News
New focus for Club officers to meet targets and financial security
The Club board will be refocused, following the election of officers at the AGM, to allocate specific responsibility for tasks such as house, communications, marketing and commercial to Committee members. Commodore David Roache will be implementing the changes to ensure activity is focused around the key actions needed to meet the Club’s goals and ensure its financial security. Nominations for the board close on Monday 24 January.
Readers/Borrowers
FC: January's Fast Cruise course published
The course for the Fast Cruise on 22nd January is now available. It may be read on the January Fast Cruise page where there is also a link to a downloadable PDF version. If there is any need to make any changes to the course this will be done by SMS text message between 12:00 noon on Friday and 08:00 on Saturday.
Noisy and jovial HPO dinner kicks off the Club year
The HPO dinner is always fun and Tuesday 11 January was no exception. Before dinner the noise in the bar was deafening as old friends greeted each other and swapped memories of shared sailing trips.
Le Cam and Garcia Lose Mast
Jean Le Cam (FRA) and Bruno Garcia (ESP) make steady progress towards Santo Antao in the Cape Verde islands after losing their mast yesterday evening on Président. At the front there has been another small increase in the lead of 17 miles overnight.
FC: Halfway stage of the Fast Cruise Series
Three cruises have now been completed with three more remaining before prizes are presented and we return to more normal summer sailing with gentle zephyrs and hot sunshine from early morning until well into the evening. (You never know, you may also have to alter course to avoid low flying pigs.)
It is at this point of the series that things start to become interesting. Three cruises have to count for the overall placings and very few boats have completed in all cruises so far.
Surf's up at Cape Verde
As they pass the Cape Verde Islands an electric pace set by the leading duo Virbac-Paprec 3 and Foncia in the brisk NE'ly trade winds sees the two crews gaining more miles on the chasing pack.
New combined gilet & lifejacket
Want to be smart and safe (and how's the credit card bearing up after Christmas)? There's a new gilet from SeaSafe, the Cowes based makers of marine safety clothing, called Pacific Lite. It comes with CLS, Concealed Lifejacket System, and is designed for comfort in warmer weather.
Sailors website launches at Boat Show
A new website for sailors, Chatty Parrot, was officially launched at the London Boat Show on the Little Ship Club stand. Little Ship Club member Celia Mason set up the site after two years of cruising made her want to find a low cost, private way of keeping in touch and swapping information with other yachties.
Make Way whilst the Wind Blows
It is a day for the wealthy to accumulate still more gains. In fact Virbac-Paprec 3 and Foncia are already making 12-13 knots in NE'ly breezes this morning and have gained miles, almost 30 on the third group which is lead by Mapfre.
Setting up for the Canaries
Passing closer to Madeira and sailing a little faster through the night, Foncia has halved their deficit on Virbac-Paprec 3's Jean Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron.
Help needed to welcome potential new members
On Tuesday 15 February we'll be holding our third Potential New Members evenings. The London Boat Show is a key event for recruiting new members and these follow up evenings make all the difference in showing potential new members what the Club offers. The Club will need your help to engage with our guests and to encourage them to join.
Jean-Pierre Dick leads out of the Med
After making a gain of 11 miles over second placed Foncia since the early this morning, Dick may be back on course to pass Gibraltar holding the race lead.
San Francisco to host America's Cup
San Francisco has been selected as the host venue for the 34th America's Cup . The finals and the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup will be held there in 2013, as well as an America's Cup World Series event in 2012. This will be the first time the America's Cup has been hosted in the United States since 1995.
Dee Caffari in the Barcelona World Race
After a good start yesterday, Dee Caffari and Anna Corbella on Gaes Centros Auditivos (was Dee's Aviva) are lying 8th at 10:00 on New Year's Day, 7 miles behind the race leaders Desjoyeaux and Gabart on Foncia. The first leg down to Gibraltar is proving tricky, with light winds and rather British weather. Dee and Anna were interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour before the start, listen again here (available till Thursday 6 January 10.00) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00wr9v6/Womans_Hour_30_12_2010 (interview starts at 10.43mins).
