The above events due to be held in late August and September have been cancelled and will be rescheduled next year.
Social Sailing
Although the club is still closed we have started to hold social sailing events. There have been three so far and below is a resume, from Derek, of what has happened to date.
Last weekend on Sat we had 8 DF95’s out for a trial run of “socially distanced” sailing, followed on Sunday with 5 IOM’s and on Tuesday night we had 10 df95’s out. Wind conditions were very varied over the 3 days with Sunday being the best when a stiff no2 rig blew for the IOM’s. Boat reliability was also very varied with some (mine included) proving to be less than reliable.
According to the club book, the IOM fleet are scheduled to race on this coming Sunday from 10am, so I invite you to come down and enjoy some “socially distanced” informal racing/sailing. I will be there, from 10am, with the back door open for access to the toilet (alcohol based hand gel on site) please bring your own refreshments. Club room is currently under refurbishment & is therefore closed.
I look forward to seeing some of you on Sunday. Derek Priestley
This evening, Thursday 24th June, it is the turn of the DF65s at 6.30 pm. A good turn out is expected but social distancing rules will be strictly enforced.
Barry Holloway
It is with sadness that we have to report that Barry passed away on Thursday June 18th after a short spell in hospital. Barry was a keen Vane sailor and he and his wife, Christine, enjoyed the friendship shown by fellow sailors on their visits to Fleetwood from their home in Hereford. Our deepest sympathies are extended to Christine and his family.
Wyre Community Lottery
UPDATE: We have now been in the draws for 3 weeks and 34 tickets have been bought by 11 supporters. We should achieve our initial target of 50 tickets in four weeks but surely we can do better. We have not had any winners yet but it is only a matter of time. In the meantime club funds have been boosted by £17 and the prediction is that this will increase to almost £500 for a full year at the current support level. It could so easily be £1000; so if you haven’t yet subscribed, think about it.
Wyre Council has started a community lottery. It takes place every Saturday and tickets cost £1. Of that, 50p goes to the community group selected when the ticket was purchased. There has been one lottery so far, prizes were nothing particularly exciting but the lottery is advertised with the slogan ‘your chance to win £25000’. It doesn’t say when or how frequently.
More information on the lottery can be found here https://www.wyrelottery.co.uk/home/howitworks
Fleetwood MYPBC has been accepted as a community group and if every member was to buy 1 ticket per week then the club would amass approximately £2500!! Any such monies received by the club will be ring fenced and used to improve the facilities of the club.
If you or your friends and family wish to partake in this lottery and raise extra funds for the club then buy your tickets using this link. https://www.wyrelottery.co.uk/support/fleetwood-model-yacht-club
To remain in this scheme we have to achieve 50 tickets in the first four weeks so forget the National Lottery, give this a try.
IOM Winter Series No. 5
Saturday 15th March 2020
Still awaiting report but here are the results and the final table for the series.
DF65 2019/20 Winter series 5
14th March 2020
For the last event of our Winter Series, nine skippers turned out, on what was a mild fine day with a moderate wind, enabling us to adorn the A rig. What a change from recent weeks when we have been battling the storms.
A triangular shape course was set, with a long beat to the windward mark then a reach to a mid-point, then a run down to the leeward mark and beat to a finish, in very fluky conditions it must be said. Ten races were had in the time with four skippers taking bullets, Garry 4, Bob 4, Steve 1 and Chris 1. So it was Garry and Bob first and second, pushed hard by John who was a late starter and missed the first two races which he discarded, but with his six second places, he only finished up one point behind Bob and took third spot.
Many thanks to Ian Hawtin for being race officer for the day, allowing me to concentrate solely on my racing. It really is a big help
Garry’s win on the day confirmed his position at the top of the table for the series, by winning three events out of the five he couldn`t be caught. Johns third place pushed him up to runner up overall, with Steve in third respectively. Congratulations to them.
We now look forward to the start of our Saturday Series which begins on the 4th April, 1pm start.
Bob Jolly
DF65 Capt.
IOM Winter Series No. 4
Sunday, 8th March 2020
First and foremost, we are grateful to Bob Jolly for taking on the Race Officer duties, not to mention him gaining some good results when taking the helm in a couple of races.
On a personal level (and I am sure that amongst others) I am also grateful to Mike Parkington for his Britpop set-up expertise and to Derek for assisting us all with his input in getting various boats ship-shape and race worthy!
It seems that this winter is less than kind with the weather and although the sixteen races were not in rain and a storm, the direction and the gusts proved to be more than a challenge and the day ended with us all on a B rig.
As you will see from the results there were five different skippers taking a bullet and close racing throughout the fleet.
The final event of this series is this coming Sunday the 15th March – and don’t miss the IOM Mayoral Cup which is an Open event the following Sunday – both 10am starts.
Garry Benson
Yachting Section Secretary
Here are some piccies, on YouTube, supplied by (Flying) Tony Wilson
DF65 2019/20 Winter series 4
8th February 2020
Eight skippers turned out, on a dry cold afternoon to contest part four of our Winter Series. The wind was good to begin with, although blowing from the worst direction, as it meant the start line being over in the corner by the bridge. Most of the fleet set out on A rig, but all ended up on B later on in the day, as the threat of Storm Ciara predicted for later that afternoon started to show its face.
Conditions were very awkward as lulls and gusts came through and directions changing all the time. A rectangular shape course was set to start, and changed to more of a zig zag after our half time cuppa, to add a little more interest.
Eight races were had before we called time, and it was Garry who easily came out on top mastering the challenging conditions better than us all, and he took five bullets in his final points tally of 7. A mention for Steve who continues to improve, and he took a well-deserved runner up place with some consistent sailing and six top three finishes.
It was good to get back on the water with the 65 after a lengthy lay off, but for some of us it was a day of hardship trying to get to grips with the unpredictable conditions, which amazed us at times.
Our next outing for the 65 is on Saturday 14th March, 12 noon start.
Bob Jolly
DF 65 Capt.
6mR Report 26th Jan 2020
IOM Winter Series 2
Sunday 19th January
On Sunday it was the turn of the IOM’s. Again with 5 competitors.
This time the wind was southerly & very light so we had a zig-zag course to get some tacking in.
We welcomed Peter Iles to the fleet, he having bought a boat from David Rose & had a great day finishing 2nd behind Chris Chatfield by some 4 points after 12 races.
Results below.
Club boats.
Yesterday Derek was racing one of our “club IOM’s” This is in addition to our other club boats.
We currently have the following club boats,
6m, IOM, DF65, Laser.
All of these boats are available for all members to use just ask the relevant fleet captain & he will arrange it for you.
DP
