Commodore

As I write this it is a lovely sunny evening with a gentle breeze from the west - just the sort of evening we had in mind for the "twilight cruise" up to the Magpie at Sunbury.

In the event it was showers accompanied by a very fluky light wind and an exceptionally strong steam! Is it surprising that we have a reputation for being preoccupied about the weather?

Conditions for the regatta week end were equally dreadful. We had been hoping for sunshine and steady winds in the daytime and a balmy sunny evening. As it happened we had changeable winds accompanied by torrential showers! Nonetheless 75 hardy souls enjoyed the hog roast on the Saturday evening and we managed to provide shelter for everyone!

On the Sunday the weather moderated a little but the combination of light winds and intermittent showers made for poor racing. The traditional strawberry tea however was as popular as ever!

Earlier in the season the weather for our bi-annual trip to Bewl was similarly disappointing with a strong cold northerly wind (those who did venture forth are being considered for a polar/foolhardiness medal!).

One week later we had a real drifter with boats having to be towed back to the Club! And these extremes have been typical; we've had some great sailing and some which has been awful. There have also been a number of incidents that are excellent candidates for the water rat trophy!

The variable weather has not kept members away and it has been good to see the Club fairly humming at times. A lot of useful tidying up was done at the work party on 5 May - thanks to all who attended and especially to Diana and Peter who provided the added incentive of a free lunch!

The open week-end a week later was, quite literally, a wash out! Not surprisingly we had very few visitors but those that did come were greeted by a good number of Club members who seemed to enjoy the opportunity to natter without the pressure of feeling they should do something else!

Visitors and passers-by in recent weeks might be forgiven for thinking that the Club has lost track of its raison d'être. Whilst sailing activity has been evident on Sundays, during the week the principal activity appears to have been some fairly serious DIY as the make-over of the patio area has taken form. Happily this work is nearing completion and we can start to enjoy the benefits. Also Bodgit & Co's collection of big boys DIY tools will no longer clutter the Clubhouse!

With the completion of most of the major work and tidying up of the Clubroom, this is p'raps an opportunity to suggest that the majority of members want to keep it reasonably tidy, clean and welcoming. I hope we never get to the stage of issuing a "dress-code" for the Club premises, but I do suggest that if you have been in the river, then it is inappropriate to be sitting in the Clubroom in dripping wet attire! Please keep wet gear as far as possible to the changing rooms. Can I also suggest that bicycles are not brought onto the patio - shortly we will have some bars re-installed to which they can be secured

The "opening" of the enlarged patio area, coinciding with a hog-roast on the Saturday evening of the regatta weekend, was also an occasion to acknowledge formally a splendid outdoor bench generously given to the Club by Don Babb in memory of Pat Shore, who was a member and Water Board representative over many years. - Thank you Don! When we finally complete the patio it is intended that the bench will grace the river end.

I also draw your attention to the "RLNI fund raising sail" on 5 August. This is really a social occasion when we will take 2 Club lasers, sailed by a relay of volunteers, accompanied by a flotilla of cruisers down river as far as practicable, and raise money for the RNLI on the way. The event was a regular Club event 20 or so years ago and hopefully will prove equally popular this year.

Good sailing!!