The Staunton Herald - Autumn 2013

THE

Staunton Harold Sailing Club

STAUNTON HERALD AUTUMN 2013

Welcome to the latest newsleJer from Staunton Harold Sailing Club. As I write this the Frostbite season has just started (and what a windy start to the series that was!), and it’s hard to remember the glorious summer and wonderful sailing weather we’ve had this year.

We can look back on a number of really successful events at the club in 2013. We hosted our very first NaVonal meeVng (for the BriVsh Moths) in August, which went extremely well and they have asked to return to SHSC in 2015. The Open meeVngs for the Lasers, Comets and Solos had incredible turnouts, with 63 boats lining up at the start of the Laser Open, as well as SHSC sailors winning the Laser and Solo event (and coming second in the Comet). The Club Open Day, held in much beJer weather than 2012, saw over one-­‐hundred visitors to the club and a number of new members.

Once again, SHSC sailors have also had great success away from the club, compeVng in the Fireball Europeans and Worlds, Solo Inlands and NaVonals and the Scorpion NaVonals amongst other events, as well as winning the Club Championship at Abersoch Dinghy Week. Our youngsters have also been doing really well in the Toppers and OpVmists with several now in Zone or NaVonal Squads – details are in the “news” secVon of www.shsc.org.uk.

Nick Waters (Commodore)

BREAKING NEWS! SHSC is on the shortlist for Yachts & Yach=ng “Club of the Year” so please support your club and vote for us!

We’re also conVnuing to improve the club’s faciliVes. The changing room extensions (funded through Sport England’s Inspired FaciliVes) are complete and it’s difficult to see how we managed in the old ones. Some inspired scrounging, plus a grant from South Derbyshire and really hard work by members has given us a new permanent jeJy which can cope with all water levels. Finally, a new container (another donaVon) has appeared in the training boat park; this will be used for maintaining the club’s sailing boats (did you know that we owned over 30 boats for training and hire?).

All the club acVviVes and improvements have been down to our enthusiasVc members, so thanks very much to everyone concerned for all the effort that’s been put in. As for what the club does next? Do come along to the AGM on Sunday 24th November and let us know what else you’d like to see from your club. We try to keep the first formal part as brief as we can, then open the floor for discussion of any maJers of interest to the members, so this is your opportunity to help us conVnue to develop this great sailing club.

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 1

STOP PRESS !!

"A big congratulaVons to Lesley and Andy FoskeJ, and Joe Smith, who have just received well deserved 2013 RYA Volunteer Awards from HRH Anne, Princess Royal, at a ceremony in London today. Lesley and Andy received the LifeVme Community Award for all the dedicated work they have done for the club (juniors, youths and adults), the 420 fleet and the Olympics over the years, and Joe got the Youth Community Award for his constant dedicaVon and Vme spent encouraging and training our youngsters to learn our sport over the last 5 years.

So Staunton Harold S.C. had 3 of the 7 East Midlands Awards given this year. Our club can be very proud of them."

www.photoboxgallery.com/picturelink

http://www.rya.org.uk/regions/westmidlands/news/newsletters/nov13/Pages/ CongratulationsRYACommunityAwardWinners.aspx

STOP PRESS !!

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 2

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 3

M OR E NE WS Got those winter blues already??

Well never fear, the SHSC Xmas party is here!!!!!!!

Join us for another exciVng and fun evening on the 14th December.

We have a 1920’s Gangsters and Dolls theme this year, with a Live swing band and a chance to try out some 1920’s dancing with instrucVon!!! Along with a 1920’s style buffet banquet!

6.45pm for 7.00pm Buffet open (ish!!!)

Prizes for best Fancy Dress Ticket prices are HELD from the previous 2 years at: Adults -­‐ £15 Under 12’s -­‐ £9 More details to follow but get booking NOW!!!

Contact any of the social team, Pete, Rach, Rich, Simon or Amy at the bar, or e-­‐mail the social team on shscsocial@gmail.com Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 4

CLUB STUFF DUTIES FOR 2014

The racing calendar has been produced for 2014, and a duVes sign-­‐on board will be placed in the club on Saturday 26th October.

This board will stay at the club unVl Boxing Day.

Between Boxing Day and New Year's Day, all signed up duVes will be transferred to the Web based system DutyMan.

Aser Jan 1st, you may sign up for duVes either directly on DutyMan or by contacVng us.

A few points to remember • Normally a member/partner/child(16 and over) who sail at the club, is expected to do a minimum of 3 DuVes each.

•

• Record any duVes you have picked, this can catch out even the most experienced members, when DutyMan sends out a reminder.

•

• Please check your own holiday dates before picking a duty, by spring/summer Vme, duty swaps are not that easy to arrange.

•

• The only DuVes that count are those on DutyMan. Volunteering to help out on non-­‐race calendar events is much appreciated, but does not count against your allocaVon. We put on more events than the duty allocaVon covers, and many of our members do specific roles and events, and sVll cover their 3 duVes (or more in some cases).

• The club prides it's self on it's club racing and relies on formal duVes, these could not be run on an ad hoc basis.

•

• The dates on the board are only provisional, where a duty is cancelled, the duty will be reallocated. However the board has been checked and correct to 2014 calendar as of this week.

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• Once a duty goes on DutyMan, it becomes the members responsibility to either fulfill the duty or swap with another member.

You can access DutyMan on the SHSC web site ....... www.shsc.org.uk/sailing/duVes.aspx •

• In March or as members re-­‐join (whichever occurs last), we will allocate duVes from those les open. So it's in everyone's interest to pick your own from the board.

Safety Coxswains If you are an experienced power boat driver please volunteer for the safety Coxswains duVes The safety coxswain will be the safety lead for the day and can offer experience and advice to other less able safety crews.

Fleet Galley There is a change for this year. The Fleet or event organiser will have to provide a lead Galley person for all their events, including those in conjuncVon with normal club racing.

However the duty roster will provide Galley 2 for all events (where required).

This is to make things fairer for all event leaders, and to reduce the need for new or inexperienced members being allocated difficult Galley events.

Thanks for your support through 2013 and hope you all have a successful and enjoyable 2014 at the club.

Kathy & Gordon Duty Coordinators at SHSC 01332 691168 kathypeacham@gmail.com

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 5

MOR E C LU B ST U F F AUTUMN WEATHER

This Vme of year heralds the onset of cold wet and windy weather. We have already seen plenty of it and, despite the odd windless bit, we can expect plenty more. There is a number of things that need to be thought about and acVoned in preparaVon for intense weather, both on and off the water.

1) Tie downs. Many boats are sVll not properly Ved down and this can lead to bad damage to the incorrectly secured boat and the innocent boat that it lands on. Please check that your boat is well Ved down. It is worth bearing in mind that some insurance companies require the Ve down rope to pass around the mast. There are many methods for creaVng a ground anchor but the simplest, by far, is to Ve a loop around a brick and to bury it carefully about six inches or more below the ground.

Steel spikes etc may work but leave a dangerous hazard to feet and mowers and are not easy to see.

2) Exposure. Please make sure that you are suitably dressed for the weather. It can be really cold on the water and wet clothes in windy condiVons can be surprisingly ineffecVve. Use a proper ‘steamer’ or dry suit or add a layer of water proof clothing over a normal wet suit. If you get cold, go ashore immediately and warm up.

3) Safety Boat Crew. OODs, make sure your safety boat crew don't get too cold. Check with them if they need a break.

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 6

E V E N M O R E C LUB ST UF F AMAZING NEW JETTY!!

FROM THIS.....

We must all extend our thanks to a small and committed team who have created a fantastic new jetty.

Our old jetty has stood for many years but has become decrepit and incapable of coping with our ,almost tidal, water level fluctuations.

Replacement elements were secured from Rutland Water, free of charge, by Andy Foskett. Some serious man-toys were loaned and driven by Phil Wright to move the huge sections into the water and to prepare the ground.

There was a huge amount of planning and work in the installation of the piles, timber and decking for the new, revised jetty arrangement. A great deal was achieved over two days of working parties and a huge number of other hours by the team to give the club a jetty that will stay afloat in water deep enough for tying up rescue boats even with very low water levels. Too many helpers to name individually but special mention to Phil Wright and Daren Fasey for the loan of proper man tools, not DIY grade.

If the far end goes aground now then there is not enough water left to sail on!

This is a significant improvement to the Clubʼs facilities and will be a huge help on training days and our legendary Open Day for disabled people.

Colin, Daren, Simon, Gray, Ollie, Phil, Corey and Lou, we owe you all!!

TO THIS!! .....

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 7

T R AI NI NG

MIDLAND OPEN TOPPER TRAINING Want to get more out of your Topper?

Develop racing skills?

Learn the basics of handling this fun boat?

There are several Open training sessions being run throughout the Midlands during the winter, with the next being held at our own club.

Anyone interested needs to book in advance, the training is by 2 of the Topper west zone coaches and is open to all levels (you just need to be able to sail a triangular course in all but extreme weather) All of the training dates are as follows:

Session 1 Sat 5 October – Carsington Session 2 Sat 30 Nov – Staunton Harold Session 3 Sat 25 Jan – Hollowell Session 4 Sat 1 Mar – South Staffs Session 5 Sat 15 March – Manor Park

The cost for each session is £25.00, and the Vmings are a 9.30am start (boats rigged but sailors do not have to be changed) and finishes at 4.30pm.

Be warned if you are not dressed warmly enough, the coaches reserve the right not to let you parVcipate!.

Food is not included on the day, but I will put on a galley service for the day.

If anyone is interested then please drop me an email and I will forward the booking form

Louise

nigel_craig@btinternet.com

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 8

L E T T E RS TO T H E E D I TO R Dear Mr Watson

I am writing to complain about the shameful way in which you "edited" the copy I provided for Laser fleet news in the recent edition of the Staunton Herald. Clearly the recent Levison enquiry on press standards passed you by.

The photograph which I supplied was intended to enable you to publicise the striking likeness between the statue and Mike Jones. Not for you to have a cheap shot at the Laser fleet captain.

If you actually look at the photograph the likeness is obvious.

Who else do you know in the Club who has got a bald pate, brass neck, highly polished shoes and eyes like yellow holes in the snow? Furthermore, the statue is entitled "El Loco Nudista "de Yorkshire" con una grande chorizo semi". Obviously Mike acted as a life model for Joan Miro in the 1960s. Miro probably produced the statue as some sort of therapy to prevent the recurrent nightmares he was having.

CENSORED

(Incidentally Joan Miro is generally considered to be a Catalan artist and would probably not appreciate one of his works being described as Spanish. Clearly, your appreciation of modern art is limited to looking at a few Jackson Pollocks.)

I trust a full front page apology will form part of the next Reservoir Rag.

I apologise

I would also like to make an observation about the editorial comment which you have inserted about the changed PY table.

Although the Laser fleet welcomes returning members of all ages and abilities the only pot hunting you are likely to have any success with in a Laser would occur if you capsized and were rescued by a waterborne drug dealer !

unreservedly for any confusion or hurt created by the inaccurate posVng of

the original artwork by Mr Barnet, or indeed Joan Miro. Despite the

Yours sincerely Richard Barnett Laser fleet captain

use of the latest technology, it is possible for

photographs to be To: Rob Watson, esteemed editor.

mixed up, parVcularly As the main subject of this Vrade from our honourable (and frustrated) Laser when faced with such Fleet Captain you have my full permission to publish it in full (less the extraordinarily similar characters as Mr BarniJ, Mr impressive highly polished part) as an addendum to your publicaVon. Jones and “El Loco”. ED

Incidentally, please ignore any resemblance between him and that other well known ... arVst, Tracy Emin, is unfortunate and purely coincidental.

And... it is simply obvious that the reason behind the very favourable adjustment to the Laser PY is because I have just les the fleet and acquired a Solo! yours sincerely, M.Jones

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 9

BAC K PAG E Yachts and Yach=ng Club of the Year Award 2014.

You'll be pleased to know that our club has been shortlisted for the Yachts and Yachting Club of the Year Award 2014. There are 5 other clubs on the shortlist: St Edmundsbury, Draycote, Blackwater. Olton Mere and Hickling Broad. The final award is decided on number votes cast by the public so please cast your own votes and get in touch with your sailing friends to support us by casting their votes as well! Voting is open now... see: www.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/awards2014.

HUGE TURNOUT FROM SHSC IN 2013

THE NEXT EDITION ........HELP!!

CONGRATULATIONS PETE AND RACHEL!!

Firstly, I must apologise for a slightly thin (and late) Staunton Herald this ediVon. I have been very busy with this and that -­‐ including some unexpected business travel so next Vme I will aim to get a swiser job done!

If you want to be represented in the Staunton Herald, for whatever reason, please send your contribuVons through Mike Jones, The CommiJee or directly to me at rob15004@icloud.com There is always space for Personal news, Fleet News, Endeavours around the World, amusing anecdotes and even more for our sailing dicVonary. Please don’t hold back..... the worst that can happen is that I am so embarrassed that I have to print it smaller.

The sooner you get it to me, the sooner I can get compiling.

Happy Scribing!

Rob Watson

Staunton Harold Sailing Club, Calke Road, Melbourne, Derbyshire DE73 1DL page 10