Ripon Sailing Club prepares for 60th Anniversary Year
by Jennie Clark 26 Feb 2017 19:44 GMT
26 February 2017
Preparations for Ripon Sailing Club's 60th Anniversary Year © Jennie Clark
Members at Ripon SC spent Sunday 26 February getting the club ready for the start of its 60th anniversary year. This was the final working party of a series which have run since January, and saw a huge turnout. Richard Pryke, Facilities Manager, was soon organizing an army of members armed with loppers and pruning saws ready to make the final assault on the overgrowth around the lake. By 10am there were plumes of smoke arising from the cuttings and by the end of the day it was clear that the army had worked hard and well with all the scheduled work completed.
In the clubhouse the younger members of the club were also busy, with a major Optimist rig review being organized by Junior Secretary Fiona Spence. Armed with rigs, scissors, sail repair tape and a very big reel of rope from Mike Saul, the kids and their helpers got all 6 rigs re-roped, with minor damage repaired with tape. Only 1 sail was judged to be sufficiently seriously damaged to require sending to 'the Willow Way Optimist Hospital' for the attention of Fiona's very skilled Mum and Dad. Having completed the Optimist task in record time the junior team were sent off to the boat house to give it a good clear out whilst the safety boats were on the water.
It might be imagined that this was enough activity for the club for the day, but whilst all this work was being undertaken the club were also hosting a coaching session for the Tera North Squad with 20 aspiring champions all tackling the very windy conditions with varying degrees of success under the watchful gaze of coaches Brett, Graham and Ben.
With final decorating work taking place over the next 10 days, the club is well
placed to make the most of its anniversary year.