First Aid

The first aid course has been moved from the previously reported February 14 to Saturday, February 21. This will be an update for those needing to renew existing certificates or for anyone wishing to learn the basic skills. Please contact Trevor on (01834) 811235.

Social Programme

The club will continue to be open for the rest of the winter season providing good cheer for all members and serving drinks and food every Friday and Saturday nights from 6 pm and on Sundays from 12 noon to 2 pm. Such a provision has to be organised, staffed and funded, so please do use the club whenever you can and enjoy the social side before sailing activities take-off in the spring.

Red Hot Lunch - 'Burns Night'

The full Mcworks of haggis, neaps and tatties, followed by butterscotch and raspberry dessert, will be provided on Sunday, January 25 - the 250th Burns celebration, but as a lunch, 12.30 for 1 pm.

Please book in for this ever-popular event with Clan McDermott on (01834) 813595.

Live International Rugby

Our new big screen equipment will be put to good use for all the international matches to be played during February and March.

They start on Saturday, February 7, with England v Italy at 3 pm. Make it a real occasion with lunch in the club beforehand and screen-side seats to allow you to enjoy the game fully with a great atmosphere and no travel. Ireland v France follows at 5 pm and the bar will be open throughout.

Valentine's Day Lunch

For all you romantics, there will be a special Valentine's Day lunch, 12.30 for 1 pm, on Sunday, February 15. For those disclaiming romanticism, treat this as a training course - and come anyway. Having aroused at least your taste buds with the repast, the Wales v Scotland game will follow on the big screen at 3 pm to provide total climax. What an opportunity for the excitation of your deepest passions during daylight hours. Book now with May on (01834) 813595.

Welcome Night

We hope to arrange a welcome night on a Friday or Saturday before the start of the season when all members will be welcome, but particularly for new members to get to know others and learn more about the opportunities in the club. Details to be announced later.

Over the Top!

We hope to bring a special event to the club during March which would be of tremendous interest to all members. Watch this space for more details.

Fitting-Out Supper

This is to be held on Saturday, April 4, so put it in your diary now. Sailing starts the following day, with perfect weather assured for the first race of the season on Sunday, April 5. (Also the start of the new tax year, but this will be of less interest!)

Sailing Diary Dates for 2009

Coppet Week is to be held from Sunday to Friday, May 24-29. Competitors will be delighted to learn that the fees will be the same as last year, with early entries again receiving a discount.

SSC Dinghy Regatta and Caldey Island Race are to be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23. Note that this is the weekend before the Bank Holiday to avoid clashing with other events.

National Championships

This year, we are hosting the International Moth National Championship from Saturday, July 11 to Tuesday, July 14. This is a truly amazing class of sailing dinghy (flying machine would be a better description) sailed by real experts and enthusiasts. They will provide a fantastic spectacle for onlookers and a source of much expertise for other sailors.

A typical Moth hull is 3.5m long and 35cm wide, with the entire rigged boat weighing in at only 25-35kg. Combining eight square metres of sail and 'wing', these boats develop an incredible power to weight ratio, making Moths one of the fastest single-handed dinghies available.

Many of these boats now use foils which lift the hull out of the water like a ski and really do result in them flying! They thus depend upon considerable sailing skill to achieve full race performance.

We are delighted and proud that two club members - Robin Wood and Colin Newman - have achieved top honours in this class (winning between them various national, European and world championships).

Inter-club Racing with Tenby SC

The annual inter-club competition between SSC and TSC is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, with a 1 pm start and evening festivities in our clubhouse to host visitors from Tenby after the racing.

Clubhouse Improvement

A major decision was taken at last week's committee meeting to commission the now urgent work on the front eaves, gutters and windows of the clubhouse.

This is a major project, but will greatly improve the building and ensure that it remains in good repair for the future.

Inevitably there will be some disruption as it involves scaffolding across the entire frontage, but will result in new double glazed windows and redecoration of the visible parts of the building.

This is a major commitment of club funds, but considered to be an essential investment.

Timing of this work will be confirmed in due course.

Nautical Nips

Like so many other common expressions, last week's poser on 'Brass Monkeys' does have nautical origins.

The cannon balls required by the guns on Napoleonic ships of war were carried and stored in containers referred to as 'Monkeys' and being made from brass were thus 'Brass Monkeys'.

In very cold temperatures, the brass would contract or even break, or water in the base of the container would freeze and lift the contents, thus allowing the cannon balls to roll off the Monkey onto the gun deck. Hence the sailors would say 'it is cold enough to freeze the balls off a Brass Monkey'.

Skipper's Mate