Peter Goss’ cruise to and from the western Baltic

Our branch secretary’s fulfilment of a dream to cruise to Denmark via the Dutch and Kiel canals, via the “standing mast” route. This report has wonderful chart extracts showing the route taken, including details of the Dutch canals and around the western Baltic, such that you almost feel part of the 14 week cruise.

Tidal Diamond 354 – Cruiser Recovery Cancelled

Tidal Diamond No. 354

CRUISER RECOVERY 2/3RD NOV CANCELLED

We had a catastrophic failure on the Tractor today. The drive shaft to the steering has snapped. Parts have been ordered and not available till Monday earliest. This has resulted in the remaining 23 boats that need recovering having to be delayed until the new part have been fitted.

We have strong wind warnings again for this weekend. If you have not already been out to your boat and taken preventative measures, I strongly recommend that you do so. It’s not looking to good from around midday Saturday, so tomorrow morning is the ideal window to take advantage of the RIB that will be launched to ferry those out wishing to do so. This will operate from 0900-1200 (weather permitting).

I have been in touch with the Social Committee and there will be no breakfasts served tomorrow, but please do come along and enjoy the delights that will be served over lunch time. A lot of hard work and efforts have gone into preparing the food. It will be a shame to see it wasted.

Thanks to all of those who gave up their time during the week to recover 32 boats. We will hopefully be doing the same again next week (weather permitting). For those still on moorings, please contact any of the bosuns if you are able to recover during the week.

George Thomson
Bosun


Tidal Diamond 353 – Postal Votes, Trophies, Thanks

Tidal Diamond No. 353

Postal Votes – Annual General Meeting
Sunday 12th January 2014

Reminder for those members who would like a postal vote for the AGM.

Please make your application for a postal vote in writing to Maureen Clark, Hon Secretary. All applications should be with me by noon on Monday 11th November 2013.

Thank you

Maureen Clark
Hon Secretary

Tudor Trophies from 2012

Please could all those skilful sailors who won a trophy from Tudor’s collection last year, please return it to the club. It can be put behind the bar. I need to get them engraved for presentation to this year’s equally skilled bunch.

Many thanks

Sandie Parker
Sailing Committee

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who helped at the compound re-org. As usual there was plenty of support. I think we have got the compound in a fit condition for the winter. The vast majority of dinghies are accessible. With these windy conditions may I suggest you get down to the compound and check your boat. I have noticed several covers being thrashed around in the wind and one the mast on one (unnamed) boat is a bit loose. Thanks to Phil who has taken time to check all the boats in the Inner Compound and has faced them into the wind. We have purposely not put any boats with mast in the Inner Compound as the wind does tend to ‘whip’ through here.

Thanks also to all the members who helped with the ‘non-recovery’ weekend. The RIB was used as a ferry on the Saturday and over 30 members made use of this service to check and put extra strops on their boats ready for the approaching storm ‘StJude’.

A huge well done for all the efforts to get the tractor going – hopefully this will happen soon and we’ll get the rest of the boats safely ashore.

The Social committee did a wonderful job again in spite of not knowing how many people they were going to feed. They didn’t ‘bat an eyelid’ on knowing there would be no recovery but simply bagged and froze the food ready to use again.

Cheers, its great to see everyone pulling together.

Linda Vacher
Compound Bosun


Autumn Newsletter

Please find the Autumn newsletter attached. The Newsletter gives a short update of activity with a number of short articles some of which will be published in full in the Annual Journal. There is a notice to draw your attention to the AGM at Henley on Thames on Saturday 07 December where Jim Saltonstall has agreed to give us an entertaining talk.

RMSC Charter Bookings 2014

Why not book early for the 2014 season The Royal Marine Sailing club charter yachts bookings for 2014 are now available Our 2 yachts will be back in the water on 28 March 2014 after their winter maintenance period, and will be available through out the spring, summer and autumn season for charter.

RNSA East Coast Annual General Meeting

The formal meeting of the year. Branch Captain/Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer remain unchanged. Members Rep Chris Jones and a nomination for RYA Rep made. 22 members and guests assembled at the West Mersea Yacht Club for the East Coast branch annual general meeting. A formal part of the Branches business which gives members an opportunity to say what they like, would like to see more of and anything they disliked.

Tidal Diamond 352 – Revised Cruiser Recovery

Tidal Diamond No. 352

REVISED CRUISER RECOVERY

The cruiser recovery will now go ahead on Saturday/Sunday 2-3rd November. We will be recovering boats on Wed/Thu/Fri to reduce the amount of work load over the weekend. We need to manage carefully how many we can handle during the week, so please turn up to help and crew and you may also be lucky and be recovered. Contact is Ian Smith 07884 440505 or myself 07825 665651.

We are without a number of key personnel at the weekend, which coupled with 5m Spring tides and high winds will slow things down considerably.

We are in desperate need of volunteers for water babies, so if you have a dry suit and think you can help, then please contact Linda Vacher.

We will be starting at 0700 on Saturday (LW is 0522).

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to get the tractor and hoist operating to a safe standard. Also big thanks to the team (Rib Crews, Shore Co-ordinator and Galley) for providing an excellent service on Saturday enabling owners to make some provision against the recent storm we experienced.

Apologies to the Dinghy Section for the cancellation of the frostbite race on Sunday. I appreciate the disruption this has caused in the winter racing calendar.

If your boat is already ashore – please turn up at the weekend and help those who helped get you ashore.

George Thomson
Bosun


Tidal Diamond 351 – Frostbite Series 2

Tidal Diamond No. 351

Frostbite Series 2

With regret, it is necessary to cancel Frostbite Series 2 on Sunday 3 November in order to allow completion of the delayed Cruiser lift out. Neighbouring clubs are being informed.

Paul Lovejoy


RNSA East Coast 2014 Draft Programme

The draft programme for 2014 is as follows: 8 February Mid Winter Dinner at Holiday Inn, Marks Tey. 18/21 April Start of Season. Saturday at Shotley, Sunday Titchmarsh, Walton HW 1516 Spring tide. 3.7 metre range 3/5 May Brightlingsea & Heybridge Basin LW 0914.

RNSA East Coast 2014 Draft Programme

The draft programme for 2014 is as follows: 8 February Mid Winter Dinner at Holiday Inn, Marks Tey. 18/21 April Start of Season. Saturday at Shotley, Sunday Titchmarsh, Walton HW 1516 Spring tide. 3.7 metre range 3/5 May Brightlingsea & Heybridge Basin LW 0914.