August Newsletter

Commodore’s Greeting

Hello Everyone,

And so we progress towards the latter part of the season. Sea Week enjoyed some decent sailing weather, and we had perfect sailing conditions for the Laser Open. Sadly, we had the last session of youth sailing on Saturday. This has been an unqualified success, with numerous people asking about next year. It has been a joy to watch.
We do not have a date for the next unusual event, because it is so dependent on the weather forecast. Sometime this month, or very early in October, William the Cone-queror, whom many of us know as the mobile ice cream seller, is going to swim from the Royal Sovereign Light back to our beach. The club is providing patrol boat cover. He is raising money for the Sea View Centre and the Fellowship of St Nicholas, so support him if you can.

Best wishes,Don Bowles, Commodore, Hastings and St Leonards Sailing Club


Any queries on Sailing Club matters? Commodore’s Hotline 01424 214759

Achieving glory

Late summer series winners

Laser fleet Steve Clark

Handicap fleet Philip and Margaret Blurton (Tasar)

Catamaran fleet Simon and Lucas Terry, & Richard Parmenter (Dart 16)

Laser Open Won by David Goddard, Weirwood SC. Best placed Hastings sailor was Steve Clark who was third in the Laser Radial class.

RNLI Handicap (pursuit races) Philip and Margaret Blurton (Tasar)

Well done to all!


Sailing Away

Shearwater Nationals – the event was held at Harwich Town Sailing Club and attracted 16 boats. Best placed Hastings boat was Sim Sek sailed by Greg Wilcox and Will Stuart, who were fifth. Matt Wiseman and Lily Share were seventh in Caned and Unable. Other names known to our club were Alex Wilcox helming Foreigner, Claire Wiseman crewing UFO and Tayla Playford and Rob Hamilton in China Crisis. Well done to all taking part.

Sunday 11th September – Tantrum Handicap in memory of John Terry and John Parmenter

This event will be a handicap event with a prize in its own right. Results will also be used for the Late Summer Series races 7, 8 & 9. It would be wonderful to have a large fleet taking part, in honour of two past members who gave so much of their time and effort for the good of the club. It does not matter whether you are an old salt, or have just completed your sail training this year – come down, take part and be amongst the warm throng.


Next Bar Open, Friday 16th September – Cheese and Wine tasting event, 7.30

This is our chance to choose some classy wine for the club’s bar. The idea is that, following the tasting, members cast their votes for a red and a white wine for us to stock for those who want something a little posher than the house bottle. If you want to take part in the tasting, it will be £7.50 per person for a taste of each wine, and some presumably equally delicious cheese. Yum. Also conversation etc etc.


Wednesday Evening Sailing

Final Wednesday evening for the year is tomorrow, 7th September. Weather is looking to be v pleasant, so come on down. Final Saturday is, yes, on Saturday.


Bart’s Bash, Sunday 18th September 2016

Club member Catherine Taylor is leading efforts to encourage as many club members as possible to sign up individually for this event, and go sailing on the day to raise money for this charity. Watch this space (your email inbox) for more information. To find out more about the charity’s aims, go to:

http://andrewsimpsonfoundation.org/what-we-do.


Laying-up supper 2016 Friday 18th November

ALL members – fill up that blank space in your diary with this, the social event of the year. Note that this year, certificates for the 2016 cohort of sail trainees will be presented at the Laying Up Supper, as well as certificates for our three new Power Boat Level 2 members. If you were one of this year’s sail trainees, how about organising a sail trainees’ table? The event is a night of celebration, libation and partyation. Earlyish bird tickets should be coming out soonish.

Nag nag nag!

Just one repeat complaint: PLEASE don’t open more bottles of wine than necessary behind the bar – wasteful.

Oh, and another one: Don’t forget that if you are using a club boat, sign it out with the Race Officer / Officer of the Day and pay your fee, if not entitled to free use.

Hope to see you soon,

Margaret Blurton, Honorary Secretary sailingclubsec@gmail.com 01424 440056

Twitter account @hslsail now run by Nik Roberts – thank you!

If you’d like to join the club’s FB group, message the FB page.