Hello Northern Rivers and welcome to the 309th Newsletter.

FITTING OUT SUPPER

I have just about recovered from the Fitting-out Supper which was, as always, a feast fit for a king and queen.

Originally booked at 72 members attending we actually had 70 on the night. A good time was had by all and there was plenty of socialising and comparing of notes for the coming season. Tom tells me that we had a record contribution to Club funds – just as well as we do have some expenditure coming up.

The ladies, plus this year three gentlemen supplying canapes, did a superb job and (with my tongue in my cheek) this is one of the reasons why I enjoy sailing so much. Well done and thank you to everyone who provided food, helped setup the room, run the bar and contributed raffle prizes. Special thanks to Annette and Colin Gray for once again running the raffle.

The Derek Plant Painting

Many thanks to Derek who generously denoted his evocative painting of NRSC boats moored at Beccles to be auctioned for Club funds. The painting raised an excellent amount and I am sure that you will all join me in thanking Derek twice-over for this wonderful gift.

SPRING REGATTA

This is the first regatta of the year and I look forward to a good turn-out. Please make sure that the OOD (Jeff Harteveldt) gets your entry form in good time and that you have completed your race-indemnity form which should go to the Race Officer (John Tibbenham). In previous years we have assembled at the Sutton Staithe Hotel for a meal on the Saturday evening. This has convenient moorings and not bad beer. However, on this occasion, new management of the Hotel announced that there would be a £90 charge for use of the room and the Committee decided this was unacceptable. Therefore this year we shall be dining at the White Horse Pub in Neatishead which is only a short walk from the Neatishead Staithe. Menu and order form are attached. Please could non-sailing members attending the meal call in and pick up any wandering sailors from Neatishead and Gaye’s Staithes.

DEFIBRILLATOR

The defibrillator has been installed and is attached to the front of the Clubhouse in a locked white box. and full instructions for use will be found in the box and the defibrillator unit. When the unit is opened for use (hopefully not too often) a series of recorded instructions will be heard and, importantly, if use of the unit is not appropriate then it will tell you so. In any event if the casualty appears to be in need of the defibrillator or CPR then you should call the ambulance (or get someone else to do this) as a matter of urgency before doing anything else. Please read the notes and list of First-aiders on the wall in the Clubhouse. The Vice- Commodore will be giving a demonstration on the Fitting-out Day.

FITTING-OUT DAY 2ND APRIL

A day for getting The Anchorage ship-shape for the coming season, a good sweep-out, banishing the creepy-crawlers, fitting out the honours boards, checking the kitchen and services and saying hello to other Club members.

WORK PARTY 9TH APRIL

Now is when the hard work gets done and this time we have to think about opening up the lower dyke for moorings, disposing of the large water-container (float it down on a falling tide?), clearing out the store, a walkway around the end of the lower dyke, cutting the grass and anything else the Committee Member may think up. The Commodore’s bacon butties will be served of course with an extra one for the person who gets the water container down to Richardson’s Boatyard.

AMBULANCE ACCESS

Last year one of our members had to be airlifted out from The Anchorage following an accident (it turned out to be a sprained ankle) because there was no suitable access for an ambulance. This event caused a great deal of much appreciated entertainment but did raise other issues which your Committee has been considering. Since that time a vehicle route to The Anchorage from the South Walsham Road through Fishley has been identified and the emergency services informed. Details of actions/information to be used if the emergency services are called may be found in The Anchorage. If you need to call an ambulance then refer to the information in The Anchorage first – it will give the emergency services the quickest route.

MAN-OVERBOARD TRAINING

You will be hearing more of this later.

IMPROVEMENTS TO BANK ADJACENT TO ANCHORAGE

Our Race Officer, John Tibbenham, has been representing the Club at meetings with the contractor and it looks as though the Club is going to ‘come out winning’. Not an outcome usually expected from the Broads Authority! The height of the flood defence extending from the Club entrance gate to a point some 300 yds. upstream will be raised by the insertion of new piling. In conjunction with this work the contractor will be repairing the existing river edge and filling the many cavities behind the existing riverside piling. This will give us a safer and more useable mooring. Your Committee has been considering purchasing some pontoons to provide increased moorings but, if the proposed work is as expected, then these may not be necessary.

KEVIN & RUTH WEBB MOVING NORTH

Kevin and Ruth are moving to South Shields to be nearer to their grandson and family. They hope to join us for events coinciding with visits back home but we will not be seeing them on the water. It is always sad when we lose long-term members but we wish them both every happiness in their new home and much enjoyment sharing things with a growing grandson and perhaps teaching him to sail?

NORTHERN RIVERS CRUISE

This year the cruise will take place between the 6th and 10th of June following on from the Summer Regatta at Horsey Mere. The Cruise is being organised by Alison and Alex McDermid and they are busy planning the itinerary ‘even as I speak’ so expect further details shortly. The Northern Rivers are very attractive and generally the higher reaches are not quite as busy as the stretches below Potter Heigham.

UPTON DYKE WORKS

Planning approval has been given for removal of the piling on the south side of the dyke (this is the opposite side to the moorings). The more recent flood-defences have made this piling unnecessary and, it appears, nobody is willing to pick up the bill for maintaining it. There is a good chance (if the piling is removed – because even this will have a cost) that the passage of boats up and down the dyke will cause the re-profiled bank to slip into the dyke reducing the navigable width – particularly for boats with significant draft. You may care to take this matter up with the Broads Authority although, to complicate matters further, the body responsible is the Environment Agency and they, as we know, don’t have any money!

SPEEDING HIRE-CRUISERS

Like me you will have seen (and experienced) the results of hire cruisers motoring-by at well over the speed limit and creating a large and damaging wash. The Broads Rangers and the Broads Beat officers will take action but they need the boat name and registration. Keep a pencil and paper handy and phone in the details to the Police on 101 and ask for Broads Beat.

BROADS AUTHORITY CONSULTATION

There is no guarantee that they will listen but if we don’t respond then we can’t complain afterwards. The Authority has initiated two Consultations: The Broads Plan which concerns itself with long-term strategic planning and The Broads Local Plan which will be used to determine local planning applications and the shape of future development. You can find these Consultations by going to the Broads Authority web-site and clicking on Planning followed by Consultations. Don’t take the easy way out by assuming that your opinion won’t count – every voice matters. The Consultation is open until 8th April 2016.

MEMBERS WILLING/LOOKING FOR CREW

A new member, James Bush, is willing to crew on the East Coast Cruise and may be contacted at Other members looking for berths include Richard Webb at 01603 505362 and Liz Reynolds at 077382 82050.

It’s that time of year again and I see that boats are having the final touches carried out before being put back in the water. Atria will have a coat of anti-fouling this year but we only do this every two years. My argument is that the fresh-water bugs get knocked-off by the salt water (East Coast Cruise) and the salt-water bugs get zapped by the fresh water. Well, it could be.

Finally - that’s about it for this month. Hope you found it interesting and useful and, like me, you are looking forward to getting on the water and winning the trophy you intended to win last year or taking part in one of the cruises. In any event I would be glad to see you on the water or on dry land – preferably in the bar.

This month’s Commodore’s tip – get your anchor chain out of the locker and check it for corroded links. When you put it back don’t forget to attach it to the boat !

With my very best wishes,

Michael Powell

Commodore.

Tel: 01493 751915