Archive for June, 2015

Boaters Meeting 15th July – “Your Club, Your Committee”

Club News, Events | June 13th, 2015 | No comments yet

Each year the 150 or so members of Bromsgrove Boaters put the running and future success of their club into the hands of a handful of willing volunteers who make up the club committee.

If your not sure who they are, you can find details of the 2015 committee and how to contact them here: Bromsgrove Boaters Committtee 2015

But those committee members don’t necessarily know what the members want from their club, and certainly don’t have a monopoly on good ideas. So this an opportunity for club members to talk informally with committee members, to give their views and opinions on any aspect of the club including sailing venues, dates and costs; training courses; website and communications; the club constitution; and even our evening social meetings like this one!

 

Bags of Space

Club News | June 11th, 2015 | No comments yet

It is a source of great amazement and amusement to count how many bags some people lug on board when going sailing.bags of space
Even for a weekend.
And we are not talking women here.
Even if it is a well-known fact that we women need lots and lots of stuff when we go anywhere.
For the worst offenders here are male.
And when I talk about bags I am not talking about bags for food and other assorted victuals.
We are talking about the bags used to cart clothes, equipment and other stuff.
My record is 8 bags.
For a weekend.
3 nights.

And when I say my record, this does not mean that I have carried my stuff on board in 8 bags.
This is the number of bags others seem to need for their stuff.
I am not sure that I have got 8 bags of stuff in the rest of my life.
What do people have that needs 8 bags?
How much do they take home un-used, un-sullied, un-opened?
There is a scene in ‘A Bridge too Far’ when a senior officer wonders if he should pack his golf clubs and dinner jacket before he flings himself out of the plane and goes into action.
Is this what people are taking with them on a Boaters Weekend?
Do they think they might get the opportunity for a quick round before dinner?
Or think that dinner might be somewhere incredibly posh and formal instead of in the cramped and casual confines of the saloon?
Are they preparing for all eventualities?

I struggle to fill 2 bags even when I pack in my sleeping equipment.
It is also interesting to see the amazing array of matching and usually non matching luggage into which people stuff their belongings.
Bags of all shapes and sizes.
Square ones, round ones, big ones, small ones, long ones, briefcases, hexagons, pentagons, dodecahedrons (I am sure someone must have one of these).
Plastic bags from all price points of the supermarket spectrum.
Re-usable ones. And the ones that kill the fishes.
Maybe we should think like Ryanair and charge for bags. A great way to boost Boater funds. And to give us all more room on board.

Next time you are out with Boaters, count the number of bags per person on board.
Anyone beat 8?

Captain Ahab

 

Shore Based Navigation Courses 2015-2016

Training | June 11th, 2015 | No comments yet

START DATES FOR 2015/16  NAVIGATION
COURSES WHICH ARE BEING ORGANISED IN CONJUNCTION WITH: 
Aztec Adventure – Upton Warren Outdoor Education Centre (B61 7ER)   

 

Day Skipper- THURSDAYS Oct 1st 2015 to 3rd Mar 2016 19:00 to 21:30.

Yacht Master- MONDAYS   Oct 5th 2015 to Feb 15th 2016 19:00 to 21:30.

The course includes RYA Pack of charts/work book/hand book & certificate on completion.

Students will also require:

Portland Plotter & dividers

RYA Training Almanac (TAN)

RYA Navigation hand book (RYA G6)

International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea. ( RYA G2)

(These training materials may be ordered at time of course booking if required).

To download a brochure or book a place on the course directly with Aztec Adventure, please click on the following link:  Aztec Adventure RYA Shorebased Training 2015

 

training@bromsgroveboaters.co.uk

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