The day of our first BCYC duty finally dawned.
We understood that as the sailing club was self sufficient, there would be duty days a few days of the year that we would be required to fulfil; no problem with that. Fingers cross for safety boat then - no such luck.
For reasons only guessed at, but logical I guess, my wife and I were down for galley duty this Sunday - with me head chef.
Now, my egg on toast may be legendary in my own lunchtime, but chef I aint'.
But I am game to give it a go.
Provisions, as per instructions bought, arrived at the clubhouse at a little after 09:00. To be greeted by Wilma - known as Willa - who was to be a third set of hands, and as luck would have it, an experienced galley hand.
Various preparations commenced, with me cooking chicken tikka for twenty. Potato's into the oven in plenty of time to bake and stuff cut up and put out.
Luckily for us, we had not only the usual crowd for lunch but there was also an Enterprise Open meeting to partake in our culinary efforts - and more importantly for us to cope with.
There was a mad hour or so as we made like a restaurant and eventually just about everyone was fed; either with the baked potato plus filling or some of our filled rolls - lucky, lucky people!
So, relax.
On the sailing front;
During the morning, the weather had been a bit dire, well wet, but there were no significant problems on the water.
In the afternoon, however, the wind picked up again and about 14:30 a call came from the OOD / Race Officer for a volunteer to man another safety boat, as there were too many capsizes for the two already out.
Well, as I've said, I'm game.
About 15 minutes later I'm on the water, as crew initially. Just as we get out to the windward mark - three Enterprises collapse. Commence circulating like a nautical vulture. Everyone gets themselves up, so no problem. For the next hour, half as helm on the RIB, we gad about, descending on likely victims, but on the whole everyone sorted themselves out; and there was plenty of capsize recovery going on.
Wind speed got up close to thirty knots and near one metre waves - which for an enclosed reservoir can't be bad? One crew did take a long while to get back upright, but considering it was getting to the end of their third race and the conditions were far from good, maybe thats understandable and as it was only the one crew, maybe BZ'z all round for everyone else.
Brilliant fun tearing around the water on the RIB - but very grateful I brought the dry suit. I got wetter than most days sailing.
About 15:45 the last of the boats were leaving the water and derigging. Most surely crews had more than enough fun for one day!
RIBs out of the water and back into the galley for me, to finish off the day around 16:45.
Overall then, an enjoyable and varied day - given that I'm not sure I would have ventured out on my own in the weather, just about as good a day off the water and could have been got on it.
I hadn't really noticed the tendency before for windsurfers to go back and forward across the reservoir on a beam reach. Just that, back and forward; appearing to use the far side of the reservoir to stop and turn around (surely not?) There was clearly one guy on the reservoir edge walking about on the concrete fiddling with his board - well it is his board I suppose. Don't they do courses - doesn't going back and forward get boring. True, they were going at a fair speed, which must be enjoyable. Can't see me doing the back and forward thing for too long; give me a route around the buoys anytime - clearly I need a purpose not just exhilaration; I wonder what that says about me?
(Note to self; need more photo's)
Monday, 23 April 2012
Sailing between the showers : Saturday 21st April 2012.
Off to the reservoir Saturday morning - weather not too promising. But, as I have a dry suit, I don't have much of an excuse, or want one really.
Boat prepared for launch - with sailing due to start at 11:30. Right on cue, skies darken and it chucks it down at 11:25 prompt - with serious attitude. Retire to car for about ten minutes while it blows itself out, to a tolerable level anyway.
Onto the water, with little wind. It does pick up pretty soon after launch fortunately.
Todays' aim was to try to sort out my gybe. I'm probably not quite getting the timing right, but occasionally it rounds up coming out of the gybe and comes close to loss of control/capsize. So, downwind we, or rather I, go - the better half still not quite up for sailing just yet, but soon apparently - gybing like a good 'un. One instance of near loss of control but on the whole OK. Still not that confident to be honest.
My initial plan, with weather in mind, was to sail for about an hour and a half and then then go in, as there was a ridge of heavy rain and possible thunder storms coming.
I was tempted to stay out longer, but as 13:00 approached, the clouds duly rolled in and the wind picked up significantly. Discretion being the better part of valour, I headed in and got the boat out of the water. Just as I got into the boat yard, the heavens opened and the wind got up to about 25+ knots. Lumpy water and white horses, nice to look at but gybing could have been interesting - no guts!
Short but sweet really.
Tomorrow we have galley duty! I hope they are ready for us.
Boat prepared for launch - with sailing due to start at 11:30. Right on cue, skies darken and it chucks it down at 11:25 prompt - with serious attitude. Retire to car for about ten minutes while it blows itself out, to a tolerable level anyway.
Onto the water, with little wind. It does pick up pretty soon after launch fortunately.
Todays' aim was to try to sort out my gybe. I'm probably not quite getting the timing right, but occasionally it rounds up coming out of the gybe and comes close to loss of control/capsize. So, downwind we, or rather I, go - the better half still not quite up for sailing just yet, but soon apparently - gybing like a good 'un. One instance of near loss of control but on the whole OK. Still not that confident to be honest.
My initial plan, with weather in mind, was to sail for about an hour and a half and then then go in, as there was a ridge of heavy rain and possible thunder storms coming.
I was tempted to stay out longer, but as 13:00 approached, the clouds duly rolled in and the wind picked up significantly. Discretion being the better part of valour, I headed in and got the boat out of the water. Just as I got into the boat yard, the heavens opened and the wind got up to about 25+ knots. Lumpy water and white horses, nice to look at but gybing could have been interesting - no guts!
Short but sweet really.
Tomorrow we have galley duty! I hope they are ready for us.
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Safety Boat Training : 7th April 2012
As the club provides its' own safety boat crews - probably like most other clubs - we get to mess about with boats on the reservoir for a day.
Can't fault the day at all. Starting with intro from Bob, The Commodore, onto Alan, the Membership Secretary, to give us a tour of the various bits and pieces we need to know the location of, and onto the boats.
Big ribs, small ribs and fibreglass Dory dragged out, prepared and pushed into the water and off we go; S's, U's and circles, forwards and backwards around buoys - great fun.
Lunch in the wet room while Bob goes over radio procedure and then back onto the water.
Recovering M.O.B.'s, righting dinghys, with and without shrouds, and of course, the tired windsurfer.
Boats dragged out of the water - some more keen to help than others - and into the clubhouse for 4:30.
A tiring but very enjoyable day. Thanks to Bob, Alan, Karen and Peter for giving up their time.
So, any unmanned boats or plastic barrels in trouble in our reservoir will be in safe hands come my safety boat duty! I'm sure that waving an RYA Level 1 |Powerboat certificate will do the job.
Can't fault the day at all. Starting with intro from Bob, The Commodore, onto Alan, the Membership Secretary, to give us a tour of the various bits and pieces we need to know the location of, and onto the boats.
Big ribs, small ribs and fibreglass Dory dragged out, prepared and pushed into the water and off we go; S's, U's and circles, forwards and backwards around buoys - great fun.
Lunch in the wet room while Bob goes over radio procedure and then back onto the water.
Recovering M.O.B.'s, righting dinghys, with and without shrouds, and of course, the tired windsurfer.
Boats dragged out of the water - some more keen to help than others - and into the clubhouse for 4:30.
A tiring but very enjoyable day. Thanks to Bob, Alan, Karen and Peter for giving up their time.
So, any unmanned boats or plastic barrels in trouble in our reservoir will be in safe hands come my safety boat duty! I'm sure that waving an RYA Level 1 |Powerboat certificate will do the job.
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