Weymouth Sailing Club annual Prizegiving Dinner Dance was held on Saturday 17 January 2009 at the Riviera Hotel Weymouth.  175 members and guests enjoyed an excellent meal followed by the handing out of trophies and dancing to 'The Crack'. 

Commodore WSC Melita Biggs made a speech with a summing up of the year's sailing and thanked particulary Sue Ives and Josie Dadd for organising the evening and Sue Stow and Catherine Jacobs for collecting and sorting out the trophies.  Traditionally there is a competition to guess the length of the speech.  This year's winner was Mark Champion, crew on Saskia VI, who correctly guessed 11 mins 24 seconds.  Proceeds of £181 are donated to RNLI.

Many members stayed overnight at the hotel and took advantage of the swimming pool and other facilities on offer.  Guests at the dinner were the Mayor and Mayoress of Weymouth and Portland Tim Munroe and Alison Cocks, Commodore RDYC Gareth Peaston and Linda Peaston, Commodore CCSC Sara Lloyd and David Lloyd, Royal Naval Sailing Association Richard Stevens and Jenny Stevens and Coxswain Weymouth Lifeboat Andrew Sargent and Helen Sargent.

Photographs from the Riviera can be found at www.moodzphotography.co.uk/gallery/main.php/hotels/hotelriviera/

Replacing the moorings is hard and dirty work, so the team who did the work on the pile moorings outside the clubhouse deserve a pat on the back.  On Saturday 10 January a day of weather of calm weather made the job possible and the team worked all day to replace the footropes and buoys. 

Thanks go to Peter Jackson for the use of his boat Solar (remember the bung next time Peter) which proved to be an ideal working platform.  The hardworking team lead by Steve Pitman was Kevin Connor, Charlie Parkes, Robin Clifton Dey, Vernon Taylor, David Summerhayes, Ricky Bruton, Steve Dadd, and Mark Bugler.

Lucky Break in The Weather For Squib Walk

 Sixteen adults two dogs and a small child took part in the Squib annual  walk on Sunday 11 Januuary. The weather was perfect for walking, just missing the freezing conditions of Saturday and the heavy rain on Monday. The triangular route took us up to the ridge above Abbotsbury and down via a different path. Most participants agreed the length was just right and agreed a drink and meal in the pub was to take precedence over any thought of a further sausage leg.

 Apart from the excellent views on this location other notable bits were the interesting routes taken by some people through the field with a bull, the object seemed to be to get someone with a red anorak between you and the bull without them noticing, and Mary lifting one of her dogs over a stile while the other waited after getting under the fence.

There may be another walk in February if there is enough interest. Contact Caroline Nairn to offer encouragement

A record number of YOBs with their families and friends gathered at the club for the annual YOBs prizegiving and disco on Friday 2^nd Jan. Despite cold winter weather and the post Xmas blues the turnout was impressive. Although the poor weather during the summer prevented completion of the planned YOBs series of races, and accordingly the winning of the prizes for that, trophies were still awarded,.

Memorial Cup Cadet of the Year Tom Rees

Digby Cup Most Prominent Racer Sophie Atkins

Peter Rose Cup Most Impoved Thomas Williams

Yates Challenge Cup Highest Achiever Cory Ronayne

WSC Cadet Cup Most Enthusiastic Alice Perrett

The If Only…!   Most Enteraining Alice Perrett

Autumn Dinghy Cup Autumn Series Ross & Craig Groves

Thomas Williams {TH as he is known by his friends} joined the party over the internet as he now lives in the Caribbean.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day presented exciting conditions for the last race of the year.  A F6 ENE wind gave a large swell in the Bay which made conditions very uncomfortable for the race crews, but particularly for the race team on board Viking.  A good course was set from mark X for the Squibs and Cruisers in cold but sunny conditions.

Boats sailed up the harbour under spinnaker or goose-winged to finish outside the Club house.

The Squibs Icebreaker Trophy was won by Iain Jones and Peter Jackson on Aldebaran.

The Cruisers Frostbite Trophy was won by Roy Shelley on the Folkboat Katrina.

The seasonal festivities continued in a packed bar after racing with food supplied by the members.  Many thanks to the Commodore, Melita Biggs, and race team for enduring very difficult conditions on board Viking.  Thanks also to Mike Stagg, House Commodore, and his team for their hard work to ensure that a lot of very thirsty sailors were kept watered at the bar.