Improvers.
 
Improvers training will start again on the 2 April at 1000. The aim for this season is to run an improvers session most weekends. To allow for tides the start times for the sessions will either be early (1000) or late (1400).
 
No booking required. The aim of these sessions is to provide an opportunity for club members to practice/develop skill, with an instructor on site. Some sessions will be targeted while the first sessions of the year will be just to blow cobwebs away and get back into the boat.
 
Sessions will run as advertised on the HBSC web page. Where a practical session cannot be held due to weather, theory sessions will be run.
 
 
Senior instructors, Instructors and Power boat helms wanted  for Improvers.
To allow this to happen we need Senior Instructors (SI), Instructors (Instr), Assistant Instructors (AI) and power boat helms to run the sessions. If you are willing to help out over the season in any capacity then please let me know.  I am not after commitment to specific date at this stage, just an expression of your willingness to be involved.

Laurie Dengate
Email: hbsc.training@gmail.com
​ 

Photographs from the (cancelled) Easter Bonnet Pursuit courtesy of Liz Smith.

Lovely weather: 14 degrees.
Wind: none.
Race: cancelled.

The RYA has produced a series of self coaching videos:

• Starting and Boat Handling
• Upwind speed
• Downwind speed

​We are very sorry to announce that due to a lack of demand we have to inform you that the Start Racing Training planned for 2nd/3rd April is now cancelled. This is very disappointing as a lot of planning and effort has gone into making this courses available for the membership and we only have two people showing an interest. 

Click here to see the training courses planned for the next few months. If you are interested in any of the courses please email hbsc.training@gmail.com All courses are reviewed 2 weeks before the start date as to the viability of running the course.

The Training Team

This years duty roster has now been published and can be accessed under the "Roster" tab on Dutyman. Thank you to everyone who used the web form to volunteer for their duties. Out of 343 duties only 53 we left unassigned today when we published the roster. Alistair will be working through these to get the remainder assigned. This was our first year using Dutyman to manage the duty allocation procedure so if you have any comments about the process please let anyone on the committee know, we can only improve this task with your feedback.

Karl, the club bosun, and team spent a few hours on Saturday repairing and maintaining the club boats. Thanks to their hard work, most boats are now ready for the new season. 

For the opening race of the season at Herne Bay Sailing Club, eight boats were there to take part in the Opening Splash, they were 1 Contender, 7 Lasers and 1 Topper.

The conditions were light winds and a flat sea, the first obstacle to overcome was in these light conditions making it out to the start line, once this had been achieved the race sequence was under way and the boats were jostling for position between the North Mark and the Pillar Mark.  After the start, the Contender tacked off away from the fleet of Lasers, heading up to the first Mark SP1, Laser 200875 went ahead of the other Lasers, rounding the mark and off to W1 the Contender 701 was vying for pole position with Laser 200875, while the rest of the fleet of Lasers followed in a follow my leader formation.  The Topper of Joseph Ekins was a Slow Handicap Boat and he valiantly sailed a lone course.

Rounding W1, Laser 200875 who had extended his lead over the Contender 701, then came Laser 172009, followed by Laser 42839. Laser 208321, Laser 85058 and Laser 42119 who were all vying for position.  In these light conditions, retirements were inevitable and the first to retire was Contender 701.  The Race Officer took the decision to shorten the Race as Laser 200875 had rounded the W1 and was heading for the Distance Mark.  The second retirement from the Race was the Topper.
 
Results
1st Laser 200875 Ben Skull
2nd Laser 172009 James Woodward
3rd Laser 208321 Graham Harbord

There were perfect conditions for the Powerboat Refresher course on Saturday. A force 4 North Easterly was blowing onto the slipway and whipping up some big waves. These were ideal conditions for the 12 club members on the course to practise launch and recovery, driving in big waves, MOB and to generally refresh their powerboat handling skills.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the morning despite the very cold weather and the need to wear many more layers of clothing than is normal for a March day. Thank you to the powerboat training team of Allan, David, Laurie and new powerboat instructor Doug.
  

Last Saturday the slipway went down and a lot of other club jobs were done as well. As I was concentrating on the slipway laying that is all I can comment on. There were 5 or 6 very kind people who I asked to get down to the club at silly O'clock in the morning to help set up and start the process of the laying, the idea being when the other club members turned up they could merge themselves into an on going system. This seemed to work. With a couple of new working systems people have developed. As this was the first time the slipway has been laid with the new concrete lower section in place we had to do a little jiggery pokery with the top section so they would all fit. Plus David and Allan 's new sections give us some spares if the worst should happen. A whole hearted thank you to all who helped on Saturday I must give special thanks to those people who turned up early to help me set up. Thanks to all the teas and coffee with free chocky bars and cake and a thank you to the understanding partners of those who came down to club to help. Please be aware we still have to re tighten the bolts on the slipway and there might be some uneven sections so take care going up and down. Look forward to seeing you down there over the coming months.

Thanks again all.

Sailing committee.