Cherbourg weekend - what you missed...

Only 2 boats from Castle Cove made it across to Cherbourg for last weekend's celebrations - making a total of two from all the clubs in Weymouth. Meanwhile Newbury Sailing Club (yes that Newbury, the one on the canal in Berkshire) managed 5 boats!  So here's what you missed...

• The new facilities are fabulous

• The free berthing was very welcome

• The free smoked mackerel and gallons of free wine for lunch was lovely

• The free music and various mini festivals including french baking demonstrations (with free croissants and pastries) was super

• The free guided tour of the Cherbourg was a real eye opener - there's so much more to see and do than you would ever believe (even on a Sunday)

• The free 4 course evening meal at L'Armoire à Délices (next to the marina office) was utterly superb. 

• If we'd had to pay for everything it still would have been fabulous

Cherbourg reminder...

Don't forget this weekend is Cherbourg's celebration weekend with free berthing and all sorts of festivities.

Looking at the forecast it looks like the perfect weekend, plenty of sunshine and the wind will be behind you there and back! If you get there late use the visitors berths on 'K' or 'N' pontoons.

Phone me, ping me a text, or fill out the form on the earlier post if you need shower codes or any other info.

Gary 
07595 368422

Corrected results online...

After a few teething problems the official results for the 1st Monday and 1st Wednesday series are now online. The results are calculated using the NHC system, and this, along with optional IRC class, is the RYA’s current recommendation for club racing.  The club voted for this for the 2014 season.

If you didn’t come along to the meeting to cast your vote, or you’ve lived in a cave for the past few years, you might be a little confused by NHC. On the other hand you may have read and listened to everything you can about it - in which case you might be even more confused. So here it is in a nutshell...

The base numbers are not subjective, they are published by the RYA and arrived at mathematically based on certain dimensions from each boat. They are not massively accurate but are claimed to be largely irrelevant anyway as the system automatically adjusts each boat’s handicap individually after each race based on actual crew performance.  

After a while these corrected handicaps will look a little strange, but remember they are calculated on the basis of the crew not the boat. They are intended to create a situation whereby all boats are equal and any boat in the race can win - in theory at least it doesn’t have to be the best sailed boat, just the one that is sailed best relative to the crew’s ability. Ironically that’s often the same thing so in the end it might actually work out ok in a conventional sense too. Only time will tell...

As previously mentioned we also voted to incorporate an IRC class so if you have a current IRC and would like to compete under that too let us know.

Whatever your views on NHC don’t let it spoil your sailing - just get out there and have some fun!

RNSA/RDYC Friday evening race series...

RNSA/RDYC are running a combined Friday evening race series. It's a pleasant way to spend a nice evening - if you fancy joining in Sailing Instructions and other information is included below.

• Eligibility: Races will be open to any yacht from Yacht Clubs of Weymouth and any visiting yachts wishing to take part

• Race Officer (RO) of the day: The volunteer RO will be aboard one of the participating boats and their appointment will be arranged by radio and agreement prior to the start (typically around 1820).

• Radio Channel: All communication will be on VHF Channel M1.

• Classes and Handicaps: NHC (PYS) handicaps will apply. NHC is the National Handicap for Cruisers run by the RYA, which is replacing PYS, and details can be found at www.rya.org.uk/racing/pages/nhc.aspx together with a download for all boats listed. The RO can assist those members requiring handicaps for their boats after the race.  Any dissent must be preceded by the down-payment of a pint for the RO!  There will be only one class displaying flag pennant 1.

• Start & Time: The starting line will be in the vicinity of the CCSC committee boat in the NE part of Portland Harbour (see chart), to be announced along with the course by the RO.  The RO will give a 15 minute initial warning with details of the course at approximately 18:30, followed by 10 minute and 5 minute warning countdowns with a final countdown to the start.

• Aggressive starting tactics against the RO boat is discouraged as this can upset the countdown!

• Participants should leave radios on throughout the race in order to be made aware of any changes to the course.

• Courses: The course length should be designed such that fastest boat sails for about an hour and the slowest about 1 hour 30 minutes.  A shortened course can be announced by the RO by radio during the race using any mark of the course, but one that is well in advance of the lead boat reaching that mark.

• The first race on 30 May will be set, weather permitting, such that the finish is near Weymouth Harbour entrance to allow competitors to catch the 2000 bridge that evening.

• Finishing Line: The finishing line will be the starting line, unless the RO specifies the final mark of the course which, together with a specified bearing, will form the finishing line.

• Time Limit: The time limit for Friday series races is 1 hour 30 minutes, or 30 minutes after the first boat of that class finishes, whichever is later.

• Time Reporting: Each competitor is required to take their own finish time and confirm this to the RO by VHF as soon as possible after finishing. 

• The RO should then email (preferred) or text this information, together with confirmation of the start time, to Ian Bowker at ian@bowkerlodge.co.uk or 07749 804291 respectively. All times should be taken by reference to a SatNav driven clock, not a standalone timepiece. Results will be published on the RNSA website at http://www.rnsa.net/sections/notices.aspx?SectionID=49 

• This page can also be accessed by using the menus on www.rnsa.net – the “Branches” tab at the top followed by the “Portland” tab on the left and “Notices” within the drop down box.

• Scoring & Trophies: Scoring for each Friday series of five races will be based on a low points system with two discards.

• Trophies will be presented for the first overall in class, in each series. Additional trophies may be presented dependent on the number of Qualifying Yachts, at the RDYC's discretion.

• Trophies & Prize Giving: Trophies will be presented at the discretion of the Committee.  The prize giving will be held at the annual RDYC Prize Giving Dinner.

Cherbourg Weekend Festival 17/18th May - FREE berthing!

FESTIVE WEEK-END AT PORT CHANTEREYNE 17/18th May

To celebrate the opening of the new and improved marina reception and facilities, Port Chantereyne has organised a series of events in the marina, including a local product market, and FREE BERTHING FOR 2 NIGHTS DURING THIS WEEK-END.

Z Class Dinner - Exciting Update!!!

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Click above or here to download booking form

Z Class Dinner...

Spring Lift-In...

Please note that the Keel Boat lift-in this year will on 1st and 2nd April with the first lift commencing at 06.00. A list showing what day your boat is to be lifted will be posted at the club in due course.

If you are having your mast stepped please make sure you contact one of the lift team members before then to make arrangements.

As we are a self-help group we would ask all boat owners to try and be available for both days to support activities which will include launching pontoons.

Lift Team

Message from the mooring team...

We are offering, for a trial period, free winterisation of your mooring if you come out on Grafter and 'do' your mooring on that day. We will also inspect your mooring at the same time.

The reasons for offering this are 

a) to induce more people to volunteer on Grafter

b) to be on board when we inspect their chain. If the mooring owner sees the state of the chain he/she will appreciate why it is sometimes necessary to fail a chain.

We normally work Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

These days are not cast in stone and can, if enough people want a different day, be altered.

Would anybody who wishes to take up this offer please phone Malcolm Spicer on 01305 782125 or Andrew Greenshields on 01305 833210

Brgds

Andrew Greenshields

Racing News from the AGM...

For those of you who didn't make the annual Z Class AGM on Wednesday (which is most of you!) here's a summary of the decisions made regarding keel boat racing at Castle Cove in 2014. The full minutes and accompanying documents, including discussions on Moorings and Winter Storage will be published shortly.

Handicaps:

In common with YCW & WSC, Castle Cove will adopt the NHC system for 2014. The biggest gripe with NHC has been the wildly inaccurate base numbers so our base numbers will be based on this season's YCW PY numbers which should smooth things out a little. Even without accurate base numbers the system appears to work surprisingly well, we published test results from our first two series earlier in the year and have received no negative feedback.  It would be difficult to be too scathing given that the NHC version shows all but identical series results to PY scored version.

In addition to NHC, if there are sufficient boats with current IRC or VPRS certificates we will generate additional results for them. Note they will start with the NHC fleet and sail the same course - they will simply be scored under both NHC and IRC/VPRS.

Cup Races:

Cup races are still being poorly supported. The sailing committee may consider the possibility of moving some of the cup races on a Monday night - if this is likely to encourage you to take part please let Gary, Bill, Des or John know over the next week or so.

Weekend Races:

To help with the eternal 'lack of crew' problem, the sailing committee will consider the possibility of making all weekend races lightly crewed - that is the slow fleet with 2 crew (double handed) and the fast fleet being permitted 3 crew. If this is likely to encourage you to take part please let Gary, Bill, Des or John know over the next week or so.

Long Distance Races:

Given the lack of support in recent years, the sailing committee will consider if we should continue to organise Long Distance/Passage races. Before this happens (and given that it's only ever going to be a small group)  I would ask all interested parties to contact Gary or Bill over the next week or so with a view to arranging an informal get-together to discuss where we might like to go and when.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Gary Warr (Z Class Captain)  01929 463265

Bill Barker (Assistant Z Class Captain)  07887 943920

Des Quick (Fast Class Captain) 07729 845216

John Kirby (Slow Class Captain) 01305 777769