THE VIEW FROM THE HELM

“THE MARINERS TRIUMPH AT HOME”

On the last Saturday in March the Mariners played host to neighbouring clubs for the annual WKSSA inter club small lake event. The weather was wet and squally but familiarity with the effects of these conditions on the lake played into the hands of the home teams. We fielded one adult and two junior teams. Two of the clubs brand new RS Fevas were pressed into service for the first time. The Mariners were first overall adult team, first and third team in the junior event. A very creditable result and a day that was enjoyed by all despite the inclement blustery weather. Thanks to all who assisted in making the day such a success either on or off the water. A full report on the days racing follows inside this newsletter. Keith has meanwhile been introducing ten Level 2 students to the delicate art of dinghy sailing. Blustery, showery conditions and capsizes have been the order of the day. I do have a list of those instructors who sent their students swimming during the course. You know who you are and may I suggest that you to report to the headmaster’s office during the break…....! Diana, now ably assisted by Jeff Smith, has been looking after the juniors taking their RYA Stage 1&2. I understand that her patented Topper mini sails have again proved useful in the prevailing wind conditions. The club has also acquired some dacron “cruising” mainsails for the RS Fevas which should greatly increase their versatility as training boats. Congratulations go to Joe Wellerd and Martyn Wogan for qualifying as RYA dinghy instructors and also to Stephen Bellamy who has qualified as an RYA powerboat instructor. It is one of the great strengths of our club that we have many enthusiastic instructors who put their skills back into encouraging new sailors who are taking their first steps in our chosen sport. May I remind you again that the Mariner's Barn Dance is back on the social calendar and will take place on Saturday 31st May. We have booked a live band, the “Crooked Stovepipes”. Tickets are available from Ann Reed. The Master Mariner Preliminary event takes place on Sunday 27th May for those of you who wish to challenge for this prestigious title. I have had a number of persons interested in the proposed GPS evening which will focus on its practical use in dinghies or RIBs. The plan is to meet at the clubhouse at 7.30 Tuesday 13th May. I will bring along a number of GPS units and we can practice plotting waypoints from a chart and use them to create routes in the GPS. Come and learn about HDOP, cross track errors and above all how to avoid what the professionals call a “GPS assisted collision”! Please send me an email if coming so I have some idea of numbers.

See you on the water  Donal