Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

Tel: 01702 587 563

TBYC may be unable to accommodate all dinghies wishing to race or be stored at the club this year simply due to the amount of boats currently kept at the club therefore early application is needed to assist allocation and decisions. The current 220 boats in the dinghy park plus Sandhoppers and Cruisers will just not fit! There will be storage for those wishing just to request storage for lasers and picos but this will be on a first come first served basis as this will be on and in the racks. There will be limited storage elsewhere for other classes as well. The application forms and money needs to be with the club secretary before the 18th Sept so that a winter plan can be made before lift out. Any late payments will incur a £20 admin fee and even less likelihood of a space.  It’s a blunt message as there is no easier way to say it and the earlier we organise it the more chance of granting most applications. Janet will email members with costs and application forms for completion.

We intend to hold the Benfleet Shield Trophy Race this Sunday. The weather is looking favourable and subject to this holding, we will race. This may change at last minute and revert to 2 points races. This will be at the Race Officer’s discretion.

The format will be similar to last year with a split start to allow for the faster boats to be in the same tidal conditions as the others and arriving in the creek nearer towards high tide.

The start times will be:

Fast Monohull, Monohull and Sandhoppers – (who usually start in the 2nd and 3rd starts) will start at 14:30. Signal will be code flag “R” – General Handicap mass start

Windward/Leeward fleet boats will start at 15:00. Signal will be Code Flag “D” (normal starting signal)

The course will be posted on the white board at the top of the slipway. Ultimately there will be a port hand turning mark in Benfleet Creek. It will be one of the club’s tall orange inflatable buoys.  It will be a committee boat start and a shore-box finish through the club line.

HW is at 16:32. There should be plenty of water to round the mark in the creek.

Starting sequence 3-2-1.

On Fri 31/7/20 Travellers were prevented from gaining access to Club grass car park via Dinghy park.In order to attempt to avoid this occurring again the Dinghy park gates are to remain closed and locked when not in use during weekdays and will only remain constantly open between 2 hours before race start time and 4 hours after over the weekends. This is an inconvenience but not as much or as expensive as if unwanted persons attend.The broken gap between Club car park and council car park has also been temporarily fixed to prevent traffic between the two until the Council can fix it permanently.

Slipway youth nuisance has increased this year  which has been reported to both the council and local police both of whom have taken steps as a result to be proactive in their patrols. If there are further nuisances please report to local police via 101 which I appreciate can be frustrating and time consuming but what they don’t get reported to them does not get recorded or acted on. Alternatively  send me an email with details and I will update Police via the PCSO Abbie Reynolds or local Officer Pc  William Cheung.

We are delighted to announce that the club will now return to Cadet Training. This is not the Sail Training programme that the club runs but more specific coaching for cadets and indeed adults, who have a basic sailing knowledge and keen to learn more boat handling skills and some race craft.

A Risk Assessment has been completed as required for the Covid 19 issues, as for all club activities. The link to this is below.

Return to Cadet Training Risk Assessment TBYC V1

Please check the website for details to be posted very soon.

AMENDED RISK ASSESSMENT – Includes Committee Boat and Racing with Participants from Different Households 

Racing is back at TBYC! 

Racing will now be as per the 2020 Sailing Instructions and the Committee Boat will now be in use full time.

HOWEVER! In order for this to happen within the HMG and RYA Guidelines, a lot of work has been done behind the scenes. We have completed a guidance document and a risk assessment which needs to be read by competitors and support teams alike.

By taking part, you will have been deemed to have read the attached documents and will follow the guidelines set.

As always we need volunteers to run racing, so please check Dutyman, your emails and the website and volunteer whenever you can.

We are delighted that we can now do this and look forward to a large turnout this weekend.

General Rules and Guidance – Back to Racing

Return to Racing Risk Assessment TBYC V2

Commencing this Saturday TBYC is returning to racing initially at weekends only.Start times will be as previously published i.e 1000hrs on Sat 18 July. To commence each race day will consist of 2 points races per day normal sequence of starts for all classes. It is a requirement for all those wishing to race that they have read and understood  the updated General rules and guidance and Return to racing risk assessment which will be posted on this site and at the club over the next few days.For those free sailing on race days I  would ask that you also read as above and in particular avoid launching from the beach and slipway for the 30 minutes prior to scheduled start time to assist with TBYC social distancing measures. Please continue to keep an eye on the club website/ notice boards over the coming weeks /months as we may need to amend the racing guidelines and format of races as we move forward.

Cadet Week 2020 Cancelled

As a committee we took the decision back in March to continue to plan for a Cadet week, but not to put out the application forms due to the uncertainty of the duration of lockdown. The General Committee have been meeting on a weekly basis, closely monitoring the guidance from the Government and subsequent changes to the advice given by the RYA and PLA.

Having reviewed the planned changes to restrictions issued last week and even with the gradual lifting of lockdown, the obstacles were too big for us to provide a safe event on and off the water. We have therefore taken the decision to cancel this year’s Cadet Week. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, we are disappointed but feel it is the right decision.

As the summer progresses I look forward to seeing more people re integrating with the club and getting back on the water in whatever form that may be. When as a club we are able to organise activities safely, we will look at the remaining planned Cadet programme for the season and issue further guidance.

Jeremy Sandford

TBYC Cadet Representative

The Guidance for visiting the opening club has been placed on this website and previously sent by email. A video has been produced to guide you through the process which would be wise to view before visiting.

The Video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/GownstQobq8

Hi All

Please see attached guidance notes for the bar and food offering. It is limited for both your and our staff’s safety.

General Rules and Guidance No.4 Club House r2

TBYC Club Covid Diagramme Ground Floor r2

TBYC Club Covid Diagramme 1st Floor r1

As you will read it has been produced within current HM government guide lines, rules and regulations.

The primary information we have used to produce our covid safe operation can be found:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery

With frequently asked questions on what is and isn’t permitted from the 4th July:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-after-4-july

May I also take this opportunity to thank:

Tony Byrne (Health & Safety)
Paul Palmer (Medical)
Martin Swindon (Leisure Sector)

Who were co-opted, in to an opening committee along with myself, Vice-Commodore Wayne, Paul Morgan, James Johnson and Janet.

Steve Hopper, Commodore

This message is for those whose boat in the dinghy park has a mast.  Please ensure that halyards are secured away from the mast.
Your volunteer committee has plenty to do with the day to day running of the club.   Please don’t add “smoothing ruffled feathers” to the workload.
Let’s be good neighbours.
Thank you.