Thorpe Bay Yacht Club

Tel: 01702 587 563

Dear Barracudas and Parents,

After having a chat with Penny I am worried that you got the impression that this is going to be baby racing, rather boring, not really for Barracudas.

That’s not what I meant, I certainly would be very pleased if you would come and support me to make it a success.

Results will be recorded, then I work out the points for the series. There will be prize giving at the end of the Spring series. Additionally I felt that results and feedback should be given after each individual race.

I would like to run the race on a way that the young would get support and encouragement to join in, on the other hand I would like to stretch and challenge the experienced. I need your ideas and thoughts on this, please, talk to me.

I would be grateful if you would consider giving me a hand and help to coach the new generation, your experience is very valuable. You will find that coaching is rewarding, you will make new discoveries and will benefit a lot for your own sailing as well. Appropriate awards will be given to those, who do extra work. These activities count towards the Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well.

A few changes I plan could make racing more exciting for you:

1. There will be a short start line – this would result in more fighting for the good positions and make starting a lot more exciting. This also would keep us all close, excellent opportunity for the less experienced to learn. I would like to talk about different starting techniques at one point, which you could all try.

2. short course: the fleet would be compressed, that again results in more competition, more need for good tactics, battles between the leaders, lots of fun. More manoeuvres, tighter turns, more excitement. Also there will not be such a long wait for the winners, until all competitors finish, and the next race could start a lot sooner.

I hope to see you all on the water this Sunday.

Andras

Andras Gal
Pico fleet captain

Pico race this Sunday

proposed meeting at 12:30, in dinghy park
briefing: 13:00  top of slipway
start of race: 13:20

Dear Cadets and Parents,

This is an invitation to the season’s first Pico race this Sunday.

All sailors are welcome. No racing experience needed.
I really would like to see lots of Piranhas from last year.

Plan:

1. Change to sailing gear, get ready to rig the boats

2. Dry skills practice, 10 minutes
at 12:30 on the grass in the car park next to dinghy park
Pico hull on the grass:
Where to sit on the Pico?
How to use the tiller extension?

3. Rig the boats

4. Briefing at 13:00 – top of the slipway
to discuss the course
please look at YouTube for the starting signals (length: 32 seconds)

5. Mock start on the water

6. Real start, first race (about 10 minutes)

7. Short break on the water

8. Second race (about 10 minutes)

9. Free sailing, fun, games on water

10. De-briefing, results, prize giving in 5 minutes

11. Wash the boats, put them away.

12. Changing, clubhouse, bar, snacks

See you on the water:

Andras

Andras Gal
Pico fleet captain

Parent and Cadet 2016 Season Briefing

This Friday at 6-7pm we are going to hold a short briefing for Parents and Cadets.  We will go through opportunities for new members, Friday Cadet night, training, club boats, Pico racing and Cadet club racing. You will get a chance to put names to faces and meet those people who have volunteered to run this year’s events.  Cadets will get an introduction to cadet night from older Cadets, be taught what and where they can play, and most importantly get a chance to meet and socialise with the other cadets. I hope to see you there and aim to give you the confidence to get involved and help make this year an enjoyable and rewarding one for the TBYC Cadets.

Food

Our caterer Dave will be providing burgers, hot dogs and chips so why not get a quick bite to eat this Friday.

CADET Racing

This weekend sees the start of the 2016 racing season for Adults and Cadets.  This year, every club series race will also be a cadet race.  All participating cadets will start from the Committee Boat on the second start and race a windward-leeward course, first beating to the Inflatable Cadet Buoy, then running down to the leeward mark (last course number on the back of the Committee Boat).  You will continue to lap until hooted by the race officer team.  Remember to sign on as a CADET in the Bosuns hut.

All Dinghy, Catamaran, Sail Board, Kayak and Canoe owners with craft including trailers and trolleys in the Dinghy park are reminded that these are to be removed immediately after the End of Season Trophy on Saturday 10th October 2015 unless entering the Winter and Icicle Series or having submitted the appropriate Winter Storage Application Form.

Entry and Storage Forms are available from the links below or from the Club Secretary and need to be received by the Club Secretary with the appropriate fee by Sunday 4th October 2015.

Winter and Icicle Series Entry Form 2015 2016

Dinghy Catamaran Winter Storage Form 2015 2016 (if not racing)

Pico Winter Storage Form 2015 2016

Sail Board Kayak Canoe Winter Storage Form 2015 2016

Winter Storage Pricing Notice 2015 2016

All Dinghies in Rows I, J, K and M will need to be moved to provide room for the Sandhoppers and Cruisers.

The forms in word format can be accessed below for completing and sending online
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3 Thorpe Bay Lasers travelled to the lovely Tollesbury Sailing Club on Sunday 27th September, as usual we were greeted on our arrival with bacon butties and tea and coffee to start the day. There was a lovely 12mph breeze and clear blue skies. 15 Lasers entered which was 7 visitors and 8 home boats, the racing was very close and all 3 races were back to back of 2 longish laps with good beats, reaches and runs making for exciting racing in a steadily building breeze.

The end results were;

Rick Paxman 1st, 1st, 2nd for overall 1st place
Nick Turner 6th, 6th, 4th for overall 5th place
Michael Airey 11th, 7th, 6th for overall 7th place

This is a must again for next year.

Rick Paxman

As part of the ‘New Cadet Racing’ events this year, we have decided to have a shorter ‘TBYC Junior Bart’s Bash’ to allow our younger sailors a chance to race on Sunday.

This event is open to all Cadets.
We welcome those who have been racing in the Pico Series and of course, all Cadets that may feel more confident with the extra support, and not forgetting our more experienced sailors.
The course with be shorter than the adults’ course, sailing for approximately 50 minutes.
Prizes according to numbers.

There will be a briefing at 1400, when the course will be explained. Instructions are below, but don’t worry all will be made clear before the race.
Starts at 1500 (Mass Start).
There will be a briefing at 14.00 (1 hour before start) with Nick Elmore and Nick Alston.
The race will use the Cadet buoy as the windward mark with the rest of the course being decided on the day.
The start will be at the committee boat. It will be a Mass Start with the rest of the fleets.
The number of laps will be on the blackboard at the top of the slipway and / or check with Support Rib on the water. Your race can be shortened by the Support Rib.
On the starting signal, you will cross the line and beat to the CADET BUOY, which is a special buoy marked with a C. This will be your windward mark.
Check whether a Red or Green flag is displayed on the Committee boat; Red means leave marks to port, Green means leave marks to starboard.
As you cross the finish line the committee boat will record your time. They will not give you a signal. The Support Rib will blow a whistle unless is needed elsewhere.
Let have a massive turn out on Sunday as this is the last race in this year’s New Cadet Racing programme.

Three Lasers travelled to Harlow Blackwater Sailing Club on 12th September, when we arrived the breeze was light with a few gusts, but by the time we had rigged and launched it was blowing 25mph, we had a long run to the start line which was hairy to say the least and i was upside down within 2 minutes !! The course was set straight up and down the river towards Osea Island which meant it was a windward leaward course, and the run which was about 2 miles long was an out of control sleigh ride from start to finish with boats doing death rolls everywhere and people swimming to catch up with their boats !

Michael Airey gave up after having his boat blown away from under him, Chris Tillyer was in the mix up the front as usual, and i had more capsizes in these 3 races than the whole of the year. This is a lovely club to sail at and they had 21 entries from 5 clubs.

Chris Tillyer ended up 2nd overall, well done.

Rick Paxman was 5th overall

One for next years calendar

Rick Paxman

As published the Sunday Autumn series starts this weekend at 16:30.  The Veterans Trophy is also scheduled for Sunday but will not be sailed this weekend.

This year the Veterans Trophy will be awarded for the highest placed veteran in the Barts Bash on Sunday 20th September, 15:00 Start – more details to follow.

I am glad to say that the Picos have had a good 2 days of sailing, completing 4 races. Unfortunately I have had nobody come forward as race officer for Monday and therefore it has been abandoned.

Today saw the start of a weekends Pico sailing (20 minutes after main sailing). Scott Weller and helpers did RO duty today and Paul Chapman and Sam Petty-Mayor will do tomorrow. If anybody can offer there services to complete it Monday then it will enable a whole Bank Holiday Weekend of Pico sailing. Please let me know if you can on 07741 201052, otherwise I will let everybody know if Monday is abandoned. Thanks.