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Minutes of the Dinghy Owners' Meeting held in the Clubhouse
on Sunday 12th March 2006
Present were: Brian Roberts (Chairman), Norman Whewell, Alison Rayson,
Samantha Topping, Martin Topping, Ivan Haslam, Stephen Tomkinson, Frank
Bamber, Giles Stothert, Bryan Sadler, Nicholas Miller, Peter Milston,
Helen Speer, Michael Swarbrick and part time, i.e. late arrivals: Colin
Lambert and Roger Pearce.
Apologies were accepted from Robin Boardman, Derek Wells & Alan Fleetwood
- who intended to come but all at the other side of the Pennines. Apologies
also from Mark Bamber who is working in America and Michael Speight who
was also 'working'.
The Mirror/West Eleven Class were best represented having five boats,
the GPs next with two attendees and one apology.
All the current racers were present or represented and one of the dayboats
plus one apology. So even though the meeting could be said to be small,
sixteen out of a possible fifty or so, it was reasonably well representative.
Sunday was the last race in the North West Icicle Trophy Series and the
winner Ivan Haslam was presented with the Trophy.
The facts from events precipitating the meeting were outlined, principally
the loss of our Rear Commodore Racing. The current status of sailing dinghy
ownership was outlined.
A general discussion followed round these facts.
Suggestions were made about Small Boat Cruises, Training, Fun Events,
Racing and the Patrol Boat.
Arising out of these suggestions, and discussions around them, it became
plain that some members are intimidated by the fast racing boats. More
consideration was needed, more training, more fun events and more help
to the members who would like to race but at the moment were afraid to
do so. Everyone was determined that racing should continue and that more
efforts should be made to get the others out on to the water.
The traditional duties of the Rear Commodore Racing were outlined:
Liaising with Senior Club Officers
Promoting Dinghy Events
Training
Forming a Dinghy Sub-Committee
Calling Dinghy Related Meetings
Supervising Dinghy Parking
Certification of Dinghies - Weight, Buoyancy etc.
Preparing a Racing Programme
Promulgation the Racing Programme, e.g. the MBSA, Members
Position and Maintenance of the Racing Marks
Recommending Boat Classes
Encouraging Participation
Care of the Patrol Boat
Organising Patrol Boat Duty
Organising OOD Duty
Correlating Results
Trophies & Prizes
Organising Presentations
Obviously this is a massive task underlining the need for a Sub-Committee
to help take them all on.
The Patrol Boat is obviously a major factor in all this. Many inexperienced
members are afraid of going out if the Patrol Boat is in the garage. As
it is more often than not in the garage on Saturdays and Sundays, sometimes
at the top of the slip but not often on the water, a suggestion was accepted
that it should be used for other purposes. The boat belongs to the Club,
i.e. the members. An important point. To get it out on to the water every
Saturday and Sunday that boats are out, it was agreed that we should use
the boat to ferry members out to the moorings. This way we hope to get
many more members involved and many more crewpersons in operating it.
(It takes less time to get from the moorings to a casualty than for an
inappropriately dressed OOD, if there is one, to get the boat out of the
garage, on the water and started up and into service.- my comment after meeting)
Therefore "Care of the Patrol Boat" was undertaken by Ivan who
will keep the fuel tanks full and regularly check the boat. (I'm sure
John Holt will assist with any repairs necessary etc. - my comments after meeting)
It was agreed that the 'new' boat was easy to operate. Ivan also undertook
to spend some time showing Norman how to use it and Norman would then
'train' another member who then 'train' another member and so on until
we were all competent operators. John, in the wings, i.e. helping to prop
up the bar, agreed to help in this process. (A course is being arranged
by Steve Lee, Sulako, for six members to qualify as RYA certified users)
Preparing a Racing Programme. It was agreed that we wouldn't attempt to
hold open meetings this year but that we would concentrate on getting
our own members to take part in our events. If anyone who is a bone fide
member of an RYA affiliated club wishes to take part they are welcome
to join in.
It was agreed to hold all the trophy events, except perhaps the Dinghy
Regatta, on Sundays only - for the time being. One day events. There will
be two races and in the event of a tie the last race will count twice.
Michael Swarbrick agreed to OOD these events or ensure a suitable deputy
if he was away on holiday. These events would also be OOD training days.
It was agreed to consider personal handicaps. It wasn't discussed at this
meeting so, as it was agreed at a previous meeting, the modified Glasson
Handicaps for slow boats will be used for all races.
A Sub-Committee was formed to re-design the racing programme. It comprises
Martin Topping, Giles Stothert, Ivan Haslam and Peter Milston. Presumably
I will prepare the sheet as usual when they have finished their deliberations.
A time limit was agreed for trophy race days - there will be no starts
before 1300 hours and after 1500 hours.
As we have only six racers at the moment it was agreed that they couldn't
possibly organise the races themselves but they agreed to put the equivalent
time to teaching and leading fun events on the Saturdays.
On the days when we can't get an OOD the racers agreed that on the day
they would decide amongst themselves whether they would help with teaching,
lead a fun event, or just sail round the light and into the sea. If they
wanted to race they would either agree to time themselves or have two,
50 minutes or so, pursuit races. Martin Topping is preparing a chart that
will give the times for the pursuit races whichever boats are racing.
This will be in a prominent place in the OOD Box. The racers will record
their times on the notice board and Michael Swarbrick will prepare and
record the results. (The results are necessary for the Portsmouth yardstick
returns in September - Michael Swarbrick will continue to collate and
send the results in) Also keep the Series charts up to date.
Alison Rayson offered to contact members to encourage them to take part
in the duties.
Other clubs have a compulsory duty roster - you do your duty or you leave
but we feel that we shouldn't insist on that until there are sufficient
racers to divide the duties up amongst themselves without sacrificing
more than two days racing throughout the year.
The Club believes that it is in its interest to promote sailing dinghy
racing and therefore that members should offer their support by doing
a Patrol Boat duty or the less physically demanding OOD duty from time
to time. It can be a way to get involved and can be ranked as equal to
turning up for a working party duty.
The concern of less able dinghy sailors was taken seriously and, together
with the pledge above, a Fun Sub-Committee was formed of Alison Rayson,
Ivan Haslam and Giles Stothert. Giles offered to let Ivan use his wayfarer
to help people learn to sail. It's possible other Wayfarer owners may
do so as well. This Sub-Committee will organise a few fun events and fun
teaching and fun racing, possibly away from the racing boats. Also sails
round the lighthouse and cruises up to Lancaster. There was a desire to
start racing but not the confidence to join in so this committee will
help to overcome this. I think it was assumed that they could call upon
the other attendees to help them with this.
The racers were at pains to assure other members that they would not run
them down! They stressed that we should hold our courses and they would
get round us. If they shout at you smile and blow them a kiss.
It wasn't raised at the meeting but I will undertake to arrange the presentations
in the clubhouse directly after the events.
As far as I'm aware this was only the third dinghy meeting since I was
elected Secretary fifteen years ago. We should have one every year and
I will undertake to call a meeting in November around the time the cruisers
have their meeting.
I think we covered everything; Certification of Dinghies - Weight, Buoyancy
etc., we decided wasn't a problem now.
However we didn't get anyone to cover: Position and Maintenance of the
Racing Marks
We also didn't get round to Recommending Boat Classes.
You could assume from the current numbers, I will be challenged on this,
that the popular club boats are the GP14, the Mirror, the Wayfarer and
the Topper. If you have one of those three you can take part in all events
and be with similar affordable boats. Martin says get an RS400, Giles
will say get a Blaze (he has a Wayfarer too). If you want to be superman
get a Musto Skiff. A Dart 15 will keep you upright. Ivan won't have anything
other than a Laser and Ryan got a Contender because before the Exodus
it looked like being the preferred club single-hander.
J Michael Swarbrick
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