Dear Club Member,

This week’s addition of the Club Training Newsletter follows on from a request from a club member and will focus on the technique of Coming Alongside a pontoon or moored boat. Before we get into the detail of that there’s a few announcements and reminders.

Upcoming Events

The Dalkey Island BQQ takes place on Sunday the 26th July, running from 11am. The cost is €69 for the day, including BBQ and all the trimmings.

The Annual Dalkey Island Race will take place on Saturday the 8th of August, and will run instead of the usual club sailing. Race briefing is at 1pm, with first gun at 2pm. The race will be from Dun Laoghaire Harbour and the only mark on the course will be Dalkey Island itself. The cost for the race is €45. The results will be announced in the Purty Kitchen where finger food platters will await hungry racers.

Unfortunately the RYA Start Racing Course scheduled for this weekend will not be going ahead. We’ll keep an eye on another date for this over the next few months.

Coming Alongside

This is a very useful technique to perfect, as it not only allows you to stop your boat next to a pontoon, or other moored boat, but to master speed control. The aim of the technique is to come to a complete stop beside a pontoon, and for someone to be able to get the boat tied on. Using the wind to stop the boat is the preferred option – so at the end of the technique you’ll be head to wind alongside the object – and have let all the momentum of the boat run off.

We’ll have a short briefing before the general club briefing for those who would like to opt in to the short bit of coaching we’ll do on Saturday at 1.40pm.

Best Regards,

Glyn Williams

Club Manager