Tamesis Club

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Training from Home 44

by
Welcome
Fair fa yer honest sauncy  face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
A boon them a ye tack yer place
Paunch tripe and tharim
Weel are ye worthy of a grace
As longs ma airm .
That’s a bit of Burns Address to the Haggis which in happier times you might have heard at a Burns supper in the club this weekend

I wasn’t that keen on Burns at school but got into him when I was knocking about with the folk music lot in Belfast where I held my first supper .
The guests had brought everything from Guinness, real ale, white wine and Polish vodka leading to a spectacular hangover on the following Sunday when all the pubs were shut .  The next attempt was in Jeddah using tinned haggis served with the local hooch Sadiqui coloured with cold tea and flavoured with non alcoholic whisky essence .

For many years now I’ve been running them in London at home or for the BBC Wine and Beer Society or Ariel Sailing club .
I had one Haggis explode , one with a little face on and worst of all one served with roast potatoes and sprouts .
The typical format is
Selkirk grace
Scotch Broth
Address to the Haggis
Haggis Neeps and Tatties
Immortal Memory
Athol  Brose
Toast and reply To The Lasses
Coffee cheese and biscuits
After that we’d have music and dancing

With mainly English audiences I learned that traditional Scots songs about Wallace Bruce Banockburn and so on didn’t go down well so wrote my own songs

We’re all met together to sit and to eat
Whith nae oilskins on out backs nae wellies on our feet
Frae the really top helms to the back of the fleet
All they do is just talk about sailing .

Tammy is the nicest club that you could ever find
The fees are really cheep the instructors really kind
There’s booze and boats and water and sometimes even wind
Which is all that you need for the sailing .

Etc

Sailors Sayings
Burns didn’t write much about sailing but I used this example In a toast to the lasses
Their tricks and craft have put me daft
They’ve taken me in and a that
But “Clear the decks “ and here’s the Sex
I love the jades for a that !
Yachtmasters Quiz
A2.1 You should pass the buoy to starboard as it is a West Cardinal buoy with the hazard to the East .
Q 2.2 Which of these vessels give way to a sailing vessel
a not under control
b fishing
c restricted ability to manoeuvre
d pilot vessel
Incompetent crew
Up & breakfast at 6.30 ready to go into the lock at 8.20 (two hours before low tide )
All five boats managed to get thru on time but the big motor cruiser May Marian lost the navigable channel and ran aground .
As they had power and would only float off when the tide turned we carried on sailing past the chain of islands described in the Riddle of the Sands and arrived in Norderney at about 6Stay safe
Eric

Tammy Matters

by

Welcome to any new readers of Tammy Matters

Scroll to the end of this e-mail to see the News articles

Yet again I have to report that, although it is possible to see the Regulations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the latest Regulations for England have still not been published and there is only Guidance on what we are allowed to do in Lockdown, which is unchanged from last week.  The Guidance on the RYA site reflects this.

The information on the Noticeboard and the Red Banner show the restrictions which the guidance indicates apply in England.  Use this link to read the Tamesis Noticeboard.

Last Week  19th to 25th January

As was the case last week, no sailing-related activity took place at the Club this week.  However, some Members were surprised to see a large floating crane moored alongside the Dinghy Park.  Walsh’s have been renewing the finger jetty, on the left of the large slip, which had been becoming increasingly wobbly recently.  The new jetty is considerably more robust, is not tapered like the old one and the contractor has fitted the fenders which had been salvaged from the old jetty.  The crane will remain in place for the next three weeks, or so, and it is hoped that the water level may drop sufficiently for the rotted sections of campshedding to be replaced before the crane moves to its next job.  See the pictures of the new jetty in News.

There was no Virtual Racing this week.

RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship

Tamesis Club has registered to take part, along with 71 other Clubs:  Richard Harris is the Club Champion who will go forward to the National Finals which will be live as part of the Virtual Dinghy Show at the end of February.  The NOR and SIs for the event are to be found here
 https://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/sportsdevelopment/NOR%20and%20SI%202020%20esailing%20Winter%20Championships.pdf

Looking Forward

We intend to resume sailing and to resume Points Series racing on Sundays whenever the Government Regulations are changed to permit this.  The current trend in infection rates is, however, still not encouraging although the vaccination programme is now well under way.

When we are able to resume racing we will use our established pandemic format with Starts for – Lasers 10:30, N18/Toppers/Handicap 11:00 and Merlins 11:30 for as long as is necessary.

Tamesis Club Junior Summer Camps 2021 – Update

Thank you to everyone who has expressed an interest in this year’s Camps.  Bookings have been very strong and we now only have a handful of places left for the originally planned four weeks of activity.  The Club is considering adding an additional week, w/c 23rd August which will create another 12 spaces.  If you are interested, please contact Tim Medcalf on timothymedcalf@yahoo.co.uk

Tammy Natters

We reinstituted Tammy Natters last week, which was  enjoyed by all participants, and Zoe will again host an informal Zoom chat at 12:45 on Sunday 31st January for those who would like to see some well-known faces.  The link is

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/72951946571?pwd=UjFNa3phMnloSFJPZnR4RzkzNFA3QT09.

Meeting ID: 729 5194 6571
Passcode: jBw31C

Notices

Sailing at the Club – as and when it becomes permitted

Although the RYA believes that boating is legitimate as exercise, our grounds and slip not being public space would indicate that we are not allowed into the boat park.  Until things are clarified Members are asked not to go to the Club.

Advice on casual sailing, when permitted, in winter conditions is on the  Tamesis Noticeboard.

River conditions

At this time of the year the stream can become strong as a result of heavy rain in the area upstream.  On Saturday the stream was running at about 3.5 knots, which equated to about 250 m3/sec.  Before attempting to sail, check the river conditions (particularly flow) at Kingston, which are relevant to our reach.  They can usually be seen at
https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249. but regrettably the Kingston sensor is not working at the moment.

The Environment Agency posts a general digest of conditions on the river which can be seen at
River Thames Conditions – Environment Agency

Links for these two sites have been put in via ‘Smithy On-line’ on the Home page of the Tamesis website.

Harbourmaster

Andrew Horwitz, the Harbourmaster, has been working on a system for ensuring that boats at the Club are identifiable and to assist James, the Assistant Treasurer, to send correct invoices for mooring fees.  He has developed an identifying sticker which, in the near future, will be placed on the transom of every boat resident at the Club.

Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing, effective 1 January 2021

World Sailing has recently published changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).  If you would like to learn more, Chris Simon from the RYA gave the following talk which provides a very clear explanation.  This video runs just over 1 hour and can be viewed at  2021 racing rules explained by Chris Simon. Int judge & umpire. Member of RYA Racing Rules Committee.

Pilates

Joanne Zorian, who in normal times runs classes at Tamesis, has a new January Zoom Pilates time-table.   (The offer for 4 £10.00 classes at £35.00 remains)

Monday            10:30       60 mins     General           £10
Tuesday            8:00        45 mins      Level 2            £10
Wednesday      10:00       35 mins     General           £5
Friday               10:00       35 mins     Gentle & fun   £5
Saturday           10:00       60 mins     General           £10

If anyone would like any more information they can contact Nicky Johnson on  nickyjohnsontamesis@gmail.com or joanne@joannezorian.co.uk

Chris Pollard
Commodore

 

 

Richard Harris is Club Champion for RYA

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Tamesis Club selects Club Champion to compete in the RYA’s Winter Virtual Club Championship
A select but competitive group of racers convened on the simulated waters of Virtual Regatta to compete for the honour of representing Tamesis Club at the upcoming RYA Winter Virtual Club Championships.  The regional rounds of the RYA’s event will see sailors from 72 clubs compete for a place in the finals which are timed to coincide with the Virtual Dinghy Show in late February.
The Tamesis selection races followed the same format as the RYA will use in the finals namely six races, each in a different class of boat.  Race tracks were selected from around the world including, fittingly, an outing on Auckland harbour.  Happily, although there were thrills and a few spills, none of the competitors suffered the same level of catastrophe as American Magic had earlier in the day.
Wins were spread throughout the fleet and the selection outcome wasn’t clear until the results were input to the master spreadsheet.
The conclusion was that Richard Harris will represent the Club by virtue of countback besting Mike Blackledge.  Richard only dropped out of the podium places once and scored two wins to Mike’s one.
We wish Richard every success in the RYA’s event and it was great to see some fierce competition, if only in a virtual world.
Tim Medcalf

Training from Home 43

by
Welcome
If you aren’t into navigation last weeks quiz answer might not make much sense so I asked Howard for an explanation as follows

The question mentions we are heading North across The Channel (60 Miles). In the real world a yacht going 6-7 knots is going to take 12 hours to cross The Channel and will have the effect of a flood tide and an ebb.
In a motor boat it does not matter when you leave if you go in a straight line. You will have a variety of tidal flows to the east for the 6 hours of the flood, followed by 6 hours of westward ebb. The rhumb line will be due North but the track on the plotter will display a “S” shaped COG.
In a yacht I suppose they are expecting you to tack once after 6 hours to take advantage of the upcoming ebb. (Not mentioned in question or answer)
In a yacht I would keep tacking regularly (every hour maybe) making progress over the ground North. I would ignore the east west push of the tide until I was more than half way across, because the tides are predictable, a wind shift away from due North is more likely to shape my Navigational plan.
But in reality, I would probably wait for the prevailing SW to return. Every weekend I always beat to windward and come home down wind. Beating home when the weather worsens is miserable.
As for me – Sailing with my skipper Roger we often had an appointment to keep so he would bung some trusted waypoints on the chart plotter and use the engine to counter any adverse winds .
He is also a bit dismissive of “Hand steering “ although my dinghy skills including gybe slaloms have helped out particularly when the engine misbehaved .
If the electronics had failed basic navigation would have come in handy .
Here is a useful starter.
Subject: Basic Boat Navigation: Creating a Route with Bearings to Navigate By

Take a look at this video on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/dp9lXsr1z2I

I see sea shanties are trending on TicTok , when doing night watches I used the chorus from High Barbary to keep alert
“ Look ahead look astern
Look a weather and a-lee )
See what you might hit , what might hit you , what the weather is doing and anything else .
Most of our sailing is done on the same stretch of river but once a year we venture all the way to Hampton Court
Sailors Sayings
Between the devil and the deep blue sea .
Yachtmasters Quiz
A1.0 The minimum distance sailed for the Yachtmaster qualification is 2500 miles over 50 days including 5passages of over 60 miles 2overnights and 2 as skipper .
Q2.1 You are sailing on a course of 180T ahead is a buoy with light characteristic 0(9)15s which way do you turn?
Incompetent Crew
Once the Dokkum swing bridge opened we set off for Groningen via Lauersoog
Somehow the plan got changed to going back to sea and visiting the Frisian islands (Riddle of the Sands territory)
The marina at Lauersoog is pretty busy but lies in a nature reserve next to a busy harbour
I managed a quick swim before we went out for a meal in a weirdly automated fish restaurant .
Stay safe
Eric Finlayson

Tammy Matters

by

Welcome to any new readers of Tammy Matters

Scroll to the end of this e-mail to see the News articles

Yet again I have to report that the latest Regulations have still not been published and the Guidance on what we are allowed to do in Lockdown is unchanged.  The Guidance on the RYA site reflects this.

The information on the Noticeboard and the Red Banner indicates the restrictions which apply in England.  Use this link to read the Tamesis Noticeboard.

Last Week  12th to 18th January

No sailing related activity took place at the Club this week.  However, Charles Fox progressed final works towards commissioning the new Goldsmithy.

On Thursday evening, Richard Harris continued the new series of Virtual Racing with a view to providing practice for people who were thinking of entering the RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship.

RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship

On Sunday morning Tim Medcalf ran the series of eRaces to determine our Club Champion who will go forward to compete in the Regional and (hopefully) National Finals.  There were six races, each featuring a different class of boat.  There was a good entry and Richard Harris was declared the Club Champion who will go forward to the National Finals, which will be live as part of the Virtual Dinghy Show at the end of February.

See the report on the selection Regatta by Tim Medcalf in News.

Tamesis Club has registered to take part along with 71 other Clubs, and the NOR and SIs for the event are to be found here:  https://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/sportsdevelopment/NOR%20and%20SI%202020%20esailing%20Winter%20Championships.pdf

Looking Forward

We intend to resume sailing and to resume Points Series racing on Sundays whenever the Government Regulations are changed to permit this.  The current trend in infection rates is, however, still not encouraging although the vaccination programme is now well under way.

When we are able to resume racing we will use our established pandemic format with Starts for – Lasers 10:30, N18/Toppers/Handicap 11:00 and Merlins 11:30 for as long as is necessary.

Tamesis Club Junior Summer Camps 2021

Following on from the success of 2019 and 2020, the Club will be running four week-long Summer Camps in 2021 starting on 26 July.

The Camps are ideal for youngsters aged 8-15 and combine lots of fun and games with formal tuition and coaching.  Each week we can accommodate a dozen children who will be supervised by an RYA-accredited training team.  Not only do the children come away with an RYA Stages qualification but also life skills and a new set of friends.

The Tamesis Club Camps are different from many others as the days are longer, we have a higher number of Instructors compared to students which increases the level of personal attention that can be provided, and (Covid regulations permitting) we include an overnight stay on a boat at the Club .

Feedback has been excellent and already many of the 2020 attendees have booked again for 2021.

You can read a write-up of the 2020 Camp here: https://www.tamesisclub.co.uk/2020/08/22/tamesis-club-childrens-summer-camps-a-great-success/

The Camps always fill up quickly.  If you are interested please contact Tim Medcalf  timothymedcalf@yahoo.co.uk  to guarantee a place.

Tammy Natters

Tammy Natters is back.  Zoe will host an informal Zoom chat at 12:45 on Sunday for those who would like to see some well known faces.  The link is

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73666404414?pwd=VU9vaXc1dkltdldJVkVtZlZ0aldjdz09

Meeting ID: 736 6640 4414
Passcode: ikr91q

Notices

Sailing at the Club – as and when it becomes permitted

Although the RYA believes that boating is legitimate as exercise, our grounds and slip not being public space would indicate that we are not allowed into the boat park.  Until things are clarified Members are asked not to go to the Club.

Advice on casual sailing, when permitted, in winter conditions is on the  Tamesis Noticeboard

River conditions

At this time of the year the stream can become strong as a result of heavy rain in the area upstream.  At the moment it is generally increasing.  Before attempting to sail, check the river conditions (particularly flow) at Kingston, which are relevant to our reach.  They can be seen at
https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249.

The Environment Agency posts a general digest of conditions on the river which can be seen at
River Thames Conditions – Environment Agency

Links for these two sites have been put in via ‘Smithy On-line’ on the Home page of the Tamesis website.

Harbourmaster

Andrew Horwitz, the Harbourmaster, has been working on a system for ensuring that boats at the Club are identifiable and to assist James, the Assistant Treasurer, to send correct invoices for mooring fees.  He has developed an identifying sticker which, in the near future, will be placed on the transom of all boats resident at the Club.

Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing, effective 1 January 2021

World Sailing has recently published changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).  If you would like to learn more, Chris Simon from the RYA gave the following talk which provides a very clear explanation.  This video runs just over 1 hour and can be viewed at  2021 racing rules explained by Chris Simon. Int judge & umpire. Member of RYA Racing Rules Committee.

Pilates

Joanne Zorian, who in normal times runs classes at Tamesis, has a new January Zoom Pilates time-table.   (The offer for 4 £10.00 classes at £35.00 remains)

Monday            10:30       60 mins     General           £10
Tuesday            8:00        45 mins     Level 2             £10
Wednesday      10:00       35 mins    General            £5
Friday               10:00       35 mins     Gentle & fun   £5
Saturday           10:00       60 mins     General           £10

If anyone would like any more information they can contact Nicky Johnson on  nickyjohnsontamesis@gmail.com or joanne@joannezorian.co.uk

Chris Pollard
Commodore

 

 

Tammy Matters

by

Welcome to any new readers of Tammy Matters

Scroll to the end of this e-mail to see the News articles

The Regulations have still not been published and the Guidance on what we are allowed to do in Lockdown does not cover sailing and its infrastructure very well so I am still unable to detail precisely what it means for the Membership. The information available states that outdoor sports venues must be closed and I have added a digest of those parts of the Government guidelines which I think are relevant to Club activity on the Noticeboard.

The information on the Noticeboard and the Red Banner indicates the restrictions which apply in England.  Use this link to read the Tamesis Noticeboard.

Last Week  5th to 11th January

As a result of the current Lockdown, no significant activity took place at the Club this week.

On Thursday evening, Richard Harris instigated a new series of Virtual Racing with a view to providing practice for people who were thinking of entering the RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship.

See the information about the eSailing Championships in the Notices below.

Sailing at the Club

Although the RYA believes that boating is legitimate as exercise, our grounds and slip not being public space would indicate that we are not allowed into the boat park.  Until things are clarified Members are asked not to go to the Club.

If, in due course, sailing becomes permissible, the following advice must be observed.

The stream can be strong during the winter months.  Those who choose to sail at the Club, during the period when there is no formal racing taking place and there is no Patrol Boat cover provided, should check river conditions before doing so.  They are also encouraged to arrange to sail with an accompanying boat, particularly if intending to sail single handed.  If the river is flowing fast and the wind is such that there is a chance of capsizing, Members should not sail if no accompanying boat can be arranged.  Merlins and N18s do not go well if they get full of water and with a strong stream running and no patrol boat there is not really a Plan B if you do go over – and the weir awaits.  The best you could do is paddle to the shore to empty out but you would need get the boat upright to do that.

Members are also reminded of the requirement to have personal and masthead buoyancy and the wearing of wetsuits is highly recommended, particularly for the reduction of thermal shock.

Looking Forward

We intend to resume sailing and to resume Points Series racing on Sundays whenever the Government Regulations are changed to permit this.  The current trend in infection rates is, however, not encouraging.

When we are able to resume racing we will use our established pandemic format with Starts for – Lasers 10:30, N18/Toppers/Handicap 11:00 and Merlins 11:30 for as long as is necessary.

Notices

RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship

The RYA has announced its eSailing Winter Club Championship and Tamesis Club has registered to take part.  A series of races will be held to determine our Club Champion who will go forward to compete in the Regional and (hopefully) National Finals.  The National Finals will form part of the Virtual Dinghy Show at the end of February.

Wanted: a Tamesis Club Virtual Regatta Champion!

Following the success of the RYA’s Virtual Sailing Club Spring Championship last year, the RYA will be running a Winter Championship in early February with finals happening live as part of the Virtual Dinghy Show.  The NOR and SIs are to be found here:  https://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/sportsdevelopment/NOR%20and%20SI%202020%20esailing%20Winter%20Championships.pdf

Tamesis Club has registered to take part along with 71 other Clubs, and we need to select our Club Champion who will then compete in the regional finals and (hopefully) the finals.

Our selection will take place on Sunday 17 January with the first race starting at 10:30.  There will be six races in total, all of them to count, one in each of the classes that will be used in the RYA’s event; read the NOR for more details.  Tim Medcalf will be OOD for the races and the Tamesis Club Whatsapp Groups will be the primary communication point e.g. for pass codes and so on.

We know that we have some strong virtual sailing competitors in the Club so there should be a good turn out and some fun racing.

Further information will be provided by Tim Medcalf via the Tamesis Club Sailing WhatsApp Group.

River conditions

At this time of the year the stream can become strong as a result of heavy rain in the area upstream.  At the moment it is generally increasing.  Before attempting to sail, check the river conditions (particularly flow) at Kingston, which are relevant to our reach.  They can be seen at
https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249.

The Environment Agency posts a general digest of conditions on the river which can be seen at
River Thames Conditions – Environment Agency

Links for these two sites have been put in via ‘Smithy On-line’ on the Home page of the Tamesis website.

Harbourmaster

Andrew Horwitz, the Harbourmaster, has been working on a system for ensuring that boats at the Club are identifiable and to assist James, the Assistant Treasurer, to send correct invoices for mooring fees.  He has developed an identifying sticker which, in the near future, will be placed on the transom of all boats resident at the Club.

Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing, effective 1 January 2021

World Sailing has recently published changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).  If you would like to learn more, Chris Simon from the RYA gave the following talk which provides a very clear explanation.  This video runs just over 1 hour and can be viewed at  2021 racing rules explained by Chris Simon. Int judge & umpire. Member of RYA Racing Rules Committee.

The Club will need to make a small number of minor changes to our Sailing Instructions and practices and these will be advised in due course via Tammy Matters and the Tamesis Club Sailing Whatsapp Group.

An offer has been accepted for the purchase of Merlin Rocket 3520.

Pilates

Joanne Zorian, who in normal times runs classes at Tamesis, has a new January Pilates time-table.  It features two 35 minutes zoom Pilates classes at £5.00 each, as well as the regular classes at £10 each.  (The offer for 4 £10.00 classes at £35.00 remains.)

If anyone would like any more information they can contact Nicky Johnson on  nickyjohnsontamesis@gmail.com or joanne@joannezorian.co.uk

 

Chris Pollard
Commodore

Training from Home 42

by

Welcome

I gave myself a bit of a holiday over Christmas but had found an article on avoidance of entrapment which with news of a Covid vaccine seemed to be appropriate .

It’s rather long but might help fill in the hours

Subject: Dealing with entrapments within dinghy sailing | October 2020 | Club Room | e-newsletters | News & Events | RYA – Royal Yachting Association

https://www.rya.org.uk/newsevents/e-newsletters/club-room/october2020/Pages/Dealing-with-entrapments-within-dinghy-sailing.aspx?utm_campaign=RYA+Club+Room+October+2020&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_content=&utm_medium=email
We do both dry land and practical capsize recovery  training and  teach that if in a capsize you wind up under the sail it’s quite easy to lift the canvas up enough to get your head above water to make your way out
As the vaccine is rolled out we may be about to turn the corner as the competitors in the Vendee Globe have just done by rounding Cape Horn so heading for home
Sailors Sayings  Batten down the hatches.  Seems appropriate
Yachtmasters Quiz
Question 1.9 was:  Setting off on a 60 mile passage Northwards across the channel wind Northerly force 4 the nearest tidal diamond give 085T 2.2kn .  On which tack some you start?
Answer  1.9   Starboard so tidal steam pushes the boat towards the thumb line
Question 1.10 What minimum mileage is required by a Yachtmaster candidate?
Incompetent Crew
Having finally passed Leuwarden we made it to Dokkum by about 4 .
The marina here is effectively part of the canal which circles the town as a defensive moat .
We found a mooring opposite a ridiculously typical windmill then set off to explore the town .
There is lots to look at in Docum and plenty good pubs
We ate on board and had an early night ready for a long trip on the morrow !
Stay safe
Eric Finlayson

Tammy Matters

by

Welcome to any new readers of Tammy Matters

Scroll to the end of this e-mail to see the News articles

The return to ‘Lockdown’ has happened so close to publication of this Newsletter that I am unable to detail precisely what it means for the Membership but the information available states that outdoor sports venues must close.

The information in the Noticeboard and the Red Banner indicates the restrictions which apply in England.  Use this link to read the Tamesis Noticeboard.

Last Week  29th December to 3rd January

A reduced Wednesday Working Party continued making improvements to the Club infrastructure.  Charles Fox has been fixing the skirting to the new Race Box.  During the time of little or no use, the infestation of Black Headed Gulls which we have been suffering has been making a mess of Tamesis 3 at her moorings.  Peter Johnson and Paul Jamieson have constructed a tarpaulin cover which, it is hoped, will thwart the gulls’ efforts.

One Merlin, manned by an experienced and capable crew, ventured out on the river on Sunday and  sailed against the strongish stream.

Sailing at the Club

Until things are clarified Members are asked not to go to the Club.  If sailing becomes permissible the following advice should be observed.

The stream can be strong during the winter months and those who choose to sail at the Club during the period when there is no formal racing taking place should check river conditions and are encouraged to arrange to sail with an accompanying boat, particularly if intending to sail single handed.  If the river is flowing fast and the wind is such that there is a chance of capsizing Members are advised not to sail if no accompanying boat can be arranged.  Merlins and N18s do not go well if they get full of water and with this stream running and no patrol boat there is not really a Plan B if you do go over – and the weir awaits.  The best you could do is paddle to the shore to empty out but you would need to be upright to do that.

Members are also reminded of the requirement to have personal and masthead buoyancy and the wearing of wetsuits is highly recommended, particularly for the reduction of thermal shock.

Looking Forward

We intend to resume sailing and to continue the Winter Points Series on the scheduled Sundays whenever the Government Regulations are changed to permit this.  The current trend in infection rates is, however, not encouraging.

When we are able to resume racing we will use our established pandemic format with Starts for – Lasers 10:30, N18/Toppers/Handicap 11:00 and Merlins 11:30 for as long as is necessary.

Notices

River conditions

At this time of the year the stream can become strong as a result of heavy rain in the area upstream.  At the moment it is generally increasing.  Before attempting to sail, check the river conditions (particularly flow) at Kingston, which are relevant to our reach.  They can be seen at
https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249.

The Environment Agency posts a general digest of conditions on the river which can be seen at
River Thames Conditions – Environment Agency

 

Harbourmaster

Andrew Horwitz, the Harbourmaster, has been working on a system for ensuring that boats at the Club are identifiable and to assist James, the Assistant Treasurer, for sending correct invoices for mooring fees.  He has developed an identifying sticker which, in the near future, will be placed on the transom of all boats resident at the Club.

RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship

The RYA has announced its eSailing Winter Club Championship and Tamesis Club has registered to take part.  A series of races will be held in the New Year which will determine our Club Champion who will go forward to compete in the Regional and (hopefully) National Finals.  The National Finals will form part of the Virtual Dinghy Show at the end of February.  Further information will be provided by Tim Medcalf via the Tamesis Club Sailing WhatsApp Group.

Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing, effective 1 January 2021

World Sailing has recently published changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).  If you would like to learn more, Chris Simon from the RYA gave this talk which provides a very clear explanation:  This video runs just over 1 hour and can be viewed at  2021 racing rules explained by Chris Simon. Int judge & umpire. Member of RYA Racing Rules Committee.

The Club will need to make a small number of minor changes to our Sailing Instructions and practices and these will be advised in due course via Tammy Matters and the Tamesis Club Sailing Whatsapp group.

Merlin Rocket 3520.    Following a successful racing career, Merlin Rocket 3520 is now in need of TLC and a new owner.  The hull is an Ovington-built foam sandwich NSM2.  The boat is complete with a carbon mast, twin poles, an assortment of sails, cover and trolley.  It does, however, require some work to identify and plug leaks, repaint the hull, repair the foils, as well as some re-roping and a tidy up.  If this project is of interest, please forward your financial offers to the Commodore, Chris Pollard, by Sunday 10 January using the General Inquiry category on the website’s Contact Us.

Pilates

During this year Joanne Zorian, who in normal times runs classes at Tamesis, has been running ‘Lockdown Monday Pilates Live-On-Line Classes’ which have continued throughout, maintaining well-being in mind and body.  A new January Pilates time-table available for everyone will be out soon and classes are £10 Pay-as-you-go or 4 for £35.00.  If anyone would like any more information they can contact Nicky Johnson on nickyjohnsontamesis@gmail.com or joanne@joannezorian.co.uk

Chris Pollard
Commodore

Tammy Matters

by

Welcome to any new readers of Tammy Matters

Scroll to the end of this e-mail to see the News articles

I hope that you have all had as good a Christmas as is possible under the current restrictions.  It feels quite unnatural to have to curb one’s inclination to be gregarious at this time of the year and it’s happening again this coming weekend at New Year.

We remain in Tier 4 for the foreseeable future which will prevent us from having any organised racing until it is lifted.  As was said last week, you can go to the Club but you can only interact with just one person who is not in your household or bubble which means that, if you go with a member of your household, nobody can legitimately talk to the two of you.  It is important that we observe the rules as provision has been made in the Tier 4 Regulations for swingeing fines to be levied.

The information in the Noticeboard was updated last week and that and the Red Banner indicate the restrictions which apply locally and there are links to the Government and RYA guidance on both.  Use this link to read the Tamesis Noticeboard.

As it would appear that announcements of changes to our Covid status habitually come up suddenly, I encourage all Members to join either the ‘Tamesis Club’ and/or the ‘Tamesis Club Sailing’ WhatsApp Group as this is the fastest means for us to communicate to you any change in what we are permitted to do.  Please join (or rejoin) either Group soon by asking via the ‘General Inquiry’ category in the ‘Contact Us’ section on the website.

Last Week  15th to 21st December.

A much reduced Wednesday Working Party continued making improvements to the Club infrastructure.  Amongst these, Peter Johnson completed the installation of a hoist for the Orange flag on the forward Transit pole which makes our start line compliant with the latest Racing Rules of Sailing, which come into effect on 1st January 2021.  He also installed the anemometer in the new Race Hut.

This Sunday’s racing was cancelled.

I went down to the Club on Monday to check whether any boats had been rolled over by the gale on Saturday night.  The only casualty was a white Enterprise which was restored to its trolley with the help of two Members who were attending to their boats.

Looking Forward

We intend to resume sailing and to continue the Winter Points Series on the scheduled Sundays whenever the Government Regulations are changed to permit this.  The current conditions are due to be reviewed on 30th December and we may hope that Tier 4 conditions are lifted as soon as is reasonable.

When we are able to resume racing we will use our established pandemic format with Starts for – Lasers 10:30, N18/Toppers/Handicap 11:00 and Merlins 11:30 for as long as is necessary.

In the meantime, Members are allowed to visit the Club and may sail casually provided that they comply with the Tier 4 rule of not interacting with more than one person outside their household or bubble and maintaining social distancing.

Those who choose to sail at the Club during the period when there is no formal racing taking place should check river conditions and are encouraged to arrange to sail with an accompanying boat, particularly if intending to sail single handed.  If the river is flowing fast and the wind is such that there is a chance of capsizing Members are advised not to sail if no accompanying boat can be arranged.  Members are reminded of the requirement for personal and masthead buoyancy and the wearing of wetsuits is highly recommended.

At this time of the year the stream can become strong as a result of heavy rain in the area upstream.  At the moment it is generally increasing.  Before attempting to sail, check the river conditions (particularly flow) at Kingston, which are relevant to our reach.  They can be seen at
https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Detail/1249

Notices

Harbourmaster

Andrew Horwitz, the Harbourmaster, has been working on a system for ensuring that boats at the Club are identifiable and so assist James, the Assistant Treasurer, in sending correct invoices for mooring fees.  He has developed an identifying sticker which, in the near future, will be placed on the transom of all boats resident at the Club.

RYA eSailing Winter Club Championship

The RYA has announced its eSailing Winter Club Championship and Tamesis Club has registered to take part.  A series of races will be held in the New Year which will determine our Club Champion who will go forward to compete in the Regional and (hopefully) National Finals.  The National Finals will form part of the Virtual Dinghy Show at the end of February.  Further information will be provided by Tim Medcalf via the Tamesis Club Sailing WhatsApp Group.

Changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing, effective 1 January 2021

World Sailing has recently published changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).  If you would like to learn more, Chris Simon from the RYA gave this talk which provides a very clear explanation:  This video runs just over 1 hour and can be viewed at  2021 racing rules explained by Chris Simon. Int judge & umpire. Member of RYA Racing Rules Committee.

The Club will need to make a small number of minor changes to our Sailing Instructions and practices and these will be advised in due course via Tammy Matters and the Tamesis Club Sailing Whatsapp group.

Merlin Rocket 3520.    Following a successful racing career, Merlin Rocket 3520 is now in need of TLC and a new owner.  The hull is an Ovington-built foam sandwich NSM2.  The boat is complete with a carbon mast, twin poles, an assortment of sails, cover and trolley.  It does, however, require some work to identify and plug leaks, repaint the hull, repair the foils, as well as some re-roping and a tidy up.  If this project is of interest, please forward your financial offers to the Commodore, Chris Pollard, by Sunday 10 January using the General Inquiry category on the website’s Contact Us.

Pilates

During this year Joanne Zorian, who in normal times runs classes at Tamesis, has been running ‘Lockdown Monday Pilates Live-On-Line Classes’ which have continued throughout, maintaining well-being in mind and body.  These Monday classes will continue over the Christmas period, as well as an 8am ‘Early Bird’ class on Tuesday 5th January.

A new January Pilates time-table available for everyone will be out soon and classes are £10 Pay-as-you-go or 4 for £35.00.  If anyone would like any more information they can contact Nicky Johnson on nickyjohnsontamesis@gmail.com or joanne@joannezorian.co.uk

Chris Pollard
Commodore