Sadly, due to the current restrictions the club is operating under we have taken the decision that this year’sNew Year Open will not take place. We know there are a handful of regular visitors who look forward to this event, but are sure you understand the current situation and we look forward to welcoming you to Rollesby on January 1st 2022, or earlier if our other opens are able to proceed.
For club members there will be a one off regatta – 2 races, both to count – this year, weather permitting!
There is also a pursuit race format on Sun 27th, pay attention to the briefing!
The lock down has now ended and we are in Tier 2. According to government guidelines we can restart sailing, which is to happen this Sunday 6th December. It will be the same format as prior to shut down. This Sunday is the Winter Regatta, there will be two races, both to count.
Catering will also restart. In Tier 2 we can only have take away service. As you are all dressed for sailing this should not be an issue. If we move in to Tier 1, we will be looking at opening the clubhouse for eating.
I must emphasise the importance of SOCIAL DISTANCINGat all times and the RULE of 6 also the wearing of Face Coverings when entering the Clubhouse for food or the use of the toilet. An outbreak of Corona Virus linked to our Club would most likely shut us down for a couple weeks and none of us want that.
KILLER SHRIMP
In October Killer Shrimp were discovered in our Broad. They have been found all around our jetties and quay headings along with other locations along the top half of the Broad. To prevent the spread sailing is restricted for the time being to the upper portion of the Broad.
This will be reviewed in January when another survey will be carried out.
The following is from Eilish Rothney, The Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Trinity Broads Warden:“Please do make sure that all the buoys and any other equipment is thoroughly dry before being put in the water and can you remind all attendees to be especially careful around the quay heading and jetties – not to allow ropes/sails etc to trail in the water. If any wading is done to launch boats please clean clothing/boots in very hot water (preferably boiling) and dry thoroughly. We need to be aware of the importance of not spreading the shrimp to any other water-bodies.”
I would like to add to the above, that if anyone takes a boat away from Rollesby, that it is thoroughly cleaned before it is used in any other body of water. By Spring, we hope to have a cleaning station set up.
I would like to add, that despite Covid, Killer Shrimp and blown down trees the Committee is doing all it can to keep sailing going, maybe not as we are used to, but as near as possible.
It has often been said to me that bad things come in three’s, if true it should all be good from here on out…
Catering will start on Sunday at the club and the committee request that members observe the restrictions put in place and follow the one way system through the club. The number of chairs have been reduced to allow distancing and you may eat in the clubhouse but it is preferred that you do not stay inside but move outside whenever possible. No standing to eat drink or chat will be allowed in the clubhouse.
Also please observe the following Enter the clubhouse from the front door exit through the back door and out towards the boatshed, access to the toilets is via the righthand back door. Hands must be sanitised before entering the clubhouse Masks must be worn in the clubhouse until you are seated to eat or drink. They must be put on when you stand to leave, Sanitiser spray will be available on the tables and each member must sanitise his/her area of table and sanitise the chair used before leaving.. Please move around the clubroom in the direction of the arrows. Place used cups etc on the table provided. If eating outside return your cups etc to the table placed outside the clubhouse. Try to bring some change to the club so that you can tender the correct amount for your purchases.
Generally Do not form groups of more than 6.Observe social distancing;- 2m normally or if wearing a mask 1m
When you come to the club you must have your attendance recorded if you are racing the race entry sheet will suffice but if not you must either use the QR codes with the NHS Covid app on your phone or sign in with your contact details in the visitors book.
On jetties if you have to pass do it quickly and back to back. If helping to recover a boat on the slipway remember to social distance. We are afraid that the changing rooms and showers remain close The changing situation will be monitored and changes will be made if government restrictions are increased or reduced.
We hope thing run smoothly however if it is evident that members are not obeying the rules it may be necessary to close the clubhouse again.
Despite a heavy downpour during pre-race rigging, nineteen boats took to the water for Rollesby’s 2020 Autumn regatta.
In the multisail fleet, only the Wayfarers had listened to the sailing instructions, starting on time but enjoying a close race with Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons taking a narrow but important win from Auriel Gibson and Lindsey Nettleton. In race 2 Howard Astley-Jones was hot of the line in his Vareo and did a horizon job on the Wayfarers. Sparrow took second and the class cup!
In the much larger single-sailed fleet the racing was much more mixed; indeed the overall winner counted two thirds it was that mixed up! In race 1 Richard Brown and Chris Foster in Lasers led from Ian Ayres’ Solo early on. Daren Pike took his Phantom past them all but could not establish a large enough lead and it was Roger Wilson in his Solo who recovered from a slow start to take the win from Ayres with Ellie Edwards sitting comfortably well in mid pack in her Splash.
In race 2 the slower boats all wanted to get onto port tack as soon as possible, but only Wilson cleared the faster craft, who chose to start on starboard and he established a good lead early on. The breeze was somewhat erratic, but enough to capsize several of the leading bunch, including Wilson. The Lasers of Dan Bull and Matt Boreham (despite some penalty turns) were able to take advantage of this and pull out good distance as the rest recovered. There was a good ladies race going on in the bunch with Edwards beating Tamsin Highfield (Streaker) by just 4 seconds to give her the overall win over Wilson and Bull.
The Autumn (Oct / Nov) series begins next weekend with separate starts. If we manage to get catering back up and running as as is planned we may even get some afternoon racing in!
Multisails (4 Entries)
1. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer) – 3 pts 2. Howard Astley-Jones (Vareo) – 4 3. Auriel Gibson & Lindsey Nettleton – 5
Single Handers (15 Entries)
1. Ellie Edwards (Splash)– 6 pts 2. Roger Wilson (Solo) – 7 pts 3. Dan Bull (Laser) – 8 4. Ian Ayres (Solo) – 10 5. Matt Boreham (Laser) – 12 6. Tamsin Highfiled (Streaker) – 12 7. Richard Brown (Laser) – 14 8. Chris Foster (Laser) – 14 9. Jack Ibbotson (Finn) – 19 10. John Saddington (Solo) – 20 11. Richard Foster (Laser) – 25 12. Tom Quale (RS300) – 27
We are pleased to advise that the Site is now open and the Autumn Regatta will be held on Sunday 11 October.
At present there still three damaged branches in trees that could be considered dangerous the areas are marked with tape, our landlords hope to have these removed by the weekend but if the work is not completed and the tape is still present please give the areas a wide berth.
As last weeks workday had to be cancelled it is proposed to hold it this coming Saturday, generally the site needs a good tidy up after the recent winds and so if you attend please bring tools such as spades, shears, loppers, strimmers, wheelbarrows, rakes etc.
A visit to site to check your boat and cover (many covers are supporting quite a lot of water) and to ensure your boat is well tied down is recommended.
The good news :- Angie is due to recommence catering on 18th October. Initially she will be serving drinks and snacks but the menu may be extended in the following weeks if there is sufficient demand.
The bad news:- Masks will have to be worn in the clubroom until you are seated or have gone outside to eat your food also social distancing must be observed when queuing, sitting in the clubroom and of course outside. A one way system will be operated; in through the back door and out through the front door.
We will put some signs up to make it clear.
We after all that I hope the you all have a good sail on Sunday and enjoy the workday. Stuart
Due to emergency tree works being undertaken over the weekend, the site will remain closed to members. As advised recently the Autumn Regatta will be postponed and will be held on Sunday 11th October so let’s hope for good weather and a good days sailing.
Hi All Due to the dangerous tree situation the club site remains closed. We were due to begin winter sailing this weekend, with split starts for the multi-sails and single-handers, at the Autumn Regatta. As the site is unlikely to have been cleared due to the tree surgeon’s high workload after last weekend we have decided to postpone the Regatta until the following Sunday – 11th October.
The work day due to take part on Saturday will also be postponed (new date tbc).
Should we get late notice that the site is open for Sunday the two races will count as the first for the Autumn series instead.
Can we take this opportunity to remind you that to cover your insurance your boat does need to be tied down in the boat park. This is as much to ensure you are covered if it is blown into and damages neighbouring boats as damage to your own craft. Last weekend’s gale was both extreme and a bit unseasonal, but as the leaves clear from the trees the boat park does become more exposed to winter breezes.
We will update you on the site situation as soon as we have further information ourselves.
Wayfarer Training Day (Saturday 19th Sept) Hosted by our very own Wayfarer expert! Mike McNamara will begin with a talk through boat set up and tuning, followed by several short racing exercises concentrating on starting and then spinnaker handling, let’s get some colourful sails up! A spinnaker is not essential to join in the day………
If you can be at the club with your boat rigged (or at least partly rigged) by about 11 am it would help.
Note the club toilets will be open, but not the changing rooms or club room, please come dressed for the weather and bring a packed lunch / drinks.
Whilst the technical tuning bits will be particularly focused on Wayfarers, the exercises and tips will be similar for any traditional symmetrical spinnaker boat so these will be welcome too.
If you are likely to come can you please let Ian know on Sunday 13th (if you haven’t already) or by the contacts below so we have some Idea of numbers and when everyone has arrived.
We have been blessed with some really good turnouts this summer, we have had an influx of new members, plus the lack of holiday opportunities; the competition has been strong, but unfortunately the wind hasn’t been helpful in direction! General opinion seems to be that we should not split the fleets, which distinguishes summer series sailing from the winter series, however with the larger turnouts we have had issues with too many boats arriving at the first windward mark together.
We already have within our sailing instructions the ability to use any mark of the course and a committee boat as a start line for example to use mark number 5 to create a beat to number 6 in the event of an easterly breeze (see attached). In order to create a longer first beat if the wind is from a northerly direct we are adding the following sentence.
11.4 b Alteration to start procedure (11.4 – see below) In addition to using any mark of the course, mark 2 or 4 can be used to create the end of a start line when the windward mark is either mark 5 or 6.
Signals will still be made from the box and the rescue officer will need to have the radio to hand to feedback on anyone OCS (over the line). For this period, the REAR of the rescue boat will act as the end of the line so that the rescue officer can see anyone OCS from their normal seating position. If rescue officers prefer they may put one of the existing line marks in the water to secure the rear of the rescue boat.
Race officers please try out his procedure when we have northerly winds – I’m sure I will get feedback! Any comments to my email below please rather than replying to the duty officer mail directly.
It may slightly affect our ability to use average laps for slower boats, but given the current nature of the fleet which has coalesced around boats of similar handicaps this should not be an issue – we will address it if it becomes so. This is more of an issue if we use 5 as a start mark where a whole beat plus is added to the first lap.
The finish line should be set as normal in front of the clubhouse where the race officer can have a good view of it!
Can I take this opportunity to remind everyone that mark 1 can be set anywhere within / near the area of marks 2,4,5,6, (some people use this very effectively). It might be useful in certain conditions to use it as a spreader to take boats away from mark 5 or 6 before they turn back toward boats still sailing up the beat – feel free to ask if you need further explanation.
Given the current covid restrictions; please take this email as notice of the alteration, as we don’t have access to the normal noticeboards!
I will try to ensure there is a short briefing on the first occasion we use this procedure.
19 boats started at least one of the two races for Rollesby’s Summer regatta held on Sunday 9th August. Having been pursuit racing fro the last few weeks, some of the fleet were a little cautious at the first start, but 15 out of 16 crossed the second start in under 8 seconds, so they were back up to speed by then!
A northerly wind meant a short first beat in the first race. Chris Toothill (Phantom) led round in amongst a group of Solos; Roger Wilson, Mike Horwitz and John Saddington with Stuart Highfield in his Laser. These five took full advantage of the short spreader leg, to avoid the pile up behind caused by a port tack Wayfarer tryng to squeeze in where the was clearly no room!
Wilson and Toothill sailed fastest downwind and pulled out a good lead over the fleet, Daniel Bull (Laser) and Howard Astley-Jones (Vareo) took some different routes to the fleet and did well to pull through and away from the pack, but it was those good starts that gave the first two places to Roger and John with Dan third and Howard 4th.
A small change in direction and a steadier breeze allowed a slightly longer first beat, though this time it was the Laser fleet that were doing circles at the first mark! Roger and Howard led early on with Daniel Harvey (Laser) in closest proximity. Dan B was enjoying the stronger breeze again recovering from a poor start to catch Dan H late on.
Howard slowly pulled out a gap, as Wilson practised doing penalty turns (more than once), and won on the water, only to produce a dead heat on handicap. Dan B was third with Ellie Edwards holding on to the faster boats well in her Splash to finish 4th. Some commiseration to Chris Toothill who finished second on the water only to drop to 16th (last) on handicap as the whole fleet finished within 4 minutes on corrected time – tight racing folks……..
16 Entries Both races to count.
1. Roger (Solo)– 2 pts 2. Howard (Vareo) – 5 3. Daniel B (Laser) – 6 4. John (Solo) – 9 5. Mike (Solo) – 11 6. Daniel H (Laser) 14 7. Clive (Laser) – 18 8. Ellie (Splash) – 19 9. Dave M (Solo) – 19 10. Val & Chris (Wayfarer) – 21 11. Chris T (Phantom) – 23 12. Bob & Steve (Wayfarer) – 23 13. Stuart (Laser) – 23 14. Dave & Dianne (Ent) – 26 15. Chris F & crew (Laser 2) – 27 16. Steve & Heather (Wayfarer ) – 32
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