Newsletter - July 04

 

Welcome to the new members who have recently joined and who are sailing in the previously male dominated dinghy sessions and showing them a thing or two on how the right a capsized boat is seconds!  The membership is now at 54, and hopefully we will continue to grow and cope with the increasing numbers. The organisation of club activity will be helped by 2 new recruits to the committee (see below). 

 

Weather : Well the weather has change a bit in the last few weeks with plenty of wind forecast most evenings.  This evenings (Thursday 8/7) dinghy session is cancelled due to the following forecast from www.met.ie Forecast for E'ern and S'ern coastal waters from Carlingford Lough to Carnsore Point to Valentia and Irish Sea :- Wind : Northeasterly force 6; reaching gale force 8 this afternoon between Howth Head and Roches Point and on the Irish Sea...and the  weather from www.dlharbour.ie is currently showing windspeed : 18.5kt Beaufort Force 5.  The normal rule for dinghy sailing take place is sailing in winds up to force 4. It is often difficult to predict what conditions will be like in Dun Laoghaire despite the information available on-line.  Winds above F4 make conditions difficult, especially for mixed ability crews, and can lead to problems for rescue crew if more than one boat gets into trouble, so it is always best to be on the safe side!.  It is also best to have you capsize routine practiced before heading out in very windy conditions!  Hope all the Wednesday nights dinghy sailors enjoyed the session in high and gusty winds.  Well done to Nigel and all his crews!  Cearbhall is organising an evening dinghy session for Friday 9/7/04.

 

Committee : Welcome to two new committee members : Sailing secretary: Carina Myles  and Maintenance secretary : Georgina Lanigan. This adds to the existing committee of Chairperson/Commodore : Damien Byrne, Secretary : Bryan O'Grady, Treasurer : Ann Coyne, Safety officer : Michael McEntee.  The committee is meeting next Wednesday so more news next week!A number of people have volunteered for maintenance duties etc. and hopefully next week we will be in a position to get them organised!

 

Thanks to :

- Kieran McCarthy : who has designed and printed new club posters.  These are available in the container so please take some for your workplace.

- Eamonn Cullen :  who has printed and bound new log books for dinghy and ruffian sailing.  There is now a separate log book for Dinghies and for the Ruffian.

- Alastair Davies : for the ongoing dropping and collecting of sails for repair with Downer Sails and his updating of the SID website and egroup.

- Damien Bradley who is currently buying spares and tools for the Ruffian.

- All the organisers, Captains and Vice Captains

- Anyone else I have missed who has done work or helped in the organisation.

 

A different type of sailing ? I was recently on the Jeanie Johnston a large replica emigrant sailing ship which is currently sailing around Ireland. I was on the trip for Belfast to Derry and we went via Scotland, with sailing around Alisa Craig and the Mull of Kintyre.  The boat sails during the day and night.  The trip was excellent even if it was cut a bit short due to F9 winds!.  See my pictures at  http://www.spectraphoto.ie/site/www/magico/album.asp?share=99731979228724 Trips for 3 days cost €300 and the schedule up to August is published on www.jeaniejohnston.ie. Well worth a trip if you are into adventure and have a few holidays to spare. If you are interested why not see if anyone else in the club is interested by sending a mail to egroup sidclub@yahoogroups.com

 

MAGNO : The SID Committee met on Wednesday and one of the topics discussed was the replacement of the dinghy fleet.  The committee have selected the Magno as the most suitable dinghy for the club.  Some of the factors in this decision are :

- The boat is suitable for sailing by 2 adults

- The boat is equipped with a reefing main allowing it to be de-powered for higher winds/smaller crews,

- The jib is a furling jib allowing it to be packed away easily and also allowing the boat to be sailed by one person

- The Magno has trapezes and a gennaker which provide exciting sailing for competent crews

- The boat is durable and suited to club needs.

 

Check out http://www.toppersailboats.com/magno.html for more details including test reports. The committee will now set about buying 2 of these boat at the best price available.  It is proposed to have a maximum of 6 boats in the dinghy fleet so maintenance is required on the existing fleet as the club need to determine which boats are suitable to keep and which boats can be sold.  Georgina (Maintenance officer) will be in touch with all members shortly.

 

Drinks : Next Thursday at 8:30pm in the Market Bar in Fade Street (Off South Great Georges Street near Hogan's Bar). Why not come along and meet the other members of the club and get the low down on the new Magnos!

 

Damien