Newsletter 23 12 25
Published 17:00 on 23 Dec 2025
Welcome to WKSC Newsletter. |
| Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all WKSC Members . A round up of Club news this week... including sailing, training and upcoming social events. ..# |
| A View from the Bridge
What an absolutely fabulous Sunday Carol Concert, many thanks to Alan and the Salvation Army Band, amazing as usual! Glad to hear the money raised was going to such a worthy cause. Also a massive shout out to Ol and Josh who then carried on the afternoon with Classic Christmas Hits! (More next year please boys!).   Great to see the Lasers making up the Sailing figures cramming in another race into 2025! I think we are topping some RYA Charts for this year's sailing figures. The Boatshed is getting busy with plenty of boats being fettled in preparation for a new season! A true hive of activity which no doubt will crescendo a week or so before launching down! If I don't get to see you, individually, to all the Volunteers who have made the Club work this year, many, many thanks from myself and the President and the Flags. I hope we can rely on your continued support next year! To all members, have a great Christmas and have a Happy New Year! Best Wishes to you and your families. Onwards and upwards, see you on the water! Seasonal Regards, Chris, Jon, Mike, Tom and Peter. |
| Sailing and Club Calendar - What's on this week and next: |
Boxing Day Race All Dinghy Classes (L) Friday 26 December Training Saturday 27 December, 10:00 - 13:00 Christmas 6 & 7 Fast Handicap (L) Sunday 28 December, 11:00 Christmas 6 & 7 Novice Handicap (L) Sunday 28 December, 11:03 Christmas 6 & 7 Slow Handicap (L) Sunday 28 December, 11:06 Gentleman's Lunch Wednesday 31 December, 12:30 - 14:00 Terry Nelson Trophy Sunday 28 December, 15:00 - 18:00 |
| News & Notices |
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Sign up for RO Duties for 2026
Click the link below to sign up. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N8SHQjQbojRP20r99o0qXnx6-h8Emome/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117531620459375227601&rtpof=true&sd=true Christmas Bar Hours Christmas Eve 12.00noon -6.00pm Christmas Day Closed Boxing Day 12.00 noon - 6.00pm Saturday 27th December 12.00 noon 6.00pm Sunday 28th December 12.00 noon 6.00pm Monday 29th December Closed Tuesday 30th December Closed New Years Eve 12.00 noon 1.00am New Year Day 12.00 noon 6.00pm Friday 2nd January 5.00pm 11.00pm Saturday 3rd January 12.00 noon 6.00pm Sunday 4th January 12.00 noon 6.00pm Terry Nelson Trophy - Snooker event - Calling all WKSC 18 - 30 year olds! This is your invitation to the Terry Nelson Trophy at West Kirby Sailing Club. Open to all members aged between 18 and 30 (up to your 31st birthday) on Sunday 28th December. Whilst its a snooker event its open to all and its run on a handicap system so no worries if you dont play snooker. All are welcome so come and socialise with other members your age. Well be starting at 3pm and after the main event its the traditional DINK! Event so bring some 20p coins with you. Its always a great afternoon so come down and join in. The bar will be open late if needed. Please let Pete know if youre coming or message if you need to ask any questions. See you on Sunday! Best Wishes, Pete Johansen |
Sailing Matters |
| SAVE THE DATE REMINDER:
FRI 17/7/26 ROUND HILBRE RACE SAT 18/7/26 DEE SC REGATTA SUN 19/7/26 WEST KIRBY SC REGATTA MON 10/8/26 - FRI 14/8/26 WKSC SAILING EXTRAVAGANZA WEEK COMING UP: The Boxing Day Race (Friday 26/12/25) for all dinghy classes, experienced racers, novice racers, everybody, on the lake ! Start time 11:00 It is one start. Separate Prize Giving for this race in the club house after racing. Current forecast is for NE 7 knots and sunshine !! but cold. Also Counts as R5 of the Christmas Series. SUN 28/12/25 Christmas Series Races 6 & 7 Start 11:00 for fast handicap, Novice and Slow Handicap follow. A quick sailing update: The Christmas Series moved on to races 3 & 4 last Sunday (21/12/25). The previous week only attracted 4 boats, such were the conditions (Force 4 and raining on and off). But last weekend the weather was much kinder and 26 x boats competed in the two races. WOW that's a lot of boats - whats got into ya ?!! Though kinder conditions prevailed, the wind was a tricky ESE, lots of wind shifts and holes. Wow! 26 x boats for last Sundays racing  A tricky light ESE wind for races 3 &4 for last Sundays Christmas series races.  Keiron Inman and Paul Jenkins (GP) won the first race by 19 seconds on corrected time from their main rival in the series, Steve Ferrington (Solo). Line honours went to Jean-Louis Simons (Finn) in both races, narrowly third on handicap just 22 seconds adrift on corrected time in the first race but comfortably winning the second race on handicap. Bionic Liz Potter almost back on form after her knee operation, had a fourth in the first race then second in the second race having got back to grips with it all. Leading the series after four races by two points is Kieron Inman and Paul Jenkins (GP) from Steve Ferrington (Solo). The next race in the series is the Boxing Day race this coming Friday. The SlowHandicap and Novice divisions continue to only attract one or two boats which is irritating for those competitors: (Mike and Anne De St Paer (Heron) and Mike Cole (Mirror). Winter sailing clearly isnt for everyone and we live in hopes that with the Mirror project we will hopefully grow the numbers of keen sailors to give slow boat sailors more competition. Mike and Anne De St Paer would have been 10th in the first race on handicap if they had been included in the fast handicap. Mike Cole sailing in the Novice division on his own at least completed the course. Well done to both Mikes ! 420s in Spain: Sadly the weather has not been good for them - More details to come. THE MIRROR PROJECT A big THANK YOU to everyone for the encouragement that the project has received. On Sunday there was a raffle during the Carol Singing and the proceeds have gone towards the project. Funds were also raised the week before on the 200 Club Friday night too. I'll report back in due course how these funds have been used. At this time of the year there is not much to show for all the effort being put in because its hidden from view unless you wander into the sheds. There the work is ongoing on three Mirrors. Last Thursday evening all the fittings relevant to the spinnaker were screwed into a red Mirror. There are more fittings to be riveted on to the mast and then she's ready to go. Another Mirror is going through the sanding and painting cycle. It has already had decks sanded and varnish applied. Another has had the old paint stripped off and some necessary remedial work undertaken. Each Mirror in the project has different needs. Some need little or no work, others require significant work. The target is to have 15 x Mirrors sailing at the beginning of the 2026 season. Progress at this stage feels a bit slow. There's a frustration in that we, those of us working on the boats, aren't all of the same experience. This limits on what can be achieved on just one night a week. Having said that, there is progress* and January should see increased productivity as the Introduction to Racing Group take a break ! *Not missed by the Thursday night Mirror working group is the fact while they have painted coat after coat on one of the Mirrors, mysteriously its always been sanded ready for the next coat the following Thursday - thank you Mr Mike Hartley! Its a little known fact that Bob Jarvis - famous in the world of Hilbre racing - is a dab hand at Mirror Dinghy restoration. Bob has taken on one of the Mirrors that really is a bit of a challenge. Thank you Bob… this boat is called White Tip. You might think that sounds a bit like a shark species. In this case the boat is white and the council tip beckoned !! Good luck Bob. If any one else is feeling generous with their time and wants to tackle a similarly demanding restoration please contact me. We have Blue Tip awaiting attention. Just one more Sailing Matters this year and that's for next week. In the mean time: MERRY CHRISTMAS Tony Marston Sailing Secretary Click here for the link to the SAILING MATTERS section |
| Training |
| New courses available now.
Some of our great training Courses for next year are now available to book. Click here to book your Training Course If you are looking for a fantastic Christmas present, why not book a course for yourself or someone else.  |
Events |
| New Year's Eve
Everyone is welcome. The Club Bar will be open until 1am. Music will be playing, people will be dancing. No tickets required. Bring friends and family and ring in the New Year. Thursday Talks and Tunes Everyone is welcome. Just turn up on the night, grab a drink, take a seat and enjoy the evening.  |
| Other Information |
| Boats for Sale |
Boats for sale - Click here to view all Boats for Sale on the website. |
| If you would like something added to the newsletter please contact newsletter@wksc.org.uk |
Last updated 19:27 on 23 December 2025
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