Sketch by Christine Tudor
Sailing Report – Helen Martin, Vice Commodore
Another westerly on Saturday with the attendant gusts and shifts provided an interesting/ challenging day’s sailing. CLADS were out in force for their annual barbecue graced by no rain and even occasional sunshine.
A wonderful day for the Balloon Fiesta in Bristol on Sunday – need I say more? A very accurate forecast.
The last of the much loved Wednesday evening series was sailed in the most unlikely light, changeable, fickle, frustrating breeze we have had this year. Only the Met Office suggested there might be a lull but not such a lull. Anyway the race was sailed in good spirit with only the B handicap winner to be decided. Rob Mitchell had to win to beat Dave Oakey, which he did, only after a tussle most of the way with Alex Timms.
Well done Rob, Nick Martindale and Ruth Kenyon (A Handicap), Julian Cooke (Laser) and Damian Boreham (Laser Radial) and, of course, everyone else whose individual battles are just as important. Thanks to everyone who did duties and to Andy Bones for keeping the bar so well stocked and convivial.
New Boat For CLADS
The presentation of a Hansa Access Dinghy by club member David Bowers to the Chew Valley Lake Association for Disabled Sailors.
The donation was funded by Sitec Engineering Ltd to mark David’s managerial career with the aerospace company. Steve Nash, Chairman of CLADS, accepted the £10,000 cheque saying ‘This new dinghy will enhance the sailing experience for our clubs members and be a fantastic addition to our fleet’. The dinghy has been named ‘Hannah’ after David’s daughter.
Above & Beyond…
If you looked closely, our Commodore Rob Mitchell and Mark Fordham were to be seen scaling the heights of the scaffolding cleaning lichen and algae from the sections of the fascia they could reach and, occasionally, giving in to the temptation to spray those below with water!!
Name The Alligator Competition
There were nearly 30 entries either through the sailing club or website with a wide age range contributing. The panel thoroughly enjoyed their task, getting their teeth into it but trying to be snappy about it. There were several names with a Chew link which we liked: Chewbacca, Chewer, Chewducker, Chewy McChewface, Dennys and the most common, Chewy. Also appreciated were a couple of nice sailing related plays on words, e.g. Byte and Dry Snapsize, but in the end we went for the local link, “Chewnior” – so well done Giles Vallis. (PS. The ‘alligator’ has now been confirmed as a ‘spectacled caiman crocodile’ Caiman crocodilus, which can grow up to 2.5 – 3m long…)