April 2022. Guest Day. Crews Available. Deep End Report.

Swallow Guest Day Sunday 15th May
Your NSCA team have been busy and we already have four guests coming to our Guest Day on Sunday 15^th May recruited from our articles in the local and yachting press.

So, this is where “We need you” to come along that day with your Swallow to entertain and introduce guests to Swallow Sailing. This is also a great time for you to invite your own guests to come and try us out. We all know people who we think might enjoy what we do at Itchenor so please invite a guest or two that day.
 
Replies please (as below) to our sec Carolyn soonest at carolynbrigg@btinternet.com
*My boat **** will be coming to the Guest Day on Sunday 15^thMay with ** spare places.
*I am bringing potential Swallow sailors *** (and ***) as my guests that day.
*The guest(s) I have invited are interested but can’t make that day so they are coming on Saturday 14^th.

Our new CREWFINDER System
This year we are using a new system to match available crews to boat owners.

Mike at nationalswallowclass@gmail.com will update a list of available crews on a daily basis and he, Sec Carolyn, or our crew finder Jeremy Sibthorp will mail this by return to anyone looking for crew. Just mail them to ask. This way those listed can be confident that their contact details will be secure and will only be circulated to those looking for crew.
So, if you are a crew, (or even a helm!) and you would like to be on the list please send Mike:

Your Name.
Your experience. (Very briefly. The box is 20 words!)
Which Swallow(s) you have sailed on already (If any).
The dates you are available. (Specific or general)
Your Contact email
Your contact number (Optional)
Please then feel free ask Mike to update your listing as frequently as you wish.

Deep End Trophy 16-17 April
The first weekend series of the season – the Deep End Trophy – over Easter Saturday and Sunday. Four races, all to count. Sunshine, warm, a shifty 10-12 kts from the SE, and a big tide in in the morning and out in the afternoon, and a harbour full of colour and dinghies and Itchenor keelboats. What’s not to like?

Some more Swallows made an appearance. Race 1 took us down to Mill Rythe after a short beat, with Masding/Fisher combo in Svala making the running, but on the long beat back to East Head Migrant, with Chris Fox steering just this race, held on on starboard tack, picked up a nice shift, and was comfortably ahead at the finish followed by Spectre and Svala.

Race 2 now with a strong ebb was interesting. Osprey led Svala through a series of three windward/leeward legs, while others swapped places in the shifty breeze. It all became interesting in the Gallon Reach when Spectre, taking the tidal relief and slightly better wind on the Cobnor shore, came through dramatically and squeezed ahead of Osprey to win by a couple of boat lengths with Svala 3rd. It had been a challenging day for the PRO Roddy Bridge, fitting in a difficult wind, strong tides and the International 14 racing as well.

On the Sunday we were sent on a downwind start down to Star then back up before a trek over to Mill Rythe and back. A long race. Osprey led from start to finish challenged all the way by Skua.  A smaller fleet came out after lunch for a short but enjoyable race with ups and downs off Thorney before making for home. Skua led all the way, troubled only briefly, while the others scrapped it out, ending Bluff 2nd, Solitude 3rd.

So Skua, steered by Harry Roome with a rotating crew, won the first trophy of the season after a hugely enjoyable couple of days sailing.

The next weekend event is the Royal Yacht Club de Belgique plate on the 30 April/1 May, with a supper on the Saturday. Be there!

The results (ISC results page updated shortly) were: