Flag Officers Friday Newsletter

Welcome to the Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club  Friday newsletter.

The last two weeks have seen us return to much warmer and more settled conditions, and the bay has been very busy. Members have enjoyed racing, cruising and of course socialising  at Plas Heli. The new benches are a great enhancement to the deck, with members and guests able to watch all the activity in the bay, with the RYA 420 squad training last week providing a great spectacle!

The new WiFi networks are bedding in, and 2021 members can enjoy a faster and bespoke network . Further information and password details are  below.

Recent changed to Welsh Government COVID restrictions now allow 30 people to meet outdoors, three households can meet indoors, and outdoor events can be planned for up to 4000

Some solid racing results by club members over the last two weeks with "Jac Y Do" (Mark Thompson  racing 2 handed with Phil Jackson)  winning the ISORA offshore race to Holyhead in light airs taking 19 hours, "Pata Negra" (Andrew Hall) an excellent 11th overall in the RORC Myth of Malham race and "Harley Quinn" (Dave Leather) winning the  last weekend of the spring series.

If any one is  setting off on a cruise this weekend or in the near future, don’t forget that we are always on the lookout for interesting articles for inclusion in our newsletters, and thanks to Rachel Pollard for the cruise report below.  All contributions and photographs will be welcome and can be sent to Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.

 

DSC 0925 2

Plas Heli also took delivery of a number of additional finger berths which will not only increase capacity but enhance the pontoon area. Many thanks to our CHPSC volunteers for all the hard work involved in their installation.

Plas Heli is looking to employ a bosun, hours to be determined, but it will predominantly be covering weekends. Duties will include managing the fleet of safety ribs, security and maintenance,  and assisting our event customers and pontoon users.

A PB2 certificate is desirable. For more information contact Stephen Tudor: Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.

Panorama Lounge and Restaurant @Plas HeliPanorama3

We here at Panorama lounge & restaurant would like to thank you all for your continued support. The Welsh RYA Youth Championship is being held at Plas Heli this weekend and we have a few tasty meals planned at Panorama, so why not pop in and have a meal and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Booking is recommended as we are limited on tables. 

 We would like to remind club members and family that masks must be worn indoors for the safety of staff and others, unless medically exempt.
 
 
Opening times  for June 2021
 
Monday -closed 
Tuesday - closed 
Wednesday 12pm - 6pm
Thursday 12-7pm 
Friday 12pm - 10pm 
Saturday 12pm - 10pm
Sunday 12pm - 7pm 
 
Booking lines: 01758 614 442/ 07793 258 827
Email: Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.
 
Panorama is currently recruiting well-mannered, reliable and capable seasonal staff. Please feel free to circulate amongst your networks and contact the restaurant using the contact details above for more information. Thank you all once again for your support. 
 
Iwan and team @ Panorama
 

WIFI Plas Heli

‍We are pleased to inform you that Plas Heli, the operating company of The Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre has provided CHPSC members  with a new dedicated and separate WiFi system

This is part of the reconfiguration of the WiFi distribution at the Centre and will be a great benefit for 2021 paid-up CHPSC members. The service will be fast safe and reliable, even when under the strain of large events. 2021 Members have been sent the password for this network by e-newsletter last week.

For non members there is a guest network "Plas Heli Guest" and the password is:  Plas.H3L1

There is also two further networks, one for events, and one for Pontoon users - passwords will be sent to event administrators and pontoon berth holders. It is hoped to increase the WiFi coverage to include the pontoon area, more on this as the project unfolds. This will also allow us to extend the web cam on the pontoons in addition to our CCTV coverage.

This WiFi connection has been configured to be safe for children. 

Welsh Government  Alert Level 2 towards 1  ( wef 7th June)

WALES RETURN TO BOATING 2> Organised Events  allowed for  up to 4000 standing/10000 seated

> Elite training can take place

> Casual sailing can take place as part of exercise, 30 people can meet outdoors

> The Plas Heli compound, event pontoons, indoor classrooms  and hospitality spaces are now open. 

> Indoor Organised Activity for  30 Adults

> Latest RYA Cymru Wales  Q & A clarifying the  announcement of May 3rd  is here    

 MÔR DEITHIO / CRUISING 

Report from cruise notes by Rachel Pollard - "Quintette Too" from  their current cruise to Conwy and return

Departing on 27th May towards Nefyn and Caernarfon.

Weather fair with a light breeze. 

A large pod of bottle nosed dolphins encountered near Porth Cariad.

Entered Bardsey sound one and a half hours before slack water to catch the early flood tide in the northern side of the sound and got through easily.
 
bardesy2
 
Picked up a buoy in Porth Dinllaen at dusk.
 

Caernarfon bar was slightly difficult as some of the buoys had changed in the few days since we downloaded the chart and in murky conditions the buoys are hard to see.

On 30th May, there was a long procession of vessels going through the Swellies although, when we returned a few days later, we were the only vessel making the passage. Timing is difficult as slack varies according to weather conditions and which pilotage guide you trust. We went under the Menai bridge about two and a quarter hours before HW the Liverpool and the passage was easy.
 
bridge4
 
On the way to Conwy we cut across the Penmaen Swatch as the sea state was smooth and the tide was rising: From the B6 buoy between Beaumaris and Puffin island, turn to starboard on a course of 110 until the Perch rock buoy off Puffin island bears 335 and then change to 70 towards the entrance to the Conwy channel.  The only hazard in the channel on a fine bank holiday weekend was the volume of speedboats rushing past leaving huge after washes.

 Came back into the Menai strait through Puffin sound in heavy rain, picking up a buoy in Beaumaris courtesy of Beaumaris sailing club to wait for the right time and conditions to go through the Swellies.

IMG 5622

Rachel Pollard - "Quintette Too"

Boat share - we have had an enquiry from two members looking to purchase a share in a cruising boat - if anyone else has similar aspirations please contact us using the details below and we can match all interested parties!

Stop press! a boat has been acquired, but partners are sought! please reply to this newsletter if interested!

Any cruisers wishing to take part in the club racing this weekend, contact Stephen or Rob via the WhatsApp group  or via email: Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.   and we can liaise with the race officer to put a cruiser race on.

A "WhatsApp" group to enable cruisers to discuss plans etc has been set up - Join your fellow cruisers and chat all things boating by emailing Rob or Stephen with your mobile phone number to join or use the QR code below. (Please introduce yourself to the group)

IMG BA76B6A70F9B 1

 

Sailing at Night

One of the most memorable  experiences in boating is sailing at night by moonlight and seeing the sunrise.  Cardigan bay is a great place to do this with minimal commercial shipping, and with the shortest night round the corner, why not have a go!
 
The RYA provide some guidance on watch keeping etc:
 
Before setting sail on a passage which will involve sailing in the dark, thought should be given to how the dark will make the trip different to a voyage completed in daylight only.
 
 Depending on the experience and ability of the skipper and crew a different safety briefing may be needed and the "rules" on board, for example when lifejackets and safety harnesses are a must, may need to be altered.

Night vision

A key consideration to maximise safety in the hours of darkness is night vision. It takes our eyes in the region of 10 - 15 minutes to adjust to their best level of performance in the dark but just a brief exposure to white light will re-set the adjustment your eyes have made. Therefore for any vessel which could be out during the hours of darkness, fitting a red light at the chart table (as a minimum) should be considered. Some vessels have red lights in every cabin, the galley and the heads to ensure that night vision is not compromised throughout the hours of darkness.

Caution must be exercised with white light on deck as well. If you look up from the job you are lighting with your head torch, to face someone and speak to them, the light will shine straight in their face. If this is white light, their eyes will have to start from scratch adjusting to the dark. Switching on deck lights should be avoided and torches / head torches should be red light wherever possible.

As well as briefing their crew on night vision and the danger of exposing your eyes – or those of the crew “on watch” - to white light, skippers should also be aware and brief the crew on the detrimental effect that glasses with photochromic lenses can have on night vision. Photochromic lenses reduce night vision significantly and to such an extent that the MCA issued MGN 357 stating that “they should not be worn for lookout duties at night”. 

Watch systems

In general when a vessel is at sea overnight, a watch system should be set up, to ensure that someone is nominated for the helm and an adequate look out is kept, whilst still allowing all of the crew have sufficient rest. For vessels undertaking longer passages, watch systems cover more than just who is at the helm. They should include keeping the log, making the dinner, washing the dishes, daily checks and maintenance i.e. a system which manages the running of the boat.

Where there is sufficient crew, such as on commercial ships the crew may be split into three groups each taking four hours on watch followed by 8 hours off some of which they may be standby or maintenance duties. On smaller vessels there is unlikely to be sufficient crew to allow such luxury.

There are no hard and fast rules for watch keeping patterns or rotas. Depending on the number of crew and their levels of experience, the skipper may or may not opt to be included in the watches. Even if the skipper is technically “off watch” the crew should be encouraged to wake the skipper whenever they feel the need and the skipper should ensure that the crew are clear about any circumstance to which they wish to be alerted. Again, these will reflect the experience level of the crew but examples might be if a ship is sighted or a change in the sail plan is required. An inexperienced crew may benefit from these being written down as “standing orders” to prevent them from being forgotten.

Watch rota

There is no right or wrong way of setting up a watch rota. The “right” one is the one that works for that particular voyage, on that particular boat, with that particular crew.  

Consideration when drawing up a watch rota should be given to ensuring that the crew will have blocks of sleep of sufficient duration and whether loan watches are 1. necessary and 2. safe, bearing in mind the experience and welfare of the crew members on board. Different watch systems may need to be adopted for different voyages, to suit the people on board.  

It could be as simple as 2 watches alternating with 4 hours on and 4 hours off (although this can become monotonous if it is continued for too long, and you will tend to spend every off watch moment in your bunk).

2 watches: 4 hours on 4 hours off

Watch rota

Suitable for: short passages of 1 or 2 days
Advantages: simple to follow
Disadvantages: can become monotonous and will result in sleep deprivation for many people

Other systems may change the times you are on watch each day or the people you are on watch with.

2 watches: 3 hours on, 3 hours off at night and 4 hours on 4 off by day

Watch rota

Suitable for: short passages of 1 or 2 days popular when sailing with just two people on board
Advantages: simple to follow
Disadvantages: will result in sleep deprivation for many people

Most people will only cope with systems like these for a short period and after three or four days their body will be functioning significantly below par. For voyages lasting more than a couple of days many people will need to be given the opportunity for a longer block of sleep each day to allow the body to regenerate. A daily off-watch period of at least 6 hrs should therefore be considered to help people maintain their regular sleep pattern and keep the body functioning properly. With sufficient people on board it may be possible to adopt 4 hour watches at night and 6 hours during the day.  

2 watches: 4 hours on 4 hours off at night and 6 hours on 6 hours off during the day

Watch rota

Suitable for: voyages where there are at least two people on each watch
Advantages: simple to follow and changes the times you are on watch each day
Disadvantages: not particularly sociable

If however you have children on board who are sleeping at night and up in the day time, it may be better for the adults to get longer spells of sleep at night when the children are asleep and not requiring attention.

In colder conditions, it is important that people do not stay on deck for too long - which in extreme conditions may be minutes rather than hours. The cold can necessitate a different approach to watch patterns which, together with the attention span often being reduced at night, is why there is a tendency to have shorter watches during the small hours.

Watch rotas do not need to be limited to two watches, if the crew is sufficient in number and or sufficiently experienced. With three adults capable of lone watches, could work 3 hours on 6 hours off.

2 watches: 3 hours on watch and 6 hours off watch 

Watch rota

Suitable for: voyages where there are at least three adults capable of loan watches
Advantages: simple to follow and changes the times you are on watch each day
Disadvantages: not particularly sociable

A standby category may be added to this to ensure the person on watch has an extra pair of hands to call on when required such as for changes in sail plan.

2 watches: 3 hours on watch and 6 hours off watch with standby

Watch rota

Suitable for: voyages where there are at least three adults capable of loan watches
Advantages: simple to follow and changes the times you are on watch each day
Disadvantages: the standby element can improve the social element, but at the same time can reduce the quality of sleep

With this arrangement, the right balance needs to be found between what the person on watch can do on their own and when they need to wake the off watch to maximise sleep in good conditions, ensuring the “batteries” are fully charged in case of bad weather.

With 4 or more adults a rolling watch system with two people on watch at all times and a person changing every two hours may be worth considering. The more people there are, the greater the time off watch becomes, but there is a danger that sleep is disturbed by the constant changeovers. This type of system is however easy to adjust if someone is sick and needs time out of the watches.

4 or more watches: 4 hours on watch with 2 hourly changes

Watch rota

Suitable for: larger crews on short passages of 1 or 2 days
Advantages: sociable
Disadvantages: the off watch is limited to 4 hours at a time which may be disturbed by crew changes

Having two people on watch will generally mean that whilst on watch they can cover all aspects of running the boat such as navigating, weather, cooking, cleaning, (childcare) and off watch time really is off watch and equals rest. Times should be set for dinner to be cooked / ready, the navigation lights to be turned on, the dishes to get washed etc. The less experienced the crew, the more formalised the duties are likely to need to be.

On longer voyages a “mother watch” may be utilised, to allocate “household duties” such as cooking, cleaning, washing-up etc. This is simply a slot where two watches are on duty at the same time, but for different reasons. As well as being practical it can make life on board more sociable.

A mother watch is also useful to enable preparation if heavy weather is anticipated, when having meals pre-prepared, ensures the minimal amount of time must be spent working in the galley and reduces the likelihood of having to just eat what can be grabbed easily.  

3 watches incorporating a mother watch (indicated in red)

Watch rota

Suitable for: any voyage when there is sufficient crew
Advantages: keeps the boat ship shape and offers each watch a longer off-watch
Disadvantages: may not be as easy for the crew to follow

The options are endless, however it is advisable to keep the pattern simple. If there is a watch system in place it needs to be enforced, but the skipper needs to be prepared to modify the system if circumstances dictate. 

In all but the most basic systems people will not be on watch at the same time each day and the number of hours on and off will change depending on the time of day. Ensuring it is easy to work out who should be on watch or off watch is a good step towards ensuring a smooth running and harmonious ship

 

2021 Membership Rates

flyerpsc

Membership of CHPSC for 2021 

The membership year is from 1st January to 31st December.

2021 Fee Structure 

Primary Member - £65

Joint Membership - £115

Racing Skipper - £125

Joint Racing Skipper  - £180

Associate Member - £75

Student/Apprentice Member - £30

Youth Member - £20

Dinghy Storage

Small (Optimist/Topper) £55 

Medium (Laser) £65

Large (Merlin Rocket) £85 

Multi Hulls (Dart etc) £95 

Road Trailer £50 or £75 for 2 stacked

Box storage trailers under 10 feet £60 (£75 for larger box trailers)

You can purchase a club burgee or pay for your club calendar postage as part of your membership process!

The   centre is now  open in line with Welsh Government Alert Level 2 restrictions ( moving towards 1)  with authorised access now permitted to the pontoons, classrooms, compound and the "Panorama Restaurant and Lounge" .  In line with Welsh government Covid regulations, we advise the use of the "NHS Covid App"  when visiting any of the Plas Heli facilities.

The QR codes are on the doors and relevant gates. There is an additional Track, Trace and Protect requirement in the hospitality area, which the panorama staff will manage

Note: elite RYA squad training is permitted indoors, as is indoors organised activity for up to 30 

Plas Heli - Pontoons

The pontoons are very busy this year with demand potentially exceeding capacity. A berthing plan has been drawn up and will be emailed to all Plas Heli berthing customers, with the planned location of their berth.

Plas Heli has extended the berthing capacity with additional finger berths, which were successfully installed last week. This will hopefully enable us to satisfy the increased demand. 

To apply for a berth (seasonal or short term) fill in the berthing application form on the Plas Heli Website here and also  email Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.

Once allocated a berth please make all efforts to stay  in your  allocated space, remembering boats out racing may be short crewed when returning to their  berth.  Any issues with berths, shore power or water please email Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld.

New codes on all gates - please don’t pass on these numbers. Anyone with a genuine need to access the pontoons, compounds or other gated areas will be provided with the code, combination or key. Email Mae'r cyfeiriad e-bost hwn wedi'i warchod rhag robotiaid sbam. Rhaid i chi alluogi JavaScript i'w weld. for details, or talk to one of your Flag Officers. The Plas Heli event car park on the quay is also available for members parking, should the main Plas Heli car park fill up - for a parking permit see instructions below.

Track and Trace is a Government requirement, please record your details on the sheet provided at the entrance to the  bar. It is a Welsh Government recommendation that you also use the NHS app, via the QR codes below.  (please check in by using the most relevant one for the part of the centre you are accessing)

QRPH QR code pontoons

PH QR code compound

 

2021Flyer 2

I‍RC WELSH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - UPDATE 

WebPageTitlex

Plas Heli, the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre, has been awarded the venue rights for the 'IRC Welsh National Championships' for 2021 and 2022.  The Championship is hosted by Plas Heli, and organised/managed by CHPSC and the RDYC.

We now are recruiting volunteers for event planning purposes and if you would like to contribute, or have any suggestions to enhance the event, please reply to this newsletter. The first planning meeting was held last month via "zoom" to agree the format of racing and framework to publish the Notice of Race. This is now complete and published with the online  entry open at the event website here

Thought for  the Day:

"you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great"

 

 For more information, membership links and the latest weather and webcam

go to:
www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk

Flags1


Plas Heli Quayside Parking

The parking area on the Plas Heli Quayside is available for paid up CHPSC members and to authorised pontoon users.

The parking area is accessed through the gate adjacent to the old club building

The code to the gate is changed regularly and can be obtained through the plasheli.org website  > Facilities> Parking.  For convenience follow this shortcut link here

Fill in the details – put a tick in the box to confirm that you are a CHPSC member (have your 2021 membership number ready)

Then in the payment bit – use ‘I am a paid up CHPSC member and request permit for parking’ - Then Submit

You will then receive an automated return e-mail with instructions

Please make sure the gate is closed and locked at all times and that the padlock is never left open or with the code left on the dial


 

 

pwllheli logo low res

CalonHwylioCymru