BRISTOL SAILING ASSOCIATION

Newsletter December 2019

Contacts:Kath Liddiard (Commodore)01443 227928

Jock Playle (Secretary)0117 973 8855

Becky Goddard (Treasurer) 01749 346818

Future Trips

1.1Jeff Birkin will skipper a boat handling weekend from Plymouth on April 3rd – 5th. This is the first weekend of BST, so lighter evenings. There are two or three places available for this.

News

2.1Membership renewal.

Membership renewal for 2019/20 is now overdue – a few members have still to renew. A renewal form was sent to all members in November. If you haven’t yet renewed please bring this to the meeting on January 13th. Payment by bank transfer is preferred, to the account of Bristol Sailing Association at Barclays Bank, account number 40853062, sort code 20-13-34, using reference BSAsub and your surname, and please email the Treasurer beckygeesilkmill@gmail.com to advise her and give any change of contact details. If you do pay by cheque, send it payable to Bristol Sailing Association to the Treasurer, Mrs R A Goddard, 29 The Old Silk Mill, Coombe Lane, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5XA, or bring it to the meeting.

If you have decided not to rejoin BSA it would be very helpful if you would inform the secretary (either email or phone, details on the cover letter of this newsletter). Your membership will lapse if you have not rejoined by January 13th.

2.2January meeting Social Evening. As usual, our January meeting on the 13th will be a social evening with a buffet and raffle, all free. Alan Howells has again offered to organise the buffet and asks for anyone who can help with providing food (of the ‘finger buffet’ variety) who has not already told Alan to contact him as soon as possible. BSA will refund all costs. Please contact Alan on 0117 944 2618, email alanhowellsandco@gmail.com,

2.3OscarLine Update Jeff Birkin reported significant news after some frustrating months. Six weeks previously an Oscarline test was carried out by the Bristol Pilots’ chief skipper, who completed a successful solo rescue in 4 minutes. The head of H&S for Bristol Ports was also present, who said he had tried to obtain lifejackets incorporating Oscarline from Seasafe, who had declined. Lifejackets with Oscarline will now be made by ISP (a Liverpool manufacturer of marine safety equipment who supply the MoD) who will carry out the statutory testing in March. Bristol Ports intend to order ten, and the pilots will also order them.

Jeff is offering BSA members the opportunity to buy one of these lifejackets at material cost and use them for ‘beta’ testing. Please let Jeff know in January if you want one.

Recent trips

Trip reports A reminder that Chris Wallace has asked for all members who provide trip reports to include the type and name of the boat, and the names of all crew, so that the reports can be completely listed and referenced on the website. Photographs sent to webmaster@bristolsailing.org.uk would also be very welcome.

At the December meeting we had reports from Ian Collins on a weekend trip from Plymouth, and Don Hirst gave a report on a midweek sail on PYC’s ‘Quartette’ skippered by Gordon Ogden.

Trip on Miranda, skippered by Ian Collins

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Trip on Quartette, skippered by Gordon Ogden

BSA December 2019 3