SECRETARY’S UPDATE 9TH JUNE 2010
11/06/10
It is June already and the sailing season is now well underway. Club racing on Wednesday evenings has been particularly successful with an average of around forty participating boats. Afterwards, in the region of seventy members stay on for Club suppers, which is most encouraging. Weekend racing has attracted fewer entries, but is still well-supported. On Sunday 6th June over thirty competitors attended the Queen’s Jubilee Race. Looking ahead to July, and despite any rumours you may have heard to the contrary, the Help for Heroes Weekend will be taking place, albeit in a slightly different (reduced) format, with reduced entry fees. The Royal Solent will be running the Help for Heroes Regatta and a dinner in the Club on Saturday 3rd July. Entry to the regatta will cost £25 with £ 20 going to the charity for cruisers and £15, with £10 going to charity for Folkboats and day boats. The dinner will cost £30 per head, with £10 going to charity.
In August, we are hoping to beat the record number of last year’s entries at our 2010 Taittinger Royal Solent Regatta (14th -15th August) so if you are thinking of entering – please do so now! Dinghy Week has changed its format as it will take place over a long weekend, 20th – 23rd August. The Hurst Castle BBQ is scheduled for Sunday 22nd August, so the staff will be particularly busy, as Folkboat Week runs in the intervening week between our Regatta and Dinghy Week! Outside regattas are fewer this year but we have hosted a Pilot Cutter Regatta, run racing for Gaffers, and will be hosting traditional events such as the Royal Artillery Regatta and a new event – the Contessa 32 Nationals, both of which are scheduled for September.
Ashore, we continue to host a plethora of dinners for visiting yacht clubs; it is gratifying that the number of visiting clubs has not dropped.
Regarding the West End Development, donations and pledges have been received to the tune of circa £40,000, which is encouraging. But it is important that momentum is maintained and to that end a fund raising sub-committee is being formed to increase the fund-raising profile.
Local residents may have heard some loud bangs on Sunday as guns were fired to start and finish races. This will not be the norm as guns are usually only fired during regattas – and these are usually started off-shore from Countdown and take place further out in the Solent or in Christchurch Bay.
Finally, one house keeping notice. Members are reminded that guide dogs excepted, dogs are not allowed inside the Clubhouse.