Volunteers wanted at sailing club for people with disabilities

Frensham Pond Sailability is a sailing club aimed at “anyone from the age of ten with a disability or long term illness” who wishes to learn how to sail. The club provides both beginners lessons as well as competitive racing at national and international levels. Boats provided include a “range of specially designed boats and necessary support facilities”, with Sailability members describing themselves as “freed of limitations” and having the ability to “compete on equal terms with any able-bodied sailor”. However, the team at Frensham Pond are appealing for volunteers to join the group and assist with activities at the club. Volunteers can help through teaching members to sail, preparing the boats and helping sailors in and out of the boat. Other roles include organising and running events, preparing meals and assisting with IT issues. Katie Apse, volunteer co-ordinator at Sailability joined four years ago, learning about the team through a friend. She called the experience a “wonderful way to spend the day doing the things I love, being outside and sailing, and helping people at the same time”. She also described her “greatest satisfaction” as “seeing someone sail solo for the first time”. The team has appealed for volunteers to assist at Thursday and Saturday morning sessions from April to October. If you would like information on how you can volunteer, email Katie at katieapse@btinternet.com Or for more information visit the website www.frenshampondsailabilty.org.uk.

Superb sailing at Cardigan Bay regatta

THE 145th Cardigan Bay Regatta at New Quay – one of the oldest sailing events in the country – served up superb sailing and family fun in perfect weather conditions. President Phillip Thomas and his wife Carol presided over a successful and memorable regatta, where sailing of the highest standard was on show over the three days. The shore activity programme attracted children from near and far. More than 70 children took part in the sand building competition which opened the inshore events and was held on the main beach on the first day. The swimming and rowing events were a brilliant sight and a total of 33 events were raced to screams of encouragement from the pier. Thanks went to the inshore lifeboat and the beach lifeguards who supported the event and helped to make it a success. The Cardigan Bay Watersports centre also assisted with the use of six paddle boards and kayaks. The regatta is run entirely by a small, dedicated band of local volunteers and all events were funded through sponsorship, the support of local businesses plus the kind donations from the public. The sailing race from Aberystwyth was won by Christine Willis in Rodmar, second was Mark Willis in Katabatic and third, Nigel Howes in Moonrise. Overall, the light winds favoured the smaller boats and once again sailors had the company of a large family of dolphins as spectators. In the dinghy fleet, Best Junior (Under 21) was won by Duncan Lloyd-Evans; the Best Lady Helm was Catherine Gray (Laser Radial, NQYC) and Most Improved U21 was her brother, Morgan Gray (RS Feva XL, NQYC). OVERALL RESULTS Cruisers: 1 Katabtic (Mark Willis, Sam Coles, Rachel Malcove, Doug Lloyd-Haynes, James Willis, Ceri Knapgate) 4pts; 2 Brainstorm (Chris Seal, Andy Lowe, Simon Earle, Ben Davies, Steffan Seal) 8pts; 3 Bobble (Steve Berry, Peter Heard, Steffan and Llinos Williams) 19pts; 4 Sprite (Crawford McLeary, Steve Wood, Kat Dawes) 20pts; 5 Gelert (Carl Rich, David Stubbs and Joe Litten) 21pts. Dinghies: 1 Ian Willis (NQYX/South Staffs) 5pts; 2 Christian Smart (Pembrokeshire YC) 11pts; 3 Duncan Lloyd Evans (NQYC) 5pts; 4 Eliot Rose (Bartley Green SC) 23; 5 Simon Turnbull (Pembrokeshire YC) 25 pts. Next year’s event takes place from August 23-25.

Isle of Wight sailor celebrates return home after circumnavigating Britain in catamaran

AN ISLE of Wight sailor has become the first person to single-handedly sail a beach catamaran around Britain. Liam Thom, 48, notched up an impressive 2,587 miles on his Dart 15 catamaran, Biscuit, after setting off on June 17 and arriving back on the Island on August 13. He started at Shanklin Sailing Club and sailed to the very northern edge of Scotland and back again, stopping only to sleep beside his boat or occasionally stay with people he met on his travels. Liam said: "I'd done some cruising before, but I had always wanted to round Britain at some point — so I guess the seed was sown long ago. "The Dart 15 catamaran is my boat, so it was the boat I wanted to do this in. "It wasn't too unpleasant on the water — although it did get rather cold and, at one point, I had up to nine layers on. My fingers were suffering a little towards the end." Liam, from St Helens, was elated when he finally made the half-way point and was able to cross the northern most part of Scotland. He said: "The real highlight was going over the top of Scotland. It's quite renowned as being a really dangerous stretch of water, so I had to stay focussed the whole time. "When I managed to get through, I was one very happy sailor. That was my Everest. "At one place, a local invited me to stay at his house for a night and he fed me steak and let me have a bath. I met so many strangers who were so generous." When Liam returned to the Island, arriving at the same sailing club he left from, his girlfriend, Yvonne, and family were waiting for him as he crossed the finish line. Liam said: "I was absolutely over the moon. I really was so happy to have completed something that took two months to do. "It was a pretty special moment. It takes a while to realise the enormity of what you have just done, of the achievement you've made."

The Clipper 2019-20 Race Start

British woman achieves solo sailing record at 77 | AFP

British Boats Take Top 12 Places at Subaru Flying Fifteen Worlds, National Yacht Club's Gorman & Doorly are 13th

After three races sailed at Dun Laoghaire, British boats have total control of the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championships at the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay and take the top 12 places overall after three races sailed. Lying in 13th place is Irish champions Dave Gorman and Chris Doorly. Racing was brought forward to an earlier start time on day 2 due to a forecast of a fading breeze later in the afternoon. The fleet of 75 boats from 9 nations head out to the start line in overcast but dry weather for two more windward/leeward races. After one false start the first race was started under U flag at 1115 hrs in an 11 - 13 knot northerly with a slight chop but a weaker tidal flow than yesterday. Both sides of the beat had a fairly even spread but three boats played the shifts well to arrive at the windward mark with a healthy lead. David Tabb and Chewey Sherrell from Parkstone YC in Poole, who placed third at the UK Nationals last July, sailed an excellent upwind to lead from yesterday’s star Irish performer Ian Mathews and Keith Poole from host club the National Yacht Club. Third round was another local boat from NYC, Dave Gorman and crew Chris Doorly. Down the first run, regatta leaders Graham Vials and Chris Turner were already breathing down the necks of the lead three boats. Also moving through the gears were the British armada including Steve Goacher, Nathan Batchelor, Andy Mckee and Ian Cadwallader. On lap two Tabb and Sherrell maintained their lead but had Vials and Turner on their transom. The two lead boats split gybes with the two Irish boats trying desper-ately to hold off the hunting Brit pack but down the second run the pressure was beginning to tell Rounding for the short upwind leg to the finish it was a two-horse race which was going tack for tack to the line. David Tabb fell agonisingly short pipped on the finish line by Vials / Turner who scored their second win of the championship. Steve Goacher and Tim Harper (Royal Windermere YC) broke through for 3rd. Gorman / Doorly (NYC) were an excellent 4th and Andy Mckee and Richard Jones from Dovestone SC in the UK, a consistent 5th. Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado (HISC) were a bit disappointed to drop a few places on the last leg to finish 13th. Other good performances included Ireland’s Andy and Rory Martin from Strangford Lough YC, in 11th, John Wilson and Mat-thew Summers from South of Perth YC in Australia, who finished 14th and the oldest boat in the fleet GBR 2520 a classic F15 sailed by Nick Heath and Pip Chapman (Cam Sailing Club). The pair punched well above their weight with a 30th place. Local Irishman Dave Gorman sums up an excellent 4 / 11 in races today: “We were delighted with racing today, the conditions suited us a lot better. We had a bad enough start in the first race but spotted some cloud on the right and got a nice knock out there and rounded second at the weather mark. We were waiting for all these fast guys to come through but we just wanted to sail as well as we can and we were 2nd, 3rd 4th round the marks, so we were delighted we were able to keep our own in an older boat.” “Ironically we had a much better start in the second race but we went up the middle of the course which was probably the wrong thing to do and got into the 20’s at the first mark. We were going to gybe set at the mark but luckily we decided not to be-cause the breeze filled in down the run and when we got to the gate in about 11th we had taken about 15 places on the run. So we were delighted to get two counters today.” Race 2 of the day and 3 of the championship started shortly after at around 1245pm under U flag again at the second go. The breeze had shifted a bit more N/NE and dropped to around 8 - 10 knots. Nathan Batchelor (Ovington Boats) and Ricky Riggs from Tynemouth SC got a peach of a start leaping out to a two boat length lead off the start line. Again the spread was fairly even across the course but the British pair rounded the weather mark just behind Australians Mike Hart and Dean McAullay from the Royal Freshwater Bay YC in Perth. Again the leaders were largely made up by the British boats but this time regatta leaders Graham Vials and Chris Turner copped a penalty losing a lot of ground. The first run was quite well spread but Batchelor and Riggs got a bit of a jump on the fleet to lead at the gate. Jeremy Davy and Martin Huett (Draycote Water SC) moved up into the lead pack with Andy Mckee / Richard Jones and Richard Lover-ing / Matt Alvarado and Australians Ashley Smith and Charlie Aprhorpe. On the second lap of the windward / leeward course, Batchelor / Riggs had established a comfortable lead ahead of Lovering / Alvarado but the battle was still full-on for third place. The pre-worlds regatta winners closed out the win followed by Lover-ing but the tacking duel for third involved three boats. On the line, Andy Mckee / Richard Jones just claimed 3rd, Davy and Huett, 4th and the Australians, Smith / Apthorpe 5th. “We had a great time today, we had a bit of damage on the boat before the start of the first one, the mast ram lever broke but we got a good start and were going quickly so we got a 9th in the first race which was pleasing.” “The second race we had a great transit on the start line and Riggy had confidence in where we were and called us forward with about 15 seconds to go so we started a couple of boat lengths ahead of the boats around us so it always makes it a bit easier. Despite the forecast to go right all day, which it did in the first race, it actually went 30 degrees left on the second beat so plenty of shifts to play but the second lap got a bit light and we got a bit of distance ahead at the bottom as the other boats were fighting each other so it was just a covering job to the finish.”

Southampton Boat Show 2019

BRITAIN'S biggest boat festival is floating back to Southampton to showcase its finest yachts, kayaks and dinghies this September. Southampton International Boat Show will host debuts from more than 330 boats, including yachts such as the Dufour 390 Grand Large, and 600 global marine brands are expected to set up stalls for the ten-day event. And this year, organisers of the show British Marine have taken on new headline sponsor Borrow A Boat to enable passionate boat-lovers a chance to sail onboard the luxury water attractions. See the £1.13m motor yacht making its debut at Southampton International Boat Show Visitors can test the waters through a range of on-the-sea experiences, including stand-up paddleboarding and a 72ft race yacht. Mayflower Park will be filled with festivities as the annual show becomes even larger this year, after the marina was expanded in size to accommodate more boats and activities. British Marine CEO Lesley Robinson said: “At Southampton International Boat Show, powered by Borrow A Boat we have an ideal location to get people on the water and this year we want to get even more people enjoying new experiences in, on and around the water. We’ll be showing just how accessible, inclusive and flexible boating and watersports can be with something for everyone to enjoy.” Below is everything you need to know if you're a boat-lover attending the event this year. When is Southampton International Boat Show 2019? Starting a day earlier than last year, the show returns to the city from Friday September 13 to Sunday September 22. Thousands of guest speakers and businesses will be hosting talks across the entirety of the action-packed event, with live music being played and interactive attractions including the Ocean Scene Mini Cruise, which is complete with bars and sundecks onboard. There'll also be a Seaside Storytime Ship, where visitors can listen to stories of on-the-water adventures and join readers from Southampton’s libraries. A boating stage - for beginners and enthusiasts - will enable people to meet well-known sailing personalities and learn skills ahead of going out to sea. What time does it start and where will it take place? The popular boat event starts at 9.30am every day and ends at 6.30pm, except for the last day on Sunday August 22, when the event will close at 6pm. Mayflower Park, along Town Quay, will be the venue of choice for the boats to twinkle against the waters, which is situated next to River Test. The venue is about a 10 minute walk from the Southampton City Centre. How to get to Mayflower Park If you're arriving by train, the closest railway station to the show is Southampton Central, which is about a 25-minute walk or 10-minute taxi journey. There is a taxi rank situated just outside the station. The postcode for the event is SO15 1ST, which will take you to the show entrance. AA road signs will direct those travelling by car. These signs are located on motorways M3, M27, M271 as well as main roads surrounding Southampton. There are 4,000 parking spaces available in total at the West Quay Podium car park as well as their multi-storey. Find out more about parking here. Visitors getting to the event on a bus can stop at Bargate, High Street, or Town Quay as these stops are five-minute walks from Mayflower Park. A ‘City Link’ bus runs between Southampton Central train station and Town Quay, near Bugle Street, every 15 minutes and costs £1. Those heading from Isle of Wight or Hythe can hop on a Red Funnel or Hythe Ferry, and then take a five minute walk to the boat show after it reaches Southampton. Ferry tickets can be bought at the same time as you buy your show tickets. If you are flying to the show, Southampton Airport is a 20 minute drive from Mayflower Park, or you can catch a train from Southampton Airport Parkway Station to Southampton Central. You can also take a U1C bus into the town centre, which is a short walk away from the show location. Find out everything you need to know about getting to Mayflower Park here. How to get tickets to Southampton International Boat Show 2019 There are a number of ticket options available for the annual event this year. If you want to join in with the fun for one day, you'll need an Any One Day pass. This gets you entry to the show for one day of your choice and is the best option for those unsure of a date they can definitely attend. These are priced at £22. A 'Monday to Thursday' ticket allows visitors to attend for one day out of those four days for £16.50 while a Friday to Sunday ticket enables people to visit for one day of the weekend for a price of £21. Two day tickets cost £30 alongside various VIP packages, with prices starting at £45 for perks including meals, private entrances and access to a VIP lounge. One child under 15 can attend for free but tickets for additional children cost £10. You can buy tickets here. Southampton International Boat Show 2019 events One of the show's most key attractions this year is the Try-a-Boat feature, enabling visitors to set sail on-board a high-speed RIB or float across waters under sail. Adventure-seekers can also look forward to entering this year's purpose-built Try-a-Dive tank which allows divers to breathe under water. Here is a list of other features available throughout the ten-day show: Boat and exhibitors showcase The £1.135million Sunseeker Predator 60 EVO will be unveiled at the show, which is boat builder Sunseeker's first model of a new product development plan. Amongst the 600 marine brands at the event will be Gulf Craft, Nautor's Swan, Iguana Yachts, Hydrolift, and York Marina. Tall Ship Shtandart This is a replica of the 1703 frigate warship built by Peter the Great where people can discover the history of the famous ship. Ocean Scene Mini Cruise A mini cruise ship with sundecks and bars Radio Sailing Pool A competitive racing pool for families and friends who can go head-to-head with each other and race their very own Dragon 65 yacht alongside other models Get Afloat Beginners or advanced, anyone can take part in watersports including dinghy sailing and paddleboarding with the added expertise of Rockley Watersports team. Boating stage Speakers and well-known sailing personalities will be based at this stage, which is a space where the audience can come to meet hosts of guest talks as well as learn skills and insights from the most experienced. Virtual Sailing Royal Yachting Association (RYA) will be on deck to provide a virtual reality experience allowing players to compete against other users at the show. They will also have a stand outside the Holiday Inn Hotel and be providing talks on the Foredeck Stage throughout the show to provide top tips to help protect waters and the wildlife. Talks by the RYA take place at: Sat 14th – 11:00 to 11:30 – Foredeck Stage Sun 15th – 11:00 to 11:30 – Foredeck Stage Mon 16th – 14:30 to 15:00 – Marlow Ropes Stand (J300) Sat 21st – 11:00 to 11:30 – Foredeck Stage Rum and Gin Bar Alcoholic beverages can be bought and tasted at this bar. Seaside Storytime Ship The storytime ship is a peaceful area where people can go to join readers from Southampton's libraries and hear stories about people braving the waters. Environment clean-up An operation to help protect and support the coastal habitat and wildlife will be open to the public during the show.

Dinton Pastures Activity Centre has three new fast powered sailing boats for people to try

A WATER sports activity centre has received a cash boost, offering residents the opportunity to try a new hobby. Dinton Pastures Activity Centre is invited locals to try their brand new sailing boats after recently expanding its site. The activity centre has secured almost £10,000 in funding from Sport England as part of its small grants programme. Councillor Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said: “We are delighted to have received this funding from Sports England. It is a huge achievement for the team at our Dinton Activity Centre, who are always actively encouraging local residents to try their hand at sailing.” The new RS Neo's are faster than traditional sailing boats and are made with carbon fibre rigs. Eager sailors are invited to test out the boats at the newly-launched Twilight Sailing Club which takes place on Wednesday evenings. The club is open to 16-25-year-olds and encourages them to continue to sail and develop their skills. In addition, there are a number of adult sailing courses available in September and October, including Introduction to Dinghy Sailing course and Improvers Dinghy Sailing.

Anchoring, how to stop dragging and be secure.

Rutland Sailability club purchases new rigid safety boat after £23,000 grant

A new boat was launched at Rutland Sailability last week by the High Sheriff of Rutland, Margaret Miles. The purchase of the rigid inflated safety boat, along with a launch and recovery vehicle, was made possible by a £23,400 grant from the LEADER funding programme managed by Opportunity Peterborough with support from Rutland County Council. On Thursdays and Saturday mornings Rutland Sailability enables 200 disabled and able-bodied sailing enthusiasts to share the sport using more than 20 specially adapted boats to cater for people of all abilities. High Sheriff of Rutland, Margaret Miles, posing with the RIB with a number of the club's volunteersHigh Sheriff of Rutland, Margaret Miles, posing with the RIB with a number of the club's volunteers The club is run entirely by its 200 regular members, about half of which are disabled, and welcomes hundreds of visitors each year. They volunteer their time on and off the water to run the club and provide hands-on support to more novice sailors. The club ensures that everyone who wants to sail does, and would like to bring in more volunteers to meet growing customer demand. Sarah Forsyth, a volunteer at Rutland Sailability said: “We attract people from as far afield as Ireland, Scotland and Yorkshire who want to benefit from our facilities, so the addition of the RIB and launch and recovery vehicle has been a huge boost. It doesn’t matter what disability someone has, we will always find a way to get them onto the water. “We are completely reliant on our volunteers to make sure our members and visitors have unforgettable experiences. These new pieces of equipment mean we can help more people sail at any one time and develop their passion for the sport.” Rutland Sailability hosts a number of activities for groups including the Parents’ Association for Seriously Ill Children, Grantham Disabled Children’s Charity and students completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The club is a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Sailability Centre of Excellence, and advises other clubs on how to run successful centres. The Rutland-based club also helped train athletes ahead of the Invictus Games. Tom Hennessey, chief executive ofOpportunity Peterborough which was responsible for providing the grant, has said: “The geographical pull of Rutland Sailability is spectacular and we hope that more people can volunteer their time to support the club. High Sheriff of Rutland, Margaret Miles, met with some of the sailing club's volunteersHigh Sheriff of Rutland, Margaret Miles, met with some of the sailing club's volunteers “Their services are in such high demand and this brings a lot of footfall to the region, boosting the economy.” The LEADER funding programme, managed by Opportunity Peterborough, is part of the Rural Development Programme for England and provides funding at a local level. The £1.3 million funding programme helps projects which contribute to rural tourism, support small businesses or provide a rural, cultural or heritage service. Councillor Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council said: “As a keen sailor myself I know all about the passion and commitment of Rutland Sailability’s volunteers. The team is absolutely committed to removing any and all barriers to sailing.”

The World Sailing Show - September 2019

East Lothian Yacht Cub - RYA Club of the Year Finalist - Enter now

Sailing to Skye and the Inner Sound