Saturday 26 May – barbecue after RYA level 1 course, 3.30/4.00 pm. All members welcome. Come and meet the trainees (and potential club members). Bring your own food.

Sunday 27 May - Alex Smith race. This traditionally means that we sail up towards York, and will not be at the clubhouse for lunch. So bring a transportable lunch – and make sure you come and join in. Given the right weather (and surely we’re due some …), this will be a slightly different and very enjoyable day’s sailing.

Hugh (on behalf of the YRISC Committee)

TUESDAY 8 MAY (next Tuesday, i.e. very soon) – start of RYA Level 1 Course at the club. We have three or four participants signed up. Now we need volunteers to help run it. The dates are Tuesday 8 May, Friday 11 May, Tuesday 15 May, Tuesday 22 May (all starting at 7 p.m.), Saturday 26 May (10 a.m. start). If you can help on any of those days, please let Peter Craggs.

SATURDAY 9 JUNE – Sail for Gold day. As last year, we will be running some races in or near the city centre, handing out leaflets, making a splash, and generally trying to drum up enthusiasm for sailing among the inhabitants of York. Volunteers needed! We need people who are willing to sail (GP14 or Topper, most likely), drive rescue boats, stand on the bank and chat to passers-by. If you’re in a boat, it will mean starting from the club at about 10 a.m.; if you’re shore-based, it’ll be a slightly later start. Please volunteer – and let Peter Craggs know.

FIRST AID COURSE – Mike Craggs is running a course for members some day in May (or is it June?). We meant to go and look at the notice in the club house, to get details of dates, fees, etc. We forgot. Details will be sent out soon.

SUNDAY 22 JULY – ‘Try sailing’ day (not Sayers Pot, as it says on the programme). A second sort of open day, sort of associated with the Olympics. Details (sort of) to follow.

MUD – after the recent flood, we have more than our fair share of it. Please don’t bring it all into the club house on your shoes, and please do come down on Sunday prepared to help clear it away with hosepipes (not yet banned).

Finally – Peter Huxford is down for Race Officer on Sunday 20 May but cannot make it. Can anyone swap days with him?

Hugh (on behalf of the YRISC Committee)

(1) A rescue boat handling session will be held on Wednesday 25 April starting at 7.30 pm. All those on the Race Officer rota are encouraged to come along and polish up their skills with the rescue boats and rehearse the techniques needed to recover people and boats from the water safely. Put the date in your diary!

(2) Due to the recent big rises in petrol costs we have decided to reintroduce race fees to help pay for outboard motor fuel. As previously, the fee will be 20p per race for the routine handicap and points series, and 50p for the one-off trophy races. Race Officers will collect the fees and pass them on to the Sailing Secretary. Also, the fees for using the Club boats will still apply this year at the same rate as last season – i.e. £1 per day or 50p for half a day. Again, Race Officer to collect.

Here’s to a great season’s sailing

Steve Parry
Commodore

Saturday 14 January, 10.30 am: Working party to tidy up and bring one (or more) club boats into the club house.

Wednesday 18 January from 7.30 pm: Informal noggin and natter evening at the Tap and Spile, Monkgate.

Friday 10 February, 7.30 pm: YRISC AGM at RI HQ. Formal notification to follow.

Thursday 23 February, 7.30 pm: Quiz Night at the Tap and Spile. £5 per head, buffet provided and prizes to be won. Numbers for catering are needed so please let Steve Parry know that you will be coming (contact us).

Finally, if anybody wishes to join us, Messrs Craggs the younger, Nelson and Parry and any mad crew that he can find are planning to take part in the Yorkshire Ouse SC Winter Open this Sunday (7 January) at Naburn. Meet at YRISC at 10.00 am to rig and sail down to YOSC for an 11am (ish) start.

Happy New Year to all!

Steve Parry, Commodore

Saturday 29 October - FIRST AID COURSE. If there is enough support, Mike Craggs will run an RYA first aid course at the club. Specially tailored to the needs of sailors – important for you to know, and important for the club to have memebrs trained. Please let Mike know as soon as possible if you are interested.

Saturday 26 November - ANNUAL DINNER, Lady Anne Middleton’s Hotel, 7.30 for 8.00 pm. Details were in the Half Hitch Herald, so you know about this already – if you are going to be there (and we hope you all are), please put your name on the list in the club house and/or let Steve Parry know.

Tuesday 13 December - END-OF-SEASON MEETING - details in Half Hitch Herald - Finger food, mulled wine, mince pies, and a discussion of sailing plans for next year.

Meanwhile, the main sailing season continues on Sundays until 30 October, and then we have the Winter Series, starting at 12.30 on Saturdaty 5 November and continuing every Saturday until we are flooded/frozen/blown out of the place.

In addition, the list of club boats has been updated, and we’ve added the option to subscribe to the website via e-mail or RSS so that you always know when something new is posted. See further down in the right hand column!

As always if you have any questions or sugestions please let us know.

Although he’s happy to hear from you on the day if necessary, Pete Craggs would really appreciate knowing if you are coming in advance to help him plan the racing, and to help us size up the barbecue.

So if you are coming please fill in the form below to mail Pete!