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Malcolm
Wet
455 Posts |
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Ally Jones
Quite dry
62 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Feb 2010 : 12:15:54 AM
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What would make Draycote more fun at the moment is some Wind on Sundays!
Ally Jones
Miracle3847
Contender 586 |
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robbersdog
Drenched
1427 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2010 : 08:22:59 AM
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"Not wanting to put the damper on things but..... Isn't the whole point of Draycote that it is a racing club? Would we really want loads of "cruising" boats sailing across race lines on a Sunday? Just a thought."
On a Sunday it's certainly geared up around the racing, but DWSC does indeed stand for Draycote Water Sailing Club, and indeed, the majority of the members don't race. Arguably the largest fleet at the club is the widsurf fleet which doesn't race. The whole point of the club is sailing. Racing is a bonus for those who want to take part. Most of our members don't race, so I'd say it would be just as valid to call it a mainly cruising club with a few people who like racing.
The club is open 7 days a week, if you only see it on Sunday then yes, it's a racing club. But Saturday is busy, even without the short course racing. I wouldn't propose that we have a big cruising event on a Sunday. The club racing is going well and it would be counterproductive to disturb that. However, that leave another six days to play with, if we used one of those it wouldn't affect your racing at all.
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Chris Smith
Flying Fifteen 797
Sailing Photos
http://www.sushidesign.net/
http://www.gs-illustration.co.uk/ |
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Andrew Blee
Wetter than a very wet thing
519 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2010 : 08:42:09 AM
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My idea: create a load of Special Interest Groups that people can subscribe to. This would be on-line (Facebook?) but with SIG notice boards at the Club. Each group has its own champion who acts of a point of coordination (a bit like a Fleet Captain but much more diverse).
SIGs include:
Mid-week Solos
49ers
Road Cyclists
Cruisers
Newbie windsurfers
In other words lots of them.
SIGs are continually reviewed with minority ones culled and new ones invented. New Members are offered a "menu" of items to subscribe to. Each group creates its own activities and sense of community. |
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chris
Poke It With A Stick
1847 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2010 : 08:48:32 AM
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urr whats facebook? Seems like a good idea Andrew, but perhaps work something out on here rather than segregating SIGs further perhaps.
Chris
 425  720  "ERICSSON"
sailing pictures My pictures |
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paul s
Soaked
526 Posts |
Posted - 18 Feb 2010 : 10:03:49 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by rodgerwebb
Not wanting to put the damper on things but..... Isn't the whole point of Draycote that it is a racing club? Would we really want loads of "cruising" boats sailing across race lines on a Sunday?
And those who windsurf every day it's windy don't really want sunday only sailors and visiting racing fleets putting their start lines in inconvenient places. Plenty of water for all of us to share 
quote:
Originally posted by rodgerwebb
I noticed a lot of younger fitter members are keen on cycling.
Less of the young please. The older I am the better I was, but I still have to hand out lessons to the upstarts. |
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Simon Fox
Wet
298 Posts |
Posted - 19 Feb 2010 : 12:28:22 AM
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| What is this 'racing club' stuff about, totally agree with 'paul s' that there should be 'plenty of water for us all to share'. |
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rodgerwebb
Completely dry
29 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2010 : 09:11:50 AM
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Oops maybe I over generalised about DWSC being a racing club but, I am not sure that you can make the jump to being a cruising club with a few racers just because there are lots of boats not used. Most of the unused boats are ex-racers or people who haven't plucked up the courage to race.
Personally I can't see the point in cruising round a relatively small area of water but if that is what people want to do then, as Mike said, it is up to them to organise something. I wasn't for a moment suggesting that we should become an exclusively racing club, rather just stating how things are at the moment!?
I am still unclear as to what the original poster is looking for that is "fun"? Given that we are unlikely to get permission fron ST to put pontoons around the lake and even if we could I would bet within 12 months they would be unusable due to lack of cleaning and maintenance.
Hey ho off to the snow!
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ed_lovell
Completely dry
44 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2010 : 10:01:54 AM
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| I bought a family membership for 4 last year - If I mention Draycote now they pull a face! We have a fantastic time pottering in Poole or even on the Avon or the canals in other boats. Sailing Draycote feels like you've passed your driving test but still have the driving instructor sat in the back judging what you're up to. |
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Remby1968
Wet
221 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2010 : 10:13:10 AM
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That is a shame you have a view like that ED. Yes, there are some on the forum who like to make their opinions regularly known but at the lake and on the water that is quite different.
I went out yesterday, in my own boat (a Buzz designed for 2) on my own, as I wish to learn to helm it before involving the kids. This was only my 3rd time out in it and all I got was encouragement and advice. 
Yes, the safety crews watched me, but not intrusively and it was good to know they were nearby.
Like most clubs, your returns depend upon what you invest (in a non monetary way). |
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jamesb
Wet
340 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 5:03:34 PM
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I hesitated about posting a response to this thread as I am in the process of changing clubs, therefore depending on your point view, this is either highly relevant feedback, or not worth a bean; either way I have enjoyed several years of membership with the club, met some great people and had some fantastic sailing in boats I never thought I'd ever get the opportunity to sail; therefore I felt I could at least offer some positive contribution as an exiting member to this discussion.
I would like to caveat what I say with two facts; firstly my primary reason for switching clubs is geographic- a club further south will cut my journey time to events in my new class, making it feasible for me to actually attend them in the first place. Secondly, what I am saying is meant as positive criticism rather than any incitement for a backlash of postings from the club stalwart types. I have no interest into entering into a heated exchange or defending my views- they are simply that- personal views, worth as much or as little as anyone sees relevant.
Anyway, here's some feedback, I hope it is taken positively:
1) Picking up on Ed's statement, I kind of see your point, although I wouldn't put it as strongly as feeling like I've passed my driving test and someone's still assessing me. However the 'water opening times' are rather restrictive for leisure sailing. I appreciate the club cannot lay-on rescue cover 24-7, but then is this really necessary anyway? I found it both restrictive and frustrating when I have wanted to get up early and come across sailing only to find out the 'water's not open' until 09.30 and is shut again by 8pm in the summer. More recently I have just accepted the opening times, and as result, have not sailed as much as I could have if these restrictions weren't in place.
At my new club I can go sailing whenever I want to at my own risk. I could feasibly go before or after work and more importantly, if I get my a*** out of bed, then I can get a good 2 hour sailing session into half a weekend day in the summer, rather than a whole day as it was at Draycote. Perhaps the solution is to have core-hours when rescue cover is available, sailing outside of this time is like any other sailing you do in the world, at the discretion and risk of the helm and crew.
2) Premier League- if there were a premier league of inland sailing clubs then Draycote should be in it, no question. It has the space and infrastructure to be well up there on the league tables; yet its core adult member racing on Sundays is extremely fleet centric with reportedly dying levels of participation compared to 10 to 15 years ago. The continual preoccupation with expensive legacy classes does not serve the modern sailing public as well as it could. Especially in combination with a parochial view on course management. I don't have access to the statistics, but from info gleaned from this forum I understand there to be about 700 members with about an 80 or so 'hardcore' actively participating in the racing. If this is accurate, or at least accurate-ish, then I would hesitate to say that the current racing programme is not catering for the needs of the majority of the members.
When you join a club like Draycote you expect things to be done on a grander scale than a typical small inland sailing venue, that for many of us are closer to home and a fair bit cheaper. In return for our relatively expensive fees there is, or was from me, an expectation that the quality of the racing would be better. By this I am not in anyway suggesting that Draycote's sailors are a bunch of talentless muppets- I would love half the skill levels of most of you guys; but I have always found the racing itself to be rather processional. I have voiced my opinion on regatta style courses previously on here, so I will not trouble you with those again other than one simple one-liner- 'open meeting grade racing week-in, week-out without the need to travel' That could be your selling point. Sadly the reality just isn't there, or certainly not there yet and won't materialise by shoe-horning a W/L series into winter Saturdays when the main day for club racing is Sunday.
The simple fact is if all I'm going to do is go around the cans, then I'll do it somewhere else for half the price in a better geographic location. I'd also go so far as to say that round the cans racing is a dish best served on smaller venues anyway- the closer boat on boat legs making the processional nature of the courses somewhat less apparent that the skewed long beats, tight fetches and half-arsed downwind sections that Draycote's autocourses seem to generate.
If this were addressed, or at least in part addressed, then I think Draycote could really be up there with the Premier League of inland venues. I'm not just talking about the biggies like Grafham, Rutland & Kielder who all run regular windward/leeward courses as part of their main sailing programme; but clubs like Carsington and Yorkshire Dales have all moved with the times, yet it appears Draycote still has a problem taking a time at the end of the race, never mind offering a decent value for money proposition to those of us who want an odd shaped spinnaker on our boat.
Finally, I would like to say thank you to all those hardworking individuals who put in so much in to the club. Without that contribution the club would be nothing and the club offers way more than 'something', so no requirement for that age-old adage 'something is better than nothing'. However is it really not worth considering paying for professional race officership given the recent criticisms of this aspect of club racing? No need to approach the likes of Harold Bennett, but there's a wealth of talent at the club that may welcome a top up of their beer money/pension pot once a month.
That's my feedback anyway. I hope it is taken positively and that it is at least in part considered by those who have stepped up to take things forward. Happy sailing to all and I hope to see you on the water sometime soon.
Jimbo
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James Brace
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Edited by - jamesb on 24 Feb 2010 5:35:51 PM |
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Richard Le Mare
Soaked
688 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 8:17:05 PM
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Thanks James for you open and constructive post.
I really do hope we can with a little more focused effort help to keep Draycote on the map for all that it is soo good for and add the extra that many yearn for.
426 Erica 
all replies are only my opinion not that of the committee |
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MikeHall
Damp
109 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2010 : 3:44:17 PM
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Whilst I agree with most of the points made by James, I am not sure that they are of any help to Ed, who clearly isn’t into racing (yet). I am therefore going to reply to Ed here and then start a separate thread with a few, perhaps controversial, suggestions about racing. After which, I am going to retire to the nearest nuclear bunker...
I am a bit surprised that Ed’s children find the club boring, but apparently enjoy sailing elsewhere. Having children myself, the one thing that guarantees their immediate attention, even when playing computer games, is saying that we are going sailing tomorrow. I travel a considerable distance (seventy miles) to sail at Draycote, and I have never regretted any journey nor had a complaint from my sons about it. I don’t know what ages Ed’s children are, but I am assuming that they are too young to benefit from the youth club or excellent race training that is available here, or, for other reasons, just like messing about in boats.
I have to be honest; Draycote wouldn’t be my first choice of club for this unless I lived on the doorstep. The geographical features that make the lake one of the best inland race and race training sites , work against you if you want to go for a potter. There are no islands to land on and even if you did land on the far shore, you are still in sight of the clubhouse. On a river or a club with a longer, narrower and meandering lake, such as Northampton, you can leave the clubhouse behind and be on your own in a few minutes. You can moor up or anchor in peace and put on a kettle (some ingenuity required) or have a picnic. You could do this at Draycote, but you would always be in sight of the clubhouse.
That said, I don’t see any reason why there shouldn’t be an opportunity to ‘sail in company’ at the club. This might just be a group of non-racers who get together one evening or on a Saturday afternoon to launch with some company or something a bit more organised such as a planned course around the lakes with an anchor stop for tea on the other side of the lake. This would provide an excellent progression for anyone who has just completed their level 2 and hasn’t quite got the boat handling skills to enter a race yet, and also should provide a pleasant way for families to sail together with a bit of company. Ideally, the club could help by allowing newcomers to hire boats for the cruises at reduced rates.
If this takes off, then perhaps the club could organise a costal cruise or two, perhaps accompanied by a club RIB as a safety boat or in conjunction with a costal club. It is quite difficult to get cover to sail a dinghy on the sea unless you enter a race. I think that a few clubs on the south coast do escorted cruises; otherwise it is a matter of launch at your own risk, fine, until you have a problem.
What this really needs is someone keen to organise it (Ed?). It does occur to me that there may be someone else out there who would be keen to organise something similar, but doesn’t know who to ask or where to start. This club is quite large, and most long standing members know each other and all of the committee members. As someone who has been a member for two and a half years, I could only put a face to half the names on the committee and for the first six months, I couldn’t have identified a single member. Perhaps committee members could wear a badge or there could be a duty member available to members the weekend so that people like Ed who have ideas or problems can raise them? I wouldn’t suggest that committee member s should come in specially, but there is normally someone there if you know who to look for.
Mike
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Edited by - MikeHall on 01 Mar 2010 11:21:50 PM |
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Remby1968
Wet
221 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2010 : 9:50:15 PM
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Mike,
Some very good points and suggestions there and I don't think you will be needing that bunker except to hide from the people saying "put your money where your mouth is" i.e. get on and organise it! 
With the oncoming later evening light, and F&C Friday, perhaps a social route on a Friday, followed by F&C would be good 
With regard to the Committee, perhaps a photo board could be put together so that faces and names can be matched. I spent my first season with 2 wrong faces to names  . If this can be accommodated I could organise this (especially after my opening comments).
Roll on the longer days to allow more to happen!
Richard Botting
Buzz 512
Fireball (crew) |
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Ally Jones
Quite dry
62 Posts |
Posted - 01 Mar 2010 : 11:41:17 PM
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I think the committee photo board with a brief description of their role would be a good idea.
As someone who returned to the club after a considerable break from sailing (15 yrs) I knew quite a few faces still, but as a new member I would not have known who to approach with any questions other than the office. Perhaps something could be included in a new members pack with contact emails / phone numbers?
Ally Jones
Miracle3847
Contender 586 |
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Making draycote more fun..
