SAILING SEASON: Winter only from 1st October to 31st March.
SAILING WATER: Weir Wood Reservoir, Forest Row, Sussex, where over 200 acres are available to the club.
CLASSES OF BOAT: Any class of dinghy (except multi-hulls) which is an open boat without a fixed keel. Largest classes are Enterprise, Laser, Mirror, Fireball and Kestrel, but there are representatives of most other classes. All boats must have full positive buoyancy and, where this is specified in class rules, must comply with those rules.
FACILITIES: Large concrete slipways give very easy access from all dinghy parking areas. The modern clubhouse provides full changing, shower and toilet facilities for both ladies and men, as well as a large clubroom overlooking the lake. A catering service provides hot and cold snacks and beer and soft drinks are available at reasonable prices. There is ample car parking space in the area of the pumping station involving a short walk to the water.
BOAT STORAGE: The club pursues active winter sailing and does not provide boat storage. As the capacity of the boat parks is limited, the comm ittee reserve the right to request the removal of any boat which is not in reasonable active use during the season.
DECONTAMINATION: The Water Authority require that all boats are decontaminated before sailing on the reservoir. This is done in a simple but specific way under the supervision of a club official and need only be done once if the boat is not removed from the reservoir during the season. Removal for any reason necessitates a fresh decontamination. The process is non-toxic and non-corrosive and usually takes about 15 minutes. Compliance with this requirement is a mandatory condition of membership.
RACING: Racing is organised throughout the season by class for Lasers, Fireballs, Enterprises, Mirrors, Fast Handicap (97—), Slow Handicap (98+). Racing activities do not preclude other members from using the water at the same time and active cruising is encouraged. Cruising memb ers are asked to keep clear of the start and finish lines during racing. A number of Open meetings are planned for the coming season.
TRAINING: The club is a recognised R.Y.A. teaching establishment. A number of qualified instructors are members of the club and courses covering the syllabus for various R.Y.A. proficie ncy certificates are run during the season. Full details will be published in the club newsletter.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: In addition to the Annual Dinner, Dance and Prizegiving held at a convenient large hotel, a number of Wednesday eveni ng social events are arranged in the clubhouse during the season. These normally include a ‘Wet Suit’ night—primarily for new members, a talk by a well-known sailing personality, a film show and one or two social evenings such as the ‘Commod ore’s Party’. These are publicised in the Club Newsletter which is published regularly during our season.
SPECIAL NOTE: In view of the depth and temperature of the water in winter, and the fact that the lake is one and a half miles long, sailing will only be allowed under organised conditions as specified in the rules—i.e. with an OOD and safety boat in attendance. Sailing normally takes place on Saturday and Sunday and some week days when affiliated clubs are able to provide rescue facilities and supervision.
VACANCIES: A number of vacancies exist for the 1976/77 season.
Enquiries to: Brian E. Robinson, Hon. Sec., The Ridge Cottage, Feibridge, Sussex.
Editors Note: This article is from Reflections No. 26 October 1976, page 17. It has been captured by OCR, so typos & errors are possible.
