Sailing Section

 The Committee and members of Wicklow Sailing Club extend our congratulations and best wishes to our neighbours, the Wicklow RNLI, on the naming of their new D-Class boat "Sherringham Shantymen" in this their 150th anniversary year.

  Cruiser Lift Out will take place on Sun 14th October (to facilitate RNLI naming ceremony on Sat 13th) and all dinghies are requested to be taken home by then. Only committed racers may apply for winter storage - max. 10 boats to be allowed in, as there will 3 extra cruisers in for winter lay up this year. Please note - South Quay/WSC area will be blocked to all traffic from midday Sat 13th due to RNLI festivities.

   Many of our Junior Training boats were in the Boatpark without express permission and ran up a weekly penalty fee of a min. €10 per boat since Aug 24th. Parents or boatowners please take note. Penalties should be paid at the bar before removal. All boats must be removed by Fri 12th Oct at the latest.

 Our Juniors organised (with help from the adults) a Junior Open Dinghy Regatta on Sat 25th August, to coincide with the end of Junior Training - this event was sponsored by www.islandmaritime.com (Simon Greenwood). We had 17 boats taking part and the day went off well. Congratulations to Jason Moran and Niall Roche, who won the Gold Fleet sailing a wayfarer for the 1st time and Anders O Donoghoe, in the Silver Fleet - he had just finished Stage 3 in Junior Training. Many thanks to all who helped, esp. Bernadette Fox from the ISA. Read a report on the ISA website - http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?isActive=0&id=1778

   The Cruising section in the club might be small but a few hardy annuals still managed to get away despite the inclement conditions to visit foreign shores.

  Our Portmadog visit consisted of one boat, Saltee Dog,  - which didn't make it all the way (forced abandonment in Porth Dinllaen) crewed by Charlie, Fred Drew, Mark Cloherty and laterally, the Commodore but a good weekend was had by all with the usual generous hospitality of our MYC hosts - report and photos to follow. Our Mayor, Denis Teevan, his wife Noeleen, Frank Murphy and our Town Clerk, Helen Purcell, were also there from Wicklow.

   Two other cruisers took on a greater challenge by setting their sights on another Celtic nation, the Isle of Man. Jim Vickers, with Derek Stewart and Christiana Norton on Zuga and James Mc Cormack with Harry, Andy and another buddy on Siamsa, found the ideal weather hole to give them fair winds in both directions. They reached Port St Mary, via Howth, and explored the island by steam train in lovely sunny weather (was this really 2007?) and sampled the local hospitality before heading for home.

  Added to these heroics, Zuga again took off across the Irish Sea in pursuit of Paul and Gary Sinnott on Summerwind for a rendezvous with other Irish cruising musicians in Caernarvon - another great weekend ensued. Well done to our intrepid sailors.

   The Conwayport South East Regatta on the other hand got the raw end of the Irish weather, strong southerlies on Saturday 4th putting off uncommitted Dublin sailors and then Sunday 5th was a washout - miserably wet and windy conditions to discourage any fair weather sailors. We also had a man overboard off Calypso, picked up in text book fashion by John Harte and crew on Scamp - well done guys. Thankfully, 31 boats did make it to the start line and despite the unpleasant conditions, there was keen and competitive racing all weekend and Wicklow retaining the Club trophy - see results. Entertainment was first class and the club rocked both nights to the Backlane Band, East Coast Jazz and the Straw Dogs with a great buzz around the club all weekend. A mega word of thanks to all our helpers - you did the club proud.

   One weekend event did get the benefit of sunshine - our South East Cruising School Model Yacht Trophy Race - held on Sat 4th, 5 boats made it to the start line and after an exciting tussle, Tony Gillespie, for the 2nd year in a row walked away with the trophy - well done Tony. The RNLI Pennant had 4 entries, won by Relativity in light airs - as this is the 150th Anniversary of our local Lifeboat station, it is approriate that all our boatowners make a reasonable contribution to the RNLI - collection is in progress. For the 1st time in many years, a ceremony for the blessing of the boats was held on Mon 6th with only a few making the effort.

   Two former members came from different Island locations (Canaries & Caribbean) came to visit in early August, both of whom are actively involved in the International sailing world - Barbara Murray and Ansis Dimiters - Cead Mile Failte romhat.

  It is proposed to run Powerboat Training L1&2 on Sat/Sun 18/19th Aug and again  on Sat/Sun 22/23 Sept for our sailors - Sean Flood/Olivia Flahive are taking names.

   Good news from our Schull contingent - Charlie Butterworth got 2nd overall in the Gold Fleet of Lasers, followed in 3rd overall by Jonathan Flood. Also, on the first day, Garret Kinnane achieved 3 1sts in the Bronze Fleet - well done guys.

  Junior Training was a huge success with c.60 trainees spread over 4 weeks of August. We had to hire Joe Kavanaghs field to facilitate the extra numbers - proof that sailing is on the increase amongst our younger folk. Well done to our Junior Training Committee - Philo Kinnane, Sean Flood, Richard Nairn and Fiona Butterworth, who has recently been ill and our best wishes go out to her. The Instructors under Dave Cox did a fine job and its great to see so many of our own sailors reaching instructor level.

Annual Club Dinner Dance 24th November

Annual General Meeting 30th November

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 Gerry or Kerry know.

Club News

Johnson & Johnson Supreme

   Our Commodore might be selective with his forays onto the water, but his competitive spirit still shines through - Foxy Lady won the 2007 Shipman Nationals and they collected the ISA Gold Medal for their troubles.

   Just before that event, a certain Irish boat called Chieftain created Irish Sailing history by capturing the much coveted Rolex Fastnet race, with none other than Kevin Johnson on board, son of the redoubtable John. Well done John 'n son. See below.

Saracura Project

  In conjunction with walking the 2007 Dublin City Marathon in aid of a sailing based project in the favelas (slums) of Sao Paulo, Brazil, your correspondent would ask members for their support for this worthwhile project. See this link for more details. The ways you can help are to make a donation, take a sponsor card or run an event etc.

  The Committee are currently looking at our Club Rules as they affect membership categories and rates - any suggestions from members would be welcome, before the AGM.

  We are looking at drawing up ideas for future development(s) and Barry O Sullivan would love to hear from people with ideas or who might like to serve on a steering group - boat park, marina, club house renovation/extension etc.

  Also, any ideas or actual events to help boost our winter usage of the club would be most welcome or volunteers to help make it happen.

ISA News

http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?id=1875

  MARINE NOTICE NO. 36 OF 2007
The Department of Transport would like to advise that site investigation works will be carried out in Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, from Tuesday 30th October 2007 until year end. Investigation works will be located in the approach fairway and surrounding areas.
http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?id=1887

  SAILING INSTRUCTORS FOR 2008 WANTED
It is already time to get ready for 2008 with job advertisements for Instructors already hitting our screens. If you would like to instruct next summer in an ISA Training Centre or Club throughout the country, now is the time to start updating your C.V.'s and certificates. Do not forget about our jobs bulletin board which will allow you to advertise your jobs or your availability.
http://www.sailing.ie/clubs/newsDetails.asp?id=1869

  HISTORIC SUCCESS FOR CHIEFTAIN
Limerick sailor Ger O'Rourke and his crew on Chieftain have made Irish and British sporting history. Kevin Johnson of WSC was a crew member.
http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?id=1752

  GRANT SCHEME: GO FOR LIFE 2007  Go for Life is the National Sports Programme for Sport and Physical Activity for Older People. Go for Life is an Age & Opportunity initiative funded by the Irish Sports Council. Does anyone have an idea of what we might sensibly apply for - wayfarer/weights/rowing machine/fitness machines etc/? http://www.sailing.ie/inside/default.asp?pageId=470

  MARINE NOTICE NO 29 of 2007
NOTICE TO ALL YACHTSMEN, SMALL BOAT OPERATERS AND SEAFARERS.SMALL CRAFT OPERATING AT ENTRANCES TO PORTS
http://www.sailing.ie/news/newsDetails.asp?id=1809   

  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