rosiehinge

Thanks are owed to the skilled efforts by Andy Morton, Ian Brooks, Mark Reynolds and Rob Kirby who worked on the barge last Friday.

The superb new transom, made by Andy, has been fitted and the serviced outboard re-installed, connected up and the Mooring Barge is returned to service and ready for work again next week.

Also 2 new strops made by Dick have now been fitted so it is secure on its mooring again.

The team involved with barge repairs this year was:

• Andy Morton transom manufacture & supply.
• Ian Brooks skillfully helping Andy with the fitting.
• Rob Kirby labour
• Mark Reynolds connecting up the engine.
• Matthew Newton project supervision, coordination and labour.
• Jim Barnes & Mike Street cut lengths of chain & brought them down the day before.
• Martin Hunter, Doug Hinge & Dick Brown spotted & made the barge safe earlier in the week when a strop failed.
• John Mawer improved the steering & electrics on a previous day.

A big Thank You to all involved for your help in returning this essential piece of club equipment to full working order!

Last weekend was the final event in the club’s Cruising calendar with a sail to the upper pontoon on the River Yealm followed by a meal ashore in the Yealm Yacht Club in Newton Ferrers.

8 Cruisers sailed over in light airs on the Saturday and assembled on the upper pontoon. The crews included 3 of our youngest members, Thomas, Edward and Noah as well as 16 adults. The afternoon and early evening were spent chatting on each other’s boats while the youngsters busied themselves with exploring the yachts and fishing off the pontoon.

Then it was off ashore for the meal and a very enjoyable get-together with a chance to share some of our cruising experiences from the past year.

The wind became rather strong on Sunday and we had some difficulty at first deciding how to safely get the boats away from the pontoon with a racing ebb tide and strong head-wind pinning some of the boats alongside. This was resolved with everyone’s help and we were all safely away at last. There was a fast sail home in the strong southerly breeze and brilliant sunshine.

A great way to finish off our cruising season with the club!

The annual Jelly and Ice-creams Party for the club’s Dinghy Sailors took place last Friday at the St Andrews Church Hall in Bere Ferrers.

The evening followed its much-loved theme, with a quiz followed by pasties and then the famous jelly and ice-creams. Everyone had a great time and it was a very enjoyable way to celebrate the year’s achievements.

The Dinghy prizes were presented by our Commodore, Allan Seward and the winners were:

• Tamar Bridge Trophy – Neil
• Best Attendance throughout the season – Tegan
• Most Improved dinghy sailor – Moss
• Best Contribution to Friday evening sailing – Daisy

Now all there is to do for the Dinghies is the de-rigging that will take place at the Hub Club next weekend, 15th October starting at 11am.

On Sunday 11th September nine cruisers from the club hosted groups of our dinghy sailors for a day sail from Weir Quay to Plymouth Sound, followed by rafting together in Jennycliff Bay for lunch and fun on the water.

The dinghy sailors enjoyed the chance to take turns at helming and to experience life on board their host boats.

At the end of the day, the cruisers sailed back to Weir Quay and took their happy and now tired sailors ashore after a very enjoyable day out in the fine weather.

I would like to say thank you all the lovely volunteers that helped make the BIG BBQ 2022 such a wonderful evening. 

I think everyone that came down will agree that all who attended had a great time, the sky was blue, the sailors had fun, the cakes were amazing and the burgers weren’t too bad either!

We managed to raise about £250.

Thank you once again – many hands made light work!

Best Wishes from – Katherine Duncan and the Big BBQ team 2022

For the past week, Weir Quay Sailing Club has been hosting Cody Sailing Club’s dinghy camp on the Clarke’s paddock at Weir Quay. Their campers have been using the newly completed showers and toilets at the Hub Club and have taken part in a Friday evening dinghy sailing session with our club plus a sail to Drake’s Island on Friday 3rd June.

Here are the Cody sailors preparing for a day out on the river. Their other trips have included voyages to Cotehele, Jennycliff Bay, Saltash and just up and down the river.

The WQSC and Cody SC dinghies pulled up on the beach at Drake’s Island. Afterwards, Cody joined many WQSC members at the evening BBQ at Weir Quay Boatyard.

The Cody dinghies were parked on the Kumpel’s land next to the slipway.

The camp could not have taken place without the generous support of the local landowners, the Clarkes and the Kumpels and payment for the camp will result in WQSC making a donation to the Hub Club that shall be used for future projects.

Cody SC were exemplary guests and told us that they very much enjoyed their first ever Weir Quay camp!

Weir Quay Sailing Club organised a programme of 3 day-sails for groups of local young people on the classic Tamar Barge “Lynher” during the Platinum Jubilee holiday. The plan was for Bere Alston Scouts to sail on Thursday 2nd June, Bere Alston Cubs and Brownies on the Friday and the club’s own young people on the Saturday. This all went to plan, except for the Saturday event, that had to be postponed due to very strong winds and rain. We shall schedule another date when WQSC young people will have their turn on Lynher.

Here are some of the Friday crew (including the Rector, Nick Law) being picked up from the pontoon at Weir Quay Boatyard.

Anchored in Sandacre Bay for lunch.

The Scouts being instructed in steering Lynher.

Both groups said they really enjoyed their days out and it was lovely to have been able to give them this opportunity to experience sailing on the Tamar in this iconic and historic vessel!

On Friday 3rd June, our dinghy sailors joined the boats from Cody Sailing Club for a cruise in company to Plymouth Sound. The weather was amazing all day and although we had a few calm spots, all the boats reached the beach on the north side of Drake’s Island, where they stopped for lunch.

The smallest boat to arrive was “Tamar Fortune” (above) which used her oars as power assistance when the wind was too light!

The group had to divert briefly into St John’s Lake while travelling through the dockyard to make way for the arrival of the RN frigate, HMS Somerset.

All arrived back at the Weir Quay slipway at 5:30pm thanks to some occasional towing support from the boats with outboards including Chris and Sue Coomber’s yacht “Moonshine”.

Last Friday there was a very good turnout of dinghy sailors for training with 16 of the 18 club dinghies out on the water!

It is lovely to see so many new sailors gaining confidence on the water as they learn to sail.

Monday’s sail from Plymouth to Falmouth was a lively first day with an ESE wind gusting F6 and a 2m swell. This resulted in plentiful fish-feeding by the majority of the crew.

A calm anchorage soon restored spirits and stomachs! Time ashore in Falmouth was much enjoyed.

Next morning there was a gentle motor to the Helford River, a passage ably planned and executed by Richard P. (third mate for the voyage).

Happy Birthday, Bill!

Calm seas and blue skies for Wednesday’s passage to Fowey.

Concerned parents, please note they are double clipped on!

In Fowey – showered and ice-creamed.