We have an opportunity to bring SS4 alongside the slipway this Saturday 25th April and carry out familiarisation and Race Officer training
If you are a Race Officer or ARO this year then please come along and familiarise yourself with the Committee Boat!
Sessions will cover moving the Committee Boat and setting up for the race along with any other Race Officer info and I plan to do sessions at 9:30 and 13:30
BUT I need to know if you are coming to arrange numbers etc so please let me know if you want to attend and which session (9:30 or 13:30) asap on below
This object has now been found and removed, thanks for those involved.
Will anybody entering the water or sailing from our beach be aware that currently there is a large metal obstructions in the sand approximately 10 feet away from the West end Breakwater. This maybe visible during early tide but is covered during higher water.
Southend Council have been advised as people have tried to move by hand. Please therefore assume that it is still present until I can advise you otherwise.
There will be an optional briefing at 15.30 (1 hour before start.)
The race will be a windward leeward course starting at the committee boat. It will be the second start with the Fast and Slow Monohulls at 16.33. (Time plus 3 minutes).
First check the number of laps on the blackboard at the top of the slipway and / or check with Support Rib on the water. Your race does not use a shortened course.
Once on the water, go to the Committee boat and look for the last number on the BACK of the boat, which indicates D on the diagram / or check with Support Rib on the water.
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, leave to Port.
Run or reach down to the course. You must NOT go through the line on the downwind leg (as in the sailing instructions).
Beat up through the line and onto the Cadet buoy and continue until the displayed number of laps are completed.
As you cross the 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.
On Saturday there are two Races. You can do both, but you will need to wait for the second race to be started. Check out the number of laps with the Support Rib.
Now that the Cruisers and Sandhoppers are back on their moorings, could all members with boats in the dinghy park ensure their beloved vessels are moved into their allocated spaces as soon as possible.
The amended allocated space plan is on the notice board in the main lobby. If your boat is not listed then contact John Laliberte for a space.
If you have a Kayak, Canoe, Windsurfer or Paddleboard and require storage space on the racks for the summer, please mark your vessel with your name and postcode and contact the Club Secretary to pay your storage fees.
If your launching trolley is untagged, please write your name and sail number on the back part of your cover so John can fix the tag to your trolley.
Yesterday a small number of volunteers met on the slipway at 08:30. Their task was to lift and recover all 15 race marks, using the SS2 and SS3 that have been freshly serviced and maintained and painted by Toby Speller, John Casson, Paul Farrall and their team of helpers. We then had to unload the rescue boats and move all the marks, chain and concrete blocks to the top of the slipway. After a quick well earned cup of tea and a hose down, the second job to remove all the chain from the buoys and blocks, end to end the chain, checking it as they went, then to re shackle it all up, replacing marks 2, 4, 7, 9, 12 and 14 with orange buoys (a response to discussions at last years Sailing AGM, course cards with orange buoys). If that was not enough the buoys, chain and blocks were then loaded into SS2 and SS3 before being re-laid using 2 handheld GPS in a slightly condensed version of last years positions.
You may not notice the subtle change, but the west side of the mark grid is now closer to the Roslin Hotel rather than the Halfway house. This huge, dirty and demanding task was completed in 6 hours by me and my team of Struan Wallace, John Casson, Alan Grant, Paul Beasley, Paul Morgan and Jack Morgan. If you see these guys this weekend, give them a big thank you and buy them a drink. Without them we would have not fixed buoys to start the season.
Enjoy the long Easter weekends racing and the start of the season.
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