Pre Season Warm Up

What a difference 24 hours makes ! Saturday for the working party was sunny and warm with light consistent winds. Whereas Sunday for the Pre Season Warm Up was grey, cold with a gusty fresh SW wind blowing. The idea was meant to be a general re-introduction to sailing after the long winter layoff, a look at the new 3 boat length requirement for the zone for ‘mark room’ and some practice starts and short races to finish off with.
In reality the 10 keen sailors who took to the water practiced their survival sailing, some their capsize drill, and some even their swimming skills while Neil was able to practice his safety boat driving ( Thanks to Charlotte for helping out in the safety boat, and Don and Ralph too ! ).
The afternoon finished earlier than planned as people came in cold and wet and after David, Andrew and Sarah treated to the ever growing number of spectators to a non synchronised capsize display.
The new season starts next Saturday, the 28th, let’s hope for better weather then !

Working Parties Update

Over the last two weekends Club members have rallied round at the Working Parties and have done the jobs the Bosun listed in the Newsletter to get the Club into shape for the new season. Bill guided the work on the first Saturday and Rob C stood in for him on the second Saturday to keep every body on track.

While people were working away with the various jobs that needed doing Gerard, with help from Alison and Yvonne, kept every body well fed and watered.

Thanks to everybody who came along, your help was much appreciated !!!!

Of course the work doesn’t stop there, and if you have time throughout the season there are many jobs that are needed to be done on an on-going basis, such as grass cutting and weeding, so if you get the strimmer out to tidy your boat space please have a go at tidying up some of the common areas as well !

Pre Season Warm Up – Sunday 22nd March

After the Working Parties, take the opportunity to stretch those sailing muscles and get yourself back into the swing of things ready for the new season with the Pre Season Warm Up on Sunday 22nd March from 1.30pm till 5.00pm !

The plan for the afternoon will be very subject to the weather, but the idea is to start off with some training exercises, perhaps look at the new requirements for ‘mark room’, followed by some short races just to try and get your heads in tune with all things sailing again ! Please be changed and ready for a 1.30pm start

Then don’t forget the New Racing Rules Night on Wednesay 25th March, 7.00pm for 7.30pm start, with Carol Haines, RYA Regional Rules Advisor. With pie and peas supper, cooked by the Commodore to finish with !!!!!!!!!

Please e-mail training@yeadonsailingclub.co.uk
to confirm numbers, or for more information

Race Card

Due to delays in printing, the blue card has not yet been sent out yet. It can however be downloaded from here:

Download Part 1, Download Part 2

New Rules Night 25th March

New Racing Rules (2009 to 2012)

The racing rules have been updated from the 1st January this year, for instance, no longer do we have to give water at the mark !
But we do have to now give ‘Mark Room’ within 3 boat lengths of the mark instead!

We have arranged for Carol Haines, RYA Regional Rules Advisor, to give a presentation about the various rule changes and new rules at the Club on Wednesday 25th March to get you ready for the new season starting the following Saturday.

The evening will start at 7.00 for 7.30 prompt. The presentation takes about 2 hours with questions taken as we go along. The evening will finish with a pie and peas supper, cooked by the fair hand of the Commodore (ha).

It’s sure to be a very informative and interactive evening. It’s certain to be popular so to give us some idea of numbers for food and for seats could you please drop an email to training@yeadonsailingclub.co.uk if you are planning to come along.

If you can’t make it on the 25th Carol is running the same presentation at Ripon SC on Wednesday 18th March, see earlier news item and Yeadon members have been cordially invited to attend that presentation, if that is more convenient for them ( but again please let them know in advance for numbers via John Simms).

Cruising Tomorrow- the future of off shore and coastal cruising

A very informative one day’s conference is being held by the Manchester Cruising Association on Saturday 14 March. Mary Dawson is wanting to go and is thinking of leading a YSC contingent if any body else is interested in going. Neil attended a similar event a couple of years ago and he felt it was well worth the drive over the Pennines and the lunch was nice too !

Photo - Tom Cunliffe at 68 degree North

For information see below, or please have a look at their website
http://www.manca.org.uk/nwconference.htm

or email training@yeadonsailingclub.co.uk

A CRUISING CONFERENCE

ORGANISED BY RYA North West RegionSaturday 14 March 2009
THE BIRCHWOOD CONFERENCE CENTRE, WARRINGTON WA3 6YN

Cruising boats have changed and people are regularly cruising areas that few had considered a decade or two ago. Navigation now, for many sailors, is electronic and the old skills may be there only as rusty backups. Weather forecasts have improved and are available almost anywhere any time. On the other hand, environmental demands on the sailing community have increased and there is always the prospect, for better or worse, of tightening legislation.
The conference will explore some of these themes with plenty of opportunity for discussion and a chance to feed some of your thoughts into the RYA.
Speakers:
Tom Cunliffe (Tom's website)- Cruising yesterday, today and tomorrow
Frank Singleton (Frank's website)- Weather forecasts, on-board technologyand communications

Gus Lewis, RYA Legal and Government Affairs Manager- Developments in regulation

Stuart Carruthers, RYA Cruising Manager- Current issues in cruising

Professor David Last, Past-President Royal Institute of Navigation- Satellite navigation: truths and myths

Coffee and registration from 0930 for a 1000 start. The close is planned for 1615.
Sailors - sail and power - are invited from the Northwest and surrounding regions. The cost including a buffet lunch is £25.00 for RYA members and members of affiliated clubs, £30.00 for members of the Royal Institute of Navigation and £35.00 for others. For more information, e:mail Geoff Meggitt at occp.nw@rya.org.uk.

Vendée Globe TV Coverage

Blink and you will miss it !

A week after four British solo skippers made headlines for completing their solo lap of the planet by sail, the first in a five-part series on the Vendée Globe was shown on Channel 4 this Saturday (February 28th at 0730), and it will continue then weekly on Channel 4 on Saturday mornings at 0730 for the next four weeks. The first week just set the scene before the race started with coverage from the race starting this Saturday. Set your TV recording system to catch it, unless you are an early riser !

In solo ocean racing the Vendée Globe is the greatest challenge. To race non-stop alone around the world is as tough as it gets and in this year’s race 30 started and only 9 are set to finish, with the Southern Ocean taking it’s toll on the competitors !

Photos are of Sam Davies in Roxy who finished 4th.