Newsletter 30 10 24
Published 08:00 on 30 Oct 2024
Welcome to WKSC Newsletter |
| A round up of Club news this week... including sailing, training and upcoming social events. Also included are links to the Galley on Friday menu and current boats for sale. . |
| Announcement |
Jonathan Atkinson has been given the green light to be the next Vice Commodore by the VPs, subject to the members vote at the AGM. Jonathan has been a steady hand over the last last year whilst in post as Rear Commodore Sailing. I'm sure you'll all agree with us that Jonathan and Terri will make a great team and will take WKSC onwards and upwards! Jean-Louis and Chris |
| Notices |
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Remembrance Sunday If anyone would like to help out with road marshalling on Remembrance Sunday on Grange Hill, can you please contact Andy Brown on: andyjbrown555@gmail.com The Galley on Friday Is taking a break but please feel free to come down and order takeaway to the Club. Thai, Indian, pizza or fish & chips whatever takes your fancy! Snooker As the days draw in and sailing opportunities reduce, the club offers alternative ways to while away the dark evenings. The snooker table has been moved upstairs to the Wilson Room where the game can be played in splendid isolation! All members are of course welcome to play at any time (20ps are required for the light meter). We play snooker matches, home & away, against kindred clubs Hoylake, Wallasey and Dee plus billiards against Hoylake.... Additional fixtures are being contemplated. Last year we enjoyed an unbeaten season which was very rare and extremely satisfying. Some of the trophies date back almost 100 years.
Practice takes place on Thursday evenings from 7.30 and, again, all members are welcome to come along. It is informal, with plenty of chat and the occasional drink and whilst some are better than others, keen foursomes matches ensue, in a light hearted manner….its even better if you draw a good player! Please just let us know if you want to come along and/or we can add you to the WKSC Snooker WhatsApp group for news and updates etc. Dates of Home Team Matches:- 13/11/2024 -v- Hoylake SC 20/11/2024 -v- Wallasey SC 05/03/2025 -v- Hoylake SC (Billiards) 19/03/2025 -v- Dee SC
Contacts: Jonti Booth 07778 411675 Chris Booth 07717 511899 Please see information below on how to enter, and if you're not sure please speak to Peter who will be glad to help!  |
| Sailing |
West Kirby Sailing Club Frostbite Series Sunday morning dawned sunny with a pleasant breeze at West Kirby Sailing Club. 25 boats gathered on the marine lake apron for the first two races of the 14-race frostbite series, which finishes in early December. Of those competing, 9 were newly graduated novices from this seasons Starting to Race group; a program which started last winter. The training has been driven by Tony Marston, an International Canoe (IC) sailor with over 50 years of top level racing experience, as a plan to build up the current club handicap racing fleet. One of his novices, Judith Carter had even attended her first open event and also the Lightning Nationals in her first year. She was present on Sunday, along with 4 other Lightnings; the fastest growing class at West Kirby at the moment, thanks to the efforts of Jude and Richard Stratton. The RO Liz Potter was challenged with the South Westerly wind direction across the long thin lake, making a windward leg tricky. The reaching start provided much entertainment, with a few individuals electing to return to the line as OCS, even though they were not over at the start. The culprit was a lone Lightning who had ventured too far to windward and was stuck in irons, creating a little havoc for the fleet post-start. Of the returning boats, Phantom sailor Andrew Potter whooshed in a ghoulish twirl around the windward line buoy and set off with ghostly speed to chase after the departed fleet. The Laser 2000 of Mike and Anne St Paer also returned and worked hard to recover to 5th place overall on handicap. New Rules IC sailor Steve Fleming made a more cautious start, chasing Andrew in the Phantom.  Once the wind picked up, he enjoyed some speedy chill time on his sliding seat on the comparatively longer downwind legs. Until he met Judith. To set the scene, by mid-race, the faster boats were encountering the slower boats. The competition was equally fierce in this part of the fleet, with a gaggle of laser radials and lightnings in a tight line approaching their mark on starboard tack. Enter one Steve Fleming in a very bright yellow fast canoe, on port tack, looking for a way across the motorway. Steve picked his victim unwisely, not realising that ex-novice Nationals competitor Judith knew her rights (and lefts for that matter). Judith had to take some serious boat-saving avoidance manoeuvres that were going to cost Steve dearly in flowers, wine and possibly dinner too. Meanwhile the Phantom disappeared. Leading the rest of the fleet was the IC of Tony Marston, sailed by Canoe newbie Holly Wright. Showing great skill and dexterity, nerve and balance, plus a sprinkle of Canoe insanity that is the hallmark of this fleet, young Holly showed the old and the mighty what a force to be reckoned with she has become, building on her recent win of the Clubs Endeavor Trophy against the clubs top sailors this autumn.  Another front runner was Martin Hartley in his Solo, who was never lower than 6th place on the water in both of the days races. The second race involved a change of course as the wind swung around, allowing two upwind legs per lap. The new course favoured the lasers, with Steve Jardine bagging a 2nd and the GP14 sailed by Alan Jenkins and Bob Thompson, who finished 4th on handicap. The Phantom and Solo continued to dominate, with Martin Hartley (Solo 5794) leading the series with a 2,1, and Andrew Potter in Phantom 1456 lying a point behind after a 1,3. Steve Fleming was 3rd overall. With a long series ahead, anything can happen as new leaders and challengers wait to emerge. Report by Liz Potter |
| Training |
From Saturday 2nd November, Training will be running an RYA adult improvers course which will run till March. The course will cover seamanship skills & hopefully some gentle sailing on the tide, weather permitting. If you would like to take part please enrol of SCM. The cost is £96. |
| Events |
Halloween  The Halloween Party was again a great success! I was roped in for the first time this year, to have my head cut off eight times in the interests of children's entertainment! Thanks to all the amazing House Team and helpers, and everyone who attended, to make this a fantastic event! What to do next year......? The VC Weekly Wednesday Quiz New members and teams are most welcome, just turn up. This is a lovely evening to come and enjoy the social side of the Club. Fireworks Night - Saturday 2nd November All welcome - members and non-members. Facilities open from 5.30pm including food, outside bottle bar & mulled wine plus a coffee van with cake!  WKSC Christmas Fair Come and join us. Get your Lifeboat Christmas cards, locally made gifts and stocking fillers all while sipping a glass of warm mulled wine.  If anyone would like to enquire about having a table at the fair please contact house@wksc.org.uk |
| Other information |
| Boats for Sale |
New boats for Sale - Optimists 4003 & 4745 New boat for Sale - Laser 2000 New boat for Sale - Falcon 34 Sea Eagle Click here to view Boats for Sale |
| If you would like something added to the newsletter please contact newsletter@wksc.org.uk |
Last updated 15:10 on 10 December 2024