Barry O Sullivan, Vice Commodore, has been our ISA Centre Principal for a long number of years and has indicated that he would like to stand down, as he has had very little real involvement with the core areas for a few years now. We are looking for a volunteer, with some sailing and powerboating background, to take on this vital role for our Club. The nominee will be responsible (on our behalf) for ensuring proper standards are maintained to the ISA Recognised Teaching Centre status, liaising regarding the running of courses such as Junior Training and Powerboats and ensuring our equipment is properly maintained. Obviously, the Rear Commodore Sail and all the  personnel from the various Dinghy, Boatpark and Junior Training etc subcommittees would have a role to play in assisting the nominated Principal. We would hope that a term of at least 3 years would be undertaken, all being well.

  Robin Heather is the winner of €50 bar credit, having been drawn from the stack of replies making suggestions for WSC entertainments as part of our efforts to make more active use of the clubhouse. Well done and enjoy your prize at your leisure.

   Following a very tough process of instruction involving having to sail and manage a troublesome crew on a 39.3' Beneteau in testing weather and sea conditions including managing to deal with copious amounts of fresh sea food and fine wines, 3 of WSC's finest cruising sailors achieved their Day Skipper Certificates in the Islas Canarias this January with South East Cruising School. Christiana Norton, Brian Malone and new boy on the cruiser block, Peter Shearer all earned their first stripes on the skippering ladder.

   Barbara Murray met up with all our travelling WSC members on Tenerife and sends her regards to all in the Club. Look her up if you are in the area.

Madoc Yacht Club

  Notes for your diaries - MYC - their Headley Smith Race is pencilled in for July 4th coming and we have provisionally fixed the weekend around 18th July to pay a visit to them. Intending crew should try to link up with skippers planning on doing the trip.

Barcelona World Race 

    PAPREC VIRBAC 2 WINS THE BARCELONA WORLD RACE!
  Jean Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall (from Kerry) have crossed the finish line at 20h 49.49 GMT in the port of Barcelona and officially are the winners of the first edition of the Barcelona World Race. The ecstatic duo are clearly over the moon, jumping up and down in celebration of an incredible feat - 92 days 8hours 49minutes and 49seconds having covered 28,329 miles non-stop around the world.
 Check this link for details http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com/console/default.asp - all going to plan, we hope to have them on the start line for the 2008 Round Ireland.

  Our Commodore caught in a soothing moment - Congrats to Annie Stewart who can claim a €20 discount** on her 2008 subscription for her witty line -

- Who's the lucky sucker?

Round Ireland

  With the next Race only 8 months away, the Notice of Race has now been issued -  check our Round Ireland page. Dennis Noonan launched the 2008 BMW Round Ireland in WSC on Friday 7th December, with Andrew Doyle TD, Denis Teevan, Mayor and Harry Hermon, ISA, present amongst other guests. Our newly installed President, Fred Drew, welcomed all in his first official role and hoped the Race would be another resounding success. Can anyone identify the source of the red smudge on Freds left cheek??

   Also on the night, Kevin Desmond, our immediate past President and man about the club introduced David Branigan of Oceansport to all present as the principal sponsor of our Round Ireland Wall of Fame. David did the honours of opening the wall and was delighted to see it had come out so well. Peter Coad, son of the late Brian Coad of Raasay of Melfort the 1st winner, was present.

(sorry about the quality)

Sailors night - Lifejackets/Survey tips - Fri 7th Mar 8.30

 Ireland v Wales 13.15 (1.15pm) Sat 8th Mar

Sadie Phelans' famous Wine & Cheese event Sat 15th Mar 8pm

Please play your part and be involved - can you run an event?

   Don't forget us if you have a celebration in your family, work or socially - let Sean or Kerry know. Catherine Malone is helping out with Entertainments - can you assist her efforts?

Sadie - Big Cheese

  Sadie Phelan, our socialite par excellence (her Wexford blood), has agreed to come to the aid of our Club renovation project by organising her ever popular Wine and Cheese evening on Sat 15th March at 8pm, after a lapse of a few years, at €15 pp. Longstanding members will remember these events as one of the highlights of Wicklows social calendar, with a great turnout of the towns more influential citizens mingling with our own members. Pencil it into your diary and make a date for Paddy's weekend Saturday (after we beat the auld enemy of course) - a chance to wear the glitzy gear (spring wardrobe). Contact Sadie on 087 2234863

Ahoy there WSC Ramblers

   The next scheduled walk is on Sat 8th March - meet at Lynams of Laragh 10am for a cuppa, then on to The Brockagh Mountain for a good climb  to the cairn, and take the St Kevin's Millenium Garden on the way. Hopefully we will have  a few new members as well. Still lambing in the area so dog" fido" may stay at home - we will give them a special day out later.

   The previous walk took place on Sat 16th Feb around the Annamoe circuit via Trooperstown wood and had a good turnout.

Fun for Love Night

   Lets hear three cheers for Catherine Malone and her merry band of entertainers. We were treated to a great night of food, craic, music and dancing on Fri 8th of Feb in celebration of that great institution - marriage. See the photo above. Some people found out how well they did or didn't know their partners - would you know which lip she applies her lipstick to first? or which leg he puts into his trousers first? Noel and Anna Sinnott obviously did and they won the weekend for two in Bejiing in Sept. Hard luck to the Mc Gauleys, Hennessys, Floods and O Sullivans - but you gave us a good laugh anyway. Poor old Priscilla had her work cut out keeping tabs on her hormonal ladette girlpal, Hermione, who tried to get her leg over anything in trousers on the night - rumour has it,  it's a Johnson Baby Oil thing.

  The night was a great success, with almost 80 present, and hopefully will be followed by more fun nights for our members enjoyment and to help rack up some cash towards our long overdue renovations. Watch this page.

  New subcommittee roles and the 2008 blueprint will be outlined by the Commodore at the 1st official committee meeting of the new club year. Sailing/Boatpark development will share the priorities with the Round Ireland, the RI Festival, the Fireball Open and Club Entertainments as well as the day to day running of sailing, house and other matters - just to give our members a flavour of the role your Officers and Committee perform with your assistance for WSC.

Clubperson of the Year

  Henrik Heckmann, of Ruffage fame, was the 2007 recipient of the Danny Cleary Memorial Trophy. With two young children and living in Dublin, he still managed to find time to run the Cruiser racing subcommittee, be an instructor on the Junior Training programme, help with the South East Regatta and the Man Overboard practical course. Well done Henrik.

ISA News

  11 SAILING CLUBS WIN THE LOTTERY - With the support of the ISA, this year a total of €283,500 was awarded to ISA Affiliated Clubs from the National Lottery-funded Sports Capital Programme. Will we get our act together one of these years? Can we as a Club not at least plan for a development, even if it fails to get off the ground? Any opinions or ideas - contact us, please.
http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?id=1548

   If you wish to check out current or old news items from the Irish Sailing Association, follow this link http://www.sailing.ie/inside/default.asp?pageId=50