The club weather station is out of order.
Meanwhile see BrayWeather.com

News 2007

Saturday 15 December 2007

RIB Raid 2

The December RIB Raid is getting closer - Friday December 28th, 12 noon.

At this stage we need to get a firm idea of numbers, boats already confirmed are:

• Voyager II - Tony Kenna Skipper (BSC), Martin D'Arcy Admiral (BSC)
• Big Fish - Damien Richardson (Sea Scouts)
• Broadsword - David Courtney (Skerries Sailing Club, RNLI)
• Ken - Tom McDonald (BSC)
• Raptor - Brendan Homan (BSC, True Blu Sub-Aqua)

We have room for more crew and probably a Driver so please advise your attendance as soon as possible to Tony and Martin. Send email to (rib at braysailingclub dot ie). Make sure to indicate BSC in the 'subject' so the spam filter doesn't eat it!

A great day is planned, some serious fun and a few cryptic quests! Don't miss it, ENROLL NOW!

Tony Kenna, Martin D'Arcy
Note new email address for powerboat events: rib at braysailingclub dot ie

Monday 29 October 2007

Waterthon

As part of last Friday's RTE's annual charity event, the club hosted a RIB and powerboat trip. Thanks to Tony Kenna and all others involved.
There are pictures in the gallery.

Tony Kenna writes: Bray Sailing Club hosted Waterthon, its People In Need Telethon event, on Friday October 26th. Despite the adverse weather conditions and wild sea 29 people bravely set out on the water in 7 RIBs and one 'traditional' boat. The event consisted of following a set course between Bray Head and Bullock Harbour, landing at Bullock, and following clues in Dalkey Sound and Killiney Bay to answer cryptic questions! The sea journey was followed by an excellent lunch in Bray Sailing Club for both participants and shore supporters. The theme for the day was 'Pirates'. The skull and cross bones was flown by all boats and many people wore pirate dress and make up. Despite a number of engine and other problems all boats and crews made it safely back to Bray, one being towed! This didn't dampen the enthusiasm and high spirits at all. Indeed I believe the motley bunch of Pirates could be heard as far away as Holyhead! 500 euro was raised for the People In Need programme. All involved received their special Waterthon tee shirts and caps.

Thursday 27 September 2007

Bray Helm Championship

The Helmsmans event due to be sailed on Sunday 7th October has been postponed. A suitable date in November will be announced shortly. As High Water is at 10.00 hrs, and despite the undoubted charms of sailing before breakfast, there will be no dinghy racing organised on the 7th. <\p>

Gordon DAVIES
Honorary Secretary

Monday 24 September 2007

Dinghy sailing results

The summer series of dinghy racing will end on 30th September. There is only one more chance to improve on your score.

So far 20 registered dinghies have participated in the summer series. Sean Flanagan is the only to competitor to have sailed sufficient races to discard a race that he sailed. Sean's persistence seems to have paid off as he has built up an unassailable lead of 41 points. However Ray Comiskey only has a 7 point lead on 3rd placed Freddie Stevens and 8 on 4th placed Stuart Long. If 3 or 4 races are sailed on the 30th, places on the podium could well change, especially as there are only 11 points separating 3rd and 8th place.

In accordance with the BSC Sailing Instructions boats that have not registered have not been included in the results. in order to deemed a participant it is essential that the boat actually enters the series. Members whose registration form has not been returned to the Registration Secretary, Killian D'Arcy, have not entered BSC club racing competitions in 2007.

All races sailed after the end of September will count for the Autumn Series.

Gordon Davies
Honorary Secretary

Monday 17 September 2007

Results and pictures

Racing results are updated regularly, but aren't generally announced. Select the menu option 'Sailing' above.

Similarly, gallery updates aren't always announced. There are now seven collections of photographs of the Dinghy Regatta online. More pictures of cruiser activities are on the way.

Sunday 2 September 2007

Dinghy regatta

All six races were sailed in a weekend of changeable weather giving good racing for 37 competitors. The air show on Sunday afternoon was a bonus!

Results

Wednesday 29 August 2007

Dinghy regatta

The Bray Sailing Club Nivea Sun Dinghy Regatta incorporating the Murdoch Trophy for Enterprises will be sailed this weekend, 1st and 2nd September.

Registration is from 10.00 to 11.00 on Saturday. Entry fees are 35 euros per boat (20 for single-handed boats). 6 races are scheduled, with the warning signal for the first race at 12.30 on Saturday.

All dinghies may enter. Classes and starts will be defined at 11.00 sharp according to entries received.

There will be a barbecue after racing on Saturday.

Thursday 21 June 2007

Keelboat regatta

Results are available now. See 'Sailing' above.

Wednesday 13 June 2007

Enterprise dinghy for sale

Michael and Joan Staunton seek a good home for their pride and joy. Download a picture and full details of this fine specimen here. [Acrobat]

Keelboat regatta

Registration for the BSC Keelboat Regatta will take place from 09.00 to 10.00 on Saturday 16th June. 3 short races will be sailed on Saturday, and a long coastal race on Sunday. The Notice of Race is available here: [Word][Acrobat]

Tuesday 29 May 2007

Wicklow race

The Bray cruiser fleet is made of stern stuff, and it seems the Wicklow race went ahead after all. Fastnet, Chase Me and Faoilean made the outward passage in two hours, but team Hayes had to retreat to Bray. Give them another season or two with this boat, and they'll be flying too.

Caernarfon cruise

This weekend (our bank holiday) six cruisers will head for Caernarfon to cement a fraternal relationship with as much formality as the Royal Welsh Yacht Club and Bray Sailing Club can muster.

Monday 28 May 2007

Mary B results

29 dinghies have already been registered this year. By informing the Sailing Committee of details of the boat, providing the name of the owner and of the person in charge when racing, and declaring that the boat is adequately insured, members officially enter BSC club racing and may be offered the possibility of storing their boat in the Boat Pen, subject to availability of space and the Main Committee's approval.

An updated list of registered dinghies was posted on the Dinghy Notice Board in the clubhouse on 25th May. The list includes the date of registration. Any boat participating in a race before registering is deemed not to have entered the race, and her result cannot be scored. This has lead to a change in the results of the Mary B Trophy. The first three races sailed could not be validated as there were not 2 validly entered boats competing. The modified results have been posted on the website.

Gordon Davies

Sunday 27 May 2007

Braystones race

Today's Braystones race fell victim to a northerly gale, but both clubs are keen to try again later in the summer. Our weather station's online record shows that the wind was blowing 30 knots from the North when the fleet would have been returning to Bray.

Open day

The open day attracted lots of interest, and the event was reported in the Bray People on 23rd May. Barbara Flynn took photographs, and you can see a copy of the article here [GIF, 1.7Mb].

Thanks to all who contributed to the boating, catering, presentations and marketing.

Friday 18May 2007

Dinghy sailing results

The results of the first series of the 2007 dinghy season are now available. 7 races were sailed, and the convincing winner was also the only person to sail all the races. Congratulations to Sean O'Moore.

Some boats that sailed in several of the races are absent from the results. In order to compete in a race, it is essential to enter. The entry form for club racing in Bray Sailing Club is the BSC boat registration form. Until members have completed this uncomplicated document and handed it to Killian D'Arcy, or a member of the Sailing Committee they may participate in racing, but will not be considered as competitors. Please register your boat.

Gordon DAVIES
Honorary Secretary

Wicklow voyage postponed

The passage race to Wicklow will not take place tomorrow, because it's too windy. A gathering at about noon on Saturday will consider plans for Sunday.

Sunday 13 May 2007

Braystones Race - Sunday 27 May 2007

Every year we hold a joint event together with Greystones Sailing Club for both dinghies and cruisers. They race from Greystones to Bray, we race back to Greystones with them, they feed us a great Barbeque while we wait for the tide, and finally we race home. All sailors are encouraged to join us - see the notice of race and sailing instructions for more information. Note the competitor briefing is at 10:30 and the first gun at 12:10 - not the times given in the sailing programme.

Thursday 3 May 2007

Programme

Copies of the printed programme are in the post, accompanied by membership renewal notices. Please check the contact information (particularly telephone numbers and email addresses) and pass on corrections when you pay.

A very old image slipped through a rift in the space-time continuum and found its way onto the back cover. Disregard all the race start information there, and follow the club sailing instructions as usual [Acrobat]. The general procedure is described in the Racing Rules of Sailing, which you can read online at ISAF (page 18).

For your convenience, here's the way the back page should look: [Acrobat]

Plans change, and for the most recent information about sailing times and duties it's worth checking the diary on the website.

Sunday 29 April 2007

Cruisers lifted in

If you had been hanging round the harbour at 05:00 yesterday morning you would have encountered a horde of red-eyed sailors pushing trailers around in the darkness. The first boats were afloat before 07:00, and by the time Donal served breakfast at half time the operation was in top gear. There were a couple of double lifts (one of them planned) and a mast stepping that gave Danny an opportunity to pose aloft. All the boats were on moorings (all but one on their own) by early afternoon.

There are a few photographs in the gallery.

Open day

The club welcomes anyone who's interested in sailing at any time, but on the evening of Friday 11th May we'll be making a special effort. You can have a ride on a sailing boat or a powerboat. The bar will be open and you can learn about Bray Sea School and the club's other activities. Come to the clubhouse any time after 18:30 and join the fun!

Sue Parker (sue.parker at braysailingclub dot ie)

Wednesday 28 March 2007

Meeting, and greeting

At last night's well-attended Annual General Meeting we increased our subscriptions and elected a new committee. Harry Hermon and Bernadette Fox of the ISA gave a presentation on ISA services and plans, encouraging us to make the most of our membership.

Friday 23 March 2007

Work, and play

The new dinghy season is approaching fast. This Saturday the Flying Fifteen and Enterprise fleet are organising a "Get your boat ready day". All are welcome.

Thursday 22 March 2007

Programme

This season's diary is in the final stages of preparation, and the current draft is here on the website. The directory for this year isn't ready yet, so don't be misled by links from the rota entries.

Saturday 24 February 2007

Newsletter

February's newsletter was distributed recently on paper and by email, and now you can read it here.
Thanks to our new editor, Tony Kenna.

Blue Flag Boats

If you attended the Boat Show last week you may have come across the "Blue Flag for Boat Owners" promotion. Under the auspices of An Taisce the programme asks the question "are you a boat owner who cares about the marine environment or inland waterway?"

Hopefully we can all say yes to the question, but what are we willing to do in practice? Those who enrol agree to uphold an environmental code of conduct and get the special flag (pendant) to fly on their boat. I, and two of our local Sea Scout leaders, signed up at the show. A joining fee of only 15euro is payable on application.

A sample pendant will shortly be on display in the Club, and you can get more details and application packs from me.

Tony Kenna editor@braysailingclub.ie

Tuesday 20 February 2007

Access numbers

Following a break-in at the weekend, the access number has changed again.

In the past, boatpen users have revealed our secret by not closing the lock and shuffling the numbers. From now on there will be two numbers: one for the club premises and a different one for the boatpens.

If you don't learn the new numbers by email or text message, ask another member or ring me.
Simon Parker
087 249 7859

Thursday 15 February 2007

Tom Cunliffe

From Grandfather's pocket watch to the Digital Chart Plotter

Tom Cunliffe of Yachting Monthly fame will appear at Bray Sailing Club on 24th March for an evening chat on the art of cruising.

The talk is a cheeky look at the changes in navigation from Tom’s early sailing days in the Seventies when he found Barbados after 42 days at sea with no chart at all – just a lat/long to shoot for, a sextant and his grandfather's pocket watch – to his current PC-driven chart plotter that endeavours occasionally to lead him astray.

Tom will be known to most cruiser sailors from Yachting Monthly. Many people will also have seen Tom on television or read one of his many books on sailing. This promises to be a very interesting talk and those who have seen Tom speak at the Dublin Boat Show in the past advise that Tom is a particularly gifted presenter.

Cost is expected to be €15 per person. Advance booking is necessary. Booking is reserved for BSC members up to 1st March. Thereafter, this event will be advertised in other clubs.

Contact Ian Fegan (soon - this event will be popular)

Cruiser for sale

Shamira, a Westerly Konsort whose home has been Bray Harbour for some time, is for sale.

Contact Eamon Walls on 087 294 2276

Wednesday 24 January 2007

An Béal Binn

Every Thursday in the Sailing Club an Irish speaking club called the Club Béal Binn runs a night of song and music through Irish. At 8pm a seanós song (song in Irish) is taught and at 9pm onwards there is an invited singer or musician every week.
A good night out is guaranteed, with a chance to practice your Irish!!
There is a cover charge of 5euro and 6euro if you come to the class.

Sunday 14 January 2007

Bray Sailing Club AGM - Tuesday 23 January

The Annual General Meeting of Bray Sailing Club for the year 2006 will take place in the Club House, Bray Sailing Club, The Harbour, Bray, Co. Wicklow, at 8pm. on Tuesday January 23rd. 2007.

Useful Website - www.prism.ie

A new web site - www.prism.ie - now provides forecasts for wind and waves, currents, tidal water levels, storm surge - all that is needed to tell if you will be sea-sick on your next Irish Sea voyage.

Monday 8 January 2007

Enterprise Class AGM

The Enterprise Class AGM will be held in the Club at 8.00pm on Friday 9th February 2007. All Ent sailors are welcome - crew and owners alike. Come, have some pizza, relax and chat about next year's sailing, the new class captain and ideas for the 2007 sailing calendar.

Viv Kelly, Enterprise class captain

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