WHSC Newsletter #8: All that’s happening this week and beyond at WHSC
420 fleet powering ahead
Well done to club member Max Sweetman and instructor Harry Thompson, who competed in the 420 Connaught Championships in Galway Bay Sailing Club over the bank holiday weekend. Twelve boats registered for the event. Max and Harry came second to the local boat of Adam McGrady, and are now in training to compete in the 420 Europeans in Villamoura in July with their regular partners Robert Jephson and Jack McDowell. You’re doing us all proud.
WHSC representation at Topper Southerns
Some of our hardworking Topper fleet travelled to National Yacht Club in Dublin to compete in the Southern Championships. Well done to Peter Kenny who came 5th, Peter Doyle came 11th and to Julia McConnell, Christopher Plant, Kate Kenny and Anna Doyle who also competed. We look forward to seeing you in action at home for the Topper Nationals on July 1 to 3.
School Sailing underway
Senior Instructor Max Kavanagh has hit the ground running with our School Sailing Programme for local primary schools which kicked off this week. Realt Na Mara in Dunmore East, Waterford Educate Together, Gaelscoil Phort Lairge and Faithlegg schools all participated and enjoyed it hugely, despite occasionally blustery conditions that limited their time on the water. Instructors Jack Maree, Matthew Quinlan, Harry Thompson, Polly Rogers, Eoin O Gradaigh were assisted by Ronan Quinlan, Niamh Lynch and Max Sweetman. The students sailed Wayfarers and got the opportunity to go out on a rib. We’re delighted to be able to offer local schools the chance to experience the thrills of sailing. Thanks to Trish Power for all her work organising the hugely popular programme.
Apprentices Return
This week saw the return of the Apprentices – a group of 12-14 year-old volunteers. Thanks to Lui, Riley, Grace, Niamh, Neasa, Bertie, Rory, Sarah, Caolan, Matthew, Anna, Lisa, Ruby and Christopher for their hard work helping with buoyancy aids, launching the School Sailing programme students, varnishing bar stools, watering plants, helping organise games and washing boats. The original group of Apprentices are now our Instructors this year, and we hope many of you will be back as Instructors in the future.
First Cruiser Cup Race of the Season
After a bit of a false start last Sunday, this weekend will be the first Cup race of the season. First Gun is at 3pm with the trophy awarded on the deck afterwards. The Marchant Engineering June League continues on Thursday evenings. Watch this space for announcements on upcoming Cruise In Company events.
Dinghy racing is already underway on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. See the WhatsApp group for racing and sign-up information.
Boat Audit Soon
You’re respectfully asked to make sure you have paid for all boats parked in the shed, on the apron, or in the dinghy park. If the boats are not being used and paid for, they will need to be removed immediately. With record numbers of members in the club, space is at a premium, and we need to use it wisely and fairly. We’ll be carrying out a boat audit next weekend to make sure all boats are paid up. A reminder also to please rack your Oppies and Toppers after use.
To Renew membership & pay for boat parking:
1) Login to the membership portal https://members.whsc.ie/login (primary member for family memberships)
2) Click ‘Renew’ on the menu.
3) Confirm renewal items (i.e. membership & boats parking)
4) An invoice will be generated which you can choose to pay online with ‘GoCardless‘, by direct debit, or (this is the preferred method) via bank transfer (**please include name and membership number from invoice in bank transfer details**) or cheque.
Any amendments, changes or problems contact Mike Kelliher (email: whsc.webmaster@gmail.com), or Ronan Brazil (email: whscmembers@gmail.com)
Register for Water Time on Sunday
Water Time got underway in bracing easterly winds last Sunday. Only a handful of boats participated in some fun conditions and got a chance to see the Jewel of the Sea up close. It’s on again this Sunday. Rigging at 10.30, on the water for 11am. If you’re interested, you do need to register by Friday evening please: https://docs.google.com/forms/
Oppie coaching
After a very successful and testing weekend of coaching for the Senior and Junior Oppie fleets, more dates have been confirmed. Two additional sessions will be held for the Junior fleet with local coaches on Saturday June 18 & June 25. Keep an eye on the WhatsApp group for updates. And a longer-term date for your diary: the Oppie Club Championships will be held on 20th and 21st August. This is open to all Oppie sailors with three fleet options based on experience and sailing course level. Thanks to Nicola Harris for her work making sure everyone – from the least experienced sailors to the old hands – has an enjoyable and enriching time on the water.
A La Carte
Our Friday night A La Carte dining has been postponed until the last Friday in June – watch this space for a link to book.
Reminder: Welcome new members
As we mentioned in the last newsletter, WHSC is had the highest membership growth of any sailing club in the country last year and we’re more than happy to have you on board. With that in mind, our incoming commodore for the 2023 season, Rob McConnell, will be hosting a new members event at the club on the afternoon Saturday June 18. Those who joined during Covid are also most welcome. Please save the date and keep an eye out for details closer to the time.
Parking in the Harbour
The issue of the removal of 90 parking spaces in the harbour by the Department of Agriculture and the Marine, to make way for a traffic management plan, made local news headlines this week, with extensive coverage in the Munster Express (see below) and on WLR FM. Members of the business community in Dunmore East, including WHSC member Ronan Mulligan, Cllr Eddie Mulligan, Senator John Cummins and others expressed concerns about the impact on the village of the removal of all non-permitted parking in front of the sailing club, to allow for the construction of a roundabout and drop-off zone. We’re very grateful to all for their support. You can listen back to the WLR interview by clicking on the image in this link and read Senator Cummin’s Facebook post here. Members of the committee have also been working hard behind the scenes to try and reach a compromise with the Department.
In the meantime, we would ask you to be mindful of the difficulties this creates for the village as a whole and to park carefully. Please park in Shanoon when spaces are available – however, we appreciate that this will become more difficult as the season progresses.