Thorpe Bay Yacht Club - Newsbuoy 1 - Dec 2009

www.tbyc.org • Edition 1

I would like to start my article by sharing an experience that I had at the club over the last couple of months.

After some deliberating we decided to get ourselves a Dart 15 and join the Sprint class.

My maiden sail with Molly was not so successful and resulted in a tow back to the beach. A little dejected, we washed the boat down and decided to call it a day. Back in the dinghy park, many of the other Dart sailors offered help and advice with Andrew Hannah taking time out to help me with the rigging. Next time out was fantastic and I returned to the beach with a massive smile. I had joined a section that was full of enthusiasm to help new Dart sailors get the most from their membership at TBYC.

relatively new role to the general committee; the first two years have been focused on getting new members to join. For 2010 I want to bring in a little of what I experienced with the Darts, helping new and existing members to integrate into the club and to get the most from your membership.

inviting members that have joined in the last year to meet with other new members and those on the club’s committees. We also plan to hold an introduction day to the dinghy classes and cruisers to help new and existing members develop their sailing and get involved in the classes we have at TBYC.

Whether you are a new member or have been here for several years we want to make sure that 2010 gives you the full opportunity to get involved in your club.

Whether it is through sail training, cadet week, club racing, safety boat cover or race officers or just meeting other members in the clubhouse both the General Committee, Sailing Committee and I am here to help.

I also need your help. If you have recently joined TBYC I need to know if we are meeting your expectations and what areas you think we can help with or improve. Please phone or email me, in full confidence, so that we can work towards ensuring you get the most from your club.

Our drive for new members It was this experience that will continue in 2010. made we want to stand Alongside this we are going again for Membership to introduce a quarterly Officer at TBYC. This is a new members evening

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you out on the water in 2010.

Shaun Christian Membership Officer Email: sdlchristian@aol.com Mobile: 07881 501675

TBYC Membership £1,500 • Family £2,500 New Committee for 2010. Follow the changes…

What I Enjoy The break of day. The tranquility on the mud. The first car arriving.

Dinghies uncovered. Catamarans wheeled out. First sail being hoisted.

Bosun rowing to Polly. First cruiser slipping its mooring. More cars arriving. The day unfolding. Kitchen is open. Bar is serving. Bicycles wheel in. Skateboards whiz by. The Cadets have arrived. Game of pool with a bacon roll. The beach is full of boats. Ribs are being launched.

Race Officer on the horn. Flags aloft. Laughter on the slipway.

Sandhoppers uncover. Blue sails are raised. Car park is full. Sixty boats prowl the start line. Sail training underway. The experienced are teaching, and the novices are learning. Race has started. Concentration on full.

Only one winner. Who is it to be? Back in the clubhouse with the confidence of a pint. Lunches are served. How lucky are we?

Was this a special Saturday? No, it’s every Saturday.

The boats are away. The cars are gone. The washing up is done. The shutters come down. The lights go out.

The greatest thing of all is that there is always Sunday to do it all again…

What is most astonishing, is that membership is only 10% of what its true value should be at the top of the page. Why? From the founding years, TBYC has benefitted from a membership that have given more than they have taken, year in year out, with only the odd blip. Fantastic.

We, as the new committee for 2010, will follow that legacy to ensure the members, our local community and sailing have an asset and an opportunity of which to be very proud, today, tomorrow and for future generations.

Changes have started with mindset and enthusiasm. Enjoy the ride.

Peter Thompson Commodore, TBYC

Another season of action packed sailing is only weeks away for the Sandhopper fleet.

Lift-in this year is on Saturday March 27th, so I am sure that as you visit TBYC you will see many owners and crew busy, fairing the bottoms of their boats and doing everything possible to get every ounce of speed they can this year.

Lots of sets of new sails have also been ordered so Peter Blomfield is going to be very busy measuring them in the club.

It’s great to watch this measuring craft and one I would encourage you to come and watch whilst having a beer. Rumour has it that a new Sandhopper has been ordered. Is it yours? We have no idea who it is or from which club, so answers on a postcard please!

The national championships will be hosted again in September 2010 at TBYC. The 2009 event was a huge success, in which a record 29 yachts competed. I am sure that we will beat that record and the competition will be even closer as the boats, sails and skillset gets better and better.

During the summer we also have two Sandhopper opens; one at Maylandsea Bay Yacht Club and one here at Thorpe Bay. Keep your eye on the TBYC web site for more details. We will also be holding some midweek all day cruises around the estuary. These will be fun days that I’m sure will involve a trip ashore to find a watering hole. You will more than likely spot the Sandhopper crew at the club. They will no doubt be seen in their new personalised polo shirts. If you would like to know more about the class or would like to have a test sail, then please let us know.

During the year there will be evening talks on sail trim, weather reading, boat speed, and so on, again keep your eye on the TBYC web site and on the club noticeboards with the dates and times.

Hopefully David Johnson will give another talk on boat repairs.

His recent one at the cruiser evening was fantastic and I have never seen a man so enthusiastic about his craft. David, the sooner the better for us!

The annual Sandhopper quiz night will take place on the 29th of January, so book your table early with either Alix Dell or Tony Padbury as this is such a popular event .

For more details of forthcoming events keep your eye on the TBYC web site and here in your new-look newsletter. If you would like more information on Sandhoppers, please visit our other web site at www.sandhopper.org.uk.

Happy Christmas to you all, and we wish you all safe, exciting sailing for the New Year.

Barry Duce

I am thrilled to have taken on the role of Cadet Representative for 2009-2010.

Our regular Thursday Cadet nights are a great way for new members to meet other cadets and get to know if anyone is looking for a crew if they do not already have a boat. We can always try to find someone for you to sail with. Although it may be a bit chilly for some of you, we do have a number of cadets sailing in the Winter and Icicle series currently and I know they are really enjoying it.

Many of you are looking forward to warmer and lighter days.

We have regular sail training opportunities and the Pico series to look forward to. Last year Alex Farrall (pictured) became the Pico National Champion 2009 - at age 13 this was an outstanding achievement. Over Christmas 2009, another of our cadets, Alex Warrington will be competing in the Cadet World Championships in Argentina.

At TBYC cadets are welcome to sail (as many already do) in the Saturday and Sunday series and we have cadet trophies - the Walley and Eyre Cups and the Rebellious Bowl.

Looking forward to the “Main Event� - Cadet Week 2010 - will be held from Monday 26th July to Friday 30th July. This is the high point of the Cadet calendar and a great deal of fun is to be had by all.

All ages and abilities are catered for from absolute beginners to National Champions! There is a niche for everyone and daily sailing activities build on confidence and experience and lunch/dinner and evening entertainments are included in the price.

Letters will be sent to all cadets in March inviting them to take part.

Finally, Kylie Jenkins (Social Secretary) and I are hoping to put together a range of social events this year for the cadets. If you have any ideas about anything you would like to do, please let us know and we will do our best to get it organised for you.

Sue Hadley

Firstly, Happy New Year!

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Kylie, daughter of Tom Jenkins. Dad has been a member of the club since the dawn of time, so I have been down there since I arrived on earth! I have grown up at the club, learnt to sail there (OK, so still learning!), partied there and even worked behind the bar, so I feel I am fully equipped to take over the role as social secretary for 2010 and make it a fun a year as possible!

So now is the time to christen those brand spanking new diaries and calendars with a whole host of social events at TBYC in 2010. There will be everything from quiz nights, family days, hog roasts, Halloween parties, BBQs - as well as much more to be announced as the year progresses.

For the football fans of the club, we will be showing all of the England matches with the kitchen open for an hour before and an hour after for food. The first match kicks off on Saturday June 12th at 7pm (TBC). The final will also be shown regardless of England actually getting through‌ or not!

The main focus and theme throughout 2010 will be fun and affordable, in that order. We are lucky to have some great facilities in our club and I fully intend to put them to good use. Some important dates for this year's social calendar are printed on the back page for easy reference.

After the success of the hog roast last year we have decided to hold it again but this time at Easter, Jo's chocolate fountain will also be in full flow! Something new for 2010 will be the Caribbean Party. After visiting the Caribbean in 2009, I wanted to bring a little bit of the fun (and of course, the rum) back to TBYC. If the weather in July is kind to us, there will be a BBQ out on the balcony with traditional Caribbean favourites such as jerk chicken and rum punch by the gallon! I do hope to see you all there! I am also hoping to run some more cadet-focused events throughout the year and would love to hear their ideas!

If you happen to know any budding comedians, quizmasters, bands, DJs, in fact any forms of entertainment, I would love to have your recommendations and their contact details please!

I also have an appeal to anyone who would like to be a part of the social committee for next year, I'm hoping members from each section would like to get involved and put their ideas forward. However, if time is a constraint but you have any ideas for events, please do let me know. Drop me an email at kylievjenkins@googlemail.com or give me a bell on 07734 904824. However, if it is before the January 25th 2010, I will be in Australia, so please don't think I am ignoring you!

Kylie

It is with some great pride that I am able to write this to you as the Vice Commodore of Thorpe Bay Yacht Club. I have been a member of this great club for 34 years, which gives me a good insight into the way the club has been run.

There is much to do, and I am committed through the team we now have on the General Committee to get it done. We hope to improve all areas of the club that serve its members, especially the Bar and Catering.

We are currently about to undertake a review of all the drinks we sell, and see if it’s what you like to drink, and where you like to drink it. I will be holding a wine-tasting night early in the New Year to rewrite our wine list, which is in need of updating. Watch the noticeboards and website for further details. I would advise

anybody who likes wine - or who has an opinion about wine - come along and enjoy a glass or two with friends in a friendly environment.

Jo of AfForderble Catering is now committed to opening every Friday night with the normal menu, as well as a fine dining menu once a month on a trial basis. Food is available at the club every day except Monday.

Jo will now be advertising on the noticeboards and through the website. Also you can ring her on 07500 878249 for information and bookings.

The club is a fantastic place to use.

Why not have your party or celebration at the Yacht Club, bring all your friends and have a private party? Hold a disco, host a band, or enhance your party with a dinner or buffet. Corporate functions, private meetings and individuals are all

welcome. I have listed below the rates for your club. Call our club secretary Lorraine on 01702 587563 for bookings and availability. We are now taking bookings for the Sail Training Room at the back of the club for meetings or training sessions.

It has a whiteboard, a projector and can be laid out in boardroom or classroom style.

If anyone has any suggestions for the New Year at the club, please feel free to contact me – the happier the members, the better the club.

Thorpe Bay Yacht Club looks forward welcoming you all very soon.

Have a great Christmas and a good sailing new year.

Nick Elmore – Vice Commodore 07702 299555

Function Hire rates for weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties etc Main Bar £75 per afternoon or evening session

Commodore’s Bar £50 per afternoon or evening session.

Sail Training Room £ 30 per day or evening session

2009 has been another good year, with 89 courses completed.

Congratulations to everyone who has taken part.

Sail Training is open to all members of the Club from all sections from total novice (never been on the water) to the more experienced. It is not necessary to own a boat to enrol for these courses as the Club owns 6 Oppies, 3 Picos and 2 rowing tenders which have exclusive priority on the sail training days.

Everyone starts at Stage 1, regardless of experience, as the course covers a lot of detail with how to look after yourself and how to stay safe in the worst possible circumstances through to racing as a crew. Cadets start off in Oppies and adults in Picos. The course can take up to 4 days depending on previous experience. There is also an additional Stage 1 course run during the annual cadet week.

Stage 2 is a big jump with a steep learning curve. This involves competent helming in Picos and learning how to tack and gybe with complete control as well as racing as helm. The content of this course is quite extensive and takes 3 – 4 days to complete. At Stage 3, the real fun begins, with more advanced seamanship and boat handling techniques in Picos and learning how to trapeze on cats from Sprints to Hurricanes. The four day course also covers rib training, displacement training and a day as a race officer's assistant. Log books are issued for each stage and these are accepted by the Scout Association for the water sports badges and as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

Our Sail Training programme is only successful through the dedicated commitment and enthusiasm of the Club Instructors who give up their own sailing time to make it all happen. This is an appropriate time to thank our 2009 instructors of Shaun Christian, Simon Bown, Chris Pimm, Gregg Tidd, Nick Elmore, Howard Warrington, Nick Cotgrove and Paul White as well as our junior instructors Alex Farrall, Alex Gibson, Jonny Snow, Alex Hadley, William Arney and Max Duce.

To enrol for the sail training in 2010, just send me an email. We do not set a lower age limit – just the enthusiasm to be on (and in) the water are the only requirements to learn a new lifelong skill. The Club is always looking for volunteers to instruct the sail training courses. If you have the skills, lots of patience with the ability to teach and would like to explore this further, then give me a call.

For 2010, we are looking at a new initiative of introducing a Club Rib and Displacement course to act as a steeping stone to the RYA powerboat courses. The idea here is to allow more parent volunteers and cadets to have a taster session in handling our support boats. More details on this topic will follow in the next edition of this magazine. Mike Thomason

I hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas carols with the Rayleigh Brass Band. We thanked them for an enjoyable evening. I’d also like to thank everyone who brought in plates of Christmas fare. The Cruiser Section Nibbles evening was well attended and hope all enjoyed yourselves,with the Spicy Captain’s Rum Punch and Cocktails.

Now the festive season is over, and the new Cruising season starts in April. Your new Committee are working very hard on your behalf to make this club the premier club on the North Thames coastline, starting with a new glossy magazine to keep you all inspired and informed of what the Club has to offer.

Polly needs a makeover, and so do at least two dinghies, so a working party could do this in a couple of weekends. If you have spare time, please give me a call.

Wayne, the Vice Cruiser Captain, has designed a new Polly roster for bosun’s duties on it. You will find your name along the top and dates down the side. Just add your cross on the date you can cover.

We need Polly covered for 60 days, so please try to cover at least two duties each.

The mooring and root check will take place on Saturday March 20th. If you need a root dug, please contact Peter Mehner (Moorings Officer) well in advance - please do not leave it to the last minute.

Peter has all the information on root, chains, shackles, fees etc.

The Cruiser Lift-In will be on Saturday 10th April, and I will inform of your duties nearer the time.

The Sailing Programme this season should have something for everyone to get you out on the water and having fun. There’ll be something on approximately once a fortnight, with six races, four short trips, one long day and a weekend. There are also eight or nine rallies, on weekends and bank holidays. On the rallies, other suggestions have included a barbeque, a fishing competition and a “Ladies on the Helm” Fun Day. It’s up to you, though, to let me know what floats your boat!

I wish you all a safe season. Come and join us,shake out your sails and have some fun with the Cruisers. Bob Crane

Treasurer's Scribbling Welcome to the least interesting section of the magazine - the part you flick past without reading the detail, the section that means nothing to you - until, that is, we arrive at the AGM in November.

Those of you present at the AGM in November should recall that I openly admitted that because I work in the financial services sector that I am probably viewed by most as one of a large group of social pariahs taking advantage of the Great British taxpayer! I have grown used to that popular misconception over the years as well as having grown used to the fact that as a Sandhopper owner, I sail one of the slowest boats on the race track which, if you decide to overtake us to leeward, our sails have the

same effect as a medium sized block of flats on the smaller dinghies.

Anyway, that is my personal introduction out of the way.

For those of you who didn't know me before, I have been a member of the club since I was 11 and have grown up sailing at TBYC. You may question whether I really have grown up yet, but the reason I am a member of this club is to go sailing. Here comes the less interesting part, but please stick with me for two more paragraphs.

We are very fortunate to have some of the best sailing facilities on the east coast of the country. The club has grown exponentially over the last 10 years and with that growth comes a responsibility of the general committee to

ensure we manage the club on behalf of the members prudently. I will be working with the whole committee this year and in particular with Peter Thompson and Nick Elmore to plan what we should be able to spend this coming year to keep the club moving forwards, to ensure that with the whole committee we control the expenditure of the club during the year and most importantly that we understand every payment that is made by the club before it is signed by a combination of two of the three of us.

As I write this article we have been in our new roles for a week.

Our first general committee meeting is to be held in the clubhouse in less than 24 hours and I have a first set of financial reports and forecasts to discuss with the rest of the committee. I hope that in the next edition I will be able to start sharing our plans for expenditure over the coming year so that you can understand which of the large projects that we all want to see happen at the club in the coming year can be afforded and on what timescale.

Cheers! (Paul S160 - Nemesis)

Hello again, everyone. Hope you had a great festive time and are looking forward to another exciting year of sailing.

If last year was anything to go by, then another crop of winners will emerge - but will the list be as long? Alex Farrall, Kyle Stoneham, Oli Herve, Peter Thompson, Steve Hopper, Nick Elmore and David White not to mention the adventures of Alex Warringtonwho at the time of writing is preparing to head off to Argentina.

Notice that doing well at Thorpe Bay can lead to National and International events all over the world. But you can only do well if you get out there and take part!

We are looking to arrange another Race Preparation Evening sometime in the early spring, this will include a run through of the Race Officer procedures and it is highly recommended that anyone interested in learning more about being a Race Officer or race procedures in general should make a point of coming down for the evening. Also if you are interested in being a Race Officer then we hope to run “mentoring sessions� where you will accompany an RO out on the water for a club race and see exactly what goes on. It would be great to see some non-sailing parents who fancy taking a more active role in the club get involved in race management which is vital to the long term success of club racing. If this interests you, then please contact myself or Chris Boshier for more details.

There will be some major changes to the way club racing is run this year, if you glance around you before the start you may notice an extra buoy out there.

Hopefully this will not be a surprise to you as of course you will have read the sailing instructions and be fully aware that there is a shorter course for the slower handicap fleets to sail, this should give some good close quarter sailing action.

If you fancy getting in some pre-season training, then why not get involved in the remaining Icicle Series? Just enrol and get stuck in, that way you will hit the spring season in tip top condition.

So come on folks, make this the season when your racing steps up a gear, astound all your mates and leave them in your wake! Make Barry eat your dust! Prove to Sam that Solos can cope with more than F2! Show Andrew that Sprints can start on time! Display to Chris that Hurricanes can be controlled at speed! Task Robin with getting more than 3 Lasers out!

See you on the water, Chris

After all, they're basic, very hard work and slow!

I bought my first Laser - 56258 - in 1976, and I'm now sailing my 7th - 195815, and while I have owned loads of different dinghies and cats in between, I keep coming back to the Laser. I wouldn't have returned if nothing had changed since it began 40 years ago, but a process of slowly evolving the equipment has meant that to sail a Laser in 2009 is very different from the 1976 experience.

An instantly and easily adjustable rig means that you can switch from powered up to de-powered in seconds, which is great in a brisk offshore wind, but something that the Laser sailor could only dream about in those olden days. It's not just the equipment either. While hiking a Laser hard will only ever be enjoyed by true masochists, a good pair of hiking shorts removes much of the pain!

OK, they are still relatively slow, but because they are simple and the starting price for a second hand boat is c.ÂŁ500 there is no realistic barrier to buying one, and if you buy sensibly you will get your money

back at sale time too.

At Thorpe Bay we have lots of adults from 20 to over 50 racing with the standard rig, a number of cadets using the 4.7 and in 2010 I expect to see some Radials too. That is the beauty of the Laser: a one-design hull with three rigs that cater for young / slightly built to older and fairly porky - no names necessary, you know who you are!

We sail Lasers because the racing is close and exciting, what you get out is in proportion to the effort you put in. We can do a dozen tacks in the time it takes a cat

Hello from the Bahamas!

Plenty going on out here to keep us busy in the dinghy park all day. Gear to maintain, new rudder and daggerboard gaskets, new sails to test and plenty of boathandling practice in whats been champagne sailing for the last four days!

Hands are a little broken right now.

Everything is feeling good for the build up to the worlds. Amazing to be in this position with great kit to swap and choose between for the big event.

The last few months have been a total whirlwind for me. Since the 49er Worlds at Lake Garda at the end of July, my whole 49er

or skiff to do one. We sail all year round and some of our best racing is during the winter months when we haven't got those pesky Sandhoppers in the way.

If you have a Laser already but don't sail it as much as you used to, remember why you bought it in the first place and join us on the water soon. If you are interested but don't have a boat, talk to me soon and I'll arrange a demonstration and buying tips.

Robin Foster-Taylor Class Captain • laser@1st.com

Olympic campaign has seen some serious changes.

Firstly, a new helm, changing back to my former helmsman Paul Brotherton, super keen to get back on the helm it was a decision which puts us back in the hunt for 2012 selection. Our first event after 2 weeks sailing together, the European championships, went very well, finishing with a silver medal. Next big change was the introduction of the new hulls and wings from Ovington.

This came with a few new design teething problems and boat sorting in a short 2 week window before the boats were loaded into a container and sent to the Bahamas.

So we're now in the Bahamas in the middle of our final two-week venue training period with the British squad before flying home for Christmas.

The venue seems pretty amazing so far, all inclusive accommodation makes living out here pretty easy. The boats are just outside the apartment window only a stone’s throw away from the water.

As lovely as the venue is, the focus is all there. The World Championships start on the 4th of January and the results are what everyone will be looking at. Paul and I have set some high targets, ones which we run are whole campaign by.

The results from this worlds will stand for almost 2 years as the next 49er Worlds isn't until December 2011.

Seven more intense days of training to go and then bring on the Worlds! The Bahamas is a little laid back, and as a result the internet is a little hit and miss.

I'll endeavour to keep our website updated. Check out our blog page at www.gbr49er.com.

Have a great Christmas!

Mark Asquith

You can also follow Mark & Paul's progress from 4th January at www.49erworlds.org.

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