Discover Sailing day at Horning Sailing Club - Sailing really can change lives
by Holly Hancock 9 May 2024 11:46 BST
4 May 2024
Discover Sailing day at Horning © Holly Hancock
Horning SC enjoyed a fantastic day on the water Saturday, for their 'Discover Sailing' event held as part of the biennial Horning Boat Show, which was celebrating its seventh event.
Club volunteers enthusiastically welcomed visitors from the moment the show opened at 10am right up until its finish at 4pm, taking over 200 guests (aged 2 years to 80+) out on the water, and welcoming many more to the Island and seeing the Club's facilities, including the newly refurbished Galley Café, again entirely run by volunteers.
With perfect weather, warm sunshine and a gentle breeze, there was a brilliant buzz around the Club, and it was ideal conditions to try sailing, with sailors trying everything from traditional Broads boats such as Reedlings and Rebels to Yare & Bures, Yeomans and - for the more adventurous - dinghies such as the very popular Topaz Argo on loan from Topper.
Special mention must go to the Club's outstanding junior members who worked tirelessly all day, taking out guests with a smile - and explaining all about the Club.
Feedback on the day spoke for itself - one visitor saying "Fantastic trip out with Paul (one of the Club's instructors) and his daughter. He has changed our life with knowledge of sailing and empathy of my medical conditions. He's given me the confidence to get on with life and have adventures - thank you so much".
Another said "What a fantastic opportunity - the children were very nervous but they were soon put at ease. It was a fabulous experience and they were so excited. Brilliant crew. Thank you", whilst another family added "Such a friendly Club! We lived our Swallows and Amazons dreams. We'll be back!"
The next day (Sunday) the Club was still on a high from Saturday's activities - and club racing took place in light and shifty conditions on the river. By the second race the sea breeze was beginning to kick in, providing pleasant conditions, increasing for the afternoon's racing. First away were the Reedlings, seeing very close competition between Cockatrice, sailed by Kevin Saunders and Shirley Needham and Siskin, sailed by Robert Hancock and Tom Roberts. The lead swapped several times during the race, but eventually it was Siskin who crossed the line first, just seconds ahead of Cockatrice.
The second race saw similarly close racing, with Siskin just ahead again.
The biggest fleet of the day was the eight strong Yeomans, the first race won by Geoff and Michael Stubbs in Tara, who managed to break away from the fleet to finish the length of the river ahead, on the tails of the Reedlings. Second was Paul Clarke and Andy Tabiner in Two C Sons, followed by Toby Fields and Daniel Blackwell third in Tanskey.
The second race saw a win for Two C Sons, with Tanskey second and Tara third. The third race saw Tanskey move up the rankings to first, with Anoih (Roger Pettit and Barbara Stevens) second, and Scorpio (Steve Middleditch and Maria Spreadbury) third.
The dinghies saw a mixed fleet of Lasers, a Splash and Topper Topaz take part, with the first race won by Tallulah Reardon-Burr sailing her Laser, ahead of Anya Gittin's Splash, with Harrison Ryder and Lily Herring third in the Topaz; these results were repeated in the second race. The third race saw Anya take the win, Harrison second and Jasmine Herring third in her Laser, before Harrison won the last race.