Weymouth
Sailing
Club

As you digest the 2012 Sailing Programme I'm sure you'll have noticed that the two Ladies' Races; Mrs Mitchell's Salver and the Mary Mackarness Jug have changed their format.

There has been a long history of Ladies racing in WSC since the first race was sailed on 9th August 1922, with the committee ruling "none but ladies might handle the tiller".

Ninety years later and things have certainly changed, even from 1962 when 'Jason' in the Echo remarked:

In this new and most exciting year of 2012, the Olympic sailing will hopefully take place where it can be enjoyed by spectators onshore as well; with this in mind, it is interesting to consider how convenient for the Olympics the breakwater layout shown in this picture would have been, had it been implemented!

Back from Miami, French Star sailor Xavier Rohart sent me this photo of the weather in Marseilles last weekend - though he assures me it's very different in the summer! Xav asked me to find out if anyone would like to house-swap with friends of his who want to come to Weymouth for the Olympics.

This is the third year that Weymouth Sailing Club members have celebrated Saint Agatha’s Feast – she is the Patron Saint of breast cancer. A superb feast prepared by Pete & Ali was followed by a raffle of stupendous prizes donated by O’Three, Perry Marine, Bussells Chandlers and several members of the club. She Taylor had donated a Ladies Musto Jacket which was auctioned to the highest bidder & Chris Wilson made a busty cake which was also auctioned.

A film of Weymouth Lifeboats in action, made to support RNLI S.O.S event. Footage taken from 2011 shouts and previous years.

RNLI Weymouth Lifeboats in action 2012

It was the weekend of Saturday January 28th & Sunday January 29th that saw a merry crew of volunteers embark on the decorating and maintenance weekend including the refurbishment of the roof terrace decking.

The final stages of the Star class world event in Miami saw French WSC temporary members Xavier Rohart and Pierre-Alexis Ponsot (back row left in photo) justify their recent selection for the Olympic team by winning the silver medal, after a double-bullet comeback on the last day and a second in the medal race - which was won by WSC NZ temporary member Hamish Pepper (centre right of back row in shades)!

The annual dinner and dance took place at the Pavilion's Ocean Rooms last weekend. The black tie event was also attended by The Mayor of Weymouth and Portland councillor Graham Winter and his wife Mary alongside Coxswain of Weymouth Lifeboat Andrew Sargent and his wife Helen.

After a spell of such extreme weather, it was great to watch a window develop on the weather sites towards the end of last week, and with the help of Nick Frampton and Kevin Sear on the new crane, I was able to get ‘Pippa’ ready for our first Channel cruise of 2012.

On 6th December 2012 the YOB's prize giving at Weymouth Sailing Club took place. Probably the most important evening in the clubs diary as we see the future of our club collect their cups from 2011. Emma Stevenson collected the trophy for the Thursday series 2 from Mark Bugler who won it in 1972 and 1973 as a cadet, beating our current adult sailors, (you never know she could be handing out the trophies in 2052!).