take for granted is very humbling. The need for a new boat is now urgent and I would be very grateful for any help you are able to give towards our fundraising. Ideally we would like to receive donations before 16 June as they only count towards the prize fund if received before that date.

https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/all-aboardwatersports

With very many thanks
Sarah