The see-sawing August weather continues. After last weeks drifter in the sunshine, Sunday was a much more dismal affair with overcast skies and heavy rain at times. The clouds did lift prior to the scheduled race start, but the wind picked up considerably and eventually prevented enough making it out to the start, while others watched from a more leisurely distance with the RS 200 crew being tucked up nicely in front of the TV and saving themselves for their visit to Tenby for the RS 200 Nationals starting on Sunday with over 100 boats entered.

Thanks to Maurice for taking charge, plus the ever-willing safety crews on such a nasty day. The only one who took to the water to our knowledge was Dave Plester who completed the Caldey to Tenby Swim in the morning so well done Dave on this excellent achievement.

Sail raining continues each week and Jo advises us that the club has now achieved the RYA’s On Board Club status which will hopefully encourage yet more new sailors to come and join us.

The Cruisers have also been getting out when weather permits and John and Tonia in Elgar have thrown down the challenge for the renewal of the Caldey Challenge which involves a time trial from the outfall/sewage buoy around Caldey (in either direction as far as we know), returning to the bay and finishing back at the outfall/sewage buoy.

John and Tonia have set the benchmark for this year with an excellent time of two hours 35 minutes (we understand that the actual record is somewhere in the region of two hours 10 minutes, but that has yet to be confirmed) so the challenge has been laid down.

Don’t forget to get your entries in for Bart’s Bash on September 17. Anne and Frank in particular are doing a great job of organising this but if you can help in any way please let them know - there are more details on the dinghy page.

If you want to take out a club boat, let Jo know as they are going fast!

This weekend, club sailing will hopefully resume on Sunday with two races from the box starting at 1000, with Simon and Tom in charge.

Dizzy Rascal