Llyn Brenig Sailing Club
Clwb Hwylio Llyn Brenig
Newsletter June 2005
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Message from the Commodore
I would like to take the opportunity of thanking all of our members who volunteered for the opening up working party at the end of March. It was very well attended and even though some might have had no work for a short time, the fact that the turnout was so good meant that we achieved everything we wanted to do on the day leaving only a small number of buoys to put on the lake on the first sailing day in April. Let’s hope we have as good a turnout for the close down work party in December.
We would like to welcome John Vinnicombe now an Honorary Member of our club. He has worked hard for the club over many years with his skills at fashioning most things from wood, from a gavel to an electricity cupboard. Thanks John for all of your hard work and we hope to see you again when the weather gets warmer.
The annual Try Sailing Day was held on Monday 30 May and was managed by Geoff Loring with a large team of members helping in a multiplicity of capacities. Our advertising and open days do attract new members and all of our effort does contribute to members taking up sailing and joining the club for the first time. More information inside.
One of our long time members bequeathed us a substantial sum of money in his will and the committee have decided to honour Bill by introducing the Bill O’Brien Cup which will be over a series of 2 x two-hour races for cruiser sailors. The first race will be held on Sunday 5 June provided we have a minimum of three cruisers willing to take part.
Resulting from the decision made at the last AGM, we will be replacing this year’s summer pursuit series (the day’s third race) with a Summer Handicap Series for a new trophy to be known as the Brenig Bowl. There will be five races from 10 to qualify.
Sadly I have to report yet another two break-ins early in May and one in early June. In the first break-in there were three boats (a club and two member’s boats) taken from the boat park. I am pleased to say that two were recovered the day afterwards and the other member’s boat was recovered from Llyn Alwyn together with a road trailer. In the second
incident 30 boat covers were slashed and three boats set adrift. Members may wish to increase the security of their own boats in an attempt to stop such mindless behaviour in the future. I know how upsetting having your personal belongings stolen is, as it was my boat that was recovered from Llyn Alwen. Due to increased security measures, members may find that their keys to the club doors no longer fit. Please see me if you would like to request keys to the entrance gate or lift room, the committee have decided a cost of £3/key so as to provide a measure of control over the issue of keys. This money will be returned when the key is no longer needed. The duty team is reminded of the necessity of putting the locks in the closed mode on all of the opened doors when opening up. Otherwise if vandals steal a lock just placed on the ground, we have no spare locks and no means of locking up again at the end of sailing.
The committee have taken the decision to create a Commodore’s Board on which will be placed the names of all of the commodores since the club began in 1977. It is hoped to have a short ceremony in the future when the board will be unveiled.
There isn’t a lot needed to do with club maintenance this year. What’s needed is to paint two container roofs, one container rear wall and to create more boat parking near the OOD’s hut. Any members wishing to volunteer for a working party to complete this work, please speak to me.
There will be a number of important positions which will become vacant from the November AGM. The constitution states that the Commodore can only hold office for two years and therefore I have to stand down in November, but I have already taken up the duties of Newsletter editor so will still be on the committee. The Membership Secretary, Honorary Secretary, Treasurer and Galley Provisioner have decided to stand down in November after many year’s of sterling duty. So, no pushing there, can you spare some time to assist the club to move forward? If some of the newer members from last year or earlier years could volunteer, then they will know that some of us oldies are always there to advise if necessary.
Geoff Ravenscroft
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