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Sailing Report 2011
In general sailing in 2011 was somewhat disappointing. It got off to a promising start as there were some good sailing conditions following crane-in in April. From May onward conditions deteriorated with very few good sailing days strung together and some significant damage to boats in the harbour due to rough sea conditions and high winds on a number of occasions.
The weather also affected the racing calendar, there was either too much, or too little wind. There were only three races completed.
- The first race, The Coo Quake, had good challenging conditions, this was won by Steve Blaney after David Chalmers and I were disqualified for going the wrong side of the start buoy (the things we do to let a fellow racer win a race).
- The reintroduced Kingdom Cup, round Craigleith and back was won by David Chalmers, who was the only boat to finish. The rest of us ran out of time in the very calm conditions and ended up motoring back.
- The Earlsferry Passage had to be rescheduled due to unsuitable sea conditions at North Berwick which prevented ELYC leaving the harbour. The rescheduled race took place in September; EESC won the club race and Sunflower Blue won the individual trophy. This is always a good social occasion with both clubs having a good turn-out. Lunch of pie and beans are provided by each club.
I would like to thank the race officers, Bill and Scott, for making the races possible, we rely on this help as without them races could not take place. We desperately need more race officers to spread the load, it is an easy job, lunch provided, and training will be given to those interested, please contact Scott for details.
On a sad note my boat (Acqua Alta) sank in the harbour just two weeks before crane-out when one of her keels snapped off one Saturday night. The insurance surveyor could not give a definitive explanation to what had happened, only to say something catastrophic must have happened overnight. I would like to thank all who rallied round to bring her to the harbour wall and the help of the RNLI who turned up with their big pumps to help re-float her. Sadly she has been written off and has gone to the big boat yard in the sky, time to look forward and to a replacement boat.
I will be stepping down as sailing secretary at the AGM; I wish my successor all the best and look forward to a better sailing season in 2012.
Jim Kenyon – Sailing Secretary