Welcome to CMYC...dinghy Sailing club in Sussex |
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The Mariners have a well deserved reputation for being a very friendly club with a relaxed atmosphere, so if you're interested in sailing, do feel free to come and visit us for a chat. Organised events take place on most weekends from March to December, or take advantage of a free trial sail on one of our Open days |
The way I see it ..............
Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas festivities and are looking forward to our new sailing season. Don’t forget to get your membership renewals in before the end of January to obtain the discount.
As part of the renewal, you will need to indicate the duties that you are prepared to carry out. In my experience, it is better to volunteer for particular duties and days, rather than have duties allocated, and then maybe need to find a swap. Duty sheets will be available at the January Dry Meeting and you can fill in the blanks, ensuring that you get a duty at a time and place that suits you and your friends. Please bear in mind, that if you race, you should be prepared to do a Race Officer duty. It is not too difficult and you will receive plenty of advice on the day!
You may be aware that we have a number of honorary members of Crawley Mariners, who are people who have contributed a huge amount to our club over many years. I am delighted to add Valerie Larkin to this group of valued members.
On the 4 January, we had our annual pursuit race at Hedgecourt, and this year it was very well supported. When we arrived at the lake, there was not a breath of wind and for a while it seemed that racing would be out of the question. This did not deter 15 helms and crews from preparing their boats, and after some delay due to problems with the powerboat, racing started at 12.00 in a reasonable wind. The breeze held and racing was keen and enjoyed by all participants. The race was won by Allan Pemberton in his Enterprise, and Keith Hiscock was also awarded a prize although he appeared to be sailing to his own rules! Meanwhile in the warm and cosy clubhouse, mince pies, mulled wine and lots of other goodies were enjoyed by those not sailing. I’m not sure who the elf was, but she did a great job keeping everyone well supplied with food and drink. The funny hat competition had just three entries, and it was impossible to decide on the best, so all three won a prize. Thanks are also due to Alan Rew the race officer Roger Cooper and Alan Carlile who manned the safety boat. Alan Carlile had only popped in for a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine, and was kind enough to step in at the last minute.
The Sailing Sub Committee is currently finalizing the sailing programme for 2015, and the main Committee is looking into development projects to enhance the facilities we provide. Although we have a number of ideas, including replacing the containers with a Sussex Barn, developing the loft area of the clubhouse into a training room and looking for an area where the Tuesday Club could work under cover, we would like to hear of any other suggestions that you, the members have. Remember, this is your club and your opinions are valued. So if you have an idea, don’t be afraid to let me or any member of the committee know.
28 February and 1 March are the days to put in your diary to be sure that you don’t miss the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace. If you’ve not been before, it is a super venue with dozens of dinghies on show and every conceivable item of chandlery on sale at competitive prices. Plenty of advice is always available on how to achieve the best performance from your boat. There are also free talks and workshops led by well known sailors and altogether it is the show for anyone with even a modest interest in sailing. Book early to obtain a discounted ticket. Free for children under 16. Further information from the RYA site. www.rya.org.uk
Hope to see you soon.
Adrian
Adrian
This page is edited by the Commodore - Adrian Fisher, he may be contacted via the Contact page.