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LARGS SC NEWS - 8th October 2014
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October quiz night - week Friday, 17 October
reminder - new clubhouse winter hours
cadet regatta and Bart's Bash reports
Coastal Rowing Club joins Largs SC
RYA Zone championships
Ellen MacArthur trust opens
Euroyachts boat sales weekend - 10-12 Oct also Kip and Troon Boat Shows
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firstly, a reminder that the October quiz night (usually the second Friday in
the month) is NOT this Friday, but is a week Friday, 17th October, due to our
club steward Steven's holiday. November's quiz will be on Friday 14th.
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a reminder that we are now on winter hours - Fridays 12:00 to 14:00 (but our
apologies - no service this Friday, due to Steven's holiday), Saturdays 11:00
to 17:00, Sundays 12:00 to 18:00
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mentioning holidays, our administrator Julia Gibson is also now on holiday,
and will be back in the office on Monday 20th October, fully refreshed!
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cadet regatta - the culmination of this year's training programme - had
fantastic weather! See pages 2 and 3
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Bart's Bash - 48 boats (the highest total in Scotland) took part in this event,
in memory of Andrew "Bart" Simpson, and raise money for his charity. See
page 3
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cruising group - final cruise in company to Port Bannatyne, with bbq
ashore. Submit your cruising logs! See page 4
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we welcome the Firth of Clyde Coastal Rowing Club, who have joined us for
the winter season, and will be using us as a base for their training, and
socially. More on page 5
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this weekend is the Euroyachts boat sales weekend at Largs - and also the
Boat Shows at Kip, and Troon
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dates for your diaries - Christmas parties etc (late note - unfortunately, the
Viking fireworks have been cancelled for cost reasons)
Mentioning Christmas parties, remember that members can book functions in our
clubhouse - anything from a business meeting to weddings. Talk to Julia and
Steven when they are back from their holidays.
Scroll down for more detail on all these topics. Also see the last page of the enews for clubhouse opening times, contact details for various branches of the
club, and a record of the cruise in company programme, major sailing events at
LSC this year, and so on.
Gordon Cochrane
Membership Secretary
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QUIZ NIGHT - NEXT QUIZ - FRIDAY 17th OCTOBER
Quiz night is normally the second Friday in the month, but because of staff holidays, October's
quiz will be the third Friday i.e. 17th October.
Quizmasters will be Graeme and Marilyn Robertson.
Steven and team will be serving a buffet from (I believe) 6:30 p.m.; the quiz itself starts at 8 p.m.
We will revert to the normal second Friday from November i.e. Nov 14th, Dec 12th etc.
A feature of recent quiz nights has been John Connelly's "heads and tails", and other fund
raising activities. We have now used these funds to purchase two leather sofas to replace the
fabric sofas in front of the bar. Thanks everyone!
NEW CLUBHOUSE OPENING HOURS
As the season is nearing its close, we have reduced our opening hours accordingly:
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Fridays 12:00 to 14:00 (open appropriate Friday evenings for quiz night etc)
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Saturdays 11:00 - 17:00
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Sundays 12:00 to 18:00
CADET REGATTA - SATURDAY 20th and SUNDAY 21st SEPTEMBER
Over 60 of this year's 100+ cadets took part in the end of season cadet regatta, starting with
Saturday afternoon's water treasure hunt, then a family social evening, and Sunday racing,
including Bart's Bash race. This was sailed in near tropical sunshine - but a bit more wind would
have been good! Anyway, a fitting end to another superb effort by all our many instructors and
safety boat volunteers, without whom this would simply not be possible.
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BART'S BASH - SUNDAY 21st SEPTEMBER
This global sailing race and fundraising event at local sailing clubs took place on Sunday 21st
September, joining together thousands of worldwide sailors in a race to set a new Guinness
World Record, raise money for charity, inspire the next generation and remember the tragic
death of Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson, Gold & Silver Olympic medallist and America’s Cup sailor.
Largs SC had 48 boats participating, the highest recorded total in Scotland, so thanks everyone
for a great turnout. This was verified by local politicians, including the local MSP, Kenneth
Gibson, who was able to see how important sailing and related activities are to the local
economy (more than golf!!).
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ADULT SAIL TRAINING (from senior instructor David Grieve)
Five members of the adult sail training programme finished their second stage of training in mid
September, so achieving their RYA Level 2 in Dinghy sailing. Congratulations to Valerie Lundie,
Mark Sharp, Iain Wylie, Mark Coyle and Andrew McPake!
Of course, as with the cadet training, this couldn't be done without help from volunteer
instructors, and I would also like to thank Martin Faulkner, Bill Forsyth and George McCree for
their much appreciated assistance through out this season's training.
CLUB RACING (from Phil Alderson)
The Autumn Series has been extended to Sunday 26th October,
The season finishes with the November Open Series, with racing every weekend in November
(weather permitting!), and features prizes from Spinlock.
CRUISING GROUP UPDATE (from Marilyn Robertson)
Nine boats (including one motor boat) took part in the final weekend cruise of the 2014 season
over the weekend of 20/21 September. We set off for Port Bannatyne in light winds, planning an
early beach BBQ and bonfire, in recognition of the darker, chillier evenings. However freshening
winds provided some great sailing as we approached Rothesay Bay and soon we were all
tacking about and really enjoying ourselves. At least one boat managed to log nearly 18 miles
making the 9 mile passage! The BBQ and bonfire provided a rousing end to a great day and also
marked the end of what has been a remarkable season for us all. (Photographs by Gordon
Cochrane.)
We have welcomed new members to the cruising group, including motor cruisers and sailing
crews from all over the UK. Our cruising area has extended from the very north and west of
Scotland to the heart of Glasgow, taking in many of the Western Isles and memorably, taking
part in the Commonwealth Games Flotilla up the River Clyde. While it is sad to contemplate the
end of the sailing season, there will be social events to look forward to over the winter, including
an evening of shared experiences and banter soon to be announced.
I would also like to invite you to submit your sailing logs as we will be awarding the trophy for
best log at this end of season event. Please send your into the club before the end of October,
so that the we can decide who will receive this year’s award.
Meanwhile, also look out for the winter talks schedule, which will commence at the end of
January 2015 and take us seamlessly into next year’s sailing season…. This will be on the club
website and flagged in the e-news towards the end of this year.
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FIRTH OF CLYDE COASTAL ROWING CLUB JOINS LARGS SC
Many members will have seen the Firth of Clyde
Coastal Rowing Club's skiff Saltire practising off the
clubhouse, and taking part in the rowing regatta
during Regatta Week. We are now very pleased to
welcome them as winter members, and they will be
using our clubhouse as a base for their winter
training (already started, with knot lessons from Bill
Erskine, their safety and training instructor), and
socialising, with a team in next week's quiz!
The club presently has around 45 members, a mix of rowers, boat builders, fund raisers, and
supporters, with chairman Alan Cowan, and secretary Cameron Hughes, and grants member
Hugh Maclean.
The club's first skiff was built in Fairlie about 18 months ago, and a second boat (Thistle - named
in a competition by Fairlie school children) is nearly complete.
There are more details about their club on their website, and Facebook pages, or come along to
their training days (first Saturday of the month, before / after lunch) for a chat.
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RYA ZONE CHAMPIONSHIPS - 27-28 September (from Freddie Moran + David Kent)
This was our final
major event of the
year, with around 60
boats, and was a
great success, with
fantastic weather straight winds, and
sunshine most of the
weekend, so a full
programme of races
was completed!
The RYA Team left
feeling very happy
about the weekend,
also the super
support they get
from the club, and
the SSI.
It was also very encouraging to see so many of LSC Cadets participate in the Regatta fleet,
which bodes well for the future of dinghy racing in the club. (Photo - Josh Kerr)
Once again, on behalf of LSC, a big thanks to all our fantastic volunteers for the great support in
2014.
ELLEN MacARTHUR SCOTTISH BASE - OPENING CEREMONY AT LYH/LSC
Largs Sailing Club was the
venue for the opening
ceremony for the Scottish
Base of the Ellen MacArthur
Cancer Trust. Ellen recently
gave an inspiring talk about
the work of the trust to invited
guests, many of whom are
involved in supporting this
worthwhile cause.
The Trust was established in
2003 to give young people
aged 8-24 recovering from
cancer an opportunity to go
sailing. Largs Yacht Haven, and Largs SC, has been chosen as their Scottish base, and this has
been made possible thanks to a £40,000 grant from the Peoples Post Code Lottery.
PEELPORTS LARGS REGATTA WEEK
The last e-news included a brief report on Largs Regatta Week, with David and Ian Kent taking
dinghy of the week in their catamaran Drookit, and keelboat of the week was Farr e nuff, with
John Kent (no relation!) and crew. Congratulations to them! (Photographs - Marc Turner)
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Other dates for your diaries:
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Euroyachts Boat Sales - weekend 10 – 12 October. Similar event at Troon, I believe.
Also Kip Boat Show.
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Guy Fawkes fireworks at the Pencil - have unfortunately been cancelled this year by the
organisers, Largs Round Table, due to cost and manpower considerations
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annual general meeting - Sunday 30th November (to be confirmed)
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Christmas party and dance Saturday 6th December
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Children's Christmas party Sunday 21st December
Gordon Cochrane
Membership Secretary
CLUBHOUSE - WINTER OPENING HOURS
From Monday 22 September, the bar hours will change to the winter timetable as follows:
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Fridays 12:00 to 14:00 (open appropriate Friday evenings for quiz night etc)
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Saturdays 11:00 - 17:00
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Sundays 12:00 - 18:00
Members are welcome to use the club outside the bar hours, using the door access code if necessary. There is a
coffee/tea/hot chocolate machine on the landing.
Links // Contacting the Club, the LSTA, and other links:
LSC office: 01475 670000
LSC Lookout Lounge / Bar: 01475 670022
LSC general e-mail: secretary@largssc.co.uk
LSC web site: www.largssc.co.uk
LSC Facebook: www.facebook.com/largssc
FoC Coastal Rowing Club: see here
LSTA general e-mail: info@lsta.org.uk
LSTA web site: http://www.lsta.org.uk/
LSTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/largssta
Scottish Sailing Institute: see here
SSI webcam (new) - see here
LYH/LSC webcam – see www.largssc.co.uk/web-cam
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Cruise in company programme 2014:
April 5-6
April 18-21
(Easter)
May 2-5
May 16-17
June 6-22/29
July 4-6
July 25-27
August 16-17
Aug 30-Sept 7
Sept 20-21
Shake-down cruise: weather dependent day cruise, evening get together in Clubhouse and
half day passage planning for the extended cruise in company. Open to all Club sailors of
dinghies, motor cruisers and keelboats
2-3 day cruise around Arran: to include overnight stops at Lamlash, Lochranza and/or
Carradale
Bute Jazz Festival: muster at Port Bannatyne or Rothesay
Helensburgh and Lomond Real Ale festival: muster at Rhu marina, Friday 16th
Extended Cruise in Company: there will be a series of musters around the west coast of
Scotland, from Islay, Jura and the Small Isles, to Ardnamurchan and beyond. Optional
passages around the Mull or through Crinan Canal
Tarbert Seafood Festival: muster with BBQ in East Loch Tarbert, Friday 4th July to enjoy the
seafood celebrations on Saturday 5th July
th
Commonwealth Games Flotilla: muster at James Watt Dock on July 25 for parade up the
th
Clyde to the Glasgow Science Centre for celebrations linked to the Games July 26/27 . Early
registration with RYAS essential: www.ryascotland.org.uk/EVENTS/FLOTILLA2014/Pages/default.aspx
Kyles of Bute: overnight on mooring or anchorage with social muster ashore
Extended Cruise in Company: circumnavigation of Kintyre taking in Crinan Canal and the
Mull, with musters in Gigha, Islay, Tarbert and Campbeltown
End of-season muster: Port Bannatyne or Rothesay with BBQ / pub meal ashore
Major events at LSC in 2014:
Event date
Sailing dates
Competitors
Mar 29/30
Mar 29/30
60
May 17/18
May 17/18
30
July 11/19
July 14/19
45
Aug 9/15
Aug 10/15
200
Largs Regatta Week
Aug 23/30
Aug 23/30
100
RYA Zone
Championships
Sept 27/28
Sept 27/28
100
RYA Spring
Championships
Windsurfing
Championships
FD World
Championships
UK Laser
Championships
Marquee?
Dinghy park
clearance
Yes
Marquee Area
Aug 20 - 25
Please note that the area in the dinghy park for the marquee is now only required for Regatta Week. We will
require boats in the footprint of the marquee to be moved. LYH will be providing a fenced off area in the Euroyachts
car park for the boats being displaced by the marquee. Also will be monitored by the new SSI CCTV.
Please move your boat yourself, in advance of the time, so you can be assured it is safely moved, and
properly secured. This also saves club volunteers having to move your boat!
Other events at Largs Yacht Haven and in Largs in 2014:
12 – 19 April
26/27 April
3/4 May
9 – 13 June
27 – 29 June
15 July
23 July – 3 Aug
25 – 27 July
10 August
30 Aug to 7 September
21 September
Visually Impaired Sailing Association regatta
CCC Round Bute Race
Ocean Cruising Club 60th anniversary muster
North British Police Regatta
Largs Live music festival
Commonwealth Games Baton Relay in Largs
Commonwealth Games 2014
RYA Flotilla to Glasgow
Taste Ayrshire Food Festival (Largs promenade)
Largs Viking Festival (fireworks and battle at The Pencil Sat 6)
Bart’s Bash sailing event
RYA Active Marina Events:
16/17 May
5/6 July
5 July
Cruise in company with LSC to Lomond Beer Festival at Rhu
Cruise in company with LSC to Tarbert Seafood Festival
Cruise in company with FYC around Cumbrae Islands followed by BBQ on
Cumbrae
For further details on all the LYH events, see www.yachthavens.com.