Safety boat cover

by News

I am sure that you will be aware of the problem of bird droppings making a real mess of the safety boats. The Committee have been looking at a variety of solutions but so far without great success. However, Sherborne Boys’ School has designed, made and kindly donated to the Club a cover for the safety boat on the mooring closest to the main pontoons. We all hope this will avoid the problem of stepping into a boat extensively contaminated with vile and slippery guano.

The front of the cover is tied to a buoy and is simply draped over the boat, with a hem weighted with gravel to keep it in place. Perforated panels in the centre of it allow rain water to drain into the boat. It is very simple to use, the important thing to remember being – DON’T UNTIE THE COVER FROM THE BUOY!

1. To remove the cover, simply lift it off the cleats – stern cleats first – and throw it into the water; the weighted hem will make it sink, with the big buoy supporting its weight. The water helps to clean the accumulated muck off the cover.

2. To replace it, tie the bow line of the safety boat to the mooring ring, grab the small buoy and use the line attached to it to heave the cover into the boat. Spread it out and drop the cut-outs in the cover over the bow cleat and one stern cleat then step into the tender to complete the spreading operation and attach the remaining stern cleat.

Early feedback has been positive and we hope it will prove to be a long term solution, and one which can be used on the other safety boats.  We are, however, always open to further suggestions to address the problem of seagull mess on boats and pontoons.

Kind regards,

Phil Godfrey

Secretary

NHS Day cancelled

by News

Sorry to say that, owing to the chilly and wet forecast, the organisers have reluctantly decided to cancel the Fun Day originally scheduled for tomorrow. The event was largely an outside activity relying on reasonable weather. This is obviously a big disappointment for those who have worked so hard to organise this ‘thank you’ event to the staff in A&E at Yeovil Hospital. There is currently no plan to try and run it at a later date.

Thursday series update

by News

The first race took place on Thursday 7th April.  Despite strong winds, nine boats raced and all finished.

Hopefully the Series can continue as we used to run it before the ‘Lockdown’.  Three mini series of seven races with two discards each mini series.  Prizes as before but you can only win one.  The overall 21 races will also count and prizes awarded at the Club’s Prizegiving and Social.

 If there are enough boats racing we will introduce Gold, Silver and Bronze Fleets and, for those of you new to racing, we will introduce two starts to get  you away before the main fleet.  Novices starting at 6.25pm will have the 5 minutes to get started which will not be counted in their ‘elapsed’ time.  The main start will be at 6.30pm.

The Racing can only happen if everyone takes their turn at Race Officer and OOD, note the OOD Opt Out only applies to weekend duties – if you race on Thursdays, you do the duties.  Sign up on the Club’s Dutyman Roster.

If you have any queries, check with the Race Officer on the day.  If you don’t know how to run a race, volunteer to help as Assistant RO and along wit the OODs and RO you will receive average points for that race.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the water,

Nigel Leveridge

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Spring Newsletter

by News

The spring 2022 newsletter has been sent to your email address. Keep and eye out for it and remember if you don’t receive it check your spam mailbox to see if its gone into there. You can also find it on the website under the news tab.

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Working Party Days

by News

We have two working parties over the next two Saturdays. The first one is shown on the Club year planner, but clashes with the Dinghy Show, so we have a second one on the following Saturday, 5 March.

The work is pretty manual and generally undemanding , so everyone can be found something useful to do.  As always, there are loads of brambles and other weeds to clear, litter- picking, tidying the boat shed, plus other routine maintenance tasks.

Both sessions will begin at about 0900 and continue for as long as members wish to stay. The forecast for this coming Saturday looks good at present: no rain and not too much wind.

I hope you will be able to attend at least one session. Wear suitable clothing and bring some useful tools. There is currently no plan for lunch, but we will probably rustle up some bacon rolls for a mid-morning snack.

Dave Saddington is leading the efforts, so let him or me know if you suggestions for jobs or have any questions.

Cheers
Merv Clark

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Duties – A Reminder

by News

Each year you need to volunteer to help your fellow club members by doing either the safety boat or galley duties. A reminder of what is required –

Single members (16 years+) & Family members where 1 adult sails – a minimum of 2 duties

Family members where 2 adults sail – a minimum of 3 duties

Non-sailing members – no duties required

If you volunteer for more duties you can apply for a £10 discount on the following years membership fees.

There is the £100 opt-out so you don’t need to do duties but it is preferably that you don’t as we all work for each other.

Icicle Open Win for Curtis

by News

Terry Curtis sailing an OK won the 2022 Icicle Open on the 30th Jan. SBSC’s Hamish Walker finished in 2nd in a RS Aero 7 and Sam Thomson was third in an OK. All the top 5 boats were extremely close to each other at the end and only a few more minutes of racing could have seen the victory go to Walker. Just as a pursuit race should be.

Full results can be found by clicking on the link – Full Results
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Good news…..The Cold Turkey event will be going ahead on Sunday with a Festive Spread kindly laid on by Julia Green and a race (of sorts) arranged by our Race Officer.

Following Government advice the following precautions will be taken to help protect everyone attending and their families, friends and co-workers:

1. All doors and windows will remain open in the clubhouse to ensure good air flow. This means it will probably be cold so please bring warm clothes!
2. Hand sanitiser will be available – so please do use it. Its not the horrible sticky kind!
3. Please be mindful of the social distancing rules and apply them wherever reasonably possible.
4. Please consider taking a Lateral Flow Test in the morning particularly you have been in contact with people from other areas of the country and you’re planning to use the clubhouse or changing rooms. Don’t come if you get a positive result or if you have symptoms – for Delta a persistent cough, loss of or change to sense of smell or taste and a high temperature, for Omicron a sore throat, congestion, body aches and a temperature (anecdotal evidence).
Despite these measures we hope you’ll come and enjoy the sailing, the food, the drink and the company.

Best wishes from
All on the Sutton Bingham Sailing Club Committee