Weekly Club News - 31st October 2023
Published 09:34 on 31 Oct 2023
Winter Starts Tomorrow
In the eyes of Spinnaker Sailing Club at least. This means that from tomorrow all water users not in a powerboat must wear a wetsuit (with thermal insulation up to the shoulders as a minimum) or drysuit while afloat, in addition to the usual buoyancy aid.
With wintery weather now becoming more common we also ask all members to ensure their boat is adequately tied down and advise that:
- Sails are removed from boats
- Bungs/self bailers left open
- Covers are secure, supported and tight to allow rain to drain off
With the shorter daylight hours, and reduced activity at the club the hire of club dinghies will now be from 0900 to 1630 Sunday to Thursday only. We cannot guarantee whether there will be club staff onsite on Fridays and Saturdays and so hire is not available on those days.
Social Sailing
Our Social Sailing on a Thursday runs all year (except for a 1 week pause over Christmas). These sessions start at 10.30 and finish around 12.30. We have a safety boat rigged, and a member of staff available to support members getting afloat.
We very rarely cancel/advise members to strongly consider whether the conditions are suitable for them to go afloat for Social Sailing. However, we currently have yellow weather warnings for rain and wind in force for Thursday, with gusts of 60mph forecast. If the session is to be cancelled this will be emailed to all members on Wednesday by 5pm.
Club Staff Update
With cooler weather now here our training programme is winding down for the winter period, and so our club staffing is reduced as well. First of all a massive thank you to our team of instructors who have delivered activities across the year.
James, Neil, Sophia and Candace will continue to work to support the club through the winter and into 2024! Due to personal circumstances James is expected to be away from the club for several weeks during November. All routine queries and any urgent business during this time should be sent to Neil in the first instance on admin@spinnakerclub.co.uk
Club Racing Update
Sunday saw the conclusion of our Club Championships! You can read a full report here.
There is now a 1 weekend pause in our club racing programme as our annual Firefly Weekend is running on 4th/5th November, due to the scale of this event the lake will be closed for general usage during this event. Club racing then resumes on November 12th with races 1 & 2 of our Winter Series, with a 1030 start.
Radio Controlled Sailing
Thank you to those members that replied about setting up Remote Controlled (RC) Sailing at the club. Next step is to hold a meeting where we will present ideas on how to progress this and look for feedback. This will be held after racing on 12 Nov about 13:00. Whether you replied or not, we would be delighted to see you there.
Sails on Pontoons
When boats are secured on the Club Pontoons can we please ask that the sails on club owned boats are either furled or dropped. Our sails get a great deal of use, and when they are left flogging, or flapping freely not in use, this significantly shortens their life. By looking after the club equipment we can prolong it's life, and reduce our club's costs.
If you are leaving your own boat on a pontoon then we strongly advise to help preserve your own equipment you lower/furl your sail when not in use. If you do decide to leave your sail rigged please consider how the increased swing of your boat will affect other pontoon users.
2023 Annual General Meeting
Spinnaker Sailing Club's Annual General Meeting is on Sunday 3rd December. The Notice of AGM can now be viewed at the link below. It is on this page in our member's area that you will also be able to view the Club's Annual Financial Accounts and Director's Reports ahead of the AGM.
Last updated 09:41 on 20 December 2023
