New members and a bit more BANTER at Ripon Sailing Club

Ripon SC joined many other UK sailing clubs in holding a Push the Boat Out event this month. With a large team of volunteers working under the leadership of Sailing Secretary Peter Robinson, the club was ready to receive its first visitors at 9.30am and the stream of visitors continued until well after 5pm.

Over 300 people came for a look round, a trial sail or a powerboat trip around the lake and a third of those became members on the day or in the week immediately following the event. Membership Secretary Jennie Clark, and Training Administrator Dianne Barnes were kept busy throughout the day, processing applications for membership and taking course bookings. Training Principal Mark Fowler was kept busy working out how we could manage to fit the huge volume of trainees into the courses due to run!

Immediately following the open day the club held a race of support for club member Paul Thomas-Peter who is currently self funding treatment for his cancer in Germany. A raffle held during the day raised over £500 for Paul's treatment fund. The day rounded off with a well attended barbecue and social evening.

BANTER, the club's Thursday night race skill development programme drew to a close with a session on the downwind leg and leeward mark. Having covered race prep (self and boat), the start and the windward mark in previous sessions, the team considered their options for a good course, the rules which would apply and were encouraged to think ''strategically" about good roundings.

The session ended with a debrief over a drink, including tips on finishing. By popular demand a 'round up' session will be held on 8 June where the learning will be brought together in a series of races. The programme has been extremely successful and the club are looking at how they can fit in a second programme in a very busy calendar.