News from Roger Stollery
Dear GMYC members,
In view of the forecast of heavy rain tomorrow morning continuing into the afternoon tomorrow’s ALE is put back one week to Wednesday 9th May, when hopefully the weather will be warmer and less wet! Having suffered the cold north-easterly winds and rain over both days of the ranking weekend in Norwich, I have only just dried out all my stuff and don’t fancy another day in the rain!
As the MERMAID is coming up on the following weekend, on Sunday 13th May the committee decided that the morning of the ALE should be a gardening session to get ready for the weekend. The plan is to start at 10 o’clock and run seamlessly into the sailing at 2 o’clock. As it is a growing time of year the grass needs mowing and we need to make an attempt to cut other vegetation like the brambles with our ‘new’ brush cutter, loppers etc. If anyone has any free time in the morning we would be delighted to see you.
The Notice of Race for the MERMAID is available and shortly will have the MYA online entry set up. This event is not a ranking event and is for ordinary club members as well as those treating it as a tuning event by those going to the Worlds. You would be most welcome to come and spectate if you don’t want to sail as I’m sure there will be some good racing to watch. However, if you do want to sail PLEASE get your entry in early using the online entry system.
Although the weather conditions at the Whittlingham lake, Norwich were very unkind, the racing was good and the Guildford entry did well. It was A rig conditions on Saturday and I surprised myself to be vying for the lead with Brad Gibson and his all-conquering GRUNGE design in the seeding race and finished second with my UP. However, it was Peter’s UPFRONT that dominated the day to count six 1sts, a 2nd and a 3rd and beat Brad Gibson’s unbeaten six-year event record with his GRUNGE. This is very encouraging in view of the Worlds in Germany being only a month away.
There was more wind on Sunday and most used B rigs, with some using C rigs in some of the stronger and gusty winds. In the seeding race I was again seeded with Brad Gibson and am delighted to say that I beat him in a one-to-one racing situation. As this was the first race of the day it was filmed and so I hope to be able to show this when Norwich member Eric Curtis completes his editing. From then on, I went downhill and had a few technical problems, but Peter maintained his performance and came 2nd to Brad ahead of half a dozen well sailed GRUNGEs. Rob Vice was also doing well with some good placings with his UPROAR but had to leave early and he performed better than the results on the Marblehead website show.
Cheers, Roger
Guildford Model Yacht Club Report January 2018
Heavy snow at the BRASS MONKEY Marblehead event brought an end to the successful 2017 GAMES series won by Peter Stollery. 46 competitors from 21 clubs took part in the 9 event series. 8 GAMES open events are planned for 2018, starting with the Marblehead Interclub at Chipstead.
Guildford continue to run Friday Evening Workshops, usually on the last Friday of the month, which our open to all district club members and provides useful guidance for getting the best performance from your boat, strategy for avoiding incidents on the water etc.
Membership is on the up and will be enjoying the superb sailing facilities at Abbey Meads Lake, Chertsey, with upgraded launching platforms and vegetation clearance. A full series of Marblehead handicapped club events, open to all newcomers, will continue in 2018. Also a new series of free ALE events, open to all boats, will be introduced on Wednesday afternoons over the summer. Abbey Meads is too deep to suffer mid season weed problems.
Our open water lake offers fantastic visibility with control areas high above the water, good access to allow you to follow your boat to the furthest marks of the long courses. These can be set from either the South or the West bank to relate to any wind direction and still give good windward leeward courses.
Come and visit us!
New for 2018 our ALE (After Lunch Event)
New for 2018 our ALE (After Lunch Event)
To make the most of our late spring and summer afternoons, come and join us for some friendly, laid back but competitive, afternoon sailing on the following dates: