Page 14 - Yachter Spring 2024

14 PAST REAR COMMODORE SAILING
REPORT FROM PAST REAR COMMODORE SAILING
The Club has had a rather disappointing sailing year with a couple
of exceptions. Some of this is as a result of the difficult weather conditions, some of it reflects the general decline in yachting and some of it is as a result of a lack of Volunteers to support Cruising. However, there are indications that matters may improve in the coming Season.
as Captain of Cruising without the support of other Members. With the establishment of the new Cruising Team, I hope that he will be able to step back from his role and have a well-earned rest.
Also, thanks are also due to Steve and Cathy Lacey, who ran the St Vaast rally last year and have stepped forward to run it again this year albeit in a slightly different format.
Dinghies
The sale of the single-handed dinghies, which we announced at the end of the 2021 Season has now taken place. The Club now owns 3 double-handed dinghies of varying capacity and performance. We think that these will prove ideal for families to introduce their youngsters to the joys of small boat sailing. The aim is for the Bosun to help with rigging, launching and recovery of the boats. Expect to hear more soon.
Thanks to Steve Daniel who has worked quietly in the background to set this up for us.
Regatta
The Gins Regatta was again a most enjoyable affair although an almost complete lack
of wind made running racing well-nigh impossible. Our thanks go to Guy and Zoë Darby who organised the sailing part of the Regatta and whose patience and skill got one race in before the time limit expired. Our thanks also go to Tina Daniels and her team who organised the shoreside events.
William Roper
Past Rear Commodore Sailing
Racing
Whilst the Club has run a full programme of racing in Southampton Water and the Double Handed Series, the decline in participation has continued. Although this reflects the general decline in yacht racing which we hear both anecdotally and through the RYA, our difficulty is that if it continues at the current rate, then the numbers participating will fall below the level at which it becomes interesting and fun.
The better news is that the current Season seems to have had a reasonable start with an encouraging level of participation. This may possibly be due to the change in name from Frostbite to the rather more encouraging MDL Warm-up Series. Obviously, the weather has played a part, as has some participation from members of the Royal Southern Yacht Club (RSrnYC).
Beaulieu Racing has continued successfully although the numbers participating will always be limited to primarily those with boats on the River who live reasonably close by. The format of Round-the-Cans-races run with the aim of ensuring that entrants can make it back to the Clubhouse in time for a Sailors Supper is popular.
The Club’s thanks are due to a number of people. First, to Linda Sign, who is standing down as Captain of Racing, after 2 years
dedicated hard work. Also to our first rate Race Management Team who have continued to run our Southampton Water based racing and who also provided a full team for the first 4 days at Cowes Week.
Second, to Guy and Zoë Darby who have again run the Beaulieu Racing. The need for more Volunteers here will be increasingly important as Guy steps up to his new role as Commodore.
And finally, our thanks go to Lisa Topley, our Sailing Secretary whose enthusiasm, capacity for hard work and competence have ensured that our racing programme has been well administered.
Cruising
The 2023 Cruising Programme started well, and with a few cancellations ran with variable attendance. Much of this was due to the lack of anyone willing to help coordinate the events and act as hosts. Following the establishment of a Cruisers’ WhatsApp Group and a well- attended Cruisers’ Lunch at Gins during January, it seems that we have a Team willing to take the Cruising programme forward. We are well aware of what the Members want from a cruising programme. All we need now is those few Key Volunteers to make it work.
Our thanks are due to Nathan Hamilton who, for the second year running, has acted