WKSC Newsletter 02 10 24
Published 10:00 on 2 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 . |
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Belgian Waffle... Is taking a break this week. Safe sailing everyone. |
| Notices |
Ian Gardner's funeral Ian Gardner's funeral is being held on Friday 4th October, 12 noon at Blacon Crematorium. Followed by Caldy Rugby Club for lunch. Dave Brown's funeral To all our friends at WKSC As a family we cannot thank everyone enough for all the messages of support and condolence we have received over the last few weeks. Hearing such lovely words said about Dave and knowing we have such caring friends is a great comfort. Thank you once again. Helen Brown, Mark Weston, Paul Weston, Hilary Rosenthal & Kathryn Sandall Office Hours Please note that Sue Capper will be in the office for only 3 days a week from next week - on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 09.00 - 16.00. We are hoping to provide volunteer cover on Mondays for any urgent business. Jonathan Edwards As you probably know Sue is retiring soon and we need to find a new Finance and Admin Manager. We are advertising on various local websites and social media but if you know of anyone who might be interested in this job you can see the ad by clicking here. Jonanthan Edwards Hon Secretary Prize Giving It is approaching our annual prize giving, so would those of you who were lucky enough to win a trophy last year please return it to the club as soon as possible so I can get them engraved. If you have already returned them, thank you very much. Please leave them in the office or behind the bar. Thank you. Debbie Lowndes The Galley on Friday - Due to unforeseen circumstances the galley will not be able to serve food this Friday. You are welcome to order food/takeaways to the Club if you wish. |
WKSC Winter Bar Hours As the summer sailing season is coming to an end, the bar hours will be changing to reflect this. The Club will be closed on Monday and Tuesday nights throughout the winter. The winter bar hours (with the exception of booked events) from Monday 7th October will be: Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12.00 - 14.30 19.30 - 23.00 Thursday 17.00 - 23.00 Friday 17.00 - 23.00 Saturday 12.00 - 18.00 Sunday 12.00 - 18.00 (Note the bar may close earlier if it is empty) |
| Sailing |
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Falcon 24 Hour challenge Tuesday 24/09/24 Jamie and I were having one of those never ending conversations about sailing activity at WKSC when all of a sudden his outstretched hand was raised, a bit like a traffic policeman commanding a motorist to halt. I was silenced. The mobile phone came out, a few button presses later a cheery voice replied on the phones loudspeaker. Mike - Hello Jamie, what can I do for you?. Jamie, in a serious tone - I challenge you to a 24 hour race on the lake, in Falcons this Saturday. Mike - Yes, I could go for that. Wed have to start at 10:30 so that wed finish in time for the Sunday Handicap racing to start at 11:00. Jamie - Agreed. Rules are crews have to change every hour. Mike, more cautiously, thinking where the xxxx am I going to get all the crew… JLS? yes, Greenwood? yes, oh yes therell be plenty - OK lets do it - I ACCEPT. Jamie - Of course it goes without saying that we are doing this in aid of the Lifeboat (RNLI). Mike - Of Course. And that was it! The race really started then as both Jamie and Mike got going on the crew recruitment process. Before returning home I had already been allocated two sessions 11:30 - 12:30 and 20:30 - 21:30 in the dark. I wondered if they werent being just a bit optimistic in attracting crews for this. But then I was allowing my own reservations about sailing at three in the morning to get in the way. Not my problem - I need to find myself a crew…. so focus Tony. Wednesday to Friday Frantic phone calls re crews, refining rules (not much of that), consideration being given to various other related issues. Saturday 28/09/24 No panic… just be down at the lake for the start. Amazingly the weather forecast wasnt bad… some rain but no strong wind to contend with. If anyone is going to capsize a Falcon on the lake it will be a Canoe Sailor…. I could be that Canoe Sailor and I really didnt want that so grateful for a reasonably benign forecast. The start was simple - the two Falcons Hawkeye and Hawkwind sail off the jetty and pretty much on time too. I didnt notice anyone allocated a record keeping job in terms of names of crew but what the hell ! Mike led the way with crew Olivia Nixon and Dan Booth. No spinnakers was agreed. Up went Jamies spinnaker… it must have been the professional crew - Tom Price and Dan Booth. Ah yes I can see how the rule observance is going to play out. Mike & Anne + Michele had arrived, they were to take over from Mikes first team opposite to me taking over from Jamies first team at 11:30. Anne provided a welcome coffee before we set off. Mike Cole and Sarah Rees arrived on time to crew for me. Both were on the Introduction to Racing Course 2023/24 so very pleasing that they had wanted to be part of this caper. The course was a simple figure of eight. I was trailing off the jetty but the distance between remained reasonably constant until the wind completely died leaving us stuck in the middle of the lake in the poring rain - becalmed. Hawkeye the other Falcon was having a different issue. There had been a loud bang but where from?…. no obvious gear failure was evident. Air movement started up in the middle of the lake and progress, though slow, was made back to the jetty for the hand over to the next team. The hour had gone quickly; the becalming had added an extra half hour to our stint. Both Falcons set off again together with their new teams; the problem on Hawkeye still undetermined. And so the daylight hours sailing continued in a similar pattern, teams coming and going. Easy sailing for all concerned and there was something special about it all… a togetherness, competition …yes but just good fun. The Falcon was just right for this adventure. Sailing in the evening shift was a slightly different challenge. As soon as one turned away from the lights on the promenade it was hard to see the buoys. In a gentlemanly fashion, Mike Hartley, who was trailing me round the course at this point (oh yes ! ) in a gentlemanly fashion pointed out the buoys we were meant to be rounding at the far end of the lake by the outside wall, as he quietly rounded it, while I had tacked to early, missed it and had therefore to turn back to round it … dropping behind Mike (damn it !). However it was less stressful simply being able to follow Mike. Meanwhile Dan Booth was attaching lights to the buoys from a RIB thus making life a lot easier to navigate the course. Sarah Rees and John Mooney crewed for me for the 20:30 - 21:30 session. We all enjoyed what was a mild evenings sail on the lake. Quite a new experience - very pleasurable in the prevailing conditions. Finding helms and crews for the night time proved only a little more challenging than first expected for Jamie and Mike. The word had got round and hardy souls had made contact to offer their services. Still, there were vacancies. Mike engaged a young lady spectator in conversation on the promenade who expressed interest in the event, admitted to being a competent sailor and was immediately found sailing kit ready for the sail. The young lady asked if she might take the helm. Mike replied that it was likely to be the last earthly thing possible that John Greenwood would do would be to relinquish the helm … so unlikely. Mike made the introduction John - please meet your new crew a young lady who is the current 420 National Champion. Olivia - please meet John who is a recent Finn Masters Champion. John - Hello Olivia would you like to helm? What joy. Sunday 29/09/24 I retired home afterwards. Sleep evaded me - the adrenaline kept me awake. Listening to the Shipping Forecast at 12:55 brought concerns. Gales forecast for Irish Sea and for or Local Areas. Would the race finish before conditions deteriorated? Whilst the wind did pick up it wasnt enough to cause any problem. But the temperature dropped significantly. 4 degrees C around 05:00. I was down in time to take in the atmosphere towards the end and to finish the race at 10:30. Quite a crowd had shown up both on the promenade at the finishing line and on the lake apron to see the two Falcons ashore. Generous donations were being made to the RNLI from many spectators - sailors and non sailors alike. Mike, Jamie and their crews were battling upwind on the final beat much as they had been 24 hours earlier though Mike and Jamie now very tired - they had been up for the entire 24 hours.. They crossed the line a little after 10:30 to well earned applause. The bang on Hawkeye turned out to be the jib luff wire breaking. The forestay kept the mast up ! The new aft rake helped to trim the Falcon and compensate for water accumulating in the bow from a crack in the keel… only located after the boat was back in the boat park. Just another job in the winter maintenance schedule.for Mike. The 11:00 Dinghy Handicap Race started on time, RO Michele Noronha and ARO Gill Hall in control. Normal routine resumes. Reflections will be many but the overwhelming feeling was of How Good Was That ? ! We had done something different, unscheduled , spontaneous with very little fuss. Yes - wed got very lucky with the weather. Some 65 folk had taken part, plenty of youth and juniors the youngest being 8 probably well past his bed time - well done Henry. There were folk in the 75+ division and plenty of Novices as well Champions. - thats got to be one of the biggest participation sailing events at West Kirby in 2024, certainly the most diverse. At least four clubs were represented - unofficially of course ! Apologies to anyone who turned up to sail but couldnt because of double booking - there will be a next time. Thanks particularly to Jamie and Mike for coming up with this in the first place and to all who took part and assisted in making it happen. If you sailed and your name doesnt appear below or if you are on the list and you didnt sail please let me know so I can make the correction…. just for the record. The cast in no particular order: Jamie Marston, Mike Hartley, Peter Bramley, Jean-Louis Simons, Jonathan Atkinson, Lee Matthews, Mike & Anne De St Paer, Michele Noronha, Sophie Gatenby, Phoebe Gatenby, Lindsay Gatenby, Amber Prce, Olivia Creasy, David Bromilow, Clare Wright, Chris Gatenby, Thomas Teubner, Guy Watkin, Graham Smith, Sam Sandow, John Greenwood, Dan Booth, David Wright, Rob Warren, Eve Bromilow, Sally Bromlow, Izzy Sandow, Tom Price, Tony Marston, Sarah Rees, John Mooney, Richard Booth, Peter Bramley, Emma Blake, Ella Marston, Pippa Marston, Tom Underwood, David Taylor, John Dixon, Clare Rogers, Jonny Cross, Kay Eggleton, Mike Cole, Henry Brown, Clare Hockley, Olivia Nixon, Edie Rogers, Mark Henshaw, Tony Clark, Nigel Bramley, Torrin Blazeby, Chris Riley, Nick Riley, Claire Williams, Kate Orrel, Nicky Lycett, Terri Atkinson, Gary Price, Ben Shoebridge, Adam Daniel, Ian Maclean, Warren (from DSC), Kevin Masterson, Kim Matthews, Karl (from DSC), Jonathan Edwards, David Wright. E&OE Tony Marston              University Team Racing last weekend The new team racing season started with a bang last weekend - 28/29 September. We hosted Manchester and Liverpool Unis Freshers Day on Saturday and their Team Selection trials on Sunday. 60+ students took part using 6 Liverpool Uni fireflies, 6 WKSC fireflies and several Fevas. From now on both unis will be here most weekends and Wednesday afternoons. Please make them welcome. Team and Match Racing Committee |
| Training |
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Introduction to Racing - Novice Race Coaching The training starts this Saturday. If you would like to attend the Novice Race Coaching starting Saturday 5th October please book your place on the website here and give as much detail as possible so that you can be put in the correct group. Thank you. 
Become an Instructor Gain a qualification & help with training within in the club. The course is important in sustaining and driving sailing forward at the club as well as in attracting new members. The Dinghy Instructor Course is held at the club over five days. If you would like to qualify to teach sailing under this RYA scheme then grab this opportunity and contact Michele on training@wksc.org.uk Next year the club will running a Seniors Instructor Course. Do please tell any sailors who you know who might be interested in the courses whether they be members or not. |
| Events |
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Weekly Wednesday Quiz - Starts 9th October The winter quiz starts again on Wednesday 9th October 20:00. The quiz is run by the fantastic Jennifer Wilkinson. Any help with the quiz questions or rounds would be greatly appreciated. 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. Our End of Season Party - Saturday 12th October Come along and help celebrate our fantastic sailors and their achievements this year, and thank our incredible training team, rescue crews and all our volunteers. House will provide a bit of food. All welcome. If you would like to come please click here to get your FREE TICKET on the website or alternatively put your name on the list on the notice board. 
Fred's Party - Saturday 19th October Come and join this great party - WKSC Main Room - All welcome - Tickets at the Bar. 
Halloween Party with the Boatshed of Horrors - Saturday 26th October Come and join us for this fantastic evening. Tickets must be booked at the bar, cash only. Book early to avoid disappointment.  |
| Boatyard |
Boat Owner? 
We are trying to find out who owns this boat - a Topper Topaz Magna, currently in WKSC yard. If you are the owner, or know who is, please email boatstorage@wksc.org.uk as soon as possible. Thank you Yard Manager Winter boat storage and haul out Winter Yard fees became payable as of the 1st October or as soon a boat enters the yard thereafter. The rates are listed in Sailing Club Manager (SCM) here: https://members.wksc.org.uk/boat-storage/untitled (you may need to log in to view) Some tidal boats and cruisers are yet to be hauled out and will be over the next week or so tide and weather permitting. If owners have not let the boatshed know their intentions they should do so urgently because, as ever, space is tight - boatshed@wksc.org.uk. We will be using SCM to invoice once the boat is hauled out and stored. Once in the Yard Storage becomes payable for the whole period. Those boats going into the Shed (predominantly Stars and Hilbres) will be invoiced accordingly once ashore and the invoice will include haul out where appropriate. This will be timed for when all the class boats are ashore ie all will be invoiced at the same time. The Falcons will be invoiced for winter yard storage after the end of October if they are still in the yard as there is sailing planned until the weekend 19/20. If anyone has any queries re the fees the please contact boatstorage@wksc.org.uk or with boat recovery or yard storage boatshed@wksc.org.uk Chris Riley pp Peter Johansen, Captain |
| Other information |
The Galley on Friday - Due to unforeseen circumstances the galley will not be able to serve food this Friday. Boats for Sale New boat for Sale - Laser 2000 New boat for Sale - Falcon 34 Sea Eagle Click here to view Boats for Sale |
Last updated 15:10 on 10 December 2024