RNLI Drama on Long Race AGM Honours Wavelength: Editors Note Wavelength: Commodore’S Column
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SPRING 2017 csc magazine Foggy Frostbite Speedseal for sale RNLI drama on long race AGM honours www.channelsailingclub.org wavelength: editors note wavelength: commodore’s column Welcome to the spring 2017 edition of wavelength Wavelength. We cover two of the first events of the The Channel Sailing Club magazine new sailing season, the Frostbite rally to Yarmouth and the Long Race to Littlehampton. The first was EDITOR hit by fog and the second had an RNLI emergency Simon Worthington when a crew member was injured during an ART DIRECTOR Smooth accidental gybe. Let’s hope the rest of the year fares Marion Tempest better! Many thanks to contributors on both these PLEASE SEND ANY LETTERS events and to everyone else who sends in articles, AND PICTURES TO move wavelengtheditor@ including Swedish sailing with Nigel Barraclough channelsailingclub.org s you know, the big news this crew on the start line and perfect conditions for and Barry Robertson for his tales from the Black Sea. Spring has been the move of our a fast trip to Littlehampton and the hospitality Simon CLUB NIGHT Wednesday evening home to the of the Arun YC. The mass departure at 06:00 Channel Sailing Club meets delightful Ashtead Cricket Club, shows what can happen when everyone reads every Wednesday at Ashtead A who have given us a very warm welcome. This the tide tables and draws the same conclusions! Cricket Club, Woodfield CHANNEL SAILING CLUB Lane,Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2BJ. new clubhouse offers us the facilities to hold If you’ve been in Portsmouth Harbour COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2017 Doors open at 8pm. Prospective all sorts of social events and I hope that you recently, you will have noticed the dredging members welcome. will join in as often as possible. I look forward work in preparation for the arrival of the to the summer for drinks on the veranda and a Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen THE CLUB SENDS OUT EMAILS on a regular basis to remind barbecue on the grass. I am very grateful to all Elizabeth. Work to adjust the navigation buoys members of upcoming events. those who have made the move as easy as it has and port entry lights to reflect the changes Don’t forget that if your personal been, and for the unprecedented level of local is now complete, and a new chart has been information changes you can go publicity that we have been able to achieve. published. Most of the channel marker buoys as into your personal account on well as the key directional lights have changed, the website and update it online. Commodore Vice- Company Treasurer Check out the club’s website for The end of winter is also a busy time so I encourage you to refer to QHM’s notices Alick Fraser commodore Secretary Phil Martin news and information Clive Hall Peter Denning of year for boat maintenance; is there and act accordingly. www.channelsailingclub.org ever a time when a boat doesn’t need We heard in January that Richard and Susan maintenance?! This year we ground Kidd completed their circumnavigation in just PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN AT CLUB EVENTS some of the many years’ worth of under a leisurely fifteen years. Richard was may be used in Wavelength or accumulated antifouling off the keel the Commodore when I joined the club twenty on the club’s website. If you do and dealt with some spots of corrosion years ago and they both welcomed me as a not want to appear in published which at least hasn’t made the boat go novice onto their wonderful boat Sea Bunny. photographs please inform any slower. This year too one of the This summer at least three boats from the club the club committee and the Rear-commodore Rear-commodore Training Membership person taking the photograph if boat’s lifejackets failed an inflation will be sailing off to Northern, Eastern and Cruising Racing principal secretary possible. test and was duly binned. Southern Europe. Closer to home, our own Jeremy John Oleg Lebedev David Surman Frank Gibson plans have been laid for trips to France and the THANKS The club’s sailing season has started in fine West Country, as well as many destinations to the RYA for permission to use material from their handbooks style, firstly with a rather misty trip down tide around the Solent and nearby, and I am to Yarmouth, where we were welcomed by especially looking forward to visiting several THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS the Royal Solent YC and invited to use their places for the first time. of contributors are not necessar- lounge to watch some rugby and then to join an Wherever your sailing takes you this year, ily those of Channel Sailing Club. evening’s entertainment with a live band and a have fun, be safe and enjoy the adventure. Accordingly Channel Sailing IT and web Special events Bosun Wavelength Club disclaim any responsibility splendid curry buffet. Our first club race was a Teresa Debbie Wiffen Norman Simon for such views and opinions. hugely popular event, with eleven boats and 45 Alick Hemingway Bowden Worthington COVER PICTURE: DAVID SURMAN DAVID PICTURE: COVER wavelength: feature Into the Mystic What a weekend! Bonnie Brown recounts the thrills and spills of the long race HILE birds pre- Townside Marina to raft up pared their ari- under blue skies. as and adjusted Change of Course’s arrival Wtheir ruffs, 45 marked triumph over adver- slumbering sailors wearily sity as they managed to finish reached for their snooze despite an emergency call to buttons. Silent ruminations the RNLI to take off an injured about why one would get up crew member. Joe Scantori so early on a Saturday echoed was unfortunately hit by the far across distant lands. mainsheet during a gybe and A long race to Littlehamp- broke his arm. ton starting at Motherbank was the agenda of the day. the start line. Some at 330 and White Knight. Weather You can’t keep a good St Helier’s Hospital in south the pool table. Their hospi- Shortly after 10.30am was degrees - others preferring conditions prompted lively man down! London and is recovering well, tality was much appreciated the race start time, allowing the exhilaration of a near miss discussions around spinna- He was taken to Worthing if not rather painfully. – especially to ferryman Mark, the multiple snooze button to start proceedings more kers, asymmetrics and what hospital for treatment, but Arun Yacht club welcomed who took members back and crowd a little flexibility in formally. was for lunch. Thirty two bravely made an appearance CSC members into their club- forwards to their boats with a arrival time. At 10.40am most Papillon was first over the miles later and the 10-strong at the evening function. house for a three course meal cheery disposition. PICTURES: BONNIE BROWN AND DAVID SURMAN DAVID AND BROWN BONNIE PICTURES: of the boats were heading for line, followed closely by Eagle fleet arrived at Littlehampton Joe has since had an op at with an optional battering at After final celebrations and› wavelength: feature wavelength: feature SPEEDSEAL CELEBRATES 21 YEARS Club member Alex in hunt for buyer hen Alex can be fitted using the existing Parker became holes with no modifications frustrated required. The cover is made W at having to of 1/4 inch naval brass with change failed cooling pump a high-spec nitrile 0-ring in impellers at sea, he had an a machined channel. The eureka moment. back-pressure of the com- impeller disintegrating. A long standing Channel pressed O-ring locks the large The Speedseal has revolu- Sailing Club member, he came hand screws without the need tionised changing an impeller up with a revolutionary water for gaskets, and slots in the at sea - a product which has pump cover which enabled cover allow simple location or had enthusiastic feedback. quick and easy impeller removal, even in the dark. Speedseal Life is now fitted changes, and now his Speed- Eight years ago Alex, who on military and rescue craft seal invention is celebrating lives in Bookham, Surrey, around the world. 21 years in manufacture and came up with a new model The basic Speedseal model tens of thousands of satisfied called Speedseal Life, which costs about £49 while the sailors worldwide. uses a high-slip bearing to Speedseal Life is about £70. With access often restricted allow an impellor to run dry Both come with full-instruc- in a marine engine compart- without burning out and to tions, hand-tightening nuts, ment, replacing an impeller extend impeller life by about lubricant and an impeller in an emergency in a pitching three times. removal tool. boat can be a harrowing expe- Alex said: “The average They can be fitted to many rience. Alex said: “Twice while failure time of a dry-running of the cooling pump models on boat trips with my family impeller is about two and a which have four or six screw congratulations to organiser in an attempt to wake the dis- Race results: I had to change the impeller half minutes, so frequently fixings. Andy Struthers and race win- gruntled occupants. By 6am, 1 Caressa under pressure and I thought: damage is done before a high After more than two dec- ners Caressa, the fleet slipped the CSC fleet were homeward 2 Eagle ‘This is crazy, there’s got to be temperature alarm goes off. ades, Alex is looking to sell his into their bunks knowing they bound and their sailing nour- 3 Gilken a better way’.” “This safety threat can be design to an organisation with wouldn’t be there for long.