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Coming Events
A list of forthcoming events can be viewed on the COMING EVENTS page. Start times and other details of open meetings and club points and handicap races are also listed on the PROGRAMME page.
Are Merlin sailors contemplating Olympic selection?
Are some of Tamesis Club's leading Merlin Rocket sailors gearing up to make a bid for Olympic selection in 2012? High though the standard of racing is in the class, it is not suggested that the Merlin should replace any of the existing Olympic classes. But the Laser has been an Olympic boat for some time and two of Tammy's best have each just acquired one. They are racing them on the Thames every week but not at Teddington. Please go to http://www.ranelagh-sc.co.uk/london_midweek_series_2008.htm for more details.
Laser Quiz exposes gaps in sailors knowledge of rigs
The Laser Quiz attracted 67 members to Tamesis on Saturday evening 19 April and exposed some interesting gaps in their knowledge of different rigs and sails. Faced with computer generated images of 10 yachts and sailing ships, many had difficulty identifying a yawl from a ketch, a lateen sail from a gunter rig, a spritsail from a gaff, and when it came to correctly naming a brigantine, brig, barquentine and barque, not to mention the name of the lowest square sail on the main mast of a full rigged ship, they found they were "all at sea"! Everyone agreed that it had been an enjoyable if challenging evening. The quizmasters (the winning team from the 2007 quiz) were Stewart Colley, Henry Defries, and Chris Pollard, assisted by Nicola Colley and Margaret Pollard, and the splendid supper was cooked by Laser Class Captain Paul Jamieson, who organised the event, and his wife Sara, with help from Martin and Marie Gates Sumner. Other questions covered the Highway Code, the northern-most island in the British Isles, England's highest mountain, straits and narrows, and local history. One of the highest scores was achieved when contestants were asked to name the seven deadly sins. The Adams/Tickle winning team will have the opportunity to get their own back next year. Meanwhile, those sailors who were guilty of misdemeanours when they took to the water the following day were careful to rectify their errors by doing a 720 as they were all being closely watched from the rescue boat by the principal quizmaster of the night before, who was also taking numerous photos.
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Sara and Paul Jamieson in the kitchen (Photo: Stewart Colley)
Snow for the start of the summer season
An overnight snowfall gave members an unseasonal start to summer sailing on Sunday 6 April. The few hardy sailors who resisted the temptation to turn over in bed when they awoke to a steady shower of snow were greeted by slushy roads, a damp dinghy park and snow covered boat covers. Jon Redding's daughters Augusta and Fenella built a snowman to celebrate the occasion, as the picture below shows. Meanwhile, their dad got ready to go sailing in his Merlin but when he asked the snowman to crew for him the poor chap collapsed to starboard for fear of falling in the river.
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Augusta, Snowman, Fenella and Jon Redding (Photo: Carolyne Vines)
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The snow sailors (Photo: Richard Howells)
Ice under the Midnight Sun
In “Ice under the Midnight Sun”, Brian Timbrell gave a fascinating talk at Tamesis on Thursday 6 March about sailing in Arctic waters to 81 degrees north, within 500 miles of the North Pole, aboard the former 67ft British Steel Challenge yachts.
The first of three cruises to Norway in 1994, aboard Hofbrau Lager, took him from Brixham in Devon up the North Sea to Bergen and then on to Bodo just above the Arctic Circle. He then transferred to British Steel II to begin an exploration of the Lofoten Islands which he continued aboard Motorola in 1998, going as far north as Tromso. Finally, in 2001, he undertook a circumnavigation of Sptizbergen aboard Logic returning across the Barents Sea to Tromso.
A computer generated slide show, capably operated by his daughter Tamsin, showed amazing pictures of the Midnight Sun above the Arctic Circle, impressive photos of ice sheets and glaciers, Norwegian fjords, cities, towns and fishing ports. Wildlife pictures included whales, walruses, seals, polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and many birds including Arctic terns, fulmars, and a small cousin of the puffin the little auk. At one remote settlement there was a notice warning of the need to be armed given the dangers of polar bears.
The talk was preceded by an excellent supper cooked by Brian’s wife, Caroline. Vice Commodore Chris Morris thanked Brian and his family for providing Club members with an enjoyable and entertaining evening.
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The midnight sun (Photo: Brian Timbrell)
Tamesis Clubhouse redevelopment plan
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A drawing by Hon. Architect Phil England of how the redeveloped clubroom will look (Photo: Carolyne Vines)
A revised plan for the redevelopment of the Tamesis Clubhouse prepared by Phil England, Club Captain and Hon. Architect, has now been approved by the Environment Agency. The plan, outlined to members at a special general meeting on Sunday 27 January, keeps the proposed alterations, shown on the plan below, within the existing "footprint" by using the various spaces more economically. The plan follows the original proposals in so far as the bar and kitchen will change places. A fresh planning application is to be made and competitive tenders sought from contractors. It is hoped that the work could be completed in about eight months.
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Under the new plan, the bar would be contained in the space presently occupied by the kitchen and extend into the club room, and the club room would extend into the inner section of the present bar. The new kitchen would occupy the whole of the outer section of the present bar. The entrance lobby to the bar and club room would be enlarged to give a more attractive entrance and provide hanging space for coats. The veranda would be widened to 10 feet with access from both ends. In all, the bar, club room and kitchen would be increased slightly in area over what was shown in the original proposals. Please also see Commodore outlines plans for the funding and development of Tamesis Clubhouse below.
CASC decision referred to Management Committee
Full discretion to register Tamesis as a Community Amateur Sports Club and update the club rules as necessary to facilitate this was given to the Management Committee at the annual general meeting on Sunday 24 February. Phil England, Club Captain and Hon. Architect, outlined a programme for the redevelopment of the interior of the clubhouse during the next eight months. Please see
Tamesis Clubhouse redevelopment plan above for details. It was agreed that a special meeting will be held to discuss funding proposals for the development and that no commitments with builders will be entered into without the agreement of the membership.
Commodore Peter Mason said that the annual report painted a picture of a very vibrant and active sailing club. He congratulated Sarah Webb and her colleagues on winning the Yngling Class World Championships.
Treasurer Graeme Lythe said that club income was up on last year, as were subscriptions, although membership numbers were flat. There had been a profit in the past financial year mainly because no large maintenance projects were undertaken. Bar sales were down and catering income had improved but the combined result was a small loss.
The Commodore and all club officers were re-elected for another year. Charlie Morgan succeeded Richard Robinson as Hon Solicitor, and David Jerram took over from Louis Derham as Hon Auditor. Stewart Colley, Hugh McLaughlin and Johannes Wagner were elected to the Management Committee, David Jerram, David Jones and Jeremy Vines to the Sailing Committee, and Anne Bayne, Sue Harris, Philippa Morris, Leonie Steer and Caroline Timbrell to the House Committee.
Phil England proposed a vote of thanks to both re-elected and retiring officers and committee members, who were applauded for their work on behalf of the club.
Missing Mike
Stephens wins Uffa's Spoon
Some 75 members gathered at Tamesis for the Vice Commodore's Dinner on Saturday 16 February to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Uffa's Spoon, the trophy presented to the club by Uffa Fox in 1932 to recognise the biggest follies of the year, and applauded its award in absentia to Mike Stephens, the Merlin Rocket Class Captain. David Baker, last year's winner, said that Mike had been selected from a profusion of nominations for two indiscretions - having one of his Merlins impounded in the Queen Mary SC dinghy park after trailing it there the day before the Reservoir was closed because of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and for getting his spinnaker halyard caught round a mooring post at Minima YC's Merlin open meeting and having to shin up to free it. Maxine Webb, who was crewing for him at the time, received the trophy on his behalf, and said Mike's pole vault was loudly applauded by members of the public who watched his antics from the bank.
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David Baker presents Uffa's Spoon to Maxine Webb
Maxine was herself nominated for having to be fished out of the Thames after jumping for and missing a jetty on coming ashore from a National 18 race. Vice Commodore Chris Morris also congratulated her on the gold medal won by her daughter, Sarah, at the Yngling World Championship in Florida the previous day. (Please see RACE REPORTS ).
Chris Morris had his audience in stitches of laughter as he recounted a recent occasion on which Rear Commodore (House) Steve Katz locked himself in the lavatory while alone in the clubhouse and had to call his wife on his mobile phone to come to free him. Steve was invited to cut a tape to open the new disabled toilet, which had been under construction at the time of the incident, before new locks were fitted. Commodore Peter Mason also came under the spotlight for locking himself in the bar after serving drinks to members of the Wednesday Bridge Group - he vaulted over the bar counter to ask one of the group to get the keys to open the door only to find the key would not unlock it. It transpired that the door was not locked, just a bit stiff on its hinges, and needed only a good push to open it.
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Chris Morris lists the nominations
Club Captain Phil England presented a slideshow of photos showing the many mistakes made in re-erecting the club flagstaff after repairs, and the Vice Commodore told a story of how Club Bosun Peter Simpson and Harbour Master Richard Howells, while endeavouring to measure the flagstaff's height, were told by a blonde lady member that all they had to do was to lower it to the ground and run a tape measure along its length.
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Peter Simpson contemplates the height of the flagstaff
The Seacock Trophy, presented for the biggest cock up by a yacht in the Offshore Group on the annual Offshore Race and Rally, went to Jeremy Vines, skipper of Pickle, who forgot to obtain the gate code for his pontoon and was left with his crew in a howling gale and pouring rain with no access to their berths after the rally dinner at the Royal Lymington YC. They had to "borrow" a flooded dinghy and all got very wet rowing round to their yacht.
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Jeremy Vines receives the Seacock Trophy from Pat Osgood, the wife of its donor
A home from home in Spain
Tamesis has the reputation of being one of the best restaurants on the River Thames. It is not surprising, therefore, that members travelling overseas should be choosy about where they eat. Imagine the surprise of Rob Wilder, in Valencia on Monday 11 February for the launch of a new Ericsson Volvo 70 for which his company had supplied composites, when he came across another Tamesis. So he popped in for a beer and for a chat with the proprietor. Here is a picture to prove it.
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Sarah Webb wins Yngling world title in Miami
Tamesis member Sarah Webb and her crewmates, Sarah Ayton and Pippa Wilson, won gold medals when they defended their title as Yngling world champions at the 2008 World Championships in Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida, from 11 to 15 February. Please see RACE REPORTS page. They had finished fifth in the preliminary Olympic classes regatta a week previously after having been officially selected by the British Olympic Association on Tuesday 8 January to represent Britain at the Olympic regatta at Qingdao in August. Their selection, announced together with six other leading sailors as part of Team GBR, followed their naming by the Royal Yachting Association on Tuesday 18 September as first choice to represent Britain at the games. See ROYAL YACHTING ASSOCIATION website for more details.
Sarah Webb, Sarah Ayton and Pippa Wilson were named British Olympic Athletes of 2007 at the Skandia Team GBR annual awards dinner at Southampton on Friday 23 November. They were congratulated on their outstanding performances at the main events of the year including the World Championship at Cascais and the Olympic Test Regatta at Qingdao, where they won gold medals.
Tamesis Commodore Peter Mason received the following report from Sarah Webb on Saturday 9 February. Please click on YNGLING NEWSLETTER for details.
Joe McLaughlin launches new Solo
Joe McLaughlin launched his new Solo, Bada Bing! (4850), after the end of racing on Sunday 13 January and went for an exhilarating sail after doing his Race Officer duty on a day that produced the strongest wind and fastest stream for many weeks. There are now five Tamesis members who own Solos and the class looks like becoming a popular alternative to existing classes with a possibility of having its own races. See also Rob Wilder launches new Solo below.
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Death of Rowan Ayers
Rowan Ayers, a keen member of the Tamesis Merlin Rocket fleet in the 1950s and 1960s, died in Australia on Saturday 5 January aged 85. A journalist and BBC television producer, Rowan sailed a Proctor mark IXb called Zigger Zagger. He was a member of the Merlin Rocket Owners Association Committee and served as class publicity officer in the early 1960s. Brian Southcott remembers him as a popular member who was known for his "jokey" remarks.
Tamesis engineer helps restore and operate world's largest steam engines
When he is not sailing or working on the engine of the club rescue boat, Peter Simpson, Hon. Bosun and a former Commodore of Tamesis, spends much of his spare time working on two vastly bigger engines which for 52 years pumped drinking water to the homes of millions of Londoners. Peter, a retired engineer, replied to an advertisement calling for volunteers to restore the two huge triple expansion steam engines at Kempton Park Water Works, which were replaced with electric pumps in 1980.
Peter told an audience of 36 Tamesis members on Thursday 3 January that he "fell in love" with the two 1,000 horse power engines, each 62 ft high, weighing in excess of 1,000 tons with 32 ton flywheels, which operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, pumping 19 million gallons of water a day between 1928 and 1980. He joined a 30-stong team of engineers who took on the job of restoring the engines in their magnificent brick and Portland stone pumping house for the Kempton Great Engines Trust, with the support of money from English Heritage and others. The engine house is now a registered National Monument and Peter was helping to run one of the engines when it was formally re-opened by the Prince of Wales in December 2002. The Number 6 Engine is open to members of the public at "steaming weekends" throughout the year. Peter concluded his illustrated talk by playing a DVD showing one of the engines quietly turning at 18 rpm to the music of a Viennese waltz. In contrast, the club rescue boat engine has a speed of 3,600 rpm and makes much more noise!
Commodore outlines plans for the funding and development of Tamesis Clubhouse - members to be asked to approve changes at extraordinary general meeting and AGM
In a New Year newsletter to
Tamesis members, Commodore Peter Mason says, "Tamesis is a real haven of
activity and we really do want to live up to our vision to be 'One of the most
active and popular sailing clubs in South West London' as well as be 'a friendly
Club that welcomes new members'.
"What has been done to date and our future plans.:
"Key
dates
Feb 2002 - AGM agreed
consideration be given to re-develop the Clubhouse with the bar to be
re-positioned on the south side of the building and the kitchen in
place of the bar in its present position
May 2003 - Special General
Meeting unanimously agreed the scheme should proceed only when the financial
situation satisfactorily resolved
Feb 2007 - A planning
sub-committee formed to examine the best way forward and examine all the
problems and opportunities involved
"Club
Improvements 2003 – 2007
Repositioning of internal spiral staircase leading to Starter’s Box
externally
Removal of the awkward lobby so increasing available space in the
Clubroom
Single glazed window wall units facing the river replaced with UPVC
double glazed units with additional glazing in lower panels providing much
enhanced views
Heating radiators replaced with low level convector units
Lighting in clubroom upgraded together with additional power points
Re-decoration, floor carpet replaced and a dance square added
Lottery funding of £5,000 in 2006 allowed for the construction of a
disabled ramp with an additional £4,850 for disabled toilets, on which work
will commence shortly.
"The
Way Ahead
Original Planning Consent expired in July 2007
New application lodged with Local Authority in October 2007 with
particular reference to the Environment Agency legislation involving
building in the flood plain
Planning consent should be known in the coming weeks
How can funding be achieved without causing problems to the general
running of normal Club activities?
"Financial
Implications
The amount we need to raise is some £175,000
From 2009, we shall lose Council Tax exemption of some £7,500 per
annum
"How?
Current Building Fund stands at £56,850
To overcome the loss of council tax relief, Tamesis should become
members of CASC – Community Amateur Sports Clubs and immediately benefit
from an 80% reduction in this charge, together with other generous tax
relief options.
To facilitate successful registration for CASC status the Club’s
Rules need to revised
There is a need to raise additional Funds. The planning committee are
reviewing a number of options that will be fully explained at the EGM in
January. They include:
Fund raising events
Donations, bequests, interest free loans
Debenture funding
CASC tax rebate
Hampton Fuel Allotment grant / loan
"CASC
STATUS - WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR TAMESIS
So what does CASC mean in
practice? Let’s look firstly at some of the benefits:
The principal benefits are in terms of tax reliefs that become
available. The club is treated as a company for tax purposes. This means
that it is potentially taxed on any income that is not derived from its
sporting activities or related mutual activities, e.g. the bar. So, interest
on bank deposits and trading profits, for example on sales of club clothing,
is taxable
The largest tax benefit, however, is in the terms of non domestic
rates where the Council have to give 80% mandatory rates relief. Our rate
charge is about £7,500 per annum.
One of the other indirect benefits is that individuals giving
donations to the club can get tax relief as if they were giving to a charity
and the club can claim some tax back as well. For example, a higher rate tax
payer giving £100 will receive £23 of extra tax relief and the club will
be able to claim £28. So, for the cost to the club member of £77, the club
receives £128 – not a bad return!!
Now
let’s look at what conditions the club has to meet to obtain CASC status.
Firstly, we should make it clear that CASC status does not mean the club
becomes a registered charity.
In broad terms, the qualifications are that the
club must
Encourage participation in an eligible sport
Be open to the whole community
Be organised on an amateur status
The
Management Committee hope that members will be comfortable with the situation
and will understand the need for the amendments to rules."
Santa's hoe, hoe, hoe at Christmas lunch
Contrary to the expectations of the Tamesis flag officers, who had been told Santa Claus was too busy to attend the Club's Christmas Lunch on Sunday 9 December, he swept in unannounced and won earthy applause from the 70 members present by saying all Santas were keen gardeners because they were always saying "hoe, hoe, hoe". Members cheerily waved their forks in support. Clearly, magic was in the air because in the traditional carols led by Vice Commodore, Chris Morris, the singing of "On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me....", the "four calling birds" became "four Merlin Rockets", the "five golden rings" were "five Olympic rings", and the "six geese a-laying" mutated to "six Lasers sailing". Commodore Peter Mason warmly thanked Anne Bayne and her fellow members of the House Committee and other members for preparing and cooking an excellent turkey lunch with all the trimmings, plus Christmas pud. Presenting the raffle prizes, he said the proceeds would go to a charity chosen by Waitrose, who gave a bottle of champagne, which was won by Jean England. Other winners were Joan Southcott (wine), Chris Morris (wine), Peggy Morris (Christmas pudding) and Viv Burchill (Christmas pudding). He also presented Christmas pudding prizes to some of the Merlins and Lasers who had earlier turned out in the rain to battle against a strong stream in rather less wind than had been forecast.
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Ho, ho, ho - it's no joke for a cracking Santa (Photo: Tony Steer)
Rob Wilder launches new Solo
Rob Wilder's new Solo, Wild One (4836) was launched by his two year old daughter, Milly Fei, with dad's help at Tamesis Club on Sunday morning 25 November. Rob plans to compete on the Solo open meeting circuit along with former Merlin Class Captain, Joe McLaughlin, who has also ordered a new Solo. Dave Dobrijevic of Dynamic Sales was at the club to make sure the rig was satisfactory. Rob, who is currently British Moth national champion, plans to combine his Solo racing with participation in some of the main British Moth class events and hopes to win the championship for the third year running in 2008. Rob's Solo was built by Winder Boats and Joe's is being built by Boon Boats.
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Rob helps his daughter Milly pour champagne over his new Solo, Wild One.
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Rob tries out his new boat (Photo: Dave Dobrijevic)
Steve Katz wins Commodore's Trophy
Tamesis Rear Commodore Steve Katz won the Commodore's Trophy and the enthusiastic applause of the 60 members who attended the Club's annual prizegiving dinner on Saturday 24 November for cooking the excellent three-course meal that preceded the awards ceremony. The trophies were presented by Caryline Warner, wife of Ariel SC's Commodore, Malcolm Warner, who were the guests of Tamesis Commodore Peter Mason. Please see PRIZEWINNERS page for a full list of 2007 trophy winners.
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Steve Katz in the kitchen before the ceremony began
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Joe McLaughlin with the Merlin's Black Mark Trophy
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Ken Duffell and Brian Corking with the G W Smith Trophy
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02.05.08