RESULTS FROM MEMBERS SURVEY

There were 98 replies to the membership survey. Honorary Secretary Graham Walton deciphered the results. Luckily Graham has studied statistics to degree level. Replies are available for inspection if required.

The results were as follows: -

A statement of the current position appears over leaf

IRISH BOAT JUMBLE
Sunday 10 April
10.00AM-5.00PM

SAVE £3.50 FREE
ADMISSION TO MEMBERS

Only on production of 2005
membership card

One card
one admission!

Late licence Friday 08
and Saturday 09 for a
bit of craic and music.

N.B. No cars will be permitted
onto the Club car park or
boat park on Saturday 09
and Sunday 10 April.

Membership survey cont'd Current situation.

1. SLIPWAY It will take some time to arrive at the best possible solution and to raise the funds required. and it will be the remit of a Development Committee to pursue this item.

2. PURCHASE OF LAND Negotiations have started with the Council to purchase the lease and we hope to be able to report favourably this year. If successful this should also help support item 1.

3. DISABLED ACCESS Quotations have been obtained for a vertical platform lift and further investigations are being carried out to establish building modifications required.

4. SECURITY Quotations have also been obtained for a number of electronically controlled gate options and these are under consideration.

5. KITCHEN Approximately £4,000.00 has to be spent on the kitchen to meet food safety requirements. The Committee has proceeded with this as the alternative would be to discontinue catering

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE WEB SITE

MAILING LIST

Just go to www.carrickfergussc.org and click on the "Mailing List" button halfway down the left hand side.
Registration is painless. After you are registered every time the web site is updated you will get an automatic email advising you of the link to the new page. Steven Atkinson is very diligent about updating the site and is very quick to include new material.

Thank you to all who emailed me last time re emails of JIBSHEET. Having encouraged everyone to register on the Club site (see above) I completely forgot that JIBSHEET also appears on the web site so further emails are not required.

ENTRAPMENT

Can your boat capsize?

How would you deal with a crew member trapped inside?

Cohn de Fleury has written an important article on this subject. It is important that all owners of high performance dinghies and Flying Fifteen owners and crew, read the article.

It will be available at the Club Bar

CLUB STALL AT THE BOAT JUMBLE

ATTIC / GARAGE / SHED CLEAROUT TIME AGAIN

We are again running a stall at the Boat Jumble.

If you have any boaty bits that you wish to sell or donate please contact Andy McCune or Drew McClenaghan.

For sellers the Club takes 10% commission. All proceeds to Club funds.

Please ensure that your items are clearly marked with your name and a contact telephone number and also ensure that Andy and Drew are aware of your minimum selling price.

Sailing News from Jim Shields, Honorary Sailing Secretary

I am sure by now that you are already thinking about the 2005 sailing season. For those that are hardy enough to brave the elements at this time of year to prepare their boats they get the benefits of a long season. You can see from this years programme that there are activities right throughout the year both for racers and cruisers alike. There will be more cruising events organized at short notice.

Last year there was a tremendous turnout of boats on regatta day (approx 100). There were boats racing which rarely come out for the club racing. The number of boats taking part in the club events has been dwindling over the past few years so I am asking all those who don't take part to come along and join in the Spring Series. The club events are restricted to club members and the racing and craic are good. If you are a little hesitant about taking part for any reason you could either
o go out in the Spring Series which has less boats taking part
o go out and hang back behind the fleet for a few weeks or
o crew on one of the regular boats for a week or two.

Please contact me if you want details of any of the events or want to crew on another boat. My home Tel No: 02890 702289

Boats aren't fun when they are tied up in the marina, so come along and participate.

Crewing Opportunities

Many skippers are finding it more and more difficult to get crew throughout the season on a regular basis. I propose to put a section on the notice board in the club foyer for "Crew Required or Available". Boats needing crew can advertise on it and people wanting to crew on a boat can put up a notice. Failing that, contact myself or Rory Moore, Assistant Sailing Secretary and we will be glad to assist. All levels of crew are required from those with no experience to the well experienced.

2005 Programme

The programme below lists Carrickfergus Sailing Club events.

A more comprehensive list of events in the Lough is on the club website.

Good luck and I hope you have enjoyable sailing

Sailing Programme 2005

Sun 3 April - Sun 1 May - Spring Series

Tue 3 May - Tue 5 July -Tuesday Series

Thur 5 May - Thu 7 July - Thursday Series

Sunday 8 May - Ruffian North/South Team Racing

Sat 14 May - Sun 15 May -Mid Lough Summer Event

Sat 21 May - Sun 22 May - Glenarm Weekend

Sat 4 June - Sun 5 June - Squib Northern Championships

Sat 25 June - Sun 26 June - Topper Ulster Championships

Saturday 23 July - Carrickfergus Regatta

Sat 23 July - Sun 24 July - Castle Cup

Tue 26 July - Thur 1 September - Late Series

Sat 30 July - Sun 31 July - J24 Northern Championships

Sat 6 Aug - Sun 7 Aug - Lipton Cup

Sat 3 Sept - Sun 4 Sept - RYA Youth Championships

Tue 6 Sept - Ladies Race

Sun 11 Sept - Sun 23 Oct -Autumn Series

Sun 30 October-Menagerie Race

Sun 6 Nov - Sun 11 Dec - Mid Lough Winter Series