Newsletter
St Edmundsbury Sailing & Canoeing Association
START OF THE SEASON NEWSLETTER March 2009
Commodore’s Column
The new season is nearly upon us. The snow has melted and I have two Larks in the back garden almost ready to take to the lake. As usual the season starts with a Working Party on Saturday 21 st March. See our new rear commodore’s appeal . We then start sailing on March 28/29 so a careful look at the 2009 programme will tell you what is going on. This has been produced by our new Race Officer and he has altered some events so read on carefully.
The powerboat level 2 course for experienced boat drivers on that first weekend is fully booked and if we can find the time we will run another one later. However our new Safety Officer will be running basic rescue boat courses for new members during the year.
The membership pack contains the names and contact details of all the new committee and will be available at the working party so turn up if you want to know what is going on and who to speak to. Guy Forkes
Working Party
With reference to “our new rear commodores appeal” the older rear commodore’s appeal for assistance last year was brief but eloquent and I shall keep to that format
Please bring wellies, a buoyancy aid and whatever tools you have that might be appropriate for the jobs listed. Come for whatever time you can spare.
Jobs to be done
- Repair and reposition picnic tables
- Launch both RIBs
- Re-position racing marks
- Check over Club Boats and varnish Enterprise under Gazebo
- Clear out workshop and identify excess equipment to be sold
- Dismantle Barry’s GP 14 – save all fittings. Need a man with a cordless screwdriver o.s.a.
- Strim the site , cut down brambles on the Island near jetty.
- Sort out Trailer Park
- Renovate Flag Pole
- Paint/stain main club house
You might also like to bring food and drink but homemade soup and rolls will be provided to keep you working. Kieron Adams
Programme Notes
There will be some changes to some of our racing activities this season. There is a summary of these and the racing programme on a second sheet of the programme (click the tab at the bottom).
To bring us in line with "standard" procedures at other clubs we will have a 5 minute signal as well as 4 and 1. We can still use the 10 minute warning, final decision on this with the OoD and competitors on the day. There will be a new sound system which should make life easier as it is foot operated, though it is a bit heavy.
To encourage inexperienced sailors to join in with the racing, there will be an option to start at the one minute signal and avoid the crowd crossing the line at the start. Hopefully they will also get some encouragement and instruction from the more experienced sailors. Initially this will be open to anyone who has not previously won a major series.
Many of our class days have not taken place in recent years because we don't have enough boats in those classes so these are being dropped. Some of the redundant cups will be awarded as a second cup for some series, on a personal handicap basis. The system is an RYA method using a "Performance Indicator" to adjust the class handicap. These are being calculated on the most popular races of last season. They should be worked out by the start of the season and displayed in the clubhouse. The proposal is to award an extra cup for the Spring and Winter series but it depends on numbers taking part. The usual cup will be based on class handicaps as now.
Finally, there will be a series of informal pursuit races on Thursday evenings. These will be run by the competitors using the buddy system with no scheduled OoD or safety boat driver. It is hoped that by then the new sound system will have an automatic feature to sound the class start times and the finish. Mike Senior
R.Y.A. Training
Dates for this year's events are advertised in the clubhouse, in the programme and on the website. However, to ensure fair allocation of places, will members please sign up on the forms in the clubhouse only.
The season starts with the First Aid training at the end of February and there are a few places available for another at the end of March. Please contact me direct if you are interested.
The Powerboat course at the end of April is fully subscribed and we have several names on a waiting list for another course.
Early application for events is recommended! Margaret Gardiner
Duties
The duties for March/April and May have now been posted on Dutyman. For new members doing OOD/Race Officer training I have temporarily disabled the swap option so that they are not sent swap e mails. However, if anyone is unable to attend on their allocated training duty please let me know and I will negotiate another date with you.
For those members who have requested Rescue Boat Driver training – see Ted’s article later for the new system.
Please remember that if you swap a duty during the season, this must be changed on the Duty Roster in the Club House. Kathie Butcher
Bosun’s Blog
Once again please may I ask you to mark your road trailers.
At the working party I will be splitting the trailers in to those that
1. Are named and look road worthy.
Thank you for your co-operation.
2. Those that are unnamed and look roadworthy.
These will have a period of grace. If at the end of the Summer they are still unclaimed then a Final Notice will go out in the Autumn/Winter newsletter. If in the Spring of 2010 they are still unclaimed then they will be sold without further notice through Vicky’s Brokerage with proceeds to the Club funds. Alternatively, if you would like your road trailer sold and the proceeds to be donated to the Club before 2010, do please let us know.
3. Those that are unnamed and look unroadworthy,
Those that are not named and look unsafe will be moved to the ‘DEAD’ pile. If they remain there and unclaimed over the Summer, then at the autumn work party they will be disposed of.
DINGHY PARK
Please check the dinghy park plan on the notice board because a few of the boats have moved – we like to keep you on your toes! – or should that be ‘tow’?
See you at the Working Party. Abby Freeley
Safety Officers bit
If you require SESCA rescue boat training please book this on the (new) forum under training.I plan to do this training after the last race on Sunday before the boat is put away, or by special arrangement, on one or two Saturdays.
Those thinking of doing the RYA level 2 power boat course and do not have much experience with our rescue boat should contact me for a refresher firstPut your name down if you would like:- an introduction to the club rescue boat ( for those that have never used it before ); or a refresher on the rescue boat ( for members who are rusty and would like to go through it again and/or would like to practice some part of using the boat ).
So from the first weekend in April please book a session. No more than 2 people per session on a first come basis, so book up early. Ed Deacon
Boats for Sale
Lark 1558 – Double Entendre – as seen on the front page of the web site £475.00
Contact Guy or Vicky 01440 704976
GP14 Boat Cover, it is just under 2 years old £25. Contact Barry 01359 230763
Moth 533 £200 ono Contact Abby 01284 769026
Website bit
We have a new website for 2009 so have a look at it and see what’s new. If you can think of any pages that would improve the site feel free to suggest them
Feel free to register an account on the club forum. This has been set up so that members can keep in contact with other members.
http://www.westsuffolksailing.org.uk/forum
This can be used for arranging buddy sailing; to find a spare boat space in the dinghy park; boats and equipment that you would like to sell.
Please suggest other areas that you feel may help and I will add a category.
Registering is easy just click on the register
icon and then go through the process and you will be able to leave posts on the forum. Please drop me an email as well as we keep getting spammed on the forum and I have to activate your account so an email to jog my memory will speed things up Vago164@googlemail.com Thank you Ed Deacon
End
Commodore’s Report 2008
The year started with snow and no racing but ended with snow and 13 boats racing – is this progress or the first signs of insanity? We made it to exactly 100 members this year with 29 new members. A lot of new members are joining the club for the facilities it offers. (Friendly members, Safe local water, Club Boats and Training) Thanks to Margaret Gardiner and her team for the increased levels of training we now offer. (49 RYA Certificates awarded this year). A particular thank you to all the assistant instructors who have helped enormously throughout the year.
We hosted two Open Meetings this year, thanks to Abby and Ted, for the British Moths: and a lot of racing, beginners racing and regattas. Carl Day Chief Race Officer is resigning this year after several years of doing an excellent job. The prizegiving follows this and you will see Carl at his best – thanks for all your efforts Carl and I presume you will now have more time for your band and it’s required amount of drinking.
Barry service is also resigning as a Flag Officer after many years ( just how many only Janette knows) however he is staying on the committee so we can benefit from his knowledge and experience a little longer. Thank you Barry for everything you have done for the Club.
Another of the ‘Thurston Mafia’ is also resigning - David Gardiner is resigning as Safety Officer, which is his latest post although he too has served the Club in various guises for many years. Thank you David.
One of David’s last jobs was the acquisition of a second rescue/training Rib which he has now achieved and it will be with us for next season. The Club needs this second rib to expand the training and also to aid the disabled sailing group – WASH Sailability. Wash are now up and running and aim to start sailing next year, they already have two Access dinghies on order and have raised money for various other facilities. The Club itself is now proceeding with a scheme to install a disabled w.c. and shower and extend both changing rooms to accommodate more people of all abilities.
In addition to the resigning members of the committee I must also say thank you to all the other members of the committee who are staying on (subject to your votes) for their enthusiasm and support.
The next event for the Club is the Frostbite Trophy (did last Sunday qualify?) on Boxing Day. Sailors, spectators and visitors welcome. 12 noon start for a 60 minute pursuit race.
Margaret is organising a First Aid Course in the New Year – please see her to register your interest.
Guy
Paxton 24 hour race 2008
In winds as exciting as they were last year, only this time without the swamp-like ground conditions, SESCA battled its way to within a hairsbreadth of taking second place in the annual Paxton 24 hour race during the last weekend in June. Paxton’s Solo team was, as is traditional, light years ahead in first place and we had pulled comfortably away from the Lark and Comet teams in fourth and fifth.
The real battle was between our Enterprise and Welling’s Supernova. With two hours of sailing left we had snatched a lead of 0.1 of a lap, so tension in both camps was high as we watched the final stages and tried to do the mental arithmetic involved in a) remembering which boat had last lapped the other and when and b) what the corrected time influence might be given their current positions on the water.
Under the combined influence of exhaustion, lack of sleep and last nights beer, most of SESCA found this kind of mental acrobatics hopelessly beyond reach and just settled down to enjoy Ted and Will sailing Carl’s Enterprise to its absolute limits. All was looking pretty promising until Welling unleashed their secret weapon in the last hour, fielding one of those annoyingly superfit 20-something athletes capable of flinging himself from one side of the boat to the other in a nano-second and simultaneously helming like a ballistic missile.
There should be an extra handicap applied to skilled young fit people with inexhaustible stamina.
They finally beat us into third place by 0.6 of a lap on corrected time – which is pretty close given that we had raced over 100 laps throughout the 24 hours.
But what a top weekend it was – warm, sunny, windy and in the company of some great people. And we all learned a lot:
Neville learned that it is possible to enjoy sailing an Enterprise without finding it necessary to spend half the time standing on the centre board in the middle of the lake. Actually, we were all very good at that. With the lake littered at times with capsized Comets, Larks and Supernovas, our boat was the only one in the race that stayed upright throughout (albeit only after a lot of vigorous baling following a spectacularly ambitious jibe by Andrew and me in the opening lap).
I learned that putting on a dank, cold, fermenting wetsuit at 5:00 a.m. is a singularly unpleasant experience. But we also learned from one of the other competitors that running the hot tap into similarly vile wetsuit boots before you put them on renders the experience almost enjoyable.
Given the number of hairy jibes on the course, those crews unfamiliar with the boat learned about the medical condition known as Enterprise Scalp. Close analysis of the DNA on the kicking strap will reveal their identities.
And we all finally learned Carl’s plan with the annual Paxton races, which is to gradually renew the fittings on his boat at the expense of everyone else’s spares box. Last year it was the toe straps, this year it was the rudder lifting mechanism. Next year he’ll be angling for a new mast.
So, another year, another great weekend and another healthy bundle of cash for the RNLI – we raised over £450 helping bring the total generated by the event to over £3,000. Thanks Abby, Andrew, Carl, Caroline, Gary, Neville, Richard K, Richard W, Rowena, Ted and Will for the experience, and doubtless I’ll see you all again next year when we will finally beat the Supernova.
by Alan Shaw
ends
NEWSLETTER May 2008
Commodore’s Column
The gate lock saga continues – the secure 5 number ‘unbreakable’ lock has been broken twice now hence the cheaper 4 number version. The number is _____________ or has been sent to you by e mail. This new padlock does not need to go through just one link , it will go through everything. Is this ‘idiot proof’ enough?
The goose fencing seems to be working (electrified or not) although the goose numbers are down this year according to Suffolk Wildlife. Please remember to put it back up at the end of sailing. We now have another roll to continue down to the Youth end of the foreshore so we will see how this performs. Guy
Programme Notes
There has been a small change to the 2008 Programme and the revised programme is available on the website www.westsuffolksailing.org.uk
The Paxton lakes 24 hour race is now 28 th/29 th June. - Please contact Carl Day if you want to be in the SESCA Team.
This means that the RYA Level 1 & 2 Course has moved to 5 th/6 th July.
Please make a note in your diary and turn up to the following ‘FUN EVENTS’
- Sun 25 th May Ladies Day (Races at 11am – 3.30pm) with DIY BBQ at lunchtime. All men may become honorary ladies if suitably dressed!
- Sun 8 th June Paddle Power Day when all vessels (sailing dinghies, canoes and windsurf boards) are to be propelled by paddles is a series of fun races.
- Sat/Sun 21 st/22 nd June Midsummer Madness. Come and camp for the night before racing which starts at 7am before breakfast at 8am.
- Sun 20 th July Commodore’s Day – when we play sailing games with rubber ducks and wet sponges.
Finally we are going to get away from it all and go to Rutland Water for the weekend.26 th/27 th July.
Watch out for posters and e mails.
Training
A separate page is enclosed/attached with all the training dates. There are sheets up on the Club Notice Board please sign up if you want to attend and PLEASE PLEASE sign up if you can help.
Guy and Margaret plan to run Youth and Adult Novice Racing afternoons from 20 th July but before then Gerald has offered to run Racing Master classes and / or Start Racing sessions for the existing racing fleet and all those interested in racing. This should be suitable for all levels of ability and all ages from 12 upwards on Saturdays 17 th May; 24 th May; 7 th June; 10am – 4pm so there are yet more sheets to sign. This time they are blue.
Duties
Spring is here!! The duty times are 10.00 – 14.00 and 14.00 – 18.00 from 1 st May. New for this season we have High Visibility jackets for the members on duty to wear over their own buoyancy aids or a club one but the specific Boat Driver buoyancy aid failed its test and will not be replaced.
The duty rotas up to and including July have been published and sent to you by e mail or by post. If you have not received them please let Kathie or Vicky know. Please note that Ed Deacon will be Officer of the Day/ Race Officer throughout the British Moth Open Meeting weekend (June 14 th/15 th) and therefore the rota will be amended and those involved will be sent an updated copy.
We have been waiting for the first person to swap a duty on line with Dutyman confident that it would be easy. Well surprise surprise it wasn’t. Some box somewhere had not been ticked but it has now and it works so go for it. Kathie
"Bosun's Blog"
The 2008 season dinghy park layout is up in the Club. Most people's boats have remained where they were, although a couple of people may have a little surprise, so if your boat isn't where you left it, don't panic right away. Row A down by the water can get a bit boggy and Row D up by the sheds only had a couple of boats so a few of these moved.
At the Spring Working Party Tony Emmerson did a fantastic job mowing the dinghy park - thank you Tony. The mowing highlighted the problem of invisible stakes in the grass, some of which have now been painted red. During the work party tyres were also dug in and/or stakes located in the ground so most boats can now be tied down securely. There is a stock of tyres between the sheds, please feel free to dig a couple in if necessary. Making sure your boat is secure is your responsibility- more importantly help to frustrate the vandals by making it difficult to throw boats in the water. Maybe they will get bored with us and find something more positive to do. Please also make sure your 2008 sticker is displayed.
Over the last couple of years Alan, Richard and Vicky have done a great job of identifying all the boats that have been left forlornly on the bank and most have now been rescued, sold on or removed. Now it is time to tackle the trailers. If you have a road trailer or old trolley stored in the trailer park this notice is for you! Please ensure that your trailer is clearly identified with your name, class and boat number by Midsummer Madness, i.e. "Forkes, Lark 1558". The trailers will then be separated into "Claimed" and "Unclaimed". Any Unclaimed Trailers that are left until the Spring 2009 Working Party will be considered "Dead" and either sold for club funds, or disposed of. Abby
BOATS FOR SALE
British Moth 533 - "Whippet". £250.00 ono.
07803 581 950 for further information
VICTORIA ’S BOAT SALES – contact Vicky in Lark 1558 on a Sunday or sesca.admin@googlemail.com
a) GP14 (needs new foredeck ) Sound wooden hull, sails and trolley £150
b) 4 Kayaks @ £50 each with paddle
c) OK Sailing Dinghy Nearly new cover to protect wooden deck and hull in need of TLC £100
d) Skipper 12 offers
START OF THE SEASON NEWSLETTER March 2008
Commodore’s Column
A new year, a new start and several changes to bring to your attention. We start as usual with the Working Party. If more people turn up that means less work for all so please try. The Programme has several new features so read on carefully. Training has already started and there are some new items – again read on. The Duties System is also changing so read Kathie’s item too.
Having delegated all that I can go sailing after the working party so see you on the water at Easter. Guy Forkes – Commodore
Working Party - Saturday 15 th March 10 am start
Please bring wellies, a buoyancy aid and whatever tools you have that might be appropriate for the jobs listed below. Come for whatever time you can spare.
Homemade soup and rolls will be available to keep you going. Barry Service – Vice Commodore
Programme Notes
Nothing on the programme is exclusive so do come along and join in.
Individual informal sailing training will be available during the new Youth and Adult Novice Racing sessions on Saturday afternoons in July and August. Before that the 2.15pm race every Sunday will be an informal race training session. Members are encouraged to come and crew in a race. The racing fleet promise not to shout! However come and learn where and what to shout at the social evening / race clinic planned for 26 th April. More details will be available on a poster in the Club House and by e mail nearer the time.
Training
We started off this year with training in First Aid. The day course for renewal of qualifications was quickly filled. The evening course will run on 19 th & 26 th February and 4 th March in the Clubhouse at Lackford from 7.00-9.30pm. The cost is £12.50 plus £10 for a book, if you contact Margaret right now you might be able to take part.
You will see from the programme that we are running two weekend courses to enable adults to gain their RYA Level 1 or 2 qualification this year; June 28th/29th and October 4th/5th.
Following the success of the Cadet days last summer(?) we are running two mid week 2-day cadet courses this year. Attendance at one of these should result in the participants gaining an RYA qualification (weather permitting!) although the accent will be on fun.
- 2 -
The RYA Stage 2 Powerboat course is already fully subscribed. It is hoped to be able to offer some extra safety training to those members who are SESCA trained on our safety boat.
If you are an experienced sailor and would like to become an Assistant Instructor able to help with courses at the Club, there are still spaces on the course to be held on 26 th/27 th April.
There will be notices in the Clubhouse for you to sign up for all events and I look forward to seeing you there but if you have any questions speak to Margaret or Guy re: dates, times & costs.
Margaret Gardiner - Training
Duties
In order to provide a friendly face and safety boat cover at weekends and on Tuesday evenings, a condition of adult sailing membership is to undertake 4/5 Duty Officer/Rescue Boat Driver sessions each season. A rota for this is arranged and either e mailed or posted out to the membership .
As a new experiment, the rotas for the Duty Officer, Race Officer and fast safety boat officer, together with the club racing and social programme, will be published on the club website using a link to a website called Dutyman. (Renewal and new membership forms show that the vast majority of members have an e mail address and are happy to have their address put onto the Dutyman system)
The Dutyman website provides the club and its members the facility for easy management of the duties with club specific pages and personalised access for members. Dutyman is a secure site that holds the Calendar and duty rotas and members e-mail addresses, as inputted by Kathie Butcher, your club Dutyman Administrator. These e-mail addresses are not accessible to anyone other than the Dutyman Administrator and the individual member.
If you elect to carry out a swap using Dutyman the request to swap is transferred from you to the Dutyman website. E-mails are issued from the Dutyman website to the people you have asked to swap with and their replies return to you via the Dutyman website. The club duty rota co-ordinator will also be informed. Neither of you have the opportunity to find the e-mail address of the other people. If you are not on e-mail you can still swap duties by telephone as before. All members need to remember that if they swap a duty they must update the rota in the Clubhouse before the duty occurs.
Although there is a facility for individual members to put other contact details on the
Dutyman site such as telephone numbers, the SESCA Committee have made a decision not to do this. However, members will continue to receive an electronic/hard copy of the rota with telephone numbers, as in previous years.
It is the club's intention to lessen the effort in managing the duty rotas whilst improving the facilities and information for members.
Members included on Dutyman will receive a reminder of their rostered duties 14 days prior to the duty date. Dutyman only sends out passwords to people who have a duty assigned to them and have an e-mail address. So if you have not received an e-mail with a password don’t worry. If you are not using e-mail and internet, don’t panic, Royal Mail is still available to deliver the rotas.
Kathie Butcher – Duties
Newsletter / Website
If you have any items for the next newsletter or for the website email Ed Deacon