Inter-schools regatta in Torbay We will try to get you lot into the inter schools regatta next year – see this years’ press release below

Pete Muskett, RYA OnBoard Development Officer and Community Sports Coach for the Torbay Sport Partnership, spent most of the day preparing the 19 Picos for the Regatta with a small team of volunteers. The boats came from clubs across Torbay and special thanks goes to Babbacombe Corinthians, Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Britannia Sea Scouts and Paignton Sailing Club for their support. Volunteers from Paignton Sailing Club and the Royal Torbay Yacht Club ensured the smooth and safe running of the event, setting out the course, manning the safety and committee boats plus the many other jobs needed.

John Julyan, Partnership Development Officer for the Torbay Sport Partnership was delighted with the event: "The organisation from Pete Muskett and Paignton Sailing Club was superb and the support from the other clubs in the Bay was just brilliant. The youngsters demonstrated some first-class sailing and next year we hope to have even more schools competing in this annual event".

"We are fortunate with the natural facilities in Torbay and it is important to the Partnership that young people have the opportunity to make the most of them. Events such as the Torbay Schools Regatta are great fun and provide the chance for youngsters to demonstrate their expertise in some of the less traditional sports".

The conditions favoured lightweight crews and tactical sailing. Torquay Boys Grammar school would have dominated the racing had it not been for Andrew Brierley from Churston Ferrers Grammar who was always in the top three.

That’s it for now. Steve

Hail – members, volunteers and friends of BJSC.

Enclosed is important information regarding the compound and slipway. If you want to comment please reply to my e-mail and I shall pursue any issue.

Luckily we should have nearly finished by the time the Marquise goes up and the dinghies must be moved.

Races will continue as long a people turn up to sail.

If you have a dinghy please take special note as you will be required to shift them.

This is a most unusual season in that the courses went VERY well but the summer is plagues with a series of minor hiccups…..Sorry folks but beyond our control. Summer is often like this with lots of events and people going on holiday but we would like to extend the season into the autumn.

Next year we have been promised our own bit of compound AND our own front door ( gate to the slipway). Along with the very generous offer, from BYC, for us to take over the orange RIB all is well set for  a cracking season in 2009.

Best wishes as always,

Stephen Linley-Shaw

Peter and Emily Chrystie, Annie Duro, Trish Walker, Greg Wright, Anna Chrystie, Mike Inness

“Last Saturday (July 26th) five (5) sailors passed their sailing assessment to become RYA dinghy instructors.

From Brixham Junior Sailing Club were Anna Chrystie, Mike Inness and Emily Chrystie – yes the daughter of the same family. Anna, Mike and Emily have been assistant instructors at Brixham for some years and have finally attained full RYA instructor status. Peter Chrystie has also gained this award earlier in the year.

The training took place over the spring and included theory, training methods and practical tests on the water and tutorials in the classroom. It is not enough to be able to sail – an instructor must be able to teach well, enthuse, encourage and not blow a fuse at the useless antics of the aspiring sailors in his charge….quite a challenge…

Annie Duro and Greg Wright from Paignton Sailing Club also passed the ordeal of being tested for their sailing skills – especially difficult as they were used to smaller and lighter boats than the heavy Brixham Junior Wayfarers.

The session was invigilated by the eagle eyed Trish Walker – an experienced RYA coach – who put the now ‘famous five’ through their sailing challenge.

Stopping dinghies, coming alongside, landing on shore, picking up “drowning” floats, sailing in circles and without rudders were all carried out in less than ideal force 4 winds off the Brixham Harbour entrance. Anyone watching from Battery Gardens must have wondered what on earth was going on wit rudderless boats seeming to move in a very curious way – good job no one radioed the Brixham Lifeboat!

Each candidate is to be congratulated for the dedication involved and the time spent to improve their skills purely to use them to train local children in the art of sailing. At the end of the day each instructor is a Corinthian who gives up loads of spare time to develop the sport of sailing. All they get out of it is a sense of achievement and loads of fun. The children learn more than sailing – they gain self confidence and grow through achievement.

I am delighted to have lots more instructors ON BOARD and lets hope that, if the trend continues, we will be able to expand our training to more local children.

BJSC welcomes anyone who wants to support sail training and we can be contacted through Brixham Yacht Club.”

BJSC Regatta  6 July 2008 5:30 8:00 followed by a social event.

Put these in your diary – I know people go away in summer but we shall try to continue with skeleton staffing each Monday to encourage our protégés to sail well.

News – The RYA instructor course has been successfully completed on 2nd March in strong winds. All the 5 days of the training had brisk conditions and a few repairs were needed to keep the boats afloat. Mostly the instructors survived without swimming. In the end Peter Chrystie has become an RYA instructor and the other candidates, Emily and Anna Chrystie, Mark Hobbs, Kevin Wright and Mike Inness will have a little brushing up on the water – a sort of naval finishing school – before graduation. The last assessments will take place ASAP. We will have a strong team for 2008. Thanks especially to Duncan West who held the course and Kurt for assessments.

If you want to learn to sail contact the club and you will go on the waiting list. Maybe there will be time to run an adult course? Who knows.

The yacht Wizywig has just been converted into 6 sailing instructor courses.
The proceeds of the sale, £999, will support our volunteer training.