Please see our Covid page for the latest information.

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LATEST COVID-19 REGULATIONS & GUIDANCE

The RYA have issued their latest guidance and it can be found HERE

The Club remains in Tier 3 and the activities that we have planned can continue.

Those living in Tiers 1 & 2 ‘should avoid travel into Tier 3 areas unless this is necessary to enable individual [& bubble] exercise’ which boating is.

Those living in Tier 4 should not travel to the Club ‘unless it is for one of the exemptions set out in law such as for work, where it is not possible to work from home, or to allow sporting activity for under 18s or those who are disabled to take place’. We would request, for the sake of your fellow members, that any members living in Tier 4 areas respect this.

If we were to move to Tier 4 then all organised sporting activity (e.g. club racing) would have to cease at the club. Informal or self-organised sport is not allowed either, so it would be just individual / bubble cruising that is permitted. An exception is that organised sporting activity would continue to be permitted for under 18s and disabled people (including the Draycote Academy & youth squads).

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DRAYCOTE DOUBLE

With the Draycote Dash having been postponed till March we wanted to give our members (only members) the chance to compete in a Dash-like event over the Christmas period. It will consist of 2 back-to-back average lap races over a trapezoid course.

There will be 1 or 2 starts depending on numbers – if 2 starts, the split will be at GLN 1120, so Lasers & faster will be in the first (fast) start and Aero 5s & slower will be in the second (slow) start.

What better excuse to get out of that than the Draycote Double! We look forward to seeing you there!

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CLUB HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS

The Club has successfully completed its project to improve the acoustics in the lounge/ training room and has purchased a portable induction assisted hearing system for use in training rooms. This work makes the Club more accessible for people with hearing impairment and was supported by a £2000 community fund grant from Rugby Borough Council in 2020. We thank the Council for their support and look forward to being able to use the improved facilities when the Club is fully open again sometime in 2021.

Women’s changing room

The improvement work is progressing well. To improve access, the small lockers near the main door are being removed soon; if you currently have a small locker, please let Dave know ASAP, particularly if you have any items still in the locker.
Thanks.

Happy Christmas and looking forward to using the improved facilities next year.
Chris Silver

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RACE DUTIES

Please remember to check DutyMan for duties as we revert back to members running the racing in January.
With the new automated start we only need 1-2 people as race officers, but there are lots of unconfirmed duties that need filling.

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See our COVID page for details of the Club reopening plans following the November lockdown.

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Sunday Racing & Events

Sunday racing will be run as normal, with volunteers running the racing until the end of the year (then the DutyMan rota). We still need volunteers for all of these dates, except the 6th December.  If you can help on any off these days, please contact Dave on daverowe@draycotewater.co.uk

We have inevitably had to cancel the Christmas Party, but we will be running the usual Christmas racing programme with an additional event:

Sunday 6^th December: Normal Club racing (1^st warning: 1100)
Sunday 13^th December: Normal Club racing (1^st warning: 1100)
Sunday 20^th December: Normal Club racing (1^st warning: 1100)
Saturday 26^th December: Boxing Day Pursuit Race (Datum: 1130)
Sunday 27^th December: NO Club racing
Monday 28^th December: The Draycote Double (1^st warning: 1100) (see below)
Friday 1^st January: New Year’s Day Pursuit Race (Datum: 1330)
Sunday 3^rd January: Normal Club Racing (1^st warning: 1100)

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DRAYCOTE DOUBLE

With the Draycote Dash having been postponed till March we wanted to give our members (only members) the chance to compete in a Dash-like event over the Christmas period. It will consist of 2 back-to-back average lap races over a trapezoid course. There will be 1, 2 or 3 starts depending on the numbers competing.
 
It is scheduled for the day after the government-permitted Christmas 3-household get togethers, so there should be no commitment to visit friends and family and you will be back with just your own household / bubble. What better excuse to get out of that than the Draycote Double! We look forward to seeing you there!

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Steve Irish’s excellent coaching programme for members will re-start:
12th / 13th December: Aero squad
19th / 20th December: Laser squad

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Ladies Changing Rooms

We are thrilled to announce that work has now started on the renovation of the ladies changing rooms and should be completed by the time we are able to reopen changing rooms.

It was with regret that, on publication of the latest Covid-19 legislation, we had to take the decision to close the Club site to members from Thursday 5th November. This action has since been confirmed by the RYA Guidance.
While as part of the government’s recreation guidelines, people are allowed to sail on their own or with one other person, this can only be done in ‘public outdoor spaces’ where the public have right to access. This does not apply to our Club site or water.

Furthermore, among the list of businesses that are required to close to in-person customers are:
24. Outdoor sports centres or amenities, including water sports, stables, shooting and archery venues, golf courses, driving ranges, outdoor gyms, outdoor swimming pools, water parks and aquaparks.

I think anyone aware of these elements of the legislation can see why we had to take the decision we did, which the RYA subsequently endorsed.

But the great news is that this lockdown is planned to stop on 2nd December and then, hopefully, we will be able to get back to what we love doing – so only 3 weeks’ more! At that time it is likely to depend on what tier the club and our homes are in as to what we can do, but your committee will continue to work hard to fathom this out when the time comes. As usual, the website is the best place to look to find out the position – certainly don’t come up to the Club without having checked the website first.

DWSC Committee

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The AGM & Committee

One of the best-attended AGMs in recent years was held via Zoom last week. As usual the Committee gave a presentation about the state of the Club and this can be found HERE.

We are delighted to welcome to the Committee two new members: Norman Byrd as Rear Commodore Sail and Simon Ball as a Committee Member.

The Committee page of the website has now been updated with these changes.

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DRAYCOTE DASH

Due to the new lockdown restrictions, the Draycote Dash has been rescheduled until 6th & 7th March 2021.  Full details will be released in due course.

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CHRISTMAS

Unfortunately, we have taken the decision not to hold a family Christmas party this year due to the ongoing situation and restrictions, but hope to be back for 2021.

The Boxing Day and New Year’s Day pursuit races are still scheduled to race though.

Each year at the AGM, our Committee awards The Commodore’s Cup to a member who they feel has significantly contributed to the Club.

This year, Jeremy Atkins announced the deserved winner:

It’s been a difficult year for all of us, but certainly for helping and volunteering as there hasn’t been that much opportunity.  I spoke to one club member who said it’s amazing we can run the open meetings, and I replied that we can do so because they’re run by paid staff and there’s no volunteers involved.  However, I realised that there was one volunteer, with his daughter, who has been at virtually every open meeting this year.  He also runs the youth and junior part of the club, and he would say that it’s not just him doing it, but he does lead it and without him it wouldn’t happen.  He also volunteers to do the mark laying for many events, including for the shortly to be cancelled Draycote Dash, and again he would say that it’s not just me, that Izzy is there too.  Then when we needed graphics for site signage, we naturally turned to an expert in that industry and Jon, through the company he works for, provided a massive amount of graphics which really communicated the regulations – a lot of it was free, much of it below commercial rate.

So, I and the committee are very pleased to award this year’s Commodore’s Cup to Jon Hughes.

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And a lovely response from Jon which really highlights both his own passion for developing youth sailors, and also the many members of our Club who work together to deliver a fantastic programme of Y&J activities:

Last night at our virtual AGM I was honoured to be awarded the Commodore’s Cup by Jeremy. Frantically typing an acceptance speech in Zoom was not really an option, so here we go:

As this is largely a recognition of Youth & Junior related activity (for those who do not know, I am Youth & Junior Fleet Captain), I would like to say a big thank you to all the other club members who have helped us this year and in previous years. Sadly we were unable to run our Saturday Club in 2020 (which normally starts before Easter and runs through to the end of October) due to this pesky virus, but I have relied upon the continuing assistance of Darren Cheshire and Adrian Roberts every weekend in past years, and they were ready for action again this year.

We were able to get our weekly Friday Night racing sessions going as the first lockdown eased, until the nights drew in, and Stuart Middle was a vital part of the machine last year – social distancing meant I had to be in the RIB on my own this year, but when things got a bit fruity, Stu was back on the water in a separate boat to assist. And as new sailors came along, but were not quite ready to race, Darren was out on the water leading a separate group.

Our one Club event for the year which we still managed to run was the Youth & Junior Championships held in September. We had a good turnout of 30 boats with a very high-quality field and close racing throughout the fleets. In the committee boat alongside me was Richard Knight and Izzy Hughes.  Manning RIBs to lay the courses and offer assistance and encouragement to those new to racing: Stu Middle, Mike Powell, Adrian Roberts, Norman Byrd and Andrea Byrd . On shore Fleur Maxwell-Middle ran Sailwave (as she has for other race series this year) to get the results out, assisted by Donna Powell. Of course, none of this could happen without the on-going support from all our fantastic staff too!

As we were allowed to open up to visitors in the autumn, the Club was able to welcome a number of Youth & Junior fleets, including Toppers, Fevas, and Teras. There was also a big youth contingent at the Aero event we hosted. This was only possible because of the relentless efforts of our staff team, but again, Youth and Junior fleet volunteers were there, including many already mentioned above, both on the water and on the shore.

And, of course, a big thanks to all our young sailors: What drives me is the desire to introduce the next generation to our wonderful sport, be it just to potter around the lake on a summers day, or strive to compete at the highest level- we try to accommodate everyone, and it is immensely rewarding to see our Youth & Junior fleet members developing from novice sailors to become open meeting winners! It is also great to see those who have been through our Friday and Saturday clubs putting something back by helping out on the water, either in RIBs or sailing with beginners to grow their confidence.

So, in short- we can only function to nurture the next generation of sailors with the support and help of many, many people, both those mentioned here, and many more besides – sorry if I have not name checked you. Long may it continue, and let us hope that we can get back to something near normal in 2021!

And finally… a word from our sponsors! I would like to express my thanks to XG Group, my employers. Every year, for the last few years, they have facilitated the operation of our Friday night club by allowing me to get away from work early to run the sessions. This year, all the social distancing signage around the club was produced by XG – much of it was either discounted or free of charge. Support extends beyond the social distancing graphics to the production of trophies for most of the events we have run this autumn and, pride of place, our massive Youth & Junior flags!

The AGM & Committee

Don’t forget that 4^th November sees our AGM and Committee elections. Committee nominations close tomorrow (Wednesday 21^st October) so, if you would like to contribute to the Club in this way, get your nomination form in. As you will have read, we need the new team to run the Club to stand up now – joining the Committee, learning the ropes and then running the Club. Nominations forms can be found HERE.

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Covid-19 & The Clubhouse

Thank you so much to the vast majority of members who have observed the new rules, wearing masks in the Clubhouse. We know it’s a pain, but it is necessary. Unfortunately, some members using the lounge have not been wearing masks as required. We haven’t got time to remind people of their obligations. If this continues, we will have to shut the lounge. That would be a real shame as it gets colder, but it is really up to the individuals concerned. Wear a mask and keep the lounge open, don’t and it will be closed.

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Aero Inlands

There was a good home turnout for the recent Aero Inlands with several events combining into one weekend.Full report is HERE.

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Topper NS1

The Topper Autumn Champs went well despite the extreme rain making it challenging for staff.  Full results HERE

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Draycote Dash

Pre-registration for the Selden SailJuice Winter Series is now open – click HERE

The Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash will be held here at Draycote on 21st & 22nd November.

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Upcoming Events

The upcoming RS Tera EOS Champs will be a larger event with up to 70 boats taking part.

Well summer is now officially over (at least for those who race)!  Sunday 18^th October was the last day of the Summer series (with sadly no racing) and Sunday 25^th October will be the first day of the Winter series.

Back to Fleet Racing

To get racing back in the summer and to allow for the slowly changing Covid-19 regulations we have been doing ‘Wednesday-style’ average lap racing on Sundays. For the Winter series we move back to fleet racing and welcome a new fleet, the Aero, to the start line. Unfortunately, the Solos have been displaced as they haven’t been able to get sufficient numbers out every Sunday, but I’m sure they will continue to run their series and will be welcomed by the other boats on the Menagerie start.

The start sequence will now be:

Menagerie will remain on timed, average lap racing, but the fleets will be doing set distance racing with no times being taken as previously.

Back to Racers Being OD

The staff have done a fantastic job running the racing over the summer and, with the new automated starting system, have shown how racing can be run by just one person.
 
But this has come at a cost which is not sustainable for the number of boats we have racing and has been made more difficult with Owen’s departure (although some of you may have noticed he’s been back working a few times having left!). So now it is back to people who participate in racing running the racing.
 
For the rest of 2020 this will be on a volunteer basis. Anyone who would like to, and particularly those who didn’t have to do their duties during the summer because the staff were doing them, are asked to volunteer to be the race team (send e-mail to daverowe@draycotewater.co.uk). Running the racing is fun and I guarantee most people will learn a lot from doing it.
 
From 1^st January we will be back to DutyMan and the notice for this will be sent out at the start of November as usual.
 
As the staff have proved, the race team can now be one person, but we will be aiming to get 2 people to do it. This is down from the 3 previously and we have scrapped the concept of Chief ODs and Assistants. Any 2 (or even 1) people can do it. If you are not very experienced, Dave or Matt will be on hand to offer you advice and help.
 
In the current climate it would be preferable for members of the same household, or people who sail together, to be the race team together, but you can socially distance on the Committee boat, so this is not essential. You can also wear masks if you want. If you are really concerned about this, just book your duty later in 2021 when, hopefully, a vaccine will be available to all.
 
Ian Macwhinnie has burnt the midnight oil getting the Race Team Manual ready for the Winter series, with new instructions about how to run the automated system. Perhaps not a work of literature, but certainly a very useful guide. It can be seen HERE

DWSC Committee

Following the introduction of the new regulations concerning gatherings we have reviewed what we, as a Club need to do. The fact is not a lot because it is down to how our members and visitors behave. We remind everyone that they must keep social distancing (2 metres apart except with mitigation) and not gather in groups of more than 6 (including children).

Nevertheless, we have decided to close the bar from Thursday 17th September. This will help resist the temptations to gather in groups of more than 6 and not socially distance. It is also not economical to keep the bar open at this time. The lounge will remain open with limited socially distant seating, with no groups of more than 6 people.

The Wet Bar no longer has table service, only a takeaway service, but the new marquee provides sheltered seating outside.

Many of you will have seen the new signage, reinforcing the one way system and need for social distancing. Compliance with the one way system is better as a result, so thank you for that.

Fortunately the latest guidance from the RYA indicates that on-the-water activities are not affected by the new regulations and can continue as before.

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STATEMENT FROM IAN WALKER – RYA DIRECTOR OF RACING – REGARDING CURRENT EVENT ATTENDANCE

“As regulations regarding Covid-19 tighten up again in the UK, it is more important than ever that sailors show consideration to others.

Before attending your club, or any event, please consider the risk profile of yourself and your close family, as well as the risk you may pose to others.

Club and event risk assessments and the protocols that stem from them are more important than ever. I would urge everyone to show understanding and respect for both clubs and their fellow competitors.

The RYA will continue to be inclusive in its approach and anybody choosing not to attend Youth or Junior Events, either as a precautionary measure, or due to illness or self-isolation, will not be negatively impacted in any RYA Squad or Training Group selections.

The RYA team will continue to support club, class and event organising committees with their difficult and nuanced decision making, with the aim being for as many people as possible to enjoy sailing and racing in a safe and Covid secure manner. Thank you”