October/November
2005 Newsletter
Greenwich Yacht Club
A
rather misty long shot of the Dinghy Race (Barclays Cup) on Sunday 16th
October – taken from a closed Thames Barrier on Open Day…
(Where has all our water gone? Long time
passing.
Where has all our water gone? Long time ago…
Where has all our water gone? It’s been on the Woolwich side so long…
When will they let it go – when will they ever let it go?…)
(Wasn’t it good to hear the
Pleasure Cruisers giving appropriate sound signals for once?!)
Social News…
Saturday 29th
October. Halloween Party with Bill Clift’s Band. 2030hrs. £5
Saturday 5th
November. Free fireworks. Food available.
Saturday 19th
November. Annual Dinner Dance and presentations.
Sunday 4th
December. 1700-1900hrs free afternoon - Greenwich Concert Band.
Sunday 11th
December. Christmas Lunch.
Tuesday 20th
December. Make a model boat for the Winter Solstice.
Saturday 31st
December. 2000hrs New Year’s Eve.
Next Year's calendar from
the GYC :
Please
buy one for the Fishermen's Mission. The unique GYC ROUND UK Relay event (the
first ever undertaken) - is portrayed in this commemorative calendar. Paul and
Sue Gay have used pictures from around UK sent to us by some of the boats which
took part.
The Sailathon Society
Work Parties
All
work parties start at 0900 hours and go on until 1230 when you have the
opportunity to enjoy a bargain Full Greenwich Breakfast and cuppa courtesy of Pat and her team, for the knock-down price of
£2.50. See me outside the tea-room and
I’ll find you a job.
Remember
all members are required to do a
minimum of 2 work parties a year, in order to keep GYC as a low-cost, self-help
club.
Damon
Rowley
Up-coming work-party dates are as follows:
Saturday October 29nd
Saturday November 26th
Saturday December 31st(?)
News from the Rowing Section
Hello rowers/ potential rowers;
Due to popular demand, there will be a
rowing of the Great Harry on Saturday 29th October, from GYC to the
pontoon outside St Katherine's Dock and back.
The timetable, on this last day of BST, is
to assemble at GYC at 0930, cast off 0950; arrive Tower Bridge by High Tide,
which is at 1200; moor to the inside of the pontoon there, land and leave there
30 minutes after we arrive; and get back to GYC by 2-30 pm at the latest.
About a half of the places have already
been requested; we have about six places available, assuming a comfortable
maximum of twelve people on board. Everyone should expect to row at least a
part of the distance. The stop at St Katherine’s is a Pit Stop and it will not
be long enough to buy a sit-down lunch there; please be prepared for bad
weather; I don't expect to cancel unless it is unsafe to go due to an extreme
weather forecast, or if we do not have enough rowers by Thursday 28th, which
seems unlikely. The charge for the trip is the usual contribution of three
pounds toward the upkeep of the Great Harry.
Please can you let me know if you want to
come; I will take your requests on a first come first served basis and get back
either way to everyone who contacts me. If you want to bring another rower who
is not on this list, that's fine, just let me know. If you have to cancel later
on, please email me at this address or ring me on 020 8858 0383. The numbers
allow for five reserves.
Looking forward to seeing many of you at
the Yard on Saturday week 29th October at 09-30.
Peter Waugh
Dinghy Section News
WINTER ICICLE SERIES
Date Date Race
Briefing Start HW OOD Safety Boats
30/10/05 1st Icicle 0920
1020 1150 L Willis J Four, G Williams, N Crawford S
Wilson,
20/11/05 2nd Icicle 1330 1430 1607 M Mitchell J Four, B Harrison, D Rowley, C Pengilly
4/12/05 3rd Icicle
1330 1430 1517 D Duane J Four, R Barnes, T McMahon, P O'Rourke
News from the
Harbour Master…
John would very
much like some help with work on the Work Pontoon and the Workboat – both of
which craft are now ashore for repairs/renovations. If you are able to give
some help with this please contact John Bailey at the club to negotiate times
for this.
Cruiser News
Well, we've reached the end of the summer
season, with the last race, the Ladies’ Cup, run on Sunday 23rd.
There
are some pictures taken during this race on the GYC Website (Photos). I was
delighted to see the largest turnout for any race this season and we were
rewarded with a fine day and a light but sailable breeze which took the fleet
to Erith and back in time for a good lunch, together with a surprise buffet,
courtesy of some guests to the Club whose eyes were not bigger than their
bellies. As I struggled to work the next day in pouring rain and howling wind I
reflected that the summer may truly be over and thought how lucky we've been.
A full programme of twelve trophies were
raced for, and a total of 31 boats joined in the friendly competition that is
GYC cruiser racing. We've all had our reservations about the new Club handicap
system, but as I've said before it seems to work pretty well for the regular
racers and I'm quietly satisfied that with one or two noble exceptions, a
different boat has won every race.
This has been my first year as Captain, and
I'm keen to get any feedback going about how things have been for you all this
season; are the races right? Too many, not enough, should we include other
sorts of events, more cruises, treasure hunts etc. The handicap system ~ we're
aware there are flaws, let's share any ideas to make it better and try and
address the anomalies. I propose to
hold an open session for all interested parties on Sunday 6th
November, 2pm at the Club, to review the season and discuss 2006, come along if
you want to contribute anything to the discussion.
This is probably the place to declare the
winners of the trophies for this season; the lucky recipients will receive
their trophies in the time-honoured way at the Annual Dinner in November.
2004/2005 Winter Series M Mitchell ARIADNE
Bosun’s Bowl M
Mitchell ARIADNE
Mayor's Trophy S Chantrell ELAN
RHUA
Meridian Trophy L Willis CAROLINE
V
Ladies Challenge Cup T Fossey STAR
Winston Churchill Cup T Naude SPICED GOLD
Medway Cup M
Mitchell ARIADNE
Bob Walker Trophy J Catchpole CATCH-E
RNSA Trophy N
Fossey HOBO
Westerly Challenge Cup P Pope LADY LIBBY
Sea Reach Trophy T Norwell ZESTE
Ovens Buoy Trophy J Catchpole CATCHEE
Thurrock Cup F Lerner FESTINA
LENTE
Ladies’ Cup J
Fox ALCEDO
Commodore’s Cup L Willis CAROLINE
V
No rest for the wicked, we now look forward
to the next Winter Series; a race per month from November to March around the
cans off the Club. Provisional dates:
Sun 13th Nov. HW 1124
Sun 18th Dec. HW 1532
Sun 15th Jan. HW 1416
Sun 12 Feb. HW 1322
Sun 12 Mar. HW 1216
There will also be (probably) the usual New
Year's Day Race for the Bosun's Bowl on Sunday 1st Jan. HW 1416.
Sadly I shall not be joining, as I'll be popping a prawn on the barbie in Aus,
but I'll be thinking of you.
Lionel Willis
Cruiser Captain.
Courses
|
Course |
Start
date |
End
date |
duration
|
|
10/1/06
|
9/4/06
|
12
weeks |
|
|
10/1/06
|
9/4/06
|
12
weeks |
|
|
Run
four times / year dates to be arranged |
|
12
weeks |
|
|
|
|
12
weeks |
|
|
VHF
radio |
12/11/05.14/1/06.11/3/06.13/5/06. |
1
day |
|
The teaching staff
·
Brian
Harrisson teaches the Yachtmaster Sea school co-ordinator
·
Julie
Coleclough teaches the Dayskipper
·
John
Costley Occasional lecturer on Dayskipper and Yachtmaster.
·
Ray
Weeks teaches VHF DSC radio courses.
·
Jeremy
Fox runs a short course in celestial navigation.
·
Ray
Wheatley runs the VHF Courses.
Contact
brianharrisson@ntworld.com or julie(underscore)coleclough@hotmail.com
For Sale
1 fuel tank for two stroke petrol/oil with connecting hose £5
1 remote control box with cables (Johnson control box that was
fitted to an Evinrude 6hp) £10.
Contact: Roger Gartland 020 8852 3515 or through GYC
‘Charming Chloe’,
26' timber Caravel is looking for a new owner/ guardian, needs small amount of
work but does need to be launched this year. Consider any options of purchase/
just look after.
Contact: Dave
Purkiss 077 7492 8179 or Carla Pengilly 079 5734 3954 to discuss.
Dragonfly Vivacity 650 GRP Bilge Keeler
Four berths in two cabins.
Separate heads. Inboard Yanmar 8 diesel with 12 gallon tank. Two batteries.
Built-in two ring gas hob and grill plus double well sink. Electric cool box.
Two main sails, one full length
battened roller reefed plus an older slab reefed. Roller reefed genoa. Two
spinnakers, one small, one large. Auto-tiller. Suunto compass. CQR anchor.
Recently rewired. VHF radio, digital log and depth sounder all included.
Very good condition: Recently
repainted and antifouled. Mast and rigging replaced 8 years ago.
For sale with two-wheel trailer
suitable for yard use but would need attention to the brakes before road use.
Kept at Greenwich and sailed extensively around the Thames, Medway, East and
South Coasts.
Perfect boat for East Coast
waters or any shallow water sailing area as she only draws just under three
feet and will take the ground well if needed. Perfect size craft for single
handed sailing but can sleep four. See the magazine write-up below.
This web site gives many owners
opinions on this versatile little craft.
http://www.preloved.co.uk/fuseaction-forums.showdiscussion/thread_id-8121/d5090ed6.html
£3500 ono
Contact: Ian
Palmer, Tel: 07956 272 980, Email: mail@ianpalmer.net
Ulundi 20’ 9” Corribee 21
Sailing Yacht For sale as seen Closed bids over £1350.00 to be in the Hon Secretary’s hand by Tuesday 25th October. No further bids will be taken after this date. Value of a Corribee in good condition and fully equipped around £3,500.00 to £4,000.00
__________________________________________________________________
Magma 17’ approx Shetland motor cruiser
For
sale as seen Closed bids over £250.00 to be in the Hon Secretary’s hand by
Tuesday 25th October. No further bids will be taken after this date.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Longitude
I
went to see this production on Saturday night at Greenwich Theatre. I wasn’t
sure what to expect - having read the book and seen the BBC version. However I
was in for a very pleasant surprise.
Arnold Wesker’s play was superb and emphasised the astonishing ingrained
conservatism and devious intrigue of the establishment towards someone who had
a new idea whose efficacy and practicality should have been painfully obvious
to a small child.
Also
well emphasised in this production was Harrison’s other interests – especially
music. The play is well and skilfully punctuated with short songs sung in
gorgeous harmony expertly and beautifully by its actors. The problem and
necessity for being able accurately to determine Longitude at sea is presented
and re-emphasised such that a Year Six child could easily understand it. There
are constant grim reminders in the form of ships’ names, number of crew lost,
and the precious cargoes lost (other than human life). And yet it was all done
in a most entertaining and humorous way.
The
audience is left with a feeling of indignant incredulity at the attitude of the
Board of Longitude towards him over the years Harrison was working on his
timepieces despite his constant extreme rudeness to the Board in a way that
would make most GYC members seem like gentlemanly saints… John Harrison was
portrayed as no saint at all but rather as an obstinate ‘common sense’ person
he no doubt was.
It
made me wonder about all the other ideas – political, practical, philosophical
that have been opposed and brushed under the carpet over the last few
centuries. For us one obvious example was the painfully slow adoption of the
fore and aft rig on sailing vessels – the Bermudan and Junk Rigs – despite
their very obvious superiority over the square rig. Another more modern example
perhaps is the suppression of the hydrogen engine by Ford and others…I won’t
suggest any political parallels for fear of exposing my own political
leanings…and I want to be continued to be considered the old fart I truly am…
The
production is a ‘must see’. It ends
on the 29th October.
We also visited the NMM – currently and
temporarily H1 and H4 are on display in the Oceans of Discovery Gallery. As a
bonus we also viewed the Nelson Exhibition. Also superb. Well done Greenwich!
From
The Old Yacht Tavern…
Chorus:
From the old Yacht Tavern down to Mudlarks Way,
From the Sailing Barge Iverna, (down) to Peartree Wharf today,
Greenwich Yacht Club breathed its first and now is here to stay;
And we’ll keep on sailing – yes we’ll keep on sailing,
Till Old Father Thames has drained away…
And we’ll keep on sailing – yes we’ll keep on sailing,
Till Old Father Thames has drained away…
A
hundred years of sailing, in rain and snow and sun;
A
hundred years of meeting when the long day’s work is done.
Wars
and storms and floods and fires – all of them have not -
Stopped
us building up our club with what we all have got.
Chorus
So
here’s a health to all commodores, past and present too,
And
one to all our officers who stand for me and you.
Here’s
a health to all our members wherever they may be -
May
they always sail where’re they are and drink with you and me.
Chorus
And
here’s a health to the members, who serve the beer and food,
And
to the duty officers when we’re so often rude.
Here’s
a health to all past members where’re they’re sailing now –
May
their winds be fair and skies be clear and dolphins grace their bow...
From the old Yacht Tavern down to Mudlarks Way,
From the Sailing Barge Iverna, (down) to Peartree Wharf today,
Greenwich Yacht Club breathed its first and now is here to stay;
And we’ll keep on sailing – yes we’ll keep on sailing,
Till Old Father Thames has drained away…
And we’ll keep on sailing – yes we’ll keep on sailing,
Till Old Father Thames has drained away…
Tony Norwell