Rockley Cruising Club

Affiliated to the RYA and PYA)

February 2009 Newsheet

Denver Dean

It is with great sadness that we learned of the sudden death of our past Commodore Denver Dean. He led the Club at a difficult time and we thank him for this. We extend our sincere sympathies to Wendy and her family.

The Club has given Wendy a Camilla Japonica 'Adolfe Audussion' for her garden.

Individually, members have contributed £130 to me for forwarding to the RNLI in Denver's memory. Additionally, some members donated at the funeral. Thank you all for this support.

Message from The Commodore

2008 was a year of unforgiving weather but in true British spirit we shrugged this off and enjoyed many social events, which mainly involved a public house.

We have had some very good turnouts and it has always been a pleasure to get together as a club. Although there has been some sadness too. Debbie and I would like to wish Wendy the best of health to help her cope with the tragic loss of Denver. A former commodore of Rockley and a good friend to us all. Our thoughts are with you.

Although none of us are getting younger, in 2009 we must try to raise the profile of Rockley Cruising Club and, all make the effort to get new members.

I will produce a flier for all of us to hand out. In this current economic climate some boaters will not be renewing their membership with expensive landed clubs. We at RCC can offer them friendship, RYA Affiliation and Membership of PYA, a good social and boating agenda, along with up to date information concerning Poole Harbour. We need to strike while the iron is hot.

Debbie and I have sold 'Vicox' (23', 30knot hard top sports crusier) and bought a brand new Jeanneau 32i lifting keel yacht. She has twin rudders, bilge keels and a lifting swing keel between the bilge keels. Her name is 'Windrush' (all white) and we are still at Davis's boatyard. Now we shall always need the bridge and the tide. As it is a good 30 years since I last sailed you will be able to spot me in the harbour by the bad sailing! It will be good to be able to cruise in company with the rest of the club.

All the best sailing for 2009.

Thank you to those who have already renewed their subscription. Could I ask those remaining to please do so? Please let me know of any changes in your address/Tel.No/e-mail/boat/mooring etc, so that we can have them correct for The Bulletin.

Club Programme for 2009

Date	Event	OOD
Sat March 28^th	Club talk on a topic of interest - SAFETY. Details are still being arranged but it will be at Redclyffe YC with wine and cheese. 7.30 for 8.00. More detail in the next NS. For anyone local, there is a Boat Jumble at Cobbs Quay all day.	Peter Stanaway and Sandra King
Sat April 18th	Club Walk at Nibbly Knoll, Gloucestershire. For Denver. More detail in the next NS	Wendy Dean
May Bank Holiday May 2^nd – 4^th	Local sail, LW Poole is about mid-day and close to neaps - or a pub lunch if the weather is foul.	Alison Carrier
Spring Bank Holiday May 23^rd – 25th	Cruise to The Solent. LW Poole at ~03.50 and ~16.05 neaps/springs. Decision on time of leaving later. (Old Gaffers Yarmouth on the 30/31^st?)	Tony Raven
Sat 20^th June	Club Bar-b-Que	Rita Palermo
June/July/August	Weekend Get-togethers in the Harbour/Local
Sat July 18^th	Meet-up and overnight on Poole Quay for drinks and a meal 'In Town'	Tony Raven
August Bank Holiday 29^th – 31^st	Cruise West? LW Poole is at ~12.20 and neaps. So we should be able to clear St Albans before the tide becomes foul.	Peter and Pat Stanaway
Sat 19^th Sept	Bar-b-que at Redclyffe with some entertainment!	Sandra King and Tony Raven or Peter Stanaway
Sat 10^th Oct	Bike Ride	Maureen Adby
Sat Nov 21^st	AGM and Laying-Up Lunch	Sandra King and Moyra Gregory
Sat Dec 5^th	10-Pin Bowling/Skittles/Quiz	Tony Raven and Peter Stanaway

RYA News

Disposal of out of date flares.

It seems that the MCA will now collect your time expired flares. You have to contact your 'local' MRCC (Southampton?!) and arrange someone to be there to receive them at an agreed time. (Your local RMCC may be contacted at 023 9255 2100. They will need to know numbers, expiry dates, condition etc and will tell you where they are).

Navigation Lights.

Apparantly it is very difficult for large ships to judge 'distance off' from just a tricolour masthead light. The RYA advises 'switch on your deck lights' for a ship to get a better indication of 'distance off'. The RYA asks that you be aware of the limitations of masthead tricolour lights.

The Marine Bill.

This is now going through the House of Lords. It is apparently 'hundreds of pages long' and is likely to take some time. The RYA is keen to maintain the right to public navigation and still have concerns about the bill, one of the major ones being the process of creating Marine Conservation Zones. They believe it should be transparent and open to challenge. They are still fighting our corner and believe they can still make a difference.

EPIRB's.

We are reminded that the 121.5/243 MHz will be terminated on Feb 1^st. The modern frequency of 406 MHz will continue to be monitored.

Harbour News.

Sediment Management.

Starting on the 13^th Jan, 20,000m³of silt material will be dredged from approved locations in the harbour and deposited near No 16 buoy adjacent to Brownsea Roads. Yellow buoys in positions 50 41.20N 001 57.49W and 50 41.57N 001 57.36W, each flashing every 4secs will monitor the resultant turbidity. This exercise is expected to last for the whole of 2009.

The Local Notice to Mariners from the HM reminds us:-

A permit is required to water ski in the harbour. (The water ski area is up the Wareham Channel). This costs £110 per year.
The Annual Harbour dues are £9.53 per metre. Vessels not showing the correct sticker are liable to be stopped and given a warning. The next offence will result in court procedures being invoked. So, please display your disc correctly.
All vessels (except those of a certain large size) are required to give way to the chain ferry at the harbour entrance.

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