Dear Member,

It has been great to see our members using the water again and we will continue to cautiously make more activities available. We have seen:

• 25 windsurfers out at the same time, which hasn’t happened for a long time
• Informal racing being organised by groups up to 6
• Formal coaching (by Steve Irish) for groups of 5 using Zoom for the onshore briefing and de-briefing – Toppers two weekends ago, Lasers last weekend
• The Stig Lap started with our first times on the board – Richard Pye currently holds the lead – but for how long?
 

However, we are very conscious of one particular group which have difficulty getting on the water: those who sail double-handers (with someone outside their household) and have no access to a single-handed boat.
 
We are also very aware that while everything is ‘household’ focussed and activity with non-household members is difficult, those on an individual membership may want to enjoy the water with members of their household.
 
So, until further notice:
• Those with registered double-handed boats without access to a registered single-hander can use the club boats free of charge (subject to availability)
• Those with registered double-handed boats without access to a registered single-hander can bring a single-hander to the club and not pay an additional boat registration fee
• All members may bring members of their household to use the water with them in their boat, a club boat or SUP (signing them in as guests, obviously, but not restricted to the 4 visits a year)
• All members may use the club SUPs for free (subject to availability)
 
In addition, following the successful introduction of small group coaching, we are beginning to start to offer (with appropriate social distancing) individual SUP and windsurfing lessons.
 
We have modified the poster slightly to cover these changes:

DWSC Committee

As formal Club racing is still on hold, why not race against the clock – and against each other in a very socially distanced way – with our Stig Lap!

Pop into the shop and collect a GPS tracker in a dry bag, sail around the outermost buoys, and then return the tracker to register your time and be displayed on the board.

Use either your own boat and relevant handicap, or the club Fusion.

Wearing of the Stig mask is optional!

The Committee have agreed that we can now move to Phase 2 of reopening the Club. Please see the links below for more information.

• The phases we are anticipating are here
• The risk assessment for Phase 2 is here

DWSC Committee

This week’s Committee Focus turns to one of our newest Committee members, Robin Warren…

How did you get into sailing? I started at school in 1969 through an after-school club travelling to Butterley Reservoir in Derbyshire. It was only about 50 acres. A few basic instructions from our teachers but largely left up to ourselves to learn through play. Initially oversubscribed but after a couple of weeks there was only a handful of us. Tuesday night was climbing, Wednesday night was canoeing and Thursday night sailing. State schools are not like that anymore.

How did you join DWSC? I went to Warwick Uni and sailed at DWSC with them. After Uni and starting work in this area it was obvious to continue. I started with a laser for a short while before getting a new GP14, but always had trouble with regular crews so when the GP fleet declined I moved over to the Miracles which were easier to sail single handed if necessary. Eventually ending up with a Solo and now have the opposite problem of not being able to take anyone out for a sail.

Why did you go on the Committee? Apart from a spell as fleet captain of the GP14s I had not done a great deal to help the club, always being a bit busy with other things and then children came along and doing any extra became impossible, but I always felt a bit guilty. Now my excuses have finally run out with said children going off to Uni., so I volunteered at the last AGM.

What do you do on the Committee? My role so far has been to shadow Chris Silver the Rear Commodore House. This has involved mostly checking procedures and having an input to the various issues that come up at the monthly meetings. Probably more issues at the moment, but even so, not very onerous work.

What’s your best sailing experience? With over 50 years worth of sailing experience there have been many. Up there with the best must be cruising in perfect weather off the west coast of Scotland, or powering down the Portuguese coast on the way to Gibraltar, beam reach, warm sunshine and realising that everyone else was having a siesta and I was on my own, on deck, marvelling at the power of the yacht as it ploughed through the waves.

My worst sailing experience was the first day of my first big boat cruise heading from Lymington to Weymouth in misty conditions with a quartering run. It was not just the sea sickness, it was finding out that what I had always wanted to do was awful. Fortunately just before Weymouth it was noted we were about to loose the life raft overboard and the ensuing panic instantly got rid of the sea sickness and I was OK afterwards.

And at Draycote? No specific event comes to mind but anytime there is some close demanding racing and I come out on top, the feeling is hard to beat.

What is your most embarrassing sailing experience? Sailing has a habit of tripping you up if you don’t take care, so not the best sport if you are easily embarrassed. Winning the solo capsize trophy for the second time might be one, but then if you don’t capsize occasionally you are probably not trying too hard.

Who would you like to swap places with for a day? I would love to experience some Southern Ocean sailing on in a Volvo round the world race, but I know I could not stand the cold for a whole day.

Which 4 individuals (living or dead) would you love to have dinner with? Ellen McArthur would be top of the list. We went to the same school (a generation apart) and knew some of the same people. In her first book she said she was inspired by reading Sir Francis Chichester’s book which she took out of the school library, and was amazed that only one other person and taken the book out. Well guess what. I too was inspired by Chichester after reading his book, also borrowed from the school library and I was surprised that I was the first to take it out.

Robin

Over on Facebook, there has been a Sunday Racing Rules series. the first 4 episodes were added to our website and can be read HERE

Below are the next two episodes in the series…

Episode 4 of our Racing Rules: When Boats Meet at Marks – Definitions

It has taken 2 episodes to get through the right of way rules and general limitations. We now turn to the tricky subject of boats meeting at marks. This will also take 2 episodes. Firstly, we need to be clear of the definitions and that is what we will cover in this episode.

Mark room is room to:
• Leave a mark the required side
• Sail to the mark
• Round the mark

It is not room to tack round the mark or to sail wide round the mark.

The ‘zone’ is the area around a mark within 3 hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

An ‘overlap’ between 2 boats is when any part of a boat’s hull / equipment is in front of a line abeam from the aftermost point of the other boat’s hull / equipment. In both cases the hull / equipment needs to be in its normal position.

(see image 2)

Those are the key definitions for when 2 boats meet at a mark.

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Episode 5: When Boats Meet at Marks – Rules

Remembering the definitions from the last episode, we now get onto mark room (or ‘water’ as those of a certain age will remember it!) – refer to the last episode for the definition of ‘mark room’.

Mark room applies when 2 boats are required to leave a mark on the same side.

However, mark room does not apply:
• At a starting mark

• When on opposite tacks on a beat (this is often mistakenly thought to mean that mark room does not apply on a beat – it only doesn’t apply on a beat if you are on opposite tacks)
• When on opposite tacks when the proper course is for one boat, but not both, to tack
• Between a boat approaching the mark and one leaving it
• If you tack in the zone (check definition in last episode) to be on the same tack as a boat fetching the mark (see below)

Mark room (definition in last episode) is given:
• By the outside boat to the inside boat if they were overlapped (definition in last episode) when the first boat reaches the zone (definition in last episode)
• By the boat clear astern if the boat was clear aster when the first boat reaches the zone

There are, however, 2 limitations:
• You are not entitled to mark room if you got your inside overlap from clear astern or tacking to windward and the outside boat is unable to give mark room (you can’t just barge in there!)
• If you tack in the zone to be on the same tack as a boat fetching the mark (see above) you cannot luff above close-hauled or prevent the other boat from rounding the mark and you have to give the other boat mark room if it gets an inside overlap – so, if you tack in the zone, there’s a lot you must and cannot do – you should only do it if you know what you’re doing!

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The next episode will look at 2 boats meeting at an obstruction.

Following the Government’s announcements of Sunday and Monday there is still some doubt as to the status of Sailing Clubs.

We are required to follow the policies of the RYA and Severn Trent and until we have them, we cannot move forward.

While clarity is being sought and processes are then put in place to deal with what this reveals, the position with regard to sailing at Draycote Water remains as currently – the site is closed to the public and members and no sailing is allowed until further notice.

We are working hard to resolve this and will be working hard to open as soon as we can legally and safely do so, but please bear with us at this time.

Jeremy Atkins, Commodore

For this week’s Committee Focus, we hear from our Rear Commodore House, Christine Silver…

How did you get into sailing? Around 20 years ago I went to a ‘Try dinghy sailing’ afternoon at Rugby and Daventry Sailing Club, then took lessons and joined the Club which was close to home. The sailing there was limited to weekends and one evening and I generally just practised in an old Topper and then Comet. 

How did you join DWSC? In 2006 the reservoir in Daventry was drained for maintenance work and DWSC offered RDSC members the opportunity to sail at Draycote, I’ve been a member ever since.

Why did you go on the Committee? Jeremy sent out a plea for new committee members in 2017 and I volunteered to keep the numbers up, having had some committee experience at RDSC. He said you didn’t need to be a good sailor to join the committee, so that was ok!

What do you do on the Committee? I’m now Rear Comm. House, a post which had been vacant for a couple of years; the committee role is to liaise with Dave, the Club manager, to have an overview of the running of the Clubhouse and grounds. Dave and the staff team are great and take care of the day to day management of the Club. I also have responsibility for writing grant applications, GDPR and Safeguarding policy.

What’s your best sailing experience? I enjoy sailing in Blakeney harbour in a Norfolk Oyster boat and a few years ago was very pleased to sail from Morston to Cley Mill which is only possible with a high Spring Tide. I’ve also been fortunate to crew some races in the Miracle Nationals at Ullswater and Weymouth with Caroline Noel. We were fairly new to sailing the Miracle but it was good to take part.

And at Draycote? Pottering around in my Topper, on a sunny summer evening, with the Women on Water group. 

What is your most embarrassing sailing experience? At Weymouth in the Miracle nationals in 2013 – Caroline had jumped off the dinghy into much deeper water than we realised whilst going ashore. It was a strong (for me) off shore wind, I was crewing and hadn’t helmed our then Miracle and was heading for the harbour wall and some moored yachts. Fortunately I managed to steer away from the wall and then grab a buoy in the harbour and signalled for help from the safety boat. All in front of the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy .

Who inspires you? From a sailing viewpoint it’s Hilary Lister, the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain in 2009 using a sip and puff system. She was paralysed from the neck down and only started sailing in 2003; she wanted to show people with disabilities could and should take risks.

Who would you like to swap places with for a day? While on a cruise ship in a force 8 gale, I wondered what it would be like in a smaller boat, so I would like to swap for a day  with a round the world sailor just to experience sailing in the Southern ocean but not for long, as it looks terrifying!

Which 4 individuals would you love to have dinner with? Leading on from above, it would be good to hear stories from some Round the World sailors: Clare Francis, Tracy Edwards and Ellen MacArthur and to get a dinghy sailor’s experience of winning gold medals at the Olympics from Shirley Robertson.

Over on Facebook, there has been a Sunday Racing Rules series. Here are the first three episodes so far…

During this time of lock down, when we can’t get out racing, we will run a series of articles on the key racing rules you need to know if you race.

Episode 1: What You Need to Know?

Everyone thinks the rules are complicated and, of course, in many ways, they are. They have to cope with boats in 3 dimensions, often not on the same leg of the course, sailing in different directions at different speeds.

But don’t let that put you off. Although the rule book (as published by World Sailing) is 188 pages long, most of this concerns the organisation of races or is for special types of sailing (match racing, kiteboarding, etc.). The actual rules that are really important for you to know fill just 10 pages.

As a club racer, what you need to know is:

• P7-10: Definitions
• P14-19: Part 2: When Boats Meet

You can download the rules for free here: https://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/WorldSailingRRS20172020new-[24067].pdf

Why not read these 10 pages as part of your entertainment while stuck at home!

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Episode 2: Right of Way

At every stage of a race, when 2 boats meet, one is the keep clear boat and one is the right of way boat. The following table shows which is which in different situations.

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Episode 3: Limitation on a Right of Way Boat

In the last episode we covered which of 2 boats was the keep clear boat and which was the right of way boat. But being right of way boat doesn’t mean you can do anything – there are some limitations on you which we will cover in this episode.

1. You must avoid contact with another boat if reasonably possible (Rule 14).
If you are the right of way boat (or entitled to room, which we will come to in episode 5) you don’t need to act to avoid a collision until it is clear the give way boat is not keeping clear / giving room but, when it does become clear, you should try to avoid contact – but you will usually be exonerated if the contact does not cause damage or injury.

2. When you acquire right of way (e.g. by tacking on to starboard or establishing an overlap to leeward) you must initially give the other boat room to keep clear (Rule 15).
The only exception to this is if you acquire right of way because of the other boat’s actions (e.g. someone tacks onto port in front of you).

3. When you change course you must give the give way boat room to keep clear (Rule 16).
This is for every change of course, so a gradual luff is multiple changes of courses.

4. If you were clear astern and became overlapped within 2 hull lengths of a boat on the same tack you shall not sail above your proper course (Rule 17).
When you were clear astern you were give way boat but as you established the overlap to leeward you became the right of way boat (to leeward) but you must not do this so close that the windward boat cannot keep clear (point 2) and you must not sail higher than your proper course (the course you would sail to finish as soon as possible in the absence of the other boat).

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In the next episode we will turn to the tricky subject of 2 boats meeting at a mark.

This week we hear from our long-standing and humorous Treasurer, Rodger Webb.

How did you get into sailing? I am a bit of a Jonny come lately to sailing; some time around the late 80s my wife booked me on an offshore competent crew course to get me away from business for a weekend. I enjoyed it but spent most of the time being shouted at and pulling ropes (a bit like being crew on a F15). I didn’t get to learn how to sail. I joined Draycote to learn the basics. Still haven’t got them!

How did you join DWSC? I had a friend, Rob Hadley, some of you may remember him. He introduced me to Draycote; I enrolled in a few courses and found I enjoyed dinghy racing more than offshore sailing.

Why did you go on the Committee? No one else would and as I ran a small business, I thought I could help out with the accounts. I didn’t realise it would become a second career!

What do you do on the Committee? I try and keep Will quiet most of the time and usually fail. In addition, I produce a report each month, keep an eye on the bank accounts and generally try and stop anyone spending any money and try to encourage the rest of the committee to put the fees up. The job has become infinitely easier with Dave as Manager and Rebecca and Frances in the office.

What’s your best sailing experience? I spent a lot of time on the Isles of Scilly in my teens and early 20s and have sailed and motored there several times since. It is a wonderful place to sail to when the weather is good. Beautiful and welcoming and nothing beats a pint in the Mermaid at the end of a long trip.

And at Draycote? I think I won a race once.

What is your most embarrassing sailing experience? The usual; full capsize in an F15 outside the club house. I blame Kevin.

Who inspires you? Apart from Dear Leader (Commodore), I am not sure I have particular person. Admiral Thomas Cochrane, British naval flag officer of the Royal Navy, led the most amazing life. Also, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and in more modern times I am a great admirer of James Dyson. The world needs more engineers.

Who would you like to swap places with for a day? Bill Gates, as long as I could have access to his bank account.

Which 4 individuals (living or dead) would you love to have dinner with? I have been strumming my guitar for the last 50+ years and my favourite artist is Jackson Browne so he would be on the list. Along with Professor Alice Roberts the biological anthropologist who is always on the TV. The Greek Philosopher, Epicurus (thoroughly recommend a book called Travels with Epicurus should you wish to find out more about him) and I think, maybe, Rick Stein, he always comes across as a very jolly fellow and he could do the cooking.