The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2022

Published 20:57 on 1 Mar 2022

This year Teesdale SWC qualified as a finalist in the RYA/Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Award. The winner was to be announced at the Dinghy & Watersports Show at Farnborough in Hampshire. Representatives of all the finalists were invited to a lunch to celebrate the hard work of all the club members, and recognise the advances made by the clubs over the course of the last year.

Two families from Teesdale SWC made the long trip south to Farnborough. Being a Yorkshireman I was determined not to miss out on a free lunch, but after paying to fill up the car and two nights' accommodation it was the most expensive free lunch I have ever had. Now didn't someone once say that there is no such thing as a free lunch?

The lunch was an excellent chance to get to talk to members of other clubs, to be astounded by their membership numbers and facilities, and wish that we could afford to employ club managers etc. It was also intriguing to see their incredulity that we manage without electricity and showers.

We spoke to many RYA personnel and they are now definitely aware that we exist. Deborah has been doing sterling work on this over the last couple of years whilst Toby has been touring the IOCA circuit. So this is something that we need to reinforce in 2022. We are here and we are one of the best clubs in the country.

The show itself was excellent. There was a good turn out of people, but not too crowded that one couldn't get to see the boats or talk to the exhibitors. There were some amazing boats to be seen. One was a homemade wooden craft that was flat bottomed, with no centreboard or keel, where the helm was totally enclosed and it could self-right from a capsize. All the controls could be operated from inside the cockpit. It was the weirdest looking craft that I have seen but amazingly had been sailed from the Solent to the Scilly Isles, though we were not told how it got back!

The new boat from Laser Performance was, to be honest, underwhelming. Whilst the Fusion is definitely the successor to the Pico. We were particularly impressed by the Comet as a follow on boat for adults who have just learned to sail. A nice sit in rather than sit on seating position, a reasonably wide beam for stability with a forgiving sail. There was a beautiful wooden clinker built Osprey, and amazing foiling craft of all types.

Of course if the Hewitts are around there has to be a race so we had a go on the radio controlled yachts. As one expects James won with William second and Richard, after crashing into the shore, fourth.

A visit to the Rooster stand finally cleared out what was left of the bank account.

Oh, and by the way, we didn't win the Club of the Year Trophy, (a good job because it is so big that we would never have got it through the clubhouse door) but we did get a nice certificate to hang on the wall.

RNH

28/2/2022

Last updated 09:51 on 13 December 2023