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Winter Newsletter

2014

From the Commodore

Dear Members,

Since the September newsletter the sailing season has come to an end and the majority

of club members have enjoyed an extremely well attended end of season dinner and a

frighteningly explosive Halloween and Bonfire party, both were thoroughly enjoyable

evenings and if you didn’t attend you missed out. There were lots of members who

supported the club in making both of these events a real success, thanks to all for your

support. I’d particularly like to thank Ciara Gaffney and Chris Hoare for the wonderful

chilli and curry that ensured the members were warmed up after the usual cold and wet

fireworks session. The bobbing for apples went well thanks to all our younger, and some

young at heart older members, who literally got stuck in. I will try to remember to warm

the water a little for you all next year! The photo competition at the dinner went well,

congratulations to David Bridges for the winning photo of Arnold the dog on the front of

Swansong whilst cruising along. The majority of the photo entries and all the other

photos from the event will be available to view at the bar in the club on the photo

viewer. Paul Gaffney was the winner of the much sought after Williamson Turn award

this year, Paul made plenty of submissions for the award and eventually won it for

making his young family watch the Robert Redford “All is Lost” film about a small sinking

sailing yacht, on the night before his families maiden voyage!

At the dinner I did give a quick summary of the cruising that Clare and I managed on

Emerald this year, but for those who were not able to attend, weren’t listening or were

simply to inebriated to take it in I’ve summed part of it up below;

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DAY 1 – All was well, we had plenty of provisions and full tanks of fresh water.

DAY 2 – Was not so good, we had completely run out of fresh water..............and to be

honest Clare and I began to regret the water fight with the Blue Whale.

DAY 3 – Of our trip happened to fall on the 1st

of May ........so we sent May Day greetings

to all the local ships in the area, they didn’t seem like a sociable bunch!

DAY 4 – Was very windy and I lost my best cap overboard and it vanished in the waves.

DAY 5 – Was calm and very sunny, with no cap the sun was in my eyes and I needed a

new one...........so I decided to chance my arm with the local boats again and gave them

my capsize, again for some reason or other they didn’t seem very sociable!

However, our real cruising trip was not quite as eventful, summary below;

DAY 1 – RWB to Holyhead, accompanied by Keith on Fantasy, with reasonable wind part

of the way and nice conditions, followed by a meal and a few beers in the sailing club.

Day 2 – Holyhead to Howth in southern Ireland, the crossing was done in a dead calm

sea and pea soup thick fog, thanks to the Bridges family for escorting us across safely

with the use of AIS and Radar. Fog horns seem so near when you can only hear them!

Day 3 – We stayed and explored Howth, it’s a relatively expensive Marina but good food

and beer if you walk up the hill a bit away from the main front.

Day 4 – Howth to Ardglass, excellent motor sailing up the east coast of Ireland,

sweltering sunshine the whole day.

Day 5 – Fogged in at Ardglass, the land was in lovely sunshine but the sea was covered in

thick fog all day. The marina, cafe, pub and fuel were all cheap as chips and made the

stay quite pleasant.

Day 6 - Ardglass to Peel IOM, we motored all the way into a force 4 headwind but the

scorching sunshine and a bit of sunbathing made the 7hr trip seem much shorter. This

was followed by a good Chinese meal and a few beers in the pubs that evening.

Day 7 -Peel to Port St Mary, this was the best sail of the trip with a good reach all the

way down the west coast of the IOM in a solid force 4, it was lovely having the engine of

and having to reef and slow down Emerald to get the timing right for the calf sound,

Clare got some nice pictures to show me the calf later as I never took my eyes of the

narrow passage of sea and the chart plotter once. We moored on the outer wall to get

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the exercise from climbing the long ladder. This was followed by an evening meal in the

Station pub and a few beers in the sailing club.

Day 8 – Port St Mary back to RWB, motor sailed most of the way until the wind dropped

completely later in the day, we made it back into the bay in time for the a few drinks

with the welcome party outside the club, followed by a few more drinks and showing of

our sun tans and more importantly the Irish flag on Emerald, box ticked.

It was an excellent cruising holiday, although we of course missed our children whilst we

were away!!! Well done Crew x

Hopefully we will see most of you at the Christmas party on Saturday the 6th

December,

please do your utmost to attend as we will also be celebrating the Barnes’s 5th

wedding

anniversary and it would be lovely to get a massive turn out and celebrate with them? I

don’t think I left nothing out 0!

Best wishes for the festive season in case you are unable to attend.

Graham

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Graham

From the Vice Commodore

Everyone apears to be safely out of the water and no doubt at least thinking of those

repairs and improvements to our boats ready for next season. An unfortunate event

this year reminded me of one item we often overlook, our Lifejackets, so my thought

for this News Letter is to remind everyone to check their Lifejackets this winter, even

our Commodore has been seen wearing his on occasions this season. For those who

are uncertain what needs to be checked and maintained, I reproduce the RNLI advice

on the subject below.

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Festive Best Wishes to you all and looking foreward to the new season in 2015.

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From the Captain

Hi All,

Just a quick one to say I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the Christmas party

December 6th

and to those not attending’ Bah humbug’!

Have a merry Christmas. Best wishes for the New Year.

Steve Gibbison

New Committee 2014/15

Commodore Graham Keeling,

Vice Commodore Jim Ainsworth,

Rear Commodore Elaine Laraway,

Sailing Captain Steve Gibbison,

Treasurer Clive Smart,

Secretary Glenys Barnes

Membership Secretary Norma Hunt,

General Committee

David Bridges Mooring Officer,

Linda Ainsworth, Carolyn Archer, Jeff Barnes, Andrew Bridges and Clare Keeling.

Auditors

David Middleton-Jones Kevin Reay

Honorary Membership

At a recent meeting the committee was delighted to offer honorary membership to

Gerry Tyrer in recognition of his contribution to the club.

Membership Subscriptions 2015 **PAY BY JAN 31

st TO GET THE REDUCED RATE **

If you wish to pay your subscription on line by an internet transfer please use the following: Account: Traeth Coch Sailing Club Sort Code: 09-07-21 A/C No: 42835501 Ref: Subs + Name

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Category Full Rate Reduced Rate

If paid by 31st January 2015

Family 65.00 52.00 Single 44.00 35.00 House Family (note 1) 49.00 39.00 House Single (note 2 ) 32.50 26.00 Retired Family (note 2 ) 32.50 26.00 Retired Single (note 2 ) 22.00 17.50 Junior 15.00 12.00 Note 1 House membership is available to persons who do not have a boat or a mooring within 30 miles of Traeth Coch and who do not normally crew for a member of the Traeth Coch Sailing Club but who fully support the aims and objects of the club. Note 2 Retired membership is available to any member who has been a member for no less than 7 years, has retired from full-time employment and no longer has a boat or a mooring in or around Anglesey. Life Membership. Members may apply for Life membership. Details can be obtained from the treasurer. Please send your cheque, payable to the T.C.S.C. to :- Hon Treasurer, C.F.Smart, Shemshia, Ffordd Cynlas , Benllech, Anglesey. LL74 8SP or by bank transfer as above.

Winter Programme

December 6th Christmas Party Bring a plate

February 21st (provisionally) Dancier Mon

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

and HAPPY SAILING IN 2015

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