Bartley Sailing Club Blog

Nearly half way through the series and this is where the top sailors are positioned. 

Commodores past and present (uniform optional!) 

Most of the photos I have been using have been taken by Debbie Degge, so here is the photographer in action herself. Thanks for supplying the photos - feedback from members has been very positive.

Ian gets the Finn moving. 

VR Inshore is going well and I have managed to decipher most of the alias' from sail numbers or obvious names but I can't work out who the following are so please let me know by posting a comment and I can add you to the results.

A of the Cloanes

Madcap

Knot Gooin Out

BETONI

Peaky B  

Here come the girls... Jennifer and Megan on tour on the river Trent last year.  

The Olympics may have been postponed for a year but in 2012 K2O were carrying the Olympic Torch. 

Andrea and Alan on a cold day in the Taser 

A few years back now - can you identify helm and crew? 

Congratulations Richard Baker - a clean sweep!

Below are the top 12 for each class, full results to be loaded on the results page shortly.

Next series starts Monday at 18.30 - hope to see you there.

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First of all 'Happy Easter', we hope you and your families are all well and have a peaceful day.

Today's picture is Dave Jones our power boat instructor who has been running courses for our Bartley members for more years than I can remember. There is a reason the courses can be offered for only £30 and that is because Dave gives up his weekends to train just for the love of it. 

But it is not just Dave, it is Dan the Bosun who keeps 6 rescue boats serviced and running, it is the Committee members who organise the building upgrades, the electric certificates, the insurance, the intruder alarm, the accounts, the website and marketing, the contracts with Newman Uni, Birmingham Uni, Local Schools, the Sea Scouts, and Andrew SImpson Foundation. It is the army of helpers who do the things we take for granted at the club - Mark for the results every week, Alan for the dutyman schedule, Nick for boat park and membership processing, Steve for buildings maintenance, John for grounds maintenance, sailing committee for making sure all the race management resources are available, Greg for running the Bar and Leanne and Lorraine for putting the soul into the club with Tilly's Galley. 

Then there are the future sailors - the K2O instructors and helpers who have to maintain their certificates and first aid qualifications as well as all the paperwork that goes with running an RYA training centre, and then give every Saturday morning throughout the Summer free of charge to get youngsters on the water. And then there are the members who help during working parties and continue to support the club by carrying out rescue duties.

We are not a service provider, we are a community with a shared interest - so a big "thank you for all you do to support our club!

This photo was taken during the recent storm Jorge and has a 'voyage to the bottom of the reservoir' feel to it... 

Is Richard Baker really that good? It appears so as he goes into the final weekend of the first series heading all leader boards! I have found his secret though - lots of practice as I was up against him in one of the Day boat public races today and he was 2nd to my 4th in a fleet of rather fiery Italians and Spanish sailors!

On Monday I will start a new series with Stars as the slow tactical fleet, Formula 18 as the Cat, 49er as the fast single hull, and a 4th race 'just for fun' with a variety of boats to try out.

The turnout this week has been great - hope you are all enjoying your racing!

This photo reminded me of the German coastguard joke:

Merlin Rocket: 'We're sinking! We're sinking!'

German Coastguard: 'Vhat iz it you are zinking about?'

(Don't worry - I won't be giving up the day job just yet...) 

​Nick concentrating hard...

Sadly too few red sails on the water anywhere these days - the great Mirror Dinghy a design competition classic from the pages of the Mirror newspaper.

1986 - I was sailing on a Wednesday afternoon in my games lesson from Five Ways School and the Birmingham Mail took this photo to promote sailing as an activity for the forthcoming bank holiday. Track forward 30 years and I still haven't mastered this very simple boat, but the hiking stance and sail controls have improved somewhat!

Its all to play for but there are some clear expert helms out there... 

What April looked like last year... 

A cheerful Cecily for a sunny day