NBYC Newsletters

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Another view from the Bridge

It is nice to see that the sailing season is now in full swing, and the Club is operating smoothly without too many bumps. The new gate is working well after a couple of initial hiccups, however the number to the gate and the changing rooms will be changed on the 1st July. (see the last page) I can hear the groans echoing from all corners including mine - not more new numbers! Unfortunately this change has become necessary because of several non members have been given the number by members,; this obviously negates the gates prime purpose ......... so please keep the new number private.

On the office admin. side, please let the office know your latest email address. You can also record it on the website. (go to Breaking News). It would be very helpful to send newsletters for example, by email. The usual postal system will always remain, especially for those who do not have email and are not likely to ever have that facility, but we are always looking to keep running costs down - this ensures that Mr Talbot remains a happy chappie!

Team Racing - please register on the website www.nbyc.co.uk (@ Latest News) if you are interested in being part of our wonderful team and trouncing all comers!

Mums and Dads, please ensure that your small people do not play on the trolleys which look so inviting as toys but are very fraught with danger and jagged bits - a child jumping on and off a trolley during the last Topper Training left a large chunk of flesh from their leg behind when they slipped and fell - it really ruined their day and kept the hospital busy.

On the housekeeping front, please help our hardworking staff by remembering to clear your plates away from the non-service tables in the clubhouse and from the verandah. It is a small courtesy which reaps huge rewards!

Although it is early June, our Regatta week is rapidly approaching. I am so pleased to say that the entire racing week is being sponsored by Bang Olufsen following on from their successful sponsoring of the End of Season Regatta last year. So the goodies are definitely worth competing for!

The social events calendar for the Regatta is enclosed, study it closely and my challenge to you is to come to all of them if you dare!

The pre-entry and social event booking forms are enclosed with this newsletter - apply early for all tickets so as not to miss out. Fiona and I look forward to seeing you at THE BALL

A view from the House Committee

The Social season is now well under way at NBYC and you may have already noticed some changes and improvements to the service Lyndon and his team have to offer. There is now a greater variety of food available from the hatch and also an excellent breakfast menu at very reasonable prices.

Lyndon's legendary Bistro Evenings are proving as popular as ever, and it is necessary to book your table early.

The committee has introduced some guidelines for a dress code. We are asking that all members should be properly attired at all times within the Clubhouse and that after 7.30 p.m., smart casual is to be worn in the bar. This request will be included in the Club's house rules.

There is, as usual, a full programme of social events for Wroxham Week and you can find full details on the Wroxham Week leaflet. On the Friday evening, club barbecues will be available members to use, so why not organise your own informal 'get together'?

The Regatta Ball is not to be missed and this year we are very pleased to be able to invite members between the ages of 16 and 18. Please see the booking form for details. If you would like to come, but do not have a full table, please fill in the booking form and we will put a table together for you. ............. Enjoy your sailing and social life at NBYC.

Notes from the Racing Committee

As I write, a third of the season has already passed and most of our classes have held their weekends. There have been good numbers of competitors in most fleets particularly in the Optimists, Toppers, and keelboats. However, we have some concern about our other dinghy fleets whose numbers at class events and in seasonal points series is low. Some people attribute this to an alleged "anti dinghy" or "pro keelboat policy" at NBYC. I must disabuse these detractors; we will continue to do everything to enable our adopted dinghy classes to race on the Broad, even to the extent of protecting their place within the programme. Nevertheless, we would like to see more use made of these opportunities. Meanwhile our policy of holding combined Star and Wayfarer weekends has proved helpful to both classes and will be continued.

Most competitors have expressed their appreciation of the new system to identify the start line, although those who have not read the Sailing Instruction have been rather taken aback when confusing line number with rounds board! We are hoping to realign the distance markers before Wroxham Week.

Following the excellent "Rules Day", organised by Gilly Foulds, we have decided to offer the opportunity for competitors to constructively discuss incidents that have happened whilst racing but have not been brought to protest. To assist with this a large magnetic white board has been placed on the South Veranda. This, together with some magnetic boats should allow most incidents to be relived in a more considered way. Any member of the Racing Committee will help by providing both the boats and the rule book. This system has been used with some success by several clubs throughout the country and it is seen as a good way to achieve a greater appreciation of the racing rules. The normal protest procedures remains an option.

News from the Finance Committee

It would be very easy at this stage of the year to look at the healthy bank balances and dream of all the different ways to spend the money! However we know that whilst almost all our subscription and mooring fee income has been collected, the money needs to see us through until the end of the year.

In addition to the significant overheads of just keeping everything running as members would expect, we always try to find funds for small improvements which can give additional benefit to members. This spring amongst other things we have been able to extend the provision of electricity to Goose Green, invest in a huge new freezer in the kitchens, new shower doors, new tables in the clubroom and picnic benches outside.

We have introduced some racks for Optimists to help relieve pressure on dinghy park space and have paved the area adjacent to the south lawn, making access to the clubhouse much easier.

The crane jib has been modified to allow a greater lift height although some adjustment is still needed to the mechanism.

There is always a long wish list, and we try to find time and money to resource as much as we can.

The next stage of the security system, introducing card readers for the gate, is being costed so that implementation of this can take place. The Finance committee are also looking at how best to improve the current training facilities, which are stretched to the limit most of the time.

Through the staff group, we have been overseeing the review of the club constitution and rules, in particular the areas relating to grievance and disciplinary procedures. The group has also agreed the basis of re-engaging staff for the current year and is in close contact with the catering manager as we make preparations for Wroxham Week.

The financial year end activities have taken place in the office and the full accounts for 2006 have been drafted by the treasurer and are under review by our external accountants.

Budgets for 2007 were set at the beginning of the year and in most areas, partly due to the good weather at the start of the season, activity is higher than expected. Thanks to the support from Keith and Jo in the office, financial information is available when needed, so that management reports can be provided to management committee meetings.

At this early point in the season, the financial signs are encouraging - we just have to deliver on budget for the rest of the year!

The Broad Committee

Now that the season is well under way we would be grateful to receive any members feedback on the test areas of grating that has been laid on the long jetty. The decking with the larger holes seems to deter the geese best so far, there have been comments about the colour and if it is decided to use more of this we can select a more appropriate colour.

The new gate installation has been successful and hopefully members are used to it by now, there is a small problem with the road surface where the new gate posts have been installed and this will be rectified as part of the next winter work program.

We are planning further security enhancements with the possible introduction of a credit card sized proximity card that can be used in addition to the keypad entry for operation of the gate.

Since our closed gate policy has been in place this has highlighted the number of non members who have been using / visiting the facilities without a valid reason, Steve Wright has approached several people he suspected as being non members who have been on site during the week and found that they have been given the number by someone, if we want better security our members must maintain the confidentiality of the entry number, if this number is given out we will have no alternative but to keep changing it on a regular basis.

While still on the subject of security please ensure that you have an NBYC Member sticker displayed in your car window, they are available from the office.

The refurbished crane has improved the lifting clearance however the new crane winch has developed a fault that we are pressing the suppliers to resolve. Please see the notice on the crane to this effect. The crane is operational but please read the notice that is on the crane.

If there are any areas that you feel could be improved please use the suggestion book in the club house.

Notes from a Junior members input

Volvo Musto Inland Championships Regatta Fleet
Grafham Water 19th - 20th May 2007

On day one we had three races as planned. At 10.30 we had our briefing and they told us it was going to be a square course and that the starting sequence would be 5, 4, 1, GO. Before the first race I was very nervous but as soon as I got in my boat that feeling went away.

When I was sailing out to the course a couple of times a few of those nerves came back due to some 30 mph gusts, but when I was on the course I really enjoyed it. In the morning we had one race and I had a good start and came second which surprised me, we then came in for lunch for about an hour.

I set out again (not feeling as nervous as before) for the afternoon's two back-to-back races. In the first one I got another good start but a few people over took me on the first beat and I finished ninth. I then sailed to one end of the start line, had a snack and a drink and waited for the next start.
This time I was second around the windward mark, behind Little Red Dragon who was leading. When I went round the wing mark I nose dived, filling up to the brim with water. I bailed out which meant I was coming about 20th. On the rest of the course I overtook a few people and came 15th in that race.

At the end of the first day I was coming 4th overall.
The next day there was only 5 mph of wind so at 11.00 the committee decided only the regatta fleet would race and even the regatta fleet would only do one. I had a good start but I am not very good at light wind sailing so in that race I came 41st out of 77.

When we came in we had the presentation and overall I came 6th. This was the first big open event I had competed in. It wasn't as scary as I thought and everyone had a good time including me.

Trailers / Boats on Trailers

Please ensure that you do not leave any trailers or boats on trailers, at any time in the principal car parks. Trailers should be left in one of the trailer parks and boats on trailers left in the back field (overflow car park).

If you do leave a boat or trailer in the car park, it will be removed by Club staff and a fee of £10.00 incurred.

We have allocated some spaces at the top end of the back field for Brown Boats that travel between NBYC and Lowestoft. Please use these spaces if you cannot immediately launch or remove your boat when you either bring it back or take it away.