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Club News - May

WYC Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response - Update Thursday 21st May

Posted: Thursday, 21 May , 2020

The WYC General Committee sub-group are having regular virtual meetings and working on plans to restart organised activities and re-open the club when further restrictions are lifted. Following guidance from the RYA, we have created a draft Return to Operations Matrix. This is a living document and will be updated as Government advice changes. Some operations may take time to restart once restrictions are lifted, but by using this matrix, and the significant additional level of detail that feeds into it, WYC should be on the front foot when changes come through. The draft matrix can be downloaded from the website here.

Access to locker storage within the club

Posted: Monday, 18 May , 2020

Based on the new Government guidance, from Wednesday 13th May, people can go out on the water. The club building remains closed, and there are no organised sailing or social activities, but some members may still have equipment stored in the changing room and lockers. If you need access, on a one time basis to retrieve kit stored within the clubhouse, please contact Robert Govier at rear.comm.sailing@wyc.org.uk to arrange a convenient time.
Note that members now have access to the external storage areas (Upper Rigden's and Stroud sheds), but should maintain social distancing, minimise time inside, and the surfaces you touch. Please take personal responsibility by using hand sanitiser, wearing disposable gloves and/or wiping down the surfaces you touch where-ever possible.
If you go onto the water, you do so at your own risk. Please respect and follow Government and RNLI guidelines, and WYC safety advice for free sailing and watersports.

Virtual Racer - Results and next races

Posted: Sunday, 17 May , 2020

Well done to Tom Oliver who came 8th overall in the RYA eSailing Club Championship London & South East Final. There were over 500 entrants in the championships from across London and the South East, so this is quite an achievement!
In club eSailing, Kevin Dutch has won the Spring Series with a strong lead after 30 races over 10 Saturdays and Sundays. Second place was Tom Oliver, and third was Robert Govier. The final results can be found here.
As the weather is getting better and some restrictions on getting out and about, and sailing in real life have been lifted, we are stopping weekend eSailing for now, but we can bring it back if there's the demand! Evening racing on Tuesday (8pm) and Thursdays (8.15pm) will carry on, so please log on and join in!

Found in the archive - rare colour documentary on the 1967 Admiral’s Cup

Posted: Thursday, 14 May , 2020

One of several reels of film found in the club archives,showing a rare colour documentary on the 1967 Admiral's Cup. We think that this was a film that was sent to select Yacht Clubs by the sponsor of the event to be shown to members, and Whitstable was lucky enough to receive a copy and store it in our archives. Go to the WYC Youtube channel to see the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt5ToIUWkogM.

From the RORC website: "Australia returned down under with renewed vigour towards the event. Sir Robert Crighton-Brown commissioned Balandra, built to the same design as Quiver IV, while Bob Miller collaborated with Ted Kaufman to design Mercedes III. These joined Caprice of Huon for her second attempt. In Britain, Firebrand, after modifications, rejoined the team with Noryema V and Prospect of Whitby. 10 years after the first event, there were now eight teams – it was the first time both Finland and Spain had fielded entries alongside Holland, France, Germany and the USA. In the Channel Race, France took the overall lead with solo star Eric Tabarly on Pen Duick III, but Australia took the team lead, 26 points ahead of Britain. In the Britannia Cup a series of almost farcical events by the French and US handed the Australian team further points although only one more than the competitive British team. In the New York Yacht Club Cup, the USA regained some pride to win but the universally strong performance of the Australians took them 17 points ahead of Britain and the USA. In the Fastnet Race Pen Duick III took the win but the Australian team continued to perform to win the race on points and take home the Admiral’s Cup for the first time with an overall margin of 107 points." For more information, see http://www.rorc.org/admiral-s-cup

WYC Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response - Update Tuesday 12th May

Posted: Tuesday, 12 May , 2020

Based on the new Government guidance, from Wednesday 13th May, people can go out on the water. The club remains closed, and there are no organised sailing or social activities. The WYC General Committee sub-group are having regular virtual meetings and working on plans to restart organised activities and re-open the club when further restrictions are lifted. We are following the guidance of the RYA, RNLI and the Government.
Members now have access to the external storage areas (Upper Rigden's and Stroud sheds), but should maintain social distancing, minimise time inside, and the surfaces you touch. Please take personal responsibility by using hand sanitiser, wearing disposable gloves and/or wiping down the surfaces you touch where-ever possible.
If you go onto the water, you do so at your own risk. Please respect and follow Government and RNLI guidelines, and WYC safety advice for free sailing and watersports.

Found in the archive - Amateur colour footage of the 1959 Flying Dutchman Worlds at WYC

Posted: Wednesday, 06 May , 2020

One of several reels of film found in the club archives, we think that this amateur colour footage shows sailing during FD Week held at Whitstable Yacht Club in July 1959. It was run in conjunction with the FD World Championships and there is brief footage of this event. It was the year before the Rome Olympics and attracted competitors from across the world. Most notably it was the first time competitors from Russia, Poland and East Germany had competed this side of the Iron Curtain. There were also two boats from South Africa.
Competitors were in two fleets sailing Olympic courses of a triangle, loop and beat. The World Championships with one competitor from each country went first and the FD Week, which was open to anyone, went 15 minutes later. Local sailor “Slotty” Dawes (K36) who features prominently in this film, won FD Week and went on to represent GB at Rome where he finished 7th. Five Whitstable crews competed in FD Week.
The Flying Dutchman was a new Olympic class in 1960 and had been introduced into the UK by “Slotty” Dawes. “Slotty” was President of the International FD Class Association. Whitstable was the centre of UK FD sailing and went on to run many international events including the Europeans.
The cream coloured motor boat used for finishing belonged to local builder and Club member, Jack Philpott. Note also the marks which were black square or triangular top marks mounted on old Fairey duckling dinghies or old carley floats that the Club had bought in bulk.
Note the film has been reversed on the reel and sail numbers read from right to left! https://youtu.be/ANXc836AQGs