BRISTOL SAILING ASSOCIATION

Newsletter February 2010

Contacts:Gordon Ogden (Commodore)01275 462473

Jock Playle (Secretary)0117 973 8855

Jane Jenkyn (Treasurer) 01275 880318

We welcome Phil Watkin as a new member. Marilyn Britton, who was a member some years ago, was at the February meeting as a guest.

At the meeting on February 8th, after the usual business and trip reports were completed, Julia and Chris Wallace gave an illustrated talk on their voyage around the UK last year. Julia’s comprehensive trip reports were included with the newsletters from July to October 2009. In his talk, Chris gave more details of the navigational hazards and frequent obligatory tidal windows for the various passages. As well as the sailing aspects, the slides were a fascinating travelogue ranging from highland games in the Western Isles, through prehistoric settlements on Orkney, to the production of Arbroath Smokies.

Future Trips

1.1Midweek sailing on Spellbinder, March 22 – 24. This is fully booked by the crew who sailed on Firebird last November. Crew details will be available at the meeting on March 8th.

1.2Alan Howells has offered to skipper another training long weekend (Thursday evening to Sunday) from Saltash. Originally this was planned for early March, but some members were unable to manage this so it is now proposed for a date in April. This has the advantage that Sail West will have the Dufour 35 “Tigger Too” available by then. Will all those interested in this please confirm by the meeting on March 8th.

1.3Round the Island Race, June 19th. Following the decision at the December meeting to opt for the Sunsail package of a Sunfast 37 for 3 days, including berths in Cowes, fuel and race entry, a firm booking has been made. By booking at the Boat Show we were able to get a discount of £100 so the cost for this package, with a full crew of eight, is £282 per person. Jeff Birkin will skipper, and seven others have sent a deposit so we have a full crew.

Jeff and the crew asked for an extra day’s charter for training. The boat has now been booked from 1200 on Thursday June 17th for an extra £400 (again with a discount of 15%, and at a cost of less than 20% of the 3-day package for the extra day). The total balance payment for the package and the extra day is £269 per person, and will be due by April 23rd.

1.4Alan Howells hopes to skipper in the Helford – l’Aber Wrac’h race (confirmed as June 25 – 27) on a Dufour 35 from Plymouth. The total charter period will be from Wednesday June 23rd to Wednesday 30th. We have four people interested at present, so need two further crew members. Will anyone interested please let Alan (tel. 0117 944 2618) or me (Jock) know.

1.5Members have asked for a weekend charter during May. Will those interested, and any skipper available for this, please let us know at the March meeting.

2.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 in the next newsletter following receipt.

At the February meeting there was just one report, by Don Hirst on the “Xmas Lights” weekend trip from Plymouth skippered by Phil Steele on December 18 – 20.

This report follows.

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Trip on Anodyne, skippered by Phil Steele

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