Whiteness Head

At last an almost perfect sailing day on Sunday - 15 assorted craft on the water with everyone enjoying the conditions. The entire Cowie family were afloat in Optimists and Wayfarers. Anthony went solo on a wayfarer and did extremely well. No sailing next Sunday 1st of August but we will be there as usual on the 8th at 0900 hrs. Sorry for the early start.

Nan Maclean Passage Race

This will take place on July 31st - August 1st Briefing 1250 hrs It is proposed that we try Findhorn for an overnight stay with a meal in the Kimberly Inn. It is a different venue from our norm and it would be nice to see a good turn out even if you do not intend to race. It's not too far by road for any club members that care to join us.

Summer Cruise

Allouette, Crackling Rosie, Eleanor and Blue Moon all made it back safely from Orkney. Their trip was bedevilled by high winds usually from ahead but all survived to tell the tale . Well done to them.

Committee Meeting

There will be a Committee Meeting this Thursday 29th July in the Clubhouse at 7.15 pm

Kind regards Robert Gordon

Did you know your child can join the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) as a junior for £5 (under 12) or £11 for (12-17)? ...a bargain compared to family membership at £59!

The welcome pack for the under 12s includes a cool activity book worth £6.99 (Go Sailing! Activity Book for Young Sailors), and youth members receive a book about knots. Membership also gives you 15% off all RYA books( incl excellent children's books), a junior newsletter, etc.

It is worth getting the "RYA Go Sailing Manual" to assist with the activity book, lots of child friendly information and illustrations which will really help your child to understand what they are doing out there.

And if your junior joins right away, there is a competition to win a mountain bike, but entries close June 30, so be quick!

www.rya.org.uk

Just a reminder regarding this weekend that both the cruisers and dinghies are scheduled to be at Whiteness. The plan for the weekend is as follows:

Saturday 26th June

Cruisers leave Nairn 10.30 am (channel 8), and muster off the buoy at Whiteness at 11.30 am ready to enter the channel. Paul will be down at Whiteness with one of the Ribs to act as a guide and he hopes to have been down on Friday evening to check out the channel at low tide. Dinghies - as advertised at 1.00 pm on Saturday - anyone who wishes to join Paul earlier in the Rib or dinghy at Whiteness leaving around 11.00 am for 11.30 am meeting with cruisers is welcome.

After the cruisers arrive we will launch the other Club Rib, and moor on the pontoon for use as a shuttle and rescue boat. There will be a team challenge - Cruisers v Dinghies (in the Optimists) -triangular course two laps. So we need four 'victims' from the Cruisers to volunteer to be racers. Dinghies finish on the water at around 4.00 pm, followed by a tidy up for a barbecue, starting around 4.30 - 5.00 pm - bring your own food and booze, there may be some games lined up.

Sunday 27th June

Cruisers leave around 11.30/12 noon for the return race to Nairn. If there is any interest in a Sunday dinghy session this would start at around 10 am finishing around 1.00 pm

Look forward to seeing you

The Dinghy Section will be holding a taster event at Whiteness Head on June 20th. The aim is to get as many young people out on the water and give them a taster of what dinghy sailing is all about.

RYA instructors and equipment will be provided free of charge. The day will be split into 1 hour sessions and open to children 8+ years old.

Advance booking is essential. Please contact Christine (email spreiter@mac.com or call 01667 567 788). Places are limited to so book early to aviod disappointment.

More details can be found HERE.

Open Day

Well done to everyone who made such an effort to ensure the Open Day was a success The many favourable comments made by the public seemed to indicate that they enjoyed the day. We may take for granted our view of Nairn from the sea but many were seeing it for the first time. It was splendid to see the boats decked overall and it was particularly difficult to pick a winner - Oink with its piratical crew just edged it from Golddust and Hilarity. There was 25 boats in the parade making a wonderful spectacle and we managed to take 180 of the public afloat. A special thanks to Nida and Mike for doing the barbecue. The rain may have curtailed the day somewhat, but it did benefit the ladies serving teas and cakes in the clubhouse, who did brisk business and raised a considerable sum for the RNLI.

Whiteness Dinghies Sunday 30th May

A brisk wind made for some exciting sailing. 3 wayfarers were on the water including one acquired from our former treasurer Bill Taylor which we intend calling BT It could do with new sails but it performed well. Clem Cuthbert recently acquired a wayfarer to add to his collection of dinghies and it got its first launch. Mathew Scott Calum Cook and Harry Barron did well in the Opies given the lively conditions. Gina tried the wayfarer and then took out a topper which was a bit more challenging. Iain and Morna Cameron launched their kayak and paddled about with some skill. Another great day but we could do with more helpers both ashore and on the water. Unfortunately there has been cases of dog fouling at Whiteness. I'm sure you will all agree, especially with young children that this is unacceptable. Dogs must be kept under supervision, the alternative will be a no dog policy. Sorry for the sleepy heads next Sunday 6th June at 9am, early tide I'm afraid

Ben Haslam Sponsored Dinghy Sail

A very well done to Ben who sailed his contender dinghy from Ardersier round to Nairn. He did this to raise money for a lady who is suffering from M.S. and needs specialist treatment.

* * *FORTHCOMING EVENTS * * *

Tony Thame Cruiser Passage Race - Saturday 5th June 2010

Briefing on the middle pontoon at 07.00. We need to get out of the harbour by 07.30 to catch the back of the tide, but suggest a brief anchor off Nairn for breakfast. We will then start the race at 09.00 and race to Cromarty, the course and length of the race depending on prevailing conditions. Once at Cromarty, the suggestion is to anchor, crew up some of the Nairn boats and enter the MYA 2nd Interclub race at Cromarty. The race start is kindly being moved to 12.00 to accommodate us and give time to those of us who want to return to Nairn on late Saturday afternoon and particularly for those who want to be involved in the dinghy sailing on Sunday. George Selvester of Cromarty boat club assures us that there will be moorings for those who would like to stay over on Saturday night and enjoy the Cromarty hospitality.

Dinghy Section - Sunday 6th June 2010

Sorry for the sleepy heads Sunday 6th June at 9.00 am, early tide I'm afraid

Visit from Windermere Cruising Association - 11, 12 and 13 June

This event has now been running for 16 years and involves Nairn SC and Windermere Cruising Association visiting each other on alternate years, and experiencing a contrasting sailing environment, but with a strong emphasis on enjoying the social contact between the two clubs. It’s a great weekend and provides an opportunity for some sailing and socialising on Lake Windermere next year!

1) Arrival of Windermere Cruising Association- Friday, June 11th (evening) Meet up with Nairn sailing club in the evening (bar open from 20.00) at the clubhouse. Assignment of Windermere couples to Nairn boats and skippers. Even if you are not a host boat, please pop in to the clubhouse and meet our Windermere friends.

2) Saturday, June 12th Cooked breakfast in the clubhouse at 08.00 for Windermere friends. Sailing programme (briefing on middle pontoon at 09.30) to comprise a race for the Windermere Quaich, starting 10.30. Lunch on boats back in harbour after race (host boats will have been assigned on the Friday evening and host skippers have already volunteered). Windermere friends to visit Randolph’s Leap on River Findhorn after sailing (leaving harbour-side in cars at 15.30 for those interested). Evening social programme (games and folk songs) starts at 19.15, with buffet supper in clubhouse (£10 per head). Please e-mail Ken (k.killham@googlemail.com) to confirm attendance by the end of the week.

3) Sunday, June 13th Cooked breakfast in the clubhouse at 09.00 for Windermere friends. Sailing programme (briefing 10.20 on middle pontoon) to comprise a fun event, probably held jointly with our dinghy section, starting at about 11.00 (further details to be issued at the briefing). The visit of Windermere Cruising Association will finish with a BBQ (please bring a bottle) in the afternoon (starting at 15.00).

Sail in the City - Sunday 20th June 2010

This is an RYA initiative and involves very little expense to the club. Not sure why it is called Sail in the City but basically a team from the RYA will come to Whiteness together with all their own equipment, safety boats dinghies etc. and provide sail training throughout the day. You can book a 1 hour slot any time during the day. There is no cost involved and is open to members and non members, so tell your friends to come along and take advantage of this unique opportunity. A separate email will follow from Christine giving the specific timings etc for the daty. You can book via Christine on 01667 456788 or E-mail Spreiter@mac.com

Disposal of Time Expired Pyrotechnics

HM Coastguard will be available from 10 am to 6.00 pm on the following dates should you wish to visit to safely dispose of any time expired pyrotecnics - distress flares etc. 12th June 17th July 14th August 18 September The address is HM Costguard, Harbour Buildings, Longman Drive, Inverness

Kind regards

Robert Gordon

NSC will be hosting the AGM of Highland and Moray Sailing in the club house on Thursday 27th May at 19.00.

On the agenda are topics such as Keel boat racing, the North of Scotland Dinghy Championships, Open Race Training and Coaching.

There will also be a talk from Chris Tomlinson titled, "Preparaing for, and participating in, the Atlantic Rally for Curisers including hitting an unidentified (semi) floating object!"

This Saturday Nairn Sailing Club will be holding its Open Day at the harbour in Nairn. Try your hand at kayaking or sailing a dinghy in the harbour basin. Members will be giving free trips around the bay on their boats and there will be the traditional parade of boats, all dressed for the occasion. The Nairn District Pipe Band will be playing. Food can be had at the BBQ and teas/coffees and cakes will be served up by the women of the RNLI in the Clubhouse. The fun starts at 10.30.

The club's frist trip to the Old Bar this year was a great success. Good weather saw 12 boats and Ben Haslam in his dinghy make the trip to the Old Bar, east of Nairn. There were also a few dinghies available at the Old Bar, which were sailed in the creek by members of the dinghy section. In all there were over 45 people there on Saturday with many staying for the BBQ and camp fire at night.

Photos of the trip can be found on the club's Flickr site.

Nairn Sailing Clubs annual regatta was held in fresh westerly winds on Saturday (May 15th). A fleet of 12 boats from the sailing clubs (Chanonry, Comarty, Invergordon and Nairn) of the Moray Yacht Axis (MYA) enjoyed great sailing off Nairn, with very keen competition between the boats as they battled for supremacy in the testing conditions. Club bragging rights deservedly went to Invergordon Boat Club thanks to a very impressive sail by John Burgis in his Hunter Sonata "Rhythm n Blue". The race also decided the Buchan cup for Nairn sailing Club, with the silverware going to Donald Harcus in his superseal, Eleanor, with Jim Clark and the Sadler 32 "Amrita" second, and Paul Chaplin in his first class eight "Oink" in third. Donald was also a very creditable third in the Regatta and showed that he and his crew are now a formidable force at Nairn in all wind and sea conditions.

There was further racing on the Sunday, with the Taylor Tankard up for grabs. Again, it was Donald Harcus and his well honed crew in Eleanor who stole the show. Donald led from the very start in much lighter airs and flatter seas than the previous day. The course took the fleet over to the fairway buoy marking the approach to the Cromarty Firth. No-one was going to stop Donald as he turned up the heat on the rest of the Nairn fleet, winning by a handsome margin, with Jim Clark in Amrita in second place and Ken Killham in his Ovni "Alouette" in third.

The entry fees for the Nairn Regatta weekend are being donated to the RNLI, and Nairn Sailing Club extends thanks to all those who made the effort to sail from sister clubs of the MYA.

Photos HERE.

Last Sunday (2nd May) was a great day at Whiteness. The weather superb, light winds and all the kids felt comfortable in the Oppies and had a whale of a time. Lots of the adults were out and about on the water in the wayfarers, including a return from some Laser sailors like Jimmy Clarke.

This week's a big week for the dinghy section, with a visit to Rosebank school to encourage a few new sailors to join us. We'd also like to get some adult sailing training and racing going next Sunday as well as the Oppies and Toppies.

Click HERE for some photos.

See you there,

Paul Chaplin