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Alex Thomson arrives in Cape Town

'Solway Adventurer' sale will boost charity's work on 'Pride of Mann III'

Charity Sailing for the Disabled has sold one of its two yachts. The proceeds will be used to help to continue to provide sailing experiences on board the charity’s other vessel Pride of Man III, for local adults and children with conditions that affect their day-to-day life. The 40ft Solway Adventurer, a 2004 Bavaria model 38, had been donated by a similar UK-based charity. But Sailing for the Disabled later decided it was unable to sail and maintain two boats. Spokesman Graham Wilson said: ’The yacht was offered for sale by a sealed bid auction and the charity has since agreed a sale on the vessel, which is in Douglas harbour, awaiting collection by its new owner.’ The charity is now embarking on a recruitment campaign to increase the number of local members and volunteers. Mr Wilson said: ’This extra help will ensure that we are not only able to continue to offer a superb sailing experience to our disabled members, but with extra volunteers, we will be able to carry out more sails. The charity is also looking for people to help with shore-based activities throughout the year. The charity is willing to provide help and guidance to any non-sailors that volunteer and are keen and willing to learn. With its fully enclosed sailing cockpit Pride of Mann III, a 48ft Beneteau sailing yacht, is used all year round often taking part in offshore cruises to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Mr Wilson said: ’As a skipper on the vessel myself, over and above the fact it is simply great fun, it is also great to see the pride disabled sailors take in being able to sail on an equal footing with their able-bodied counterparts.’

Falmouth Sailing Week wins national award in year of Covid

Falmouth Sailing Week beaten five other nominations to win the category ‘Event of The Year’ in the British Yachting Awards 2020. The annual regatta that runs parallel with Falmouth Week every August is organised by the Port of Falmouth Sailing Association. Against all odds a small but very determined team persevered with the organisation throughout the summer, even when lockdown legislation and guidelines were set against holding such an event. To the relief of the committee, more than 120 boats were able to race in a Covid-19 compliant format and became the first national sailing regatta to go ahead during a summer when everything else had been cancelled. Nigel Sharp, chairman of PoFSA, said in his acceptance speech: "I am absolutely delighted that Falmouth Sailing Week has won this award. "The people who plan and run Falmouth Sailing Week come from the six sailing and yacht clubs in the Falmouth area and, right from the time that it became apparent that Covid-19 was going to present huge difficulties in holding this year’s event, every one of them showed a tremendously positive attitude and worked tirelessly to ensure it could go ahead. This award is for all of them." Organisers are already beginning to look at next year's event, which will take place between August 7 and 14.

Molesey sailing club reaches national finals of RYA Club of the Year Award

Molesey sailing club has made it to the national finals of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Club of the Year Award. Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club is a small, volunteer-led club that has had success in encouraging girls and young women into top-level racing. Island Barn is one of ten finalists from across the UK selected by the RYA for the 2021 RYA and Yachts and Yachting Club of the Year award. The club is already renowned for competitive adult racing, but in recent years it’s the club’s youngsters that have dominated. Over 25 have been selected for national training squads, of whom around half are girls. Three of the girls, all aged 14, plus five of the boys, aged 14-16, have also become RYA assistant instructors. The Club of the Year award aims to reward the hard work and dedication that goes into such achievements – but Island Barn still faces stiff competition from nine other UK clubs. The outcome depends on a public vote where each club has to persuade its members, supporters and friends to vote for them before January 25. Votes can be made at: https://awards.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/RYA

Chelmarsh Sailing Club shortlisted for national award

The volunteer-run club near Bridgnorth is one of 10 finalists from across the UK in the RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Awards 2021, supported by Gallagher, with public voting to help decide the overall winner now open. A dedicated drive to support its members and reach out to new ones has seen the club driving down costs and diversifying its activities, with a new radio controlled sailing section and a booming Stand-Up Paddleboarding programme. Commodore David Partridge said: “One of the positives of the pandemic has been people discovering activities on their doorstep that they didn’t think they could do close to home, and the physical and mental health benefits of being on the water. “People have been enjoying the fun and excitement of sailing at the club without having to travel and those who’ve dreamt of paddleboarding or seen it, have been able to do it with us at low cost and in a very safe environment. “As a club we’ve worked hard to become much more accessible so that the local community can really enjoy this fantastic facility and this beautiful piece of water and it’s a real privilege to be able to share it. If you’re an enthusiast for sport in the Midlands, please vote for us!” Working with the RYA, the club has ensured all its activities meet Covid-secure guidelines, while sustainability pledges have included sourcing and utilising eco-friendly sanitiser for boats and equipment. The club has run more than 500 paddleboarding courses and now has over 100 paddleboarding members, including families and juniors, while radio controlled sailing has likewise been enjoyed by all ages, including grandparents introducing their grandchildren to the sport. The club is considering Sailability activities for disabled sailors and hopes to gain approval for open water swimming. The annual RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Awards recognise the achievements of sailing clubs across the UK and the hard work and dedication that goes into running a successful club.

Norfolk Broads - Lockdown 2 day 27 End of lockdown?

Funding awarded to sailing projects tackling inequality

Some 18 Sailability and OnBoard venues throughout England will receive individual grants of up to £10,000 for projects that aim to tackle inequalities in sport and help reduce the negative impact of COVID-19. The £150,000 ofNational Lottery Funding was awarded to the RYA from the Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund which benefits organisations running projects that engage with lower socio-economic groups, ethnically diverse communities, disabled people and people with long term health conditions. In the Liverpool City Region, which has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country, Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre are using their funding to offer highly subsidised windsurfing and Sailability sessions to help make the sports more accessible to a wider audience. The funding is also giving the centre the potential to offer opportunitiesfor young adults to train to be instructors in exchange for voluntary work once qualified. Simon Pendlebury, Development Manager at the centre said:“Windsurfing has been in a steady decline for a number of years, without more investment in the sport there’s a risk that it could fade away completely. Project’s like this will hopefully engage with a new cohort of budding windsurfers and allow more people the opportunity to experience the thrill windsurfing provides.” Another venue awarded funding is Croydon Sailing Club (CSC) with a project in conjunction with Croydon Youth and Schools Sailing Association (CYSSA) to provide sailing opportunities through Scout groups for youngsters living in deprived areas surrounding the club. Having found that many local youngsters don’t possess suitable outdoor clothing for water sports, the club has also used the funding to purchase a large selection of waterproof outfits including footwear to keep children dry and comfortable. Janice Beaumont, Training Centre Principal at Croydon SC, adds: “We want the first taster session to be an enjoyable experience so that participants can come back to join in regular sessions. Funding has enabled us to achieve this aim.” The clubs and centres to be awarded Tackling Inequalities Funding are: Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education Centre Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre Croydon Sailing Club Lincoln & District Sailing Association Salford Watersports Centre Midland Sailing Club The Nancy Oldfield Trust Lancashire Outdoor Activities Initiative Horizons (Plymouth) Plymouth Youth Sailing Westminster Boating Base Islington Boat Club Andrew Simpson Foundation All Aboard Watersports Centre Cobnor Activities Centre Trust Tees &Hartlepool Yacht Club Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre RYA Director of Sport Development, Alistair Dicksonconcludes: “We’re delighted to be able to share this funding with so many deserving OnBoard and Sailability organisations. The venues selected are all going to be running fantastic projects and we look forward to hearing about the impact that they will have on the club or centre and on the underrepresented communities in which they aim to reach.” Find more information about the RYA Sailability and RYA OnBoard programmes.

Menai Strait sailors in final for UK's best club

A MENAI Strait sailing club is set to fly the Welsh flag at the Royal Yachting Association Club of the Year finals. Port Dinorwic Sailing Club (PDSC) won the award series' heart of the community category in the regional finals in recognition of 60 per cent of its members living nearby and its opportunities for young people. The award saw it go forward to the UK event, with a public voting process opened on Monday, November 23 that will close on Monday, January 25. Noel Bristow, Commodore at PDSC, said: “I am honoured that the hard work of the club over this and previous years has been recognised by the RYA and that we are the Welsh finalist for the RYA Club of the Year 2021. "I am especially pleased that we have been recognised as being “Heart of the Community” as we are a very local club, situated at the heart of the village and with over 60 per cent of our members living within 10 miles. “We are a very family orientated club, with many either sailing together or racing against each other. Our younger members are given lots of opportunities to take on responsible roles including race officers, organising special race days, youth reps and helping at work parties.” The club's nomination page on the Royal Yachting Association Club of the Year website says: "With some 20 per cent of members from the village and 64 per cent living within 10 miles, this club plays an important part in its local community. This is a strength which it actively sought to build on during a difficult year, ensuring there was a wide variety of activities on offer to keep members engaged when they couldn’t get on the water such as eSailing, online training, model building and boat restoration. "In a year where it has been difficult to keep active, this club has seen 58 per cent participation in activity from their members since restrictions initially eased, proactively interpreting and following guidelines to get members back out on the water as soon as they could. In particular, it boasts a strong junior and youth section."

Shropshire sailing club nominated as best in UK

A sailing club near Bridgnorth has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award following a successful year on the water despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Chelmarsh Sailing Club is one of 10 finalists from across the UK in the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Awards 2021, supported by Gallagher, with public voting to help decide the overall winner now open. A dedicated drive to support its members and reach out to new ones has seen the volunteer-run club driving down costs and diversifying its activities, with a new radio-controlled sailing section and a booming stand-up paddleboarding programme. Commodore David Partridge said: “One of the positives of the pandemic has been people discovering activities on their doorstep that they didn’t think they could do close to home, and the physical and mental health benefits of being on the water. “People have been enjoying the fun and excitement of sailing at the club without having to travel and those who’ve dreamt of paddleboarding or seen it, have been able to do it with us at low cost and in a very safe environment. “As a club we’ve worked hard to become much more accessible so that the local community can really enjoy this fantastic facility and this beautiful piece of water and it’s a real privilege to be able to share it. If you’re an enthusiast for sport in the Midlands, please vote for us.” Working with the RYA, the club has ensured all its activities meet Covid-secure guidelines, while sustainability pledges have included sourcing and utilising eco-friendly sanitiser for boats and equipment. The club has run more than 500 paddleboarding courses and now has over 100 paddleboarding members, including families and juniors. Meanwhile, radio-controlled sailing has likewise been enjoyed by all ages, including grandparents introducing their grandchildren to the sport. The club is considering sailability activities for disabled sailors and hopes to gain approval for open water swimming. The annual RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Awards recognise the achievements of sailing clubs across the UK and the hard work and dedication that goes into running a successful club. Michelle Gent, RYA programmes manager, said: “A huge congratulations to all 10 Club of the Year finalists. This has been an especially challenging year for clubs and the people involved in the running of these organisations have worked tirelessly so that others can safely get afloat.” Rob Peake, of Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, added: “A good club will show you how to get better at sailing and encourage you to continue sailing. A great club will help you simply enjoy sailing – and it will welcome people from all parts of the local community. "The Club of the Year Award is unique in that it recognises the hard work that goes on behind the scenes by volunteers to make sailing clubs great, and to encourage more people into our sport.” Voting closes on January 25, 2021. The overall winner will be announced at the RYA Virtual Dinghy Show in spring. To cast a vote, visit awards.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/chelmarsh-sailing-club

How to service a winch - Yachting Monthly

Sending it!

Island Barn is a Sailing Club of the Year finalist

Island Barn Reservoir SC is one of 10 finalists from across the UK selected by the Royal Yachting Association for the 2021 RYA and Yachts and Yachting Club of the Year Award, supported by Gallagher. Island Barn prides itself as London’s premier family sailing club and is already renowned for competitive adult racing, but in recent years it’s the club’s youngsters that have dominated. Over 25 of them have been selected for national training squads, of whom around half are girls. Three of the girls, all aged 14, plus five of the boys, aged 14-16, have also become RYA Assistant Instructors. The Club of the Year award aims to reward the hard work and dedication that goes into such achievements – but Island Barn still faces stiff competition from nine other UK clubs. That’s because the outcome depends on a public vote where each club has to persuade its members, supporters and friends to vote for them before January 25. If you’d like to vote then click here Island Barn’s success in boosting the number of girls taking up sailing and racing is linked to a wider expansion. It has spent three years developing a pathway to turn sailors of all ages from novices into competent sailors and racers. Adults have a Trysail programme while for youngsters the junior sailing school takes beginners up to national squad level. Encouraging women and girls is a key aim at all levels. One key new element is year-round coaching and training. Traditionally, sail training for youngsters stops during winter but Island Barn’s new programme offers coaching right through winter – even in Christmas week! This helped 25 youngsters win RYA squad places in 2020. The club also trained 12 adult members as Dinghy Instructors and 15 as Race Coaches – and became an RYA Recognised Training Centre. The club found innovative ways to allow racing during the pandemic, while Friendly e-Fridays, e-sailing and expert Zoom talks kept its social scene active. Jonathan Leake, Chief Instructor at the club, who co-organises the race coaching programme, said: “The enthusiasm of our youngsters is amazing. They’d turn up to sail even if it was blowing a blizzard. But it’s as much about making friends and having fun as the actual sailing.” Megan Thomson, aged 14, who was just selected for the RYA’s Regional Training Group for Toppers, has sailed at Island Barn since she was nine years old. “We live in the middle of London so it’s amazing to have such great sailing so nearby,” she said. Michelle Gent, RYA Programmes Manager said: “A huge congratulations to all ten Club of the Year Finalists. This has been an especially challenging year for clubs and each and every person involved in the running of these organisations has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort so that others can safely get afloat. Now it’s over to you to pick a winner! Rob Peake, group editor of Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, added: “Anyone who started at club level as a child, or who joined a club as their entry to the sailing world as an adult, knows how vital that experience can be. "A good club will show you how to get better at sailing and encourage you to continue sailing. A great club will help you simply enjoy sailing and it will welcome people from all parts its local community. The Club of the Year Award is unique in that it recognises the hard work that goes on behind the scenes by volunteers to make sailing clubs great, and to encourage more people into our sport.” Voting closes on 25th January 2021. The overall winner will be announced at the RYA Virtual Dinghy Show.