Hansa Europeans 2019

It was good to see the intrepid Rory McKinna of the Clyde Cruising Club travel to Portugal earlier this month to take part in the Hansa European Championships in Portimao. Over 30 sailors took part in the Hansa 303 singlehanded class, managing 9 races over the competition in consistent sun, until the last day when the fog moved in. Overall 125 sailors in 86 boats took to the Atlantic off the Algarve across the different classes. Confidence has grown for Rory with continued racing success as he finished in 5th position, improving on his top ten result at the World’s in Spain earlier in the summer. Continuing to learn as much on and off the water during a event-full summer. “Excellent, thoroughly enjoyed this event in some brilliant conditions with 0% chance of rain.” Commented Rory on the October experience on the Algarve, but beyond the weather the racing on the water is the reason for the visit. As highest placed GB salior he was rightly pleased with his sailing. “I have noticed the group at the front is getting bigger and bigger and it is not just the two best boats off in front. Lots of places are now being won or lost, even up to the line.” “The championships were similar to the Worlds, well organised with some very helpful volunteers. And again the sunshine really helps!” “I was also fortunate this year to be able to use one of six new Hansa UK Class Association boats, which arrived the day before the competion. Fortunately I had a red Hansa, just the ‘Glasgow Bonnet’ which Clyde Crusing Club have so kindly leant me to race in the UK and Europe this year.” Rory is looking forward to taking his boat along to the Central Para Sports festival at the Peak in Stirling this week, to share some his adventures with Scottish Disability Sport and the guests.

Surfing at 30kts with a 40 tons racing boat: what could go wrong? - Ep97...

WIGAN Sailing Club and Pilkington Sailing Club have agreed to combine as Wigan and St Helens Sailing Club (WiSH SC).

The move comes after pressures on Pilkington SC, who have been running for 62 years at Eccleston Mere, due to massive increases in rent at the site. The merger is set to be finalised in 2020. Pilkington SC Commodore Andrew Melding, the future had become more positive: “The welcome was almost unbelievable. After two meetings we realised that the future lay with a bigger club, with bigger water and better sailing.” “We have really only been discussing the merger since January so we have made enormous progress. The new plan will continue to supply sailing to the St Helens community just as Pilkington has done.” Pilkington Sailing Club have now held their special meeting to endorse the merger. Fittingly on Sunday 15 September, the club won the trophy they had donated to the West Lancashire Sailing Club 24 Hour Race on the Marine Lake at Southport, sailing under their old name for the last time.

Council unveils £80k boating facility in Portishead

A boat launch site at Portishead Quays Marina was opened on Friday, with fledgling sailors to benefit from improved access to the water. The Parish Wharf launch and recovery area will be used by the town's boating groups and also offer better facilities for disabled sailors. The slipway was built by local contractor EJ McGrath after consultation with Portishead Yacht and Sailing Club, Portishead Pilot Gig Club and Quay Marinas. The development, which was commissioned by North Somerset Council and was due to be completed some months ago in the spring, was funded by section 106 contributions from housing developers. A council spokesman said: "The primary purpose of the small slipway is for use by local clubs, particularly for sail training for young people, but individuals can also arrange access by prior arrangement for non-motorised small boats on trolleys. "Access for sailors unable to use the platforms may also be arranged through the clubs using the site who have been provided with a manual hoist to assist getting in and out of the boats. Contact details will be displayed at the slipway site. "The scheme includes fixed platform public launch areas and a managed gated small slipway. "The stepped height platforms allow small craft such as canoes and paddleboards easy access, no matter what the water depth is in the dock. "The gate to the slipway will prevent unrestricted access and unregulated or unsuitable craft from using the water." Former North Somerset councillor David Pasley, who was executive member for finance when the project was signed off, believed the slipway would hugely benefit the town's young sailors. A year ago, he said: "As a coastal town we are flanked by the sea, but while this is a boon for serious yacht and motorboat owners the dangerous currents along the Bristol Channel do not provide safe facilities for inexperienced young people who wish to learn to sail and enjoy the fun of watersports. "Both North Somerset and town councillors have long hoped to see this section of the marina used so residents and visitors can watch youngsters enjoy and learn from the great water facility we have in Portishead, so I am delighted it is now happening."

Appeal to keep Poole sailing charity afloat

A SAILING charity in Poole that allows disabled people the chance to get out on the water is in danger of going under. Knoticat, one of the few wheelchair accessible sailing boats in the UK, are appealing to the public to help keep their free service running. The boat, a 10m converted Catalac catamaran which has been in service for 20 years, underwent an extensive refit recently. However, the charity may no longer be able to keep sailing if they cannot fund the £14,000 annually needed for running costs. Richard Monaghan, chairman of Knoticat Sailing and The Sports Forum for the Disabled, said: “Knoticat is one of only a handful of adapted wheelchair accessible sailing yachts in the UK, so the possibility of losing it would be a huge loss to so many people.” Knoticat sailing operates from Poole Quay and takes hundreds of disabled adults and children out around the harbour every year. Trips are run from April until October each year, Monday to Friday, weather permitting. Disabled people and carers have the opportunity to either sit back and enjoy the trip or participate in sailing the boat, learning the basics of sailing and navigation from the friendly and experienced crew. Richard continued: “They can experience from the boat the history of Poole Harbour and it’s wildlife, and passengers can also take trips out to Poole Bay with its unique geology, visit Swanage Bay, and spend a few special hours with the other passengers.” The Knoticat team has set up a crowdfunding page in the hope it can raise £50,000, which will enable them to keep running for at least another three years.

Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon sails into Portsmouth with disadvantaged youngsters

He was well known for his exploits aboard yachts in the 1980s – and today Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon sailed into Portsmouth as part of an initiative to give disadvantaged youngsters the chance to join a sailing expedition. The singer joined teenagers from Tower Hamlets on the final leg of their journey from Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The youngsters had been taking part in the Tall Ships Youth Trust UK Sailing Challenge. Simon said: ‘I’ve really enjoyed meeting the kids and taking part in the final leg of the challenge. A lot of the youngsters come from deprived backgrounds and are exposed to social problems such as high levels of knife crime. Many of them have never even been on holiday. This venture gives them the chance to get away from the banality of inner-city life. When many of them joined the boat on Monday they hardly spoke a word but after enduring stormy conditions and having to work as a team out at sea the kids really came out of their shell – it’s such a wonderful thing to see.’ Simon, who became an ambassador for the charity 18 months ago, knows from personal experience the benefits of sailing. ‘When I was 11, a local clergyman gave myself and five other children the opportunity to go sailing on the Norfolk Broads. He taught me the skills of sailing and it really changed my life. Being in charge of my own transport gave me a real sense of freedom. I’ve been a keen sailor ever since and am delighted to help this fantastic charity,’ he said. The challenge sees six groups of 10 children complete relay stages circumnavigating the UK with the final leg sailing from Ipswich to Portsmouth. The youngsters are responsible for all aspects of sailing, from cooking and cleaning to setting the sails and taking the helm. Aqeel Ahmed, 14, said: ‘This has been a once in a lifetime experience. I feel so much more confident and meeting Simon was brilliant.’ Habibah Taher, 15, added: ‘It has been a really good experience, even if I did get sea sick. I got to meet lots of new people.’ For the charity’s chief executive officer, Richard Leaman, the venture provides an opportunity to make a real difference to children’s lives. ‘Something magical happens out at sea – youngsters really come out of themselves. Our research shows, despite their challenges, 95 per cent of these kids will go on to further education and employment,’ he said. Simon added: ‘The charity exists on the generosity of others and I would like thank all those who have supported us with their donations.’

Take-off!

Discover a new sport this Autumn at Norwich Frostbite Sailing Club's Open Day

Discover a new sport this Autumn by trying sailing at Norwich Frostbite Sailing Club, on the outskirts of Norwich. The Club is holding an Open Day on Sunday 27 October from 11am to 3.30pm. In the morning, club racing will be taking place and visitors are very welcome to come and watch, with refreshments and a bar available in the clubhouse. Club members will be on hand to answer any questions. From 12.00pm there will be the opportunity to go out for a sail with a club member. Everyone is welcome, those new to the sport and those more experienced, as well as those interested in helping with safety boats, the galley, timekeeping or race management. The Club asks that all prospective sailors wear soft shoes. Buoyancy aids will be available to borrow. The Club can be found on Girlings Lane (off Yarmouth Road in Thorpe St Andrew) – over the level crossing and at the end of the lane. For more information visit http://norwichfrostbitesailing.club/ If you’d like to find out more about how to get out on the water and start your sailing adventure, visit http://www.rya.org.uk/go/startboating

Oyster's ultimate bluewater cruiser? Full tour of the stunning new Oyste...

Sailing Club fish supper catches £660 for RNLI

A FISH supper hosted by Lyme Regis Sailing Club served up a £660 donation for the volunteers of the town’s lifeboat crew. The supper was held on Friday, October 11 and 60 meals were served at the club’s headquarters, thanks to the help of Vic Pelaou from Lyme’s Fish Bar. The event was organised by Trish Williams and Di Mattock of Lyme Regis Sailing Club. They are pictured above with Mr Pelaou presenting a cheque to lifeboat crew members at their training session on Sunday. Once again this year, the RNLI is encouraging people to come together with friends, family or their local community to have fun and enjoy a fish-themed dish to help save lives at sea. Every penny raised during the RNLI Fish Suppers around the UK and Ireland will help prevent drowning and will go towards vital lifeboat crew kit, fuel for lifeboats, and essential training, including the charity’s many drowning prevention programmes such as Swim Safe sessions for children. Further fundraising events in Lyme Regis will include a fish and chip supper at the Nag’s Head on Wednesday, October 16 from 5pm to 7pm. Fish and chips will be provided by Herbies and will cost £10, including a pint. Former chef and RNLI supporter Petrina Muscroft will host her third annual fish supper at the lifeboat station on Saturday, November 16. Two sittings will be held from 6pm to 8pm and 8.30pm to 10.30pm with a choice of fish and vegetarian dishes. All are welcome for a minimum donation of £7 and guests should bring their own drinks.

Hundreds of boats compete in the historic Barcolana Regatta

Blowers takes first Match Racing Victory

Eight teams gathered last weekend, 12-13 October, at Queen Mary Sailing Club for the final chance to secure a place at this year’s National Match Racing Championship Grand Final. Day one was a very light wind day with significant shifts keeping the sailors on their toes as it was all too easy to see a comfortable lead fade away very quickly. The teams fought their way through a single round robin and while Blowers was the clear leader having lost only one race all day to George Haynes, the rest of the fleet was tightly compressed with Miles Jones and Sophie Otter tied on four wins a piece. Four teams, Ali Morrish, George Haynes, Sophie Taylor and Josh Adams followed just behind all tied on three wins. With the lack of wind making completing a second round robin impossible, the race team concluded racing early to work out the best plan for day two racing. As the battle for the final semi-final spot was so tight, it was decided to amend the schedule so that the top two teams of Blowers and Jones would carry on to the Semi-finals but that that remaining six teams would compete again in a repechage with the top two taking the remaining spots in the semis. After a poor showing in the first day’s light winds it was Niall Myant who was the star of the show in the big breeze winning all five of his races. George Haynes regained his usual form in the stronger winds and completed the line-up in the semis. The first attempt to get the semi-finals underway was thwarted when a gust of over thirty knots streaked across the race course forcing Alexis Dogilewski, Principle Race Officer, to abandon racing to avoid any damage to the boats or sailors. It wasn’t long before the breeze had settled and racing was underway. With time pressure becoming a factor the semis were shortened down to the first to win just one point so Blowers would race Haynes and Jones would face Myant in a sudden death shoot out. Blowers lead Haynes around the race track to secure his place in the final. In the other match Myant and Jones had an even start but Myant had a slight advantage by the first mark. Jones thought he could sneak through inside at the top of the course but the umpires disagreed leaving Jones having to take a penalty straight away to reset the order. Undeterred Jones hunted Myant down again on the run and before long was pushing him away from the leeward mark. An attempt to keep Myant from gybing left Jones with a penalty for overlapping too close. The race was nip and tuck all the way around the race track and on the final run Jones was again pushing Myant away from the finish line and indeed they sailed beyond the line. Jones tacked around to take his penalty and try and lead Myant back to the finish but did not sail low enough and so the penalty remained and Myant crossed the line ahead to take his place in the final. While the knock out stages were underway a “king of the Hill” was being run for the lower place finishes. A “winner stays on” format where eighth races seventh with the winner racing sixth, and so on, saw Sophie Taylor climb from seventh to fifth but it was match racing newcomer, Josh Adams, who held off her charge to take fifth overall and with it a place in the Grand Final for highest placed, not already qualified, skipper. The petit final saw George Haynes taking third place ahead of Miles Jones in a one race playoff and the finals saw Blowers secure the win with a fairly convincing 2-0 victory over Myant. After racing Blowers said “National Match Racing Championship Qualifier 2 was great for us to get our first event win on the circuit, the event was full of tricky conditions and matches throughout the weekend in varying breeze. Automatic qualification to the semi-finals after a great round robin meant we were confident heading into the next round. Where we then were able to be consistent to take straight wins in both the semi-final and the final. We will be back at Queen Mary Sailing Club for the Grand Final in four weeks, where will hope to have a similar performance at the season finale against the country’s highest performers. Thanks as always go to our sponsors, Moody Decking & Services, Marlow Ropes and Harken. Next up is the National Match Racing Championship Grand Final on the 15-17 November where the winners of each event this year will fight it out to be crowned UK National Match Racing Champion. More details at www.ryamatchracing.co.uk

End of the line for disability sailing charity

A charity which allowed hundreds of disabled children and adults as well as the elderly to experience the joy of sailing has folded. Founder Ged Doran said there is no longer the same demand for the yacht, Solway Adventurer, and it and its assets will now be given to the Isle of Man disability vessel, Pride of Man. Mr Doran said that as well as a lack of demand, he had been unable to focus on the charity – Solway Adventure Sailing, formerly Sailability – for some months due to personal reasons. His father Ged, 91, went missing earlier this year, sparking a huge search by police and more than 200 members of the public. His body was eventually found between High Harrington and Workington. Mr Doran said: “I found it difficult to concentrate on the charity and handed it over to someone else to run. But it has run its course.” The charity was inspired by the Isle of Man group, Pride of Man. “I didn’t really appreciate at the time the amount of hard work involved in raising £100,000 to buy the yacht and that was really just for starters. There would be insurances, mooring fees and more.” The first donation received was from occupants of a house he was working on in Whitehaven. Events were held, a Lottery grant awarded and the boat was bought. The vessel was moored at the Maryport Marina and he thanked marina boss Pauline Gorley and all those who helped over the years. Mr Doran, said the charity holds a special place in his heart. “It has been over 17 years since the charity was formed and it will always leave me with some special memories,” said Mr Doran. “There were a couple of disabled people who wanted to sail but couldn’t because they were in wheelchairs. We made it possible by training to lift them aboard with the boom.” "Kids affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster visited the yacht in 2005. One young lad had fell asleep on the coach and was left behind. As I was walking past the coach I heard footsteps coming down the coach steps, this little boy had tears in his eyes. I couldn’t speak Russia, he couldn’t speak English but he just took hold of my hand, then I had a tear in my eye too. “We were told some of those children would not live until adulthood. I still get a tear thinking about it.” He also played tribute to the young carers from Netherhall School in Maryport who helped on one trip and discovered they were coming back from Kirkcudbright in 45 to 50 knot winds with a woman who suffered from motion sickness. “There are so many memories. It is sad to see the charity go but there is just no demand now.”