Musings from the Commodore - July

Published 13:23 on 5 Aug 2022

Now, there's nothing quite like a bit of glorious sunshine and being out on the water here at Chase and July certainly delivered. It's absolutely fantastic to see so many of our Members enjoying perfect conditions for Sailing, Windsurfing or Paddle Boarding, the photographs posted on our website and social media channels tell the story far better than my humble efforts ever could. I won't forget the Beach Party for a long time!

Wednesday night Sailing seems to have really taken off in recent weeks with ever increasing numbers of you joining the racing. There have been plenty of close quarter battles, thrills and spills with some spectacular capsizes and of course plenty of good hearted banter over a fine ale or two in the clubhouse afterwards.

It's been particularly pleasing to see the younger racers, Elsa, Finn W, Finn M, Taylor all getting in amongst it and giving some of the senior racers a run for their money, and what about Callum who is just smashing it right now - keep it up lads and lasses, the trophies will surely follow! Stay tuned to the Club website for all the latest racing results.

Earlier in the month the Club ran a full series of Training Courses, an RYA level 2 for the sailors alongside windsurfing and Stand Up Paddle Board courses. These were well supported and the feedback from candidates was very positive. Keep your eyes open on the Club calendar for the next set, our Principal Training Officer, Nathan Vyse is currently organising dates for you to book on later in August.

We are very fortunate to be able to enjoy outstanding natural surroundings here at Chase. The beautiful scenery, wildlife and clear water are personally a huge part of the attraction of my membership and I know this is also the case for many other Club members. There is however a downside to this in that it also attracts some members of the general public who prefer to spend their recreational time in ways that sadly detract from our ability to carry out our sport as we'd like.

I feel obliged to report that some of the local youth have taken it upon themselves to cause mischief by entering the Club compound, and on a few occasions, helping themselves to members property. Windsurf and paddle boards seem to be their favoured choice. Impromptu BBQ's and alcohol fuelled gatherings on the beach in front of the Clubhouse add to the discomfort. This all tends to happen on the hotter days and in an effort to combat these unwanted intrusions, we have decided to fit a second set of padlocks to all our compound gates. These are number combination locks so that you can lock the gates behind you when you go out on the water without having to take keys and stuff with you. Hopefully if everyone buys into this practice we can keep our kit, and more importantly, our members safe and happy. Please help by doing your bit and keeping the gates shut, the code is the same four digits as the barrier at the end of the lane. If you do see any of this anti social behaviour, please report it to the Club management team or the police, I would strongly request that you do not approach or confront these people under any circumstances.

And finally, our Committee are working hard to put together a great programme of events for you to enjoy well into the autumn, I'm particularly looking forward to the next Sunset Paddleboard. Please regularly check the Club website, notice boards and social media channels for details. As ever I am grateful to all of the Committee for their unwavering dedication and effort.

Chase Sailing Club is a great place to spend your leisure time whether you're racing, honing your skills or simply relaxing, I hope that you continue to enjoy the summer months.

Humph.

Last updated 20:19 on 23 March 2024