Report to AGM from Sailing Captain (Richard Keyworth)
It is with great regret that I cannot attend the 2022 AGM to present this report in person.
First, thanks to all the volunteers who have enabled Racing and Sailing in Company to take place at the Ferry this year.
Safety Boat cover is essential for racing and SIC. We have had cover for all events, though on several occasions it has been a close call and we have had to overly rely on a small number of stalwarts. New volunteers for Power Boat, Safety Boat and Tractor Driver will always be welcome.
It’s been wonderful to have the Crow’s Nest Team back in action for the whole season. Many thanks to Jane, Maggie, Jane, Kirsty and Alison for taking care of the nuts and bolts of race management enabling more sailors to participate.
The volunteer effort for Open Meetings has been magnificent and pivotal. Beachmasters, tally managers, registration, safety and mark teams too numerous to list – thank you all.
Open Meetings
We held two this year, an Open Regatta and Cat Meeting incorporating Dart 16 Nationals, and the National Championships (Burton Week) for the National 12s.
Attendance was down a little on 2021 for the Cat Open with fewer visiting classes, eg Shearwater, but compensated a little by some monohulls participating. We used a trapezoid course with average lap handicapping enabling a wide range of boats, from Laser to F18, to complete 6 races, total 71 finishers, in the two days. Conditions were brisk but steady and quite hard work, especially for the monohull sailors. It was a low water neaps event and we used the Fisherman’s (Short?) Cut to access the racing area. There were initial misgivings, but no problems using a leading transit and with safety boats shepherding competitors. The regatta was marred by the near sinking over Saturday night of our committee boatMoonboom, kindly provided by Bob Parker. Fortunately for us Max Evans saved the day, and the regatta, at very short notice, with his dayboat Annie – we got away with a mere 30 minute postponement for the first Sunday race. We offer Bob our thanks and best wishes in restoring Moonboom.
The following Bank Holiday weekend the Club hosted the National 12 Championships with ideal, consistent, brisk conditions over four days, Saturday to Tuesday. We had 31 competitors with around 200 finishers over 7 races and the event was a great success thanks to a fantastic team effort. To the surprise of some, little Annie served wonderfully as committee boat in the North-easterly five and spring tidal streams. Thankfully it didn’t rain as she offers little shelter. We are eternally grateful to Max!
Club Racing
Turnout seemed disappointing throughout the season – you always hope for more! In fact it was consistently slightly up on 2021. Wednesday Cat starts were up to 108 from 86, and dinghies to 151 from 142 in 2021. Sunday and combined starts were 27 against 22 before, but three events were binned owing to lack of interest. It’s fair to say that sailing was generally pretty good and enjoyable with some memorable battles against the tide, only to be expected. We were able to get outside on several occasions, whenever possible, again utilising the Cut to add interest and better course legs. Production of results improved over the season and I think is now pretty good. I aim to “publish” them on WhatsApp groups, or individual emails if requested, within 45 minutes, and on the website the following day at latest. But there’s always room for improvement.
Next Season
Calendar – We already have a draft fixture list/race schedule which I hope to publish early, updating if necessary with club newsletter notification of changes. The club website calendar is no substitute for such a whole-season schedule – at a personal level I am only now Sailing Captain thanks to the 2021 schedule on the website.
Open Meetings
We have four open meetings listed at the moment including the seven day Firefly National Championships. The others are Squib Eastern Championships, RS200/400, and the FFSC Regatta/Cat Open. These will require careful recruitment and marshalling of resources.
Race Management and Safety Boats
We have not needed to operate a Race Officer rota this year. The post-COVID return of the Crow’s Nest Team has meant that a RO is only needed to set the course and this has been handled by Roger, Sam or myself. We don’t wish to hog the Race Management! Anyone interested please contact one of us.
There is a wealth of long-standing race management experience in the club. However, fresh blood is urgently required, especially with a view to the open meetings next and subsequent years. The same applies to Safety Boats where new volunteers are always welcome. With the Crow’s Nest Team back in place, Wednesday club race management is a breeze, but without properly trained and available SB crew we cannot hold races or SIC.
Development
We can’t stand still. We are all ambassadors for our sport or activity. In 2023 I wish to focus on encouraging the top level Youth Sailing students to engage in club activity.
I would like to develop some “race track” racing, whilst in no way downplaying the skills involved in sailing our fearsome tideway. Unlike even some other river clubs, let alone lake or sea locations, we lack any obvious extended area reasonably free from currents. One possibility is the river outside and downstream from the club at slack low water neaps, early afternoon. High water is no good – slack water (springs) lasts about 5 minutes; blink and you’ve missed it. I would also like to try the bay off Bawdsey – out through the Cut and hard to port. Such laid course racing raises issues of resources and, of course, punters.
I’m still very willing to offer yacht members the occasional race. This season the suggestion met with lack of interest. Plenty of other cruising groups mix a bit of racing with their cruising and we should too.
Use of the Fisherman’s Cut was highly successful in the latter part of the season. I understand it was even used by the occasional cruiser. I intend to survey it again early next year and if possible establish a usable track and leading transit.
Conclusion
It has been an honour and a privilege to do my bit as Sailing Captain in 2022. It’s been a bit of an (ongoing) learning curve. My limited role with racing has fitted nicely with much more involved and capable input from others with Safety Boat, Sailing in Company and Club Boat Management. I will be delighted to continue as Sailing Captain in 2023.
See you on the water in 2023; New Year’s Day Race, Sunday 1 January 2023.
Richard Keyworth, Sailing Captain, 16 Nov 2022
