Sunday sailing

Sunday morning dawned bright, but very chilly, and six brave sailors took to the water in two Ospreys and one RS500.

Race officer Bill Dowell set a large course for the light winds with the windward leg out to sea and two spinnaker reaches in to the cliffs and back towards the lifeboat station.

Mike Stace and Deanna Morton took an early lead in their Osprey, with Alastair Knibb and Alastair MacKay close behind in their Osprey. Ed Dashfield and Emily Kirby found the upwind leg hard, with the chop not suiting their RS500. Mike and Deanna maintained their lead during the downwind legs and Ed and Emily enjoyed the spinnaker reaches, managing to overtake the two Alastairs and start to close the gap on the leading boat.

The positions remained unchanged for the next two laps, with Mike and Deanna extending their lead upwind and Ed and Emily catching up during the downwind legs. Alastair and Alastair kept battling away, although losing some of their boat patches to the sea could have hindered them slightly!

At the finish, after a good hour's race, the positions across the line were Mike and Deanna first, Ed and Emily second and Alastair and Alastair third.

On corrected time, the RS500 just sneaked ahead of the Osprey of Mike and Deanna, with the Osprey of Alastair and Alastair remaining in third.

Many thanks to Bill for 'freezing' in the safety boat and setting a good course for the weather. Commodore, Mark Dashfield, very generously provided tea, soup and bacon rolls at the end of the race.

Racing as usual this Sunday.

Darts

Normality has resumed. We were firmly put in our place by a very strong darting outfit, but the whitewash did not reflect the closeness of some of the games. Again the inability to secure that final double proved our downfall. Vice-captain, Colin Parmenter, had the unenviable task of choosing the team for the evening against such strong opposition. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. This evening we are at home to the Bowling club. Captain, Terry Evans, expects a much-improved performance!

AGM and Prize-Giving

Unfortunately, modern electronics have prevented a report on the AGM. Let's keep our fingers crossed that there will be a full report next week.

Jam Evening

The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17. There will be a festive theme, so why not join us for what promises to be a great evening. It's the place to be!

Junior Party and Prize-Giving

This annual event takes place tomorrow (Saturday). There will be games and lots of fun activities to entertain the juniors. Parents are cordially invited and the club would be grateful if they could contribute to the success of the evening by providing some nibbles.

Christmas Party

This fun evening takes place on Saturday, December 20. There will be paninis and steak baguettes on offer, as well as the traditional mince pies and 'lemonade'. All members and friends are invited to attend and enjoy some festive spree.

New Year's Eve

The format for New Year's Eve is the same as last year. There will be a carvery laid on for limited numbers only. Please contact Mark Dashfield on 844918 to make a reservation. Members and friends not wishing to participate in the carvery are invited to join in the festivities.

Newsletter

A newsletter has been circulated to members. It contains details of the social events planned for the near future and summarises the sailing calendar for major events. How does a folk evening, a Mamma Mia evening etc. sound? Watch this space!

Club Openings

The opening hours have reverted to Friday and Saturday evenings, with the occasional function thrown in. Any time variation will be published in advance. On a procedural note, would members please have their membership cards to hand as temporary bar staff may not know the identity of all our members?

Club Calendar

Looking for a Christmas present? Great news! The 2009 club calendar is now available at the same price as this year's. They are available at the clubhouse, from Commodore Mark Dashfield (844918), or via the club's website by filling an appropriate order from. Order now while stocks last.

Future Events

Saturday, December 20 - club Christmas party; Boxing Day – annual draw after the Boxing Day Swim; New Year's Eve – commodore's carvery and party.

This is a very friendly and welcoming club, which endeavours to involve all members in a variety of activities. If anyone would like to join us, now is an ideal time, especially with the discount still on offer. Contact any member who will be delighted to furnish you with further details.

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