Fairlie
YC Social Discussion Evening
Shock! Horror! Fairlie
YC is doing something different! New Kip Race Secretary Neill Sandford is
attempting a New Angle on the customary Race Discussion Night. This will involve
a series of short talks on subjects unrelated to racing, including where to
find Portavadie. John Highcock will talk about sail care - of cruising sails
we assume and will finish with a masterclass on mark rounding - presumably
those marks one rounds when one is not racing. Ocean Youth Club will tell
us stuff. And lots more. Tea and biscuits will be provided and you can bring
your knitting. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. 7.30pm Chartroom @ Kip,
Wed 12th March
You
should read the actual flyer here. I can't issue invitations but personally
I would think it a jolly good thing if some friends who are members of other
clubs turned up too. There is not enough inter-club interaction outside organised
sailing events and this looks worth supporting. Bring the crew at least.
HLSCFF
Just a photo to whip
into a frenzy all those FF enthusiasts who are already moist with the anticipation
of the coming season.
Scottish
Islands Peaks Race
2007 photos used with
permission :Willie Gibson/SIPR
Ouch!
Even the lifeboat chappies
get it wrong sometimes. This is the Portrush lifeboat. A very sad scene following
a rescue attempt of a RIB in very severe weather.
(thanks to Duncan Chalmers
for forwarding the pics - which are byRathmore Marine of Gourock - www.rathmoremarine.co.uk)
The background story
is here.
Weather conditions were such that the lifeboat had to stay on the rocks taking
a severe battering. The update
is that the £2m Katie Hannan, having been emptied of fuel etc has been
floated off into a barge and transported to Plymouth where the damage is being
assessed. It is possible that the hull will have to be written off.
More
from the HSC Winter Series - Race 2
One of those locally
controversial SB3s as part of a good turnout again. Apparently a highlight
was one of the SB3s being told in no uncertain terms by a Topper that, quite
correctly, they didn't have water at the leeward mark. A fine afternoon.
Kip
Social Meeting
We're told that Fairlie
YC is running a meeting for all interested parties on Wed 12th March 7.30
in the Chartroom at Kip. Not just for racers - apparently there will be cruisy
interest too. More details to follow when Neil sends them - which could be
now or never.
Oban
Sailing Club
Has a new website.
It's mentioned here especially because the Clydesailing 2008 calendar had
the wrong date for the Round Mull Race suggesting that there was a clash with
the Radiohead gig on Glasgow Green. The dates are Fri 4th - Sun 6th July.
We understand the Round Mull Race to be on occasions quite a demanding affair
but sounds like fun for anyone who happens to be up there at the appropriate
time. More fun than Radiohead anyway.
We'll be happy to post
any pics or reports from our friends north of Crinan.
A different cleaning
lady from the one Marineblast gets news from informs us of the update on the
incident between Kudos, Cool Bandit and the committee vessel Moondance during
the FYC Autumn points at Largs last year. You may remember there was some
relatively restrained discussion of this on the forum at the time. The news
is that the RYA has upheld Donald Syme's appeal against the FYC protest decision
against Kudos. Doubtless there will be varying opinions on this but irrespective
of the outcome it is interesting to see for once a club level protest going
to the national authority. I'm not taking sides here but my simplistic reading
of the current rules is that collisions are to be avoided at all costs and
if the right of way boat has to take action to avoid one, then taking avoiding
action, followed by a protest is the way to go. We also understand that FYC
are going to send some suitable candidates on the Race Ajudication course
which has to be a Good Thing.
Sea
Safety
The one man team from Clydesailing attended the Serpent
YC (that's the Serpent burgee - the snake is the giveaway ) AGM recently
where the most interesting bit was an illustrated presentation by Richard
and Roisin Harris of Tanit's Fastnet Race effort. Much of it was what you'll
have already read here but it was supplemented by a big screen showing of
the 'Fish In The Cockpit' video - if you haven't seen it you should hunt it
out on YouTube. Anyway I was interested in the accounts of the preparations
for the race which involved acquiring the RYA/ISAF Offshore Safety qualification.
For those who haven't looked into this there are two levels of safety courses
and RYA certification.
The first is the RYA
Sea Safety Course which is done over one day and is 'essential for anyone
going afloat on our coastal waters. Consisting of practical and theory sessions
run in the local swimming pool and the classroom, the course includes liferaft
drills in the heated pool.' Roisin Harris said that the liferaft pool session
was the most useful for her.
The second level is the
RYA/ISAF Offshore safety qualification which is a requirement for ISAF Cat
0, 1 and some Cat 2 races. It is done over 2 days, and includes the RYA Sea
Safety course but 'also includes heavy weather seamanship, fire fighting,
weather forecasting, and first aid techniques'.
The nearest centre to
run these is the national centre at Cumbrae. You
can look it up.
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