COMMENT Welcome to the August edition of our newsletter. August really proved to be a scorcher and I am not altogether sure that I enjoy such a long spell of heat as it induces a feeling of manana. In other words, nothing gets done. However it has served to remind me that I do quite like the good old British Summer, providing that I am not on holiday.

The Puffin Race was sailed with quite a good number of entries but most of them ran out of 'puff'. The Altmouth Cup Race was also sailed and the first races of the August Series which will be completed in mid August. Consult your diaries.

It is very good to see our Commodore back in harness although he is not yet completely recovered but is working on it. There wasn't a full complement at last night's General Meeting as some people are on holiday, which is inevitable at this time of the year.

Reports are that Arthur Mount is again unwell and in hospital, I hope he will soon be home again. and send both Arthur and Jennifer all good wishes.

Many thanks to Ian Cowell for sending me a report of the Puffin Island Race. Ian is a faithful contributor and I wish that some other members would follow his example. If you would like to contribute to the newsletter please let me have your contribution before the second Tuesday in the month (the date of the General Committee Meeting). All will be gratefully received.

NOTES FROM THE GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING 12TH AUGUST '03

Apologies for absence were received from Bill Woods, Alan Roe and Carole Fielding.

THE COMMODORE expressed his pleasure at being out and about again and he thanked Dave Wilcox for standing in for him at necessary times. Mike also welcomed Simon Markland to the meeting and thanked him for taking over the job of Sailing Secretary

THE VICE COMMODORE did not attend the last sailing committee meeting due to his holiday but Mike Kennan took the chair for him. Much of the meeting was taken up with discussion about the Altmouth Cup Race, which is our most important race. It was felt that some alterations are necessary to many aspects of the Race and these will be discussed at future meetings of the Sailing Committee. Thanks were offered to Carole Fielding and to Kieran for allowing his boat to be used for O.D purposes again this year and also to Kathrine who helped on the day. Thanks were also expressed to John Heyworth for working out the complications of the scoring later. Much more about this race will be published when some of the proposed decisions are taken.

During Mike's absence Dave Wilcox has tried unsuccessfully to contact another builder for further estimates for the work on the clubhouse roof. We now have one estimate in and hope that more will be forthcoming. There was a long discussion about what is needed to be done and how it could be funded. It would be pointless to discuss it further here but a sub committee was appointed to expedite the matter and we will all be kept informed of the progress they make.

The House Committee did not meet this month but the work continues. There is a possibility that after some negotiation a new steward will be appointed in the next couple of weeks. Phil Wright has arranged for a tower to be brought to start fixing the outside lighting ready for the darker nights and work on the bar panelling will be completed shortly.

THE HON SECRETARY told the meeting that he has put notice of live firing on the range for all to read on the notice board.

The JULY DRAW was won by three ladies. 1st prize Mrs A. Roe. 2nd Mrs C. Fielding and 3rd prize to Mrs A Woods. Cedric drew the numbers and the next draw will take place on Sunday 31st August.
Mike thanked all members who had renewed their membership and who had joined. The draw is proving to be a great success thanks to Mark and Colette and it provides a regular income for the club. It is possible to join or to take out new numbers at any time, just contact Mark.

THE HON MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY. Stan has not been able to arrange any interviews with prospective new members this month due to other commitments and also because of his damaged hand. Let's hope that all will be well this time. In spite of repeated efforts he has still not managed to speak to the owner of Sheranta B, which is languishing in the yard. New owners are in the offing for Scoter.

SOCIAL EVENTS The Social Committee will be holding a Social Evening in the club on 4th October. There are no details available yet but a notice will be put on the board after they have had their meeting.

Originally there was a possibility that an event would be held for the return of the Clippers to Liverpool.
Some club boats will be going up to Liverpool to see them. Their return is planned for the 27th September and they will be passing the clubhouse at about 9.30 am. High water is approx 12.30. Their last leg is an overnight passage from Holyhead so timing depends on the wind and weather. There will be a large reception laid on for them in Liverpool. The Clubhouse WILL BE OPEN on that morning and coffee will be served.

Please note that the clubhouse will be CLOSED FOR NORMAL PURPOSES on Wednesday 3rd September, however it will be open. for ticket holders for a musical evening as follows.

A MUSICAL EVENING PRESENTED BY THE R.N.L.I.

WEDNESDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER AT 8.00PM.

ENTERTAINMENT BY HUGHIE JONES OF THE SPINNERS
AND ANDREW THOMPSON AND FRIENDS.

TICKETS £4.00 from DAVE FLYNN

Ticket profits to RNLI and Bar profits to BSC

OTHER DIARY DATES

AUGUST SERIES COMPLETION. 16TH and 17th AUGUST.

BANK HOLIDAY SERIES and MENAI STRAITS CRUISE 23RD 24TH 25TH AUGUST.

** LADIES RACE 31ST AUGUST.**

LAST CHANCE RACE 14TH SEPTEMBER

CLIPPERS RETURN 27th SEPTEMBER.

**THE MCA is having an open day at the station in Hall Road on Sunday 31st August

The lifeboat is attending on the early afternoon tide and HMCG would like as many boats
as possible milling around to be part of the spectacle

It is not really possible to hold the Ladies Race there, as the course is not fixed until the day
and there would also be many obstacles to negotiate.

"The race is not to the swift"

Many years ago I came across the quotation,"The race is not to the swift or the battle to mighty but to him that persevereth to the end." The first part of this quotation will be found in the Book of Ecclesiates. And it was on this quotation that I mused following the recent Puffin Island Race held on 12th July!

It was a glorious Summer's day as the yachts Foxfire, Kaos, Nimrod, Mojo, Tarka II, Tao and Tilly Mint gathered in the Alt for the Club's Cruise to Conway and the Puffin Island Race. The flotilla of yachts was led by our Vice Commodore, Dave Wilcox, Rear Commodore Carole Fielding and their "Engineer" Trevor Mayers aboard Tarka II. My brother Neil and I had decided to join the Club's Cruise and Puffin Island Race as part of our own "Three Castles'Cruise" of North Wales and Anglesey. Initially the wind was F3 but after an elapse of a few hours dropped off to a gentle zephyr. Moreover, the wind was "on the nose" and I found I was not making progress. After an elapse of two hours and not being sure of the tactics I should use (in my brother's memorable words I was "faffing around!") I decided to drop out of the race. I have an inviolable rule that when on a cruise eight to ten hours sailing is quite enough and one should aim to have a good meal and good sleep each evening. In any case, I told myself, the Club's cruise was intended to be a social event!

For those stalwarts who stayed in the Puffin Island Race it was to be a game of tactics, low cunning, patience, and using what little wind and tide there was to get to the Conway Fairway Buoy. John Heyworth and Austen Bridges aboard Tao had decided on a strategy of trying to take advantage of the ebb from both the River Mersey and River Ribble and went further North than the rest of the flotilla. To some extent this tactic worked but it was still to take Tao six hours to round the Great Orme to reach the Conway Fairway buoy! By contrast, Mojo with Mark Meadows, John Rathe and George Williams aboard had, because they were running out of water, tacked across the Mersey toward the Rhyl Flats and sailed slowly under spinnaker along the North Wales Coast.

As the day progressed it got hotter and the wind dropped further, only Tao and Mojo continued under sail. For the rest of us it was to be a mixture of engine, goose-winging, cruising chute or spinnaker just to make progress and we reached either Conway Marina or the Conway Harbour Pontoon between 7.30pm and 9.45pm in the evening. Our Flag Officers, David and Carole and their "Engineer" Trevor were among the first of the flotilla to arrive and, as befits their station, dined out at one of the premier restaurants in Conway. The rest of us cooked and ate aboard or went for fish and chips in Conway. I understand a number of Members managed to take advantage of the pleasures of the North Wales Cruising Club premises. It was a great pity that the Club boats had become separated because of alleged lack of accommodation in Conway Marina (there was space). In spite of this hiccup the cruise to Conway had been well worthwhile.

Meanwhile, with great patience and stoicism the crews of Mojo and Tao battled it out and did not arrive onto the Conway Harbour Pontoon until the early hours of the following morning! Though there has to be a winner - and that result will no doubt be published in due course - may I express my admiration to both crews for a truly tremendous performance. The patience and persistence of the crews of Mojo and Tao in completing the race does great credit to them and to our Club. I applaud their endeavour. "The race is not to the swift or the battle to the mighty but to him that persevereth to the end."

Ian Cowell

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