In this Issue: Commodore’s Message p2 GET RACING 2015 p4 Interview with Tim Davison p7 11 Racing Rules You Need p10 plus Fleet reports: Fireballs, Lasers, Solos, Youth & Junior, Menagerie, Flying Fifteens. www.draycotewater.co.uk Spring 2015 DRAYCOTE YOUNGSTERS SAIL TO GLORY Draycote sailors scooped five of the ten awards in this year’s Rugby Borough Council Excellence in Sport Awards for under-18s, held in March. The £100 prizes are awarded those who represent a particular sport at a national or international level. This may be as part of a national development squad, competing for their country or having achieved a national title. Asked about his World championship victory, Jack Lewis said, “I can just concentrate when I’m sailing. I knew we had beaten the second place pair and I felt really happy and Lucas had the biggest grin on his face ever!” Jack and Lucas have started this season’s sailing where they left off last From left to right: Jack Lewis - RS Feva Junior European and World year, winning the first Volvo RS Feva Champion and RS Tera Pro National Champion; Ben McCann – RYA West and Grand Prix at Northampton Sailing North Zone Windsurf Champion (Bic Techno 7.8); Daniel Lewis – RS Feva Club in April. Jack’s brother Daniel came a National Junior Squad Member; Lucas Marshall – RS Feva junior European creditable 7th out of a field of more and World Champion (with Jack); Ethan Plank – Miracle National Champion than 60. Ben McCann, 14, claimed the Bic Techno 7.8 windsurfing crown at the RYA North Zone event at Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club, one of nine Zone Championship events, with more than 1,000 windsurfers hitting the water across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. "I would love to continue racing and improving. I’m really pleased at being ranked 6th in the UKWA Cup events in my first season and would love to have the chance to compete in the European championships as I really n enjoyed the Worlds so much.” i w Ethan won the Miracle National e L m with his father Jeremy Davy and has l o c also come high in the national l a rankings in the RS Tera and Optimist M : o fleets over the past couple of years. t o h P Printed copies available Nine-year-old James Knight tries out the brand new RS Tera he won as a from the Clubhouse and Shop prize at this year’s Dinghy Show for his creative “Cat’s Paw” sail design See the online version on the website to follow links Commodore’s Message Water Manager to in an improved training phased to cause the surrounding the club house Club Manager offer on site to members. minimum disruption to members who flout the We enthusiastically possible to the peak sailing car parking regulations. The Committee is delighted welcome him to the Club times of Wednesdays and Members should be to announce that Dave and wish him well in his the weekends. aware that they will need to Rowe has been promoted time with us. However, it is inevitable bring their membership from Water Manager to We are advertising for that there will be disruption cards or fobs when visiting Club Manager. Dave has an Administrative Assistant to the shower and other the Club as these will be been an integral part of the to run the office, reporting facilities which will be required both to access the Club’s operations since he to Dave, but the focus of the communicated prior to it site and the clubhouse. New joined us and has been Club’s contact with happening via club notice design access control cards much of the reason for the members and the public will boards, MailChimp and on are available to purchase recovery of the Club’s move even more to the the website. for £3 and replacement fobs fortunes in the last two Waterside Reception where While we apologise for for £2. years – helping with Dave will continue to be any disruption that this may arresting the membership based. The office will act as cause, we are sure that the Bank Holiday decline and opening up new an administrative centre male members will agree Pursuit Races revenue streams. rather than a primary place that this is necessary and to With Sylvia Jacques for contact for members. be welcomed. We are in the time of year forthcoming retirement as The AGM (Wednesday that there are lots of Club Secretary (in 11 November) will be the Barrier at Visitor pursuit races on Bank November) we have taken opportunity for the Centre Holidays. this opportunity to review Committee, and all Support for these has the Club’s management members, to express our Members will be aware of declined and we are keen to structure and feel that Dave thanks to Sylvia, who will the on-off operation of the try to increase participation is the person who should be the longest serving barrier by the Visitor at the Club on bank head up the whole secretary in the Club’s 46 Centre. This has been holidays. operation. year history. caused by conflicting If anyone has any We have appointed a demands within Severn positive ideas and/or has Chief Instructor, who will Men’s Changing Trent. However, it is hoped the time and commitment manage the training effort, Rooms that this will be resolved to implement them then reporting to Dave. William and that, in due course, the speak to your fleet captain, Gifford starts at the Club at The Committee has recently barrier will be working Will Whittaker or a the end of April and will authorised the expenditure permanently. member of staff. become a familiar face to to renovate the men’s This will limit the I look forward to seeing Club members. William’s changing rooms which is public’s access to our car you on the water this presence will mean a much long overdue. parks. It will also provide summer, have fun and be reduced expenditure on Work will start in the the opportunity for us to safe. freelance trainers and result next few months and will be restrict access to the area – Phil Hunt Commodore New Chief Instructor We would like to welcome and various other fun. I worked on big boats Will Gifford to the club in Volvo youth squad as flotilla engineer for his role of Chief Instructor. events. Setsail Holidays where I Please take the time to After many hours gained experience in flotilla introduce yourself to him. of volunteering at my maintenance but my heart Meanwhile, here are a few sailing club helping still was in instructing. words he has sent for with disabled After all this time I have Unshackled: Sailability and been searching for a full Saturday morning time position in sailing and “At twelve years old my junior sailing I then windsurfing and have father bought me a second realised that I wanted finally found Draycote hand Topper and rigged it to become an which is an amazing inland for me on a cold January instructor. venue for sailing and morning and pushed me out blasting around on a reach Once qualified I then set windsurfing and has got onto a freezing cold gravel and feeling the spray on my off working overseas for such amazing facilities. pit in the Cotswold Water face. After a season of Mark Warner, Sunsail and I feel very honoured to Park called Whitefriars playing with boats, I then Setsail. When the summer be offered the position at Sailing Club. From here, I discovered the love for came to an end I then went Draycote Water Sailing really enjoyed sailing with racing at club level; this to work for local friends Club and I am very much him in his Mirror and all then took me on to National skiing or back at my home looking forward to using the other juniors and level then World level, centre South Cerney my experience and meeting new friends. competing at GP14 Worlds, Outdoors. capabilities to help the club At first I just loved 505 Nationals, Byte Worlds This was all very good grow.” 2 x Draycote Unshackled Spring 2015 Get Racing 2015 SEPARATE START SPURS ON NEW RACERS Following the success of last year’s ‘Get Racing’ initiative, the 2015 programme had an early start on Sunday 8th March. The cold windy weather, with the promise of rain and certainty of cold water, did not deter a good number of last year’s participants arriving at the club keen to take part. On assessing the conditions, some opted to delay their return until the conditions were more favourable but 4 boats took to the water after a short briefing to advise the course and recap the start procedure. CSW Sport Program (part of Sport n i England) has provided sponsorship to w e L cover the cost of hiring club boats and m l assist with the running costs of the o c l coach boat and we welcomed Ciara a M O’Brien from the CSW to show her the : o t initiative to introduce club racing to o h those new to the sport of all ages. New racers are being enouraged to take part in P On the following Wednesday some friendly racing on Wednesday evenings evening we held a shore based session in the warmth of the clubhouse and although three boats did make it to the were able to cover in more detail than start line but not much further.