Budworth Sailing Club

We welcome back Peter Johnson RYA Regional Rules Advisor on 19th May (Thursday evening)  at 7pm. Last year we had a informative dialogue (no boring stuff!) and a quiz so do come along and brush up your knowledge.The evening is open to guests, and an invitation has been sent to local clubs. The bar will be open so you can enjoy the new bar facilities as well as a drink.

The Budworth Sailing Club GP14 Northern Bell Open Meeting will be held on Sunday 5th June 2011 with the first race starting at 11.00 am.

 Last year, Budworth Sailing Club enjoyed one of the best attended GP14 inland meetings in the UK. Hopefully with your support we will have another well attended meeting this year.

Three races will be sailed during the day. Assuming all three races are completed, one discard will be allowed in determining the final results. As in previous years Gold, Silver and Bronze fleet prizes will be awarded in order to stimulate competition throughout the fleet.

Entry forms and Notice of Race are available from your Fleet Captain: Craig Hewett

Rules for New Classes to Join the Club

The club is committed to Class Racing on a Sunday but it can be difficult for any new class to achieve a critical mass for class racing from a standing start - getting enough boats in the dinghy park for Class Racing may be a barrier. To help, Committee have decided to open up our current handicap racing programme on Saturday and Wednesday to a maximum of three new classes with the purpose of growing at least one new fleet of sufficient size to join Class Racing on a Sunday. We currently sail Laser, Snipe, GP14, Fireball and Firefly and for juniors; Optimist, Topper and Mirror

The club has two racing programmes - handicap and class and two boat place categories that mirror this  -

1. Supplementary

Which provides an annual boat park place and allows racing at all times except Class Racing on Sundays, ie Saturday handicap, Wednesday handicap and all other handicap competitions on Sunday including Champion Helm, Icebreaker, Commodores w/e

2. Full

Which provides an annual boat park place and allows racing at all times (ie including Class Racing on Sundays)

The initiative is aimed at new classes that can demonstrate a commitment to viable Class Racing. Initially Supplementary status will be granted for a (small) fleet that will act as a magnet and quickly grow to compete with one of our current five classes for a Sunday boat place (full boat place status), through a Committee review of all fleets. Five classes will have a Full Boat Place status and the other Supplementary status. An annual boat park place is available for all Classes.

It is not anticipated that a single boat from a new class would join the club but if Committee can be convinced of a viable plan this would be considered.

How to Apply

Any member can now request the Committee for a Supplementary Boat Place to sail a current non BSC class.

The request should be in writing and provide some basic information to show that the class will be a successful Class Racing fleet at Budworth within a reasonable period of time. It is worth noting that Class Racing can take place with around 10 boats in the dinghy park but most of them will need to be active to make it happen.

The Application Should Include the Following:

1. Accept that permission for Supplementary status for the class is for a limited number of years agreed with the Committee or until the Class is adopted as an approved class with a Full Boat Place.
2. Demonstrate what is different compared to existing Full Boat Place classes to help everyone understand why it will be successful
3. Indicate the expected catchments eg new members and /or inter fleet migration from the club’s existing Full Boat Place classes (This may be positive eg When the Laser 2 fleet disbanded and joined the RS 200 and or negative eg A new single handed class diluting existing double handed boats)
4. Indicate the expected number to sail regularly over the period of the agreement
5. Say what the ambition is  eg do they want class racing on a Sunday.
6. Identify a ‘champion’ (Class Captain) to guide the success of the class

This Will Not Mean More Classes On The Line On Sunday

The idea is to strengthen class racing. However many believe that we already have one class too many on the line for strong Class Racing on Sunday so no more will be added.

For any new class to join Sunday racing one of the existing classes will have to move to Supplementary status and not have Class Racing on a Sunday. This may sound threatening but the reality is that any such class will see it coming and either bolster numbers on  a Sunday to win the beauty contest or just have to accept that a new class is stronger - the idea is to strengthen Class Racing. Any class that moves to Supplementary status can of course apply for Full status again through the same process.