Last season ended with us being unable to sail for the last 5 Sundays due to the fast current and unfortunately this season has started the same way with no racing at the Club for the first five Sundays; it has never been so bad.
Fortunately our away visits have been excellent. Our first sailing of the season was at Littleton for the Mid-Thames Trophy; this should have been on the river at Desborough but fortunately the venue was changed at the last minute. Conditions were excellent and AQSC had the most visiting boats, and were placed 2nd. Well done everyone for giving such good support.
The following weekend was the Club Open days and we were extremely fortunate to have excellent conditions at last. It was warm and dry with a steady 5-10 knt East wind that was ideal for taking visitors out. It could so easily have been a disaster.
A new diesel has been fitted to the safety boat and it arrived just in time for the open days. The maximum speed has improved from 4 kts to 6.5 kts; remember that the speed limit on the Thames is 4.5 knts.
The first day we managed to race at the Club was 20 May; the wind was too light to sail against the current so the boats were towed up to Sunbury Lock for a race back to the Club. We managed to race around a short course in the afternoon.
The weather for the Late Spring Bank Holiday Bewl visit was absolutely superb; we could not have done better if we had been able to book the weather. Around 18 members and friends with eight boats enjoyed a wonderful break.
Although we have had good support for the away visits
the late start to the sailing on the river seems to have reduced
the support. Hopefully we will soon be back to normal.
