October Newsletter
Coming Events
• 30/09/09 - 04/10/09 Blown Away: Skandia
Team GBR Exhibition
gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge-
house Street, South Bank, London SE1
9PH.
• 04/10/09 Race Training Eric is taking a race
training course. It’s free, just turn up on
the day.
• 11/10/09 Autumn Series week 1
• 25/10/09 Autumn Series week 2
• 01/11/09 Trowlock Trophy Premier Open
pursuit event at ASC. Open to all. Fol-
lowed by bonfire and fireworks party.
• 08/11/09 Autumn Series week 3
• 11/11/09 Mediterannean Sailing If you don’t
know your Ionian from your Alboran or
your Levanter from your Meltemi, this is
the lecture for you! Alan will take you
through everything you need to know.
How the weather differs from the UK,
where the popular sailing spots are, which
companies provide sailing holidays, what
to expect for you money and some tales of
derring do.
• 21/11/09 Laying-up supper and prize-giving
at Harrison’s in Shepperton - you should Vice Commodore reports: ”The regatta day
have received an invite by now!
• 22/11/09 Autumn Series week 4
• 13/12/09 Xmas Pudding Race Day A fun
race, Xmas Lunch and a visit by Santa
Claus.
Recent Events
Hampton Court Trip
Eric Finlayson reports: “We had four boats out
for the rally, one Enterprise, a Laser 2000, the
Wayfarer and Henry Foster’s Laser II (and Si-
mon in the dory). Tamesis were holding their
regatta which is also attended by the Thames
A-Raters from the Thames club so the river was
jam-packed with boats. We mananged to get
started by about 11.45 and with a following
wind threaded our way through the Tammy
racing fleet up to the bridges. The Ent and the
2000 crossed masts over the safety boat to get
through the bridges then we all headed up river
with a nice, but, as always, variable following
wind up past Ravens Ayot. We got close to
Hampton Court (spinakers and gennakers fly-
ing) but ran out of wind at about one o’clock so
headed back to Thames club for lunch (picking
up Annabel). As most of the Thames people
were at the Tamesis regatta their club was a bit
quiet but we managed to get a drink and a look
at their historic premises plus free a history les-
son. Whilst we were having lunch the north
wind got up a bit so the first beat between the
Island and the bank was quite tricky but Lucy
[with Eric in the Ent] never once complained.
We sailed home into the teeth of a force 4/5
quite lively particularly sailing through a race at
Minima then back under the bridges and home
for tea. Graham had brought the flubber up to
see how we were getting on but had to paddle
part of the way back. An interesting sail, quite
hard work but to me worthwhile.”
ASC Annual Regatta
dawned with blue skies and a force 2-3
northerly.
 Enterprise
The first race was the Enterprise race and
3 boats competed. The start was delayed by
the presence of a Thames A-Rater and Merlin
Rocket fleet. The fleet started well beating to
windward towards the windward mark (both
marks laid to approach on the starboard tack)
with the Commodore holding the lead when
disaster struck. Tamesis put their windward
mark within one boatlength of ours and started
the Rater fleet racing. In taking avoiding ac-
tion, Alan Hall, with novice crew Sarah David-
son, touched the mark and had to go for the re-
rounding.
Alan sailed back through the fleet, grabbing
first place just after the course was shortened.
1. Alan Hall/Sarah Davidson 37:50 0.75 pts
(Winner Tudsbery Cup) Club Teddington Mini Festival
2. John Storey/Bob Shaw 38:56 2 pts
3. Eric Finlayson/Ian Wyatt 45:37 3 pts
Pursuit
Following the Enterprise race, a personal
handicap pursuit race was organised. Through-
out this race tension mounted as boats caught
the handicap in front with the boats approach-
ing the 45 min finish mark almost level. Some
amazing passing manouevres were on display
with some ducks being measured in millimtres
not centimetres.
1. Alan/Sarah 0.75 (Winner Willow Trophy)
2. Eric/Eliza Mason 2
3. John/Bob 3
4. Ian/Antonio Dellosso 4
Novice/Topper Race
An unbelievably close race with the fleet all
within 3 boat lengths at many points in the
Accessing the Website
The ASC website is constantly updated with news, views and reviews.
It’s online at http://www.arielsailing.com (Username: arielsailing Password: tudsbury)
race. A close lee-bow between Sarah and Anto-
nio had the race officers gasping at the temerity
and scratching their heads and Antonio seemed
content to stay in the bad air. The run down to
the finish produced some startling sailing lead-
ing to a technical decision required by the Race
Officer.
1. Steve (One and All Winner)
2. Sarah (Novice Cup Winner)
3. Antonio
4. Eliza
Following this race, the wind died leading to
postponement of further racing.”
Commodore reports: “As host for the event
I would like to thank everybody who helped
with the preparations for the day and on the
day for their contributions to its success. We
may not have had as many visitors as we had
hoped for but I think everyone there on the day
had a good time. This was helped by one thing
we cannot control the weather. I am sure I
speak for many sections when I say that like
Ariel Sailing Club we are keen to increase mem-
bership. There are many people who as staff
of Service Partner companies are eligible to join
the BBC Club. It is very important that we en-
courage existing service partner members to get
the message to their colleagues to join the Club.
The BBC Club can only contact them through
display posters which the sections send out. We
need more advertising as well as on the Club
website. Thank you to those sections who made
the effort. To those who were unable to join us
at Teddington last Saturday, we hope to see you
another time.”