Seasalter Sailing Club

Affiliated Club

Hosted by:

Open Day 2007 Report

Written By Ben Saunders

This event was just that- eventful. With the weather forecast looking interesting the Seasalter regulars trooped down to the club where typically the weather was looking quite nice (sun and a pleasant force 4 blowing from the south-west). However as the tide came closer and closer to the shore, the skies got heavier and the wind rose to a force 5 gusting 6.

This heavy weather meant that only the most hardy ventured out. The Sprint 15s of Martin Searle and Kevin Dutch were both taking visitors out as were the Dart 18s of Bob Walker and Steve Sobey with Chris Stafford aboard. Alan White arrived, complete with family, and prepared the Hellcat for launch and Ben Saunders borrowed Valerie Lachman’s Byte for a sail. The visitors remained inside in the warm or on the balcony until their turn was called .

Martin Searle’s sail lasted 50 yards before, unfortunately his hound plate shackle came undone (this holds the standing rigging to the mast), and his mast come crashing down. Luckily so close to the shore that he could wade back with his boat.

Meanwhile Kevin, Bob and Chris, who was helming Steve’s 18, were showing the visitors what catamarans can really do given the wind. Ben Saunders in the Byte gave a 5 minute display of various types of capsizes, including falling backwards off the windward side of the Byte without it capsizing.

The wind continued to rise though, with gusts of 35mph recorded by John Holmes. It was this that started some problems of the day.

Steve Sobey relieved Chris on the 18 but with the high gusts found it hard to tack in the chop of the main channel. Very sensibly he decided to go over to Sheppey, land and turn the boat round on the beach where it would hopefully be in the lee of the land. However when they got there the wind was even stronger and, with an in-experienced crew, he correctly decided to wait for assistance. Mike Lennon and Eric Puce in the patrol boat went across to help them and a 2nd patrol boat was launched with Chris Stafford and Kevin Dutch onboard, to standby with the other boats.

Meanwhile the tower team had noticed a Harrier dinghy, that had come afloat from further along the beach towards Whitstable, was in difficulty and was spending most of its time capsized.

With the second patrol boat keeping a watch over our members’ boats in the main channel It was decided to call the lifeboat out to help the Harrier sailor as he had been in the water for a long time. Bob Walker was keeping an eye on him and eventually took him ashore just before the lifeboat arrived. They, having been made aware of this, then undertook the task of getting the stricken dinghy ashore.

Meanwhile Mike and Eric towed back Steve’s 18 to the beach with Steve and his crew laying spread-eagled across the sails on the trampoline to keep them from blowing away.

They then went to assist Alan White, who was experiencing the same problems in tacking while the second patrol boat was struggling with a fuel problem that would not allow it to tow. They all returned ashore together.

With all safely gathered in, the SSC crowd joined the few remaining visitors around the bar

for a drink and some warming bacon sandwiches.

Unfortunately there were no new members who joined on the day which was a shame and

didn’t reflect the hard work put in by Joan, Jeff, Steve, Lesley, Frank and all those on duty.

Thank You!