Newsletter 01 04 26
Published 16:00 on 1 Apr 2026
Welcome to WKSC Newsletter
A round up of Club news this week... including sailing, training and upcoming social events. Also included are links to current boats for sale.
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A View from the Bridge
Although UKTRA didn't take place last weekend, we have to offer heartfelt thanks to those who worked so hard in preparation for the event. In many respects the hard work had been done.
Looking at the actual weather and interrogating the reports the only window for running the event was from 2100 on Saturday to 0500 on Sunday morning. It is fair to say, this was not ideal.
We now, from the Team Racing side of things, having to focus on the Wilson Trophy. For this event Teams are traditionally put up by Club members. A number of people have pulled out this year for a variety of reasons. If you think you can help put up a Team of 6 (or half a Team), that would be fantastic. Please see below for Kathryn's piece.
There is a Brunch to raise money for the Wilson coming up, which should be a great day with the Bar open and a spectacular raffle (tickets available at any time behind the aforementioned Bar!)
Chris
Sailing and Club Calendar - What's on this week
W1 Fast Handicap Wednesday 1 April, 18:45
W1 Novice Handicap Wednesday 1 April, 18:48
W1 Slow Handicap Wednesday 1 April, 18:51
Radio Sailing Thursday 2 April, 14:00
W1 GP14 Thursday 2 April, 18:45
W1 Lightning Thursday 2 April, 18:48
Easter Special All Classes (T) Friday 3 April, 11:00
Illusion Friday 3 April, 14:00
W1 & W2 Optimist & Junior Handicap Friday 3 April, 18:00
W1 & W2 Mirror Friday 3 April, 18:03
Easter Special All Classes (T) Saturday 4 April, 11:30
Easter Special All Classes (T) Sunday 5 April, 12:00
Easter Special All Classes (T) Monday 6 April, 12:30
W2 Solo Tuesday 7 April, 18:45
W2 Laser Tuesday 7 April, 18:48
W2 Illusion Tuesday 7 April, 18:51
Gentlemen's Lunch Wednesday, 12:00 - 14:30
W2 Fast Handicap Wednesday 8 April, 18:45
W2 Novice Handicap Wednesday 8 April, 18:48
W2 Slow HandicapWednesday 8 April, 18:51
News & Notices
Boat Fees and Lake Licences - 1st April 2026 - 31 March 2027
Dinghies and Falcons: Invoices are being sent out in the next few days for berths in the yard and lake licences where applicable. If you are intending to remove your boat from the yard please email boatstorage@wksc.org.uk as soon as possible.
Please note that the club has an en bloc lake licence agreement with the Council for the year to 31 March 2027 and has sole responsibility for collecting lake licence fees for members boats. We have been able to hold the licence fee at the same level as last year which we hope will help sailors. After payment you will be issued with a lake licence which we kindly ask you to display on your mast.
If you need a lake licence but have not been invoiced or have any other queries please email boatstorage@wksc.org.uk.
Cruisers, Hilbres and Stars: invoices will be issued in due course.
As always, the yard will be very congested in April so please bear with us and do not bring your boat down until you intend to sail.
Boat Storage Manager
Voices from the Valleys
There is a concert by Kenfig Hill Male Voive Choir, in support of the RNLI, Saturday 30th May 7pm at St Hildeburghs Church Hoylake.
Tickets £15. Available online or from Hoylake Post Office or Hoylake RNLI Shop.
77th Wilson Trophy - Help Needed
The Wilson Trophy is regarded as the premier team racing event in the world, attracting the most skilled exponents of the discipline, along with many fleet and match racing world champions and Olympians. This is the event that so many other disciplines are trying to recreate but West Kirby have been doing it, and excelling at it, for 77 years. With close to 300 races being run over a three-day event, the Wilson Trophy is revered for its fierce racing, famous socials, live commentary and breath-taking skill which all make for one unforgettable event.
The being said, the 77th Wilson Trophy is just around the corner and I'm on the lookout for some help across the weekend…
Catering
BBQ helpers for the evening of Friday 8th May
Breakfast BBQ teams for Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th May
Lunch teams Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th May
Beach Party
The beach master and team would welcome any additional help leading up to the Wilson and throughout the weekend
Hosts
Teams that consist of 6 people will arrive on Friday 8th May and will leave on Sunday 10th May and so will require x2 nights of accommodation.
There is no obligation to host a full (6) team, half a team (3) is also a fantastic help.
All teams are asked to bring sleeping bags, pillows etc... with them so they only require floor space.
Teams are out of the house from 8am until roughly 6pm once sailing has finished and will come back to get ready and then head back to the Club.
All meals are provided by the club, so they don't need feeding.
Lastly, if you know of any businesses or own a business yourself and would be interesting in providing sponsorship support for the Wilson, please get in touch using the details below; we have some great packages available.
If you have any questions in regard to hosting and would like some more information or can offer any other help mentioned above, please contact Kathryn Sandall Mobile: 07896945267 or Email: kathryn.h.brown@hotmail.co.uk
Don't forget to also grab some Wilson Brunch raffle tickets!!
The Galley
Helen will be providing a delicious menu this week - Click here for the menu
Sailing Matters
COMING UP (SAILING):
Easter Tidal Sailing : Current forecast makes sailing look unlikely ! But lets get there.
Look out for last minute decisions
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
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UKTRA Last weekend
The decision to cancel the UKTRA team racing event last weekend was painful to make. Never great to cancel based on weather forecasts. However making that call becomes essential when competitors and many officials would be travelling from all over the country with a real risk of not getting in any sailing. And that turned out to be the case. The only window that opened up would have been between 21:00 on Saturday night and 06:00 on Sunday morning ! Not practical ! It was very windy and that was that
MEETINGS
Not much sailing on which to report then in the last week. Although we are pretty good at WKSC at bursting into sailing action when conditions are right there is a lot of organisation that goes on behind the scenes for that bursting into action to happen… reliably.
I reported on two meetings last week …. or the results from those meetings - the Mirror Inauguration Day (25/4/26 or standby 23/5/26 depending on weather) and Junior/Family Friday evenings, both from meetings held by volunteers last week.
This week the General Committee met on Monday evening for the 3rd of its 12 scheduled meetings throughout the year. We agonised over spending money on a replacement outboard amongst other important items. There was a healthy impassioned discussion before a decision was made to go ahead with the purchase.
On Tuesday evening the Results Team met for what was intended to be a preseason update covering PY changes, new challenges with regard to handicapping and results for Junior Sailing Development and the ever present challenge of how to complete results quickly for special events (open events, regattas etc). here again there were impassioned arguments made to do or not do this and that.
I didn't attend the Training Section Meeting for Sailing Instructors which also occurred during the last seven days but I can guarantee there was the same level of passion expressed.
NOW…. this is impressive stuff. The membership can be reassured that this level of energy is good for the club. I am lucky enough to have a very tolerant partner in life so when I roll back home late on I am usually brought back to reality by a quick retort when I start to explain the main thrust of the meeting just shut up, take the viag paracetamol and get into bed - its late.
I wish to quickly paint the picture of the last meeting attended - The Results Team Meeting of Tuesday evening:
This team of six, is made up of an international cast, there's a bloke from Belgium, one from Holland, there's males and and a female, young(ish) and old all represented. The chairman called the meeting to order. The one apology for absence was recorded and accepted - he was sensibly working on a boat in the shed, the agenda was briefly mentioned and ignored as the members determined how racing should be conducted in the northern hemisphere providing there were enough competitors and what would be done if there weren't - recruitment being the answer. Training would be re organised, the general committee disbanded … things were getting out of hand, four of the five were talking - no - shouting over each other at the same time, the chairman was banging the table calling for order (the House of Commons for PM Questions pales into insignificance in comparison). The whole thing descended into hysterical laughter. The only sane contribution came form he from Holland and even he was suffering from jetlag. Just great fun, wonderful entertainment and free.
And a reminder to all that whilst there's always a serious intent and successful outcomes are the norm, being a volunteer on the various committees can be be very enjoyable as well as rewarding for the individual and club alike
Solo, Laser, Illusion Racing yesterday evening Tuesday 310326 (and two Mirrors)
Just some of the Laser fleet racing on Tuesday evening for the first race of the season.
Two Mirrors out for a shakedown sail on Tuesday evening keeping out of the way of Lasers, Solos and Illusions.
The start of the main season is usually the 1st April but this year it was yesterday 31st March. Interrupting a spell of windy weather yesterday evening was a welcome quiet spell with a gentle breeze. Obviously very welcome too for the great turn out for the start of the season. The headline: 23 x Lasers compared to 9 for the first race last year, 5 x Solos compared to 2 last year, Illusions 2, last year 3 but there were extenuating circumstances.
There's understandable excitement in the Mirror fleet, two were out last night for a shakedown sail, keeping out of the way of the Lasers, Solos and Illusions, before Wednesday and Friday evenings this week (and maybe also to take advantage of a pleasant evening). Just one capsize - lets skip over that shall we Bob?!
Interview with a winner:
Tony, Hi Gav, well done, you won the first race of the season.
Gav, Thanks, yeah … all that winter sailing paid off.
Tony, 23 x boats out there too - impressive
Gavin, Yeah - good turn out… pleasant evening - gotta make the most of good weather
Tony, Absolutely, my thoughts exactly. Are you planning to race over Easter?
Gav, Depends on the weather I guess. Forecast not so good.
Tony, Yeah - lets wait and see. Thanks for the Mirror, it'll be good for the project. [note; another Mirror donated to the project].
Gav, You're welcome - I'll sail it for you when you need me to.
Tony, Hang on a sec …..who's paying the boat storage and lake licence?
Gav, you are !
EASTER SAILING
As previously mentioned this Easter has great tides BUT sadly not a great forecast. The forecast has been consistent from the beginning of the week:
Fri 3/4/26 (start 11:00) Metoffice at 11:00 W 15Kts gusting 24, XCW 10:00 15Kts, Gusting 28Kts Windy 12,22
Sat 4/4/26 (start 11:30) Metoffice at 11:00 SSE 17Kts gusting 27 Kts, XCW at 13:00 14kts Gusting 22Kts, Windy same
Sun 5/4/26 (start 12:00) Metoffice at 12:00 W17Kts gusting 27Kts, XCW at 13:00 19kts gusting 27Kts, Windy same
Mon 6/4/26 (Start 12:30) Metoffice at 13:00 SSE 17Kts gusting 30, XCW at 13:00 17kts gusting 30kts, Windy same
Star, Falcon, Hilbre - sailing unlikely. Dinghies: probably not BUT maybe something special on the lake after the tide has dropped a little.
Tony Marston
Sailing Secretary
Training
New Activity - Let's Launch
Click here to book your Training Courses
Events
Star Party - Saturday 11th April
Hilbre Cheese & Wine - Sunday 12th April
Wilson Brunch - Sunday 26th April
Other Information
| Boats for Sale & Wanted |
Boats for sale - Click here to view all Boats for Sale on the website.Wanted - Trailer and trolley required for mirror dinghy. If they fit together well that would be a bonus, but an individual item is fine. Phone Bob Jarvis 07759 272742. |
| If you would like something added to the newsletter please contact newsletter@wksc.org.uk |
Last updated 16:58 on 1 April 2026