On Saturday 31 January, 12 members of our club took part in an RYA First Aid Course. The course was run by Tony Wood our local Onboard man who also happens to be a paramedic.

Did you ever wonder where the Club's ground chains come from? 

Well it's the used chain from the Studland ferry - yes, it's that stuff that you see lying by the side of the road by Studland Beach.

Messrs Brookman and Pitman negotiated with the ferry company and purchased the chain at a fraction of the cost of new.  Problem?  Delivery not included.

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