BRISTOL SAILING ASSOCIATION

Newsletter December 2007

Contacts:Gordon Ogden (Commodore)01275 462473

Jock Playle (Secretary)0117 973 8855

Jane Jenkyn (Treasurer) 01275 880318

Marion Brown (Social Secretary)0117 952 0434

We congratulate Keith Fisher on obtaining his Yachtmaster certificate. Keith did this through the Phoenix Yacht Club, and we are grateful to him for stepping into the breach when Chris Watts had to pull out of skippering a PYC boat with a BSA crew on December 10th, the day of our last meeting.

Gordon welcomed Jock back to his first meeting since his accident in October, and thanked Frances for taking notes at the last two meetings.

Future Trips

1.1Jeff Birkin and Dave Lloyd will skipper a Solent-based trip on the weekend of February 22 – 24. At present, pending confirmation from some members who have declared an interest, we have crews for two boats, and if there is greater demand we have another skipper available for a third boat. We need to confirm bookings for the boats early in the new year, so will all those who gave their names at the meeting on December 10th please confirm with me (Jock) as soon as possible.

1.2Gordon Ogden will skipper a midweek Solent trip on a PYC boat on Monday March 3rd – Wednesday 5th (not February 25 – 27 as given at the last meeting). There are 2 or 3 places available for this – please contact Gordon, 01275 462473, and Jock (as Gordon will be away for all of January) if you wish to go.

2.Announcements

2.1Membership renewal. A few renewals are still outstanding and reminders have been sent. Any further renewal forms and subscription payments should be sent to me (Jock Playle,

3 Iddesleigh Road, Bristol, BS6 6YL), and NOT to the Treasurer, as Jane will be away until the end of January. If we don’t receive it by the next meeting on January 14th it will be assumed you don’t wish to rejoin.

2.2Christmas Dinner. Gordon thanked Marion Brown for arranging the dinner at the Lockside restaurant, which again proved to be a very enjoyable occasion for those who attended, with good food and entertainment.

2.3January meeting. As most of the officers of the club will be away in January, the meeting on Monday 14th January will be an informal evening on board Sabrina. Jock will demonstrate dummy versions of the type of flares now available (and found on board a yacht we chartered from Plymouth in October), as well as the old type, now withdrawn, which many members practised firing at our demonstrations at Portishead. The new ones have a totally different firing method. Jock used these when he attended a RNLI flare demonstrator course recently.

2.4February meeting. The meeting on Monday 11th February will be our social evening with jazz band and buffet, when all the officers will be present and able to mingle with everyone, unlike our usual monthly meetings. To help defray the cost of the band and food, there will be a charge of £3 per head.

2.5Dave Whitehead has a buoyancy aid, suitable for dinghy sailors, available free. Please contact Dave on 0117 971 0336.

3.Recent Trips

A summary of all trips reported at meetings is given here, or a full report, if available. Members reporting at a meeting are reminded that a full version of the report should be provided, either written or emailed. If this isn’t available, then only a short summary will be given in the newsletter. Full reports will be included with the next newsletter following receipt.

There was just one report at the December meeting, on a midweek Solent sail on the PYC yacht Spellbinder. Don Hirst gave a short impromptu report at the meeting, and Nigel Buck, whose first BSA trip this was, has sent the following report.

Trip on Spellbinder, skippered by David Price

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