Spring Newsletter 2008

XOD CLASS ASSOCIATION PARKSTONE DIVISION

 Richard Batchelor, Class Captain         -         Mike Pascall, Vice Captain

“The Fairway”, 25 Compton Avenue, Poole.Dorset.BH14 8PT

Phone:-01202 706692 email :- richardbatchelor107@hotmail.com

Web site: www.parkstoneyachtclub.com

A Spring letter from your Class Captain:                                                                                                                                                                 10^th March 2008

With this letter please find:-   ·        Class Declaration         ·        Mooring Waiver (For boats that are to be kept on the trots)     ·        Information on Measuring Supper

To all Parkstone XOD Division Members and Supporters

The daffodils are up and there is blossom on some of the trees, can the sailing season be far behind? Hopefully we have all wintered well and aches and pains brought on by the winter chills will disappear in the flurry of activity preparing for the new season.

I understand that both Harry and Dizzy Evans have been unwell and on behalf of the fleet we send best wishes for a speedy recovery, John Lacey seems to be recovering well and to others who have been suffering this winter we send wishes of a swift return to health.

On the division boat side, X190 Pandora has been sold to a member of the Lymington division as Hugh has decided that the future rests with Ariel. We welcome Stephen Oxlade to the fleet with X139 Halcyon, a Parkstone boat that has not been seen for a while. I hope that there may be other boats joining us of which I am not yet aware, we still have moorings and all are welcome.

Race Fixtures

Our first race is, as always, the Funshine Trophy scheduled for Wed 30^th April.

Then the season starts in earnest with the first Saturday point on the 3^rd, the first Monday evening points on the 5^th and the Wednesday series commencing on the 7^th of May.

It is time again for the biannual international keelboat regatta. This will take place on Sat 24^th Sun 25^th May. At present the plan is for two races on each day to be sailed in the top triangle with a committee boat start. The two Saturday races will count towards the points series. Presently there is no firm plan for a race on the Bank Holiday Monday however, one may be sailed in the evening if we provide our own race officer. This is under consideration.

With a view to practice in the open sea there are plans for an extra series of Sunday morning races out into the Bay starting and finishing on the RMYC line. These are scheduled to be held on Sun 15^th, 22^nd & 29^th June and Sun 13^th & 20^th July with a start at 10.35. Whilst I realize this might not appeal to all it will be good practice before Cowes (Return of the Phillipson Shield!). Please support this Regatta as RMYC are making the effort to host it.

For those  who  have yet to put dates in their diary Cowes week is 1^st to 9^th August, Poole week is 24^th to 29^th August.

Other races of note include team racing against Lymington at home 20^th June, RMYC Regatta -2 races Sat 21^st June, Single Handed Challenge bowl Sun 6^th July A.M., Crews race Sat 19^th July AM. The Three Generations race will be scheduled for Sun 17^th Aug, Helmsman’s Trophy 10^th Sept to count towards boat points and an away team fixture against Itchenor on Fri.19^th September

All will be rounded off with the winter series during October to be sailed on Weds & Sats from the RMYC.

Social events include the Sail Measuring Supper on Tues 29^th April, the Poole Week Dinner at the RMYC Tues 26^th Aug, plus Wednesday afternoon teas and convivial time in the bar.

All these things and more  can be viewed on the Parkstone Yacht Club web site via racing/ XOD/ racing program. Mike Pascall keeps this up-to-date but some of the dates or times may be changed however we will keep you informed. For those with no internet access have a word with Mike or myself and we will give you a printed copy.

Can I also give our heartfelt thanks to the PROs and assistants who make our racing possible. and most specially  to those who organize our Wednesday Afternoon racing. Without Trevor Kirby, Ray Page and Ian Jessop and Rosemary Marsden and their assistants there would be no Wednesday racing for the X class. Thank you all.

Harbour Matters

The Buoyage within the harbour remains as per last year and we will still be using last years course book however all the changes to sailing instruction that came out last season will apply to 2008 as will pink flags etc.

The Harbour master seems to want to change the criteria applied to harbour mooring and as yet his thinking has not been fully explained, all one can be certain of is that there will be no reduction in costs to those holding moorings. Associated with this our mooring contractor has just announced his retirement and another firm has taken over his contract. I have contacted them with a view to continuing the maintenance of our moorings and they have agreed to service them, I expect them to be professional and competent, costings however may change.

Race Organisation

Once again the club will be looking for people to volunteer for various duties and assistants and there is a concerted effort to try and include more new faces for work on the box as PROs and AROs. The club runs courses that Mike has forwarded to you via email and it would be helpful if we could get a list of volunteers for duties on the box. Volunteers are also required for the security patrols that members take part in within the club grounds and marina.

Divisional

At the AGM the subs for the division were set at £50 for each boat and the annual mooring fee was fixed at £250. These monies are due before the boat is raced or the mooring is taken up. Another reminder that is unlikely to apply to any fleet member but the club race entry form and fee must also be paid to the club before any yacht takes part in the racing.

As an aside it is also a requirement that the Class Association fees are also paid, don’t forget the  saving of £25 if the association sub is paid before the end of March.

I include with this letter copies of the declaration for this season- one per boat, also a new mooring disclaimer for 2008.

Also included is reminder of the sail measuring supper on the 29^th April. Once again there is a change in the catering staff however it has been agreed that we will be served an appetiser with a choice of carvery or fish and a pudding or cheese and biscuits followed by coffee at a cost of £14 per head. I would be obliged if you could return slips to give me some idea of numbers attending and I hope to be able to firm up the menu and take your orders closer to the time.

Once again due to good fortune we have a new stock of the classic book, “The Definitive X Class” compiled by Tom Hunt. To those with a copy it can be a constant source of reference, to those without, now’s your chance! (£10 contact me.)

I feel that I have taken up far too much of your valuable time already but before I close I would like to repeat my thanks to our Wednesday Race officers and to the other people who keep the division going. Special thanks to Jane Latham for all the work she does organising and co-ordinating the race program and then compiling the statistics and producing the results.

To Tim Moorhouse for keeping the accounts and controlling our money, John Lacey for his help with technical matters and lastly to Mike Pascall for his enthusiasm and ability with IT which enables him to keep us all informed and in contact with the other Divisions and the Association and the large amount of time that he spends on our behalf.

May I wish you all smooth preparation of your boats, early launching, better weather than last year and an enjoyable and successful season.

Good sailing,

Rick Batchelor

2008 XOD CLASS – PARKSTONE DIVISION

I_________________________ Owner / Part Owner of __________________________

Sail number X _______have read the Constitution and class Rules of the X One Design Association as published in the latest

Class Handbook and declare that my boat conforms with these regulations and specifically:

1. I have a valid Measurement Certificate under Rules B.4.5. and  B.5. ______

2. My boat weighs more than 2875lbs. including compensating weights        ______

 3. Where compensating weights are specified on the Measurement

Certificate they are permanently fitted in the positions required by Rule        ______

 D.7.3

4. My boat carries life saving equipment as required by rule C.3 and flares  ______

as RuleC.2.1.d

5. My boat carries an anchor and chain which complies with Rule C.2.1.a. _______

6. The following work (other than painting and varnishing) has been

carried out to the hull and spars of my boat since last season

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