Summer sail racing and training action has started at Manx Sailing and Cruising Club in Ramsey in some decidedly un-summery weather.
It's been great to see the teams turning out in their cold weather gear to race, instruct and learn new skills.
First away was an RYA safety boat course for the patrol boat crews run by recently qualified powerboat instructors, teaching rescue and towing techniques so that racing sailors can be confident that their volunteer patrol boat crews know what they’re doing.
No fewer than six helms qualified, with more to come. A further powerboat course was held over a subsequent weekend teaching basics of handling and collision regulations,
The club then held an RYA senior instructor course, with all five attendees qualifying for this demanding position where responsibility for RYA training sessions is taught and practiced.
Elsie Hyett, Yogi Quayle, Bob Love, Huw Bevan and Teddy Dunn all passed, with the RYA instructors commenting that they were the most professional intake they had seen to date.
The club’s registered training centre was given its annual RYA inspection at the end of the course and passed with no action plan required for deficiencies.
After a false start because of another gale, the dinghy sailing training started with the adult course (12–14 students aged 19 to 90) on Wednesday evenings and continued with youth training (8–10 aged 10 to 18) on Monday evenings in the RS Quest and Feva dinghies.
These were funded by the Lottery Trust and Rotary over the years and the club’s team of volunteer instructors have put many trainees of all ages and capabilities through the various levels of the RYA sail training scheme over the last 20 years in the fleet.
MS&CC recently achieved sailability status with the RYA and have managed a few variously disabled persons taking part in activities in a safe and fun manner.
A race coaching weekend for the Manx Youth Sailing Squad with UK squad sailor Teddy Dunn coincided with the start of dinghy racing recently.
The Sunday series currently has Joe and Eric Whitelegg in the Enterprise leading a fleet of 11 boats, with Bob Love in the Laser Radial close behind and Angus Jolly’s RS Aero and Jerry Colman (Finn) also in touch.
Only one Thursday series evening session has been held so far and, with Colman winning both races, he has a bit of a lead. But, unless the rest of the series is cancelled because of the weather or Commodore’s decree, it’s probably not enough.
Next on the agenda is an RYA first aid course being run by welfare officer, ex-commodore and newly-qualified RYA yachtmaster Dr May Chan this Saturday.
She did the exam in Sydney and included a sail to Tasmania and back in a racing yacht in her course.
Cruiser action and motor boating will start very soon and the club is looking forward to some more appropriate weather for most of its activities.
JERRY COLMAN