Summer news letter

Newsletter – September 3^rd 2014.

Hello,

• First of all – many congratulations to John Hendley and Theresa on the safe arrival of baby Holly last Friday – a sister for John jnr.
• Other good news – after the disappointment of not being granted a Sports Capital Grant, the Galway Sports and Agricultural Society has given us a very generous grant of €10 000 towards the purchase of a 2^nd club RIB for safety boat duties. At present the club has only the one safety boat: the Humber that our excellent team of youngsters won in the 2011 RIB Challenge. For a second safety boat we are relying on loans: the small Rigiflex lent by the Roe family, and the loan of an older RIB from the Killeen family. In order to purchase a new, or very good 2^nd hand, safety boat and engine we will have to add to the €10k by fundraising over the winter. Hopefully club members and friends will rally to the cause.
• The purchase of the six new Optibats in July was made possible by a grant of €2000 from the Galway Sports Partnership towards children’s sailing; by a successful bag packing effort (many thanks to all who came and packed bags and to the generous shoppers!); and a Galway City Council Sports Club grant which helped pay for club running expenses in 2013 and so freed up membership fees to enable us to buy the Optibats.
• We have had a busy summer for Youth and Children’s sailing running two 5 day courses for the children and one for the Youths. Also the youths were offered instructor led sessions during normal club times. We have also availed of two safety boat courses with Sail Galway Bay which were fully subscribed to by adult members.
  We ran an Adult Start Sailing course in July and also ran a course for Army cadets.
  Graham Daly was the Senior Instructor for all these courses, ably helped at various times by Fionn Delahunty, Ciaran Jordan, Aaron O’Reilly, Cian Walsh, Paraic O’Fatharta and by James Rattigan, Conor Greaney and Eamonn Murphy on the water. The parents of the youths and children also gave great support on the shore, as did Bobby Coughlan.
• The youth sessions on Thursdays and Saturdays in July and August were only sporadically attended with a subsequent loss to the club which was committed to pay the instructor. In future we will need to have a more definite structure to these sessions.
• The children’s sailing camps were a great success and some of the children and their parents will be continuing with Saturday sessions in the Optibats with Fionn in September. To pay for the instruction there is a charge for these sessions of €5 with a pre-paid commitment for a number of weeks requested.
• We are intending to run more racing practice on the Thursday and Saturday sessions, Johnny Murphy has been busy laying more buoys, and Dave Vinnell of GBSC has offered to coach some of our shore helpers in race starting etc. Racing round a course is a good way to improve the sailing skills and fun too. Youths who have Start Sailing skills or equivalent are encouraged to join in.
• The Cong – Galway race is being held on Saturday Sept 20^th and club members will be taking part. More information soon.
• GBSC will be holding a Junior regatta at Rinville on Sunday Sept. 28^th and our juniors are invited to take part. Could an adult/parent volunteer to organise a group for that day? – contact Nancy, details below.
• Galway Sports Partnership are running three Code of Ethics – Child Aware courses on Monday 8^th Sept, or 13^th Oct ,or 10^th Nov. Anybody helping with juniors in the club is encouraged to attend one of these sessions they are very enlightening and helpful– more details from Nancy, details below.
• There have been enquiries about another adult weekend course. If you are interested, or know of anybody who would be interested, please contact training@galwaycitysailingclub.com

Wishing you all a fair Autumn with good sailing,

 

Nancy Roe

Secretary/Treasurer

Galway City Sailing Club

roenancy9@gmail.com

info@galwaycitysailingclub.com

086 6670180