October Newsletter 09

October Newsletter Coming Events • 30/09/09 - 04/10/09 Blown Away: Skandia Team GBR Exhibition

• 13/12/09 Xmas Pudding Race Day A fun race, Xmas Lunch and a visit by Santa Claus.

Recent Events Hampton Court Trip

gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH. • 04/10/09 Race Training Eric is taking a race training course. It’s free, just turn up on the day. • 11/10/09 Autumn Series week 1 • 25/10/09 Autumn Series week 2 • 01/11/09 Trowlock Trophy Premier Open pursuit event at ASC. Open to all. Followed by bonfire and fireworks party. • 08/11/09 Autumn Series week 3 • 11/11/09 Mediterannean Sailing If you don’t know your Ionian from your Alboran or your Levanter from your Meltemi, this is the lecture for you! Alan will take you through everything you need to know. How the weather differs from the UK, where the popular sailing spots are, which companies provide sailing holidays, what to expect for you money and some tales of derring do.

Eric Finlayson reports: “We had four boats out for the rally, one Enterprise, a Laser 2000, the Wayfarer and Henry Foster’s Laser II (and Simon in the dory). Tamesis were holding their regatta which is also attended by the Thames A-Raters from the Thames club so the river was jam-packed with boats. We mananged to get started by about 11.45 and with a following wind threaded our way through the Tammy racing fleet up to the bridges. The Ent and the 2000 crossed masts over the safety boat to get through the bridges then we all headed up river with a nice, but, as always, variable following wind up past Ravens Ayot. We got close to Hampton Court (spinakers and gennakers flying) but ran out of wind at about one o’clock so headed back to Thames club for lunch (picking up Annabel). As most of the Thames people were at the Tamesis regatta their club was a bit quiet but we managed to get a drink and a look at their historic premises plus free a history lesson. Whilst we were having lunch the north wind got up a bit so the first beat between the Island and the bank was quite tricky but Lucy [with Eric in the Ent] never once complained. We sailed home into the teeth of a force 4/5 quite lively particularly sailing through a race at Minima then back under the bridges and home for tea. Graham had brought the flubber up to see how we were getting on but had to paddle part of the way back. An interesting sail, quite hard work but to me worthwhile.”

ASC Annual Regatta • 21/11/09 Laying-up supper and prize-giving at Harrison’s in Shepperton - you should Vice Commodore reports: ”The regatta day dawned with blue skies and a force 2-3 have received an invite by now! northerly. • 22/11/09 Autumn Series week 4

Enterprise The first race was the Enterprise race and 3 boats competed. The start was delayed by the presence of a Thames A-Rater and Merlin Rocket fleet. The fleet started well beating to windward towards the windward mark (both marks laid to approach on the starboard tack) with the Commodore holding the lead when disaster struck. Tamesis put their windward mark within one boatlength of ours and started the Rater fleet racing. In taking avoiding action, Alan Hall, with novice crew Sarah Davidson, touched the mark and had to go for the rerounding. Alan sailed back through the fleet, grabbing first place just after the course was shortened.

race. A close lee-bow between Sarah and Antonio had the race officers gasping at the temerity and scratching their heads and Antonio seemed content to stay in the bad air. The run down to the finish produced some startling sailing leading to a technical decision required by the Race Officer. 1. Steve (One and All Winner) 2. Sarah (Novice Cup Winner) 3. Antonio 4. Eliza Following this race, the wind died leading to postponement of further racing.”

1. Alan Hall/Sarah Davidson 37:50 0.75 pts (Winner Tudsbery Cup) Club Teddington Mini Festival 2. John Storey/Bob Shaw 38:56 2 pts 3. Eric Finlayson/Ian Wyatt 45:37 3 pts Pursuit Following the Enterprise race, a personal handicap pursuit race was organised. Throughout this race tension mounted as boats caught the handicap in front with the boats approaching the 45 min finish mark almost level. Some amazing passing manouevres were on display with some ducks being measured in millimtres not centimetres. 1. Alan/Sarah 0.75 (Winner Willow Trophy) 2. Eric/Eliza Mason 2 3. John/Bob 3 4. Ian/Antonio Dellosso 4 Novice/Topper Race An unbelievably close race with the fleet all within 3 boat lengths at many points in the

Commodore reports: “As host for the event I would like to thank everybody who helped with the preparations for the day and on the day for their contributions to its success. We may not have had as many visitors as we had hoped for but I think everyone there on the day had a good time. This was helped by one thing we cannot control the weather. I am sure I speak for many sections when I say that like Ariel Sailing Club we are keen to increase membership. There are many people who as staff of Service Partner companies are eligible to join the BBC Club. It is very important that we encourage existing service partner members to get the message to their colleagues to join the Club. The BBC Club can only contact them through display posters which the sections send out. We need more advertising as well as on the Club website. Thank you to those sections who made the effort. To those who were unable to join us at Teddington last Saturday, we hope to see you another time.”

Accessing the Website The ASC website is constantly updated with news, views and reviews. It’s online at http://www.arielsailing.com (Username: arielsailing Password: tudsbury)