COMMODORE’S RAMBLINGS:
Firstly a big welcome to our most recent new members who have joined since this year’s. AGM Thank you for joining us.
Steven Johnson has so far mostly been busy on his boat in the yard, since he has taken on Charlie Buoy. Hope all is going well.
John Irvine currently keeps his boat elsewhere due to it’s current unsuitability to our systems, but he hopes to participate in events ashore and at sea.
Rob Mustoo has the motor cruiser Avantage. He is a Lower Halstow resident and I expect enjoying the new ease of access he has to it.
Kaya Charczuk, daughter of Andy, is worthy of special mention as she’s become the club’s first junior/cadet member for some time.
I believe Jack Daly was the last, he sailed around Britain aged 16 in 2008 over 12 weeks in his Corribee, Padiwak. I understand Kaya is well on the way to becoming skipper of Aspirations so who knows what lies in store!
Some of our members have benefited from our new social membership, reintroduced because of the increased cost of standard membership over the last couple of years.
The main aim is to keep club membership viable for retiring members and those with boats elsewhere who want to attend social events or just keep coming to the club.
As normal for me, I’ve had a bit of a late start, my recent first sail of the season was to test the single line reefing system I’ve installed on Shearwater. I was much impressed by the greatly reduced friction brought about with new sheets and the use of soft attach blocks.
However too much slack at the clew caused a poorly set sail. Apologies to anyone who saw this and wondered what the hell I was doing!
In some clubs I believe the tradition is for the Commodore to keep his or her hands clean. A sort of meet and greet role with some administrative duties. I’ve also heard rumours of some club Commodore’s having a marked parking place in a prime position. I find it hard to believe but if anyone has photographic evidence please forward. LHYC is clearly a different sort of club.
I thought I’d remind myself of my mooring master days and shatter any delusions of grandeur that may be arrising so I gave Brooke a hand relaying his sinker. What better way to spend a few hours on a sunny summer afternoon!
Finally well done to Michael for arranging the charity sail. He has given details elsewhere on these pages but it seemed to delight those who attended and will hopefully encourage some budding new sailors.
Graham.
SAILING SO FAR:
More sun than wind has been the pattern of the racing so far:
Top of the Tide Saturday 18th April: seven entries but not enough puff to complete the course.
Top of the Tide Sunday 17th May: first Catherine II, second Aragon, third Karaway.
Redsand Towers Race 23rd May: it turned out to be drift on the ebbtide to the Richard Montgomery wreck, then a drift back when the tide turned, and no finishers. Better for sun tans than sailing. The crew of Aspirations tried a new way of pushing themselves forward. The Rules Committee is still investigating…
Charity Sail 30th May: a few villagers and friends of members came out for the club’s charity sail, where members of the public are invited for a sail in return for a donation to charity. A lovely warm day and a nice breeze, I think they all enjoyed it, apart from a sleepy three year old on Jeddo! So far £210 has been raised for Macmillans Cancer Support. If you would like to donate, please let me know. Thanks to John Knight for promoting the sail in the village.
DIARY DATES
Sunday 14th June: Top of the Tide race
Sunday 21st June Round the Island Race
Saturday 27th June Summer BBQ: a chance to enjoy a social event with members and their families and friends. Hopefully the catering budget will be stretched and the cooking will be more cordon bleu than cordoned off. If anyone would like to volunteer to be chef for the day we’d be pleased to hear from you. Can you indicate in the reply box below how many people you will be bringing so that we have some idea about numbers?
Saturday 11th July: summer cruise – a week or two exploring the Essex and Suffolk rivers, in company with other club boats. Teetotallers also welcome…
LHYC MINI-JUMBLE SALE
Most of us have old sailing junk taking up space in the shed or garage. Mawson has suggetsed that we bring it along on the day of the club BBQ. Join in and you might be able to reduce (or increase…) your stash.
GROAN TIME…
A sailor and a pirate are in a bar recounting their adventures at sea. Seeing the pirate’s peg-leg, hook, and eye patch the sailor asks: “So, how did you end up with the peg-leg?”
The pirate replies: “We were caught in a huge storm and a giant wave swept me overboard. Just as me crew were pullin’ me out a school of sharks appeared and one of ’em bit me leg off.”
“Blimey!” said the sailor . “And how’d you get the hook?”
“Arrrr…”, mused the old salt, “I got into a fight over a woman in a bar, and me hand got chopped off.”
“Blimey!” remarked the sailor. “And how about the eye patch?”
“Oh that,” said the pirate, looking embarrassed. A seagull droppin’ fell into me eye.”
“You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?” the questioner asked incredulously.“Well…” said the old sea dog, ” it was me first day with the hook….”
Please send any contributions for future editions of Up the Creek to utc@lhyc.org.uk or michael.frankish@btinternet.com