mudeford sailing club

Most members will be aware of the Christchurch Harbour and Waterways Management Plan.  Your Committee has been active in attending meetings and we have submitted comments to the Plan, which are reproduced below.  We also made a “one sheet of A4” list of bullet points emphasising the role the Club plays in the use of the Harbour.

Our main points were that the plan had two major failings that adversely affect its conclusions:

  • It did not appear to appreciate the level of use of Christchurch Harbour as a venue for healthy and safe recreational water sports, training and associated activities
  • It appeared to view these activities as threats, whereas they have a minimal impact on the natural environment.

Enjoying Christchurch Harbour with Mudeford Sailing Club
 www.mudefordsc.org

These Junior and Youth sailors are from the local Clubs, enjoying the racing and conditions in Christchurch Harbour at Mudeford Week 2008.

  • Mudeford Sailing Club offers local sailors the chance to race in the safe and sheltered waters of Christchurch Harbour. 
  • Our membership of 180 includes 20 Youths and Juniors and includes over 90 active sailors from the ages of 7 to 77.
  • We have helped in the development and training of a number of National champions, including, just in 2008, the 420 Champion, the leader of the National Optimist fleet and three members of the National Laser squad.
  • We organise the annual “Mudeford Week” where sailors from local Clubs join us to take part in a 7-day regatta incorporating serious racing, fun races and competitions as well as a full social programme.
  • Our members support our annual Series racing programme by a commitment to over 2000 hours of racing during the year. Most racing takes place on Sundays, but there are also events during the week and in the summer evenings.
  • As well as the Racing programme, members are often out sailing socially or recreationally during the week.
  • On a typical sailing day, all racing takes place over a 3-hour period at high tide in the central part of the Harbour, away from sensitive roosting and nesting areas on the harbour banks and marshland. Even at our very busiest times, our impact on the natural environment is minimal.
  • Mudeford Sailing Club is RYA affiliated and provides safe racing and recreational sailing for our members.

MUDEFORD SAILING CLUB

SUBMISSION TO THE CHRISTCHURCH HARBOUR AND WATERWAYS MANAGEMENT PLAN

GENERAL SUMMARY.

We consider that the Management Plan, although a detailed and forward-looking document, has two major failings that adversely affect its conclusions:

  • It does not appear to appreciate the level of use of Christchurch Harbour as a venue for healthy and safe recreational water sports, training and associated activities
  • It appears to view these activities as threats, whereas they have a minimal impact on the natural environment.

DINGHY SAILING AND RACING IN THE HARBOUR

Sailing in the Harbour is very safe, even in difficult conditions, because of the low tidal range and the shallow, smooth sea-bed, so that even at Spring tides there are only a few places where it is not possible to stand following a capsize.  This feature has made the Harbour a popular sailing and racing venue with sailors of all ages, and in particular it is suitable for those with less experience or less agility who want a safe environment for their sport.

There are three sailing clubs which use the Harbour on a regular basis.  Christchurch SC is based in the town and has a very large membership with a wide range of sailing interests, of which Harbour dinghy racing is but one.  Highcliffe SC is located on the Quay and is primarily a club for those who race on the sea, although it does have a Harbour sailing group. Mudeford SC is based on the north-eastern shore of Christchurch Harbour, adjacent to Strides boatyard, about 200m to the left of the end of Argyle Road, and is for those who only want to race dinghies in the safety of the Harbour.

The three Clubs therefore have separate structures, identities and aims. Their memberships reflect these differences and although there are coordinating meetings and a number of joint regattas during the year, their programmes and activities are conducted separately.  The Clubs wish this to continue.

MUDEFORD SAILING CLUB (With a website at www.mudefordsc.org)

Mudeford SC was formed on Fisherman’s Bank in 1961 and is a small and friendly club. A Dutch barge “Vrouwe Johanna” is the club-house, galley, race control and meeting place. It has a jetty which gives access to the barge and a small floating pontoon beside it.

The focus of the club is on racing but there is a lively social calendar and many opportunities for cruising the beautiful local waters on sunny afternoons.

The most popular boat among the adult sailors is the single-handed Laser, with all 3 rig sizes (Standard, Radial and 4.7) sailed every weekend.  Abilities range from National Champions to complete beginners.  There is also a wide variety of crewed boats such as the Miracle or Laser 2000. The shallow water in the Harbour excludes high-performance boats, which tend to have long dagger boards and rudders. There are approximately 70 dinghies and 95 active sailors in the Club

Most junior sailors start in the Optimist dinghy, and there is a huge store of expertise in the Club (with the 2005 and 2006 National Champion being a member) but the Topper and Pico are also popular.  There are Club boats which can be used by new members until they decide whether to buy their own.

Membership is open to anyone and currently numbers 181, which includes 20 juniors.

The Club is primarily devoted to racing within the Harbour and, in common with the other Clubs, maintains a set of permanent marks during the sailing season from March to the end of December.  These marks are located in dinghy-navigable water within the main area of the Harbour and all sailing is restricted to water outside the conservancy areas. The marks are removed in the winter months for routine maintenance. 

The Club has three small safety or committee boats with outboard engines.  Two are moored adjacent to the Club, and one is kept on the floating pontoon. For each Sunday race there will be a trip by each boat, either to set the start and finish or to provide safety cover: a total of approximately 250 one-mile trips per year. These boats are kept ashore in the winter months.

Most series racing takes place on Sundays, but there is also some organised racing during the week and on Saturdays. The times of racing are governed by the tides and can only take place when the water is at 1.3 metres or more above datum, or for about one hour before to one hour after a typical set of high tides. On a race day there are usually 2 races, each lasting between 50 – 70 minutes with a short break in-between. Before and between races, boats are moored on trot lines laid by the Club but are otherwise stored on local dinghy parks.

Racing can take place at any time during the day providing the tides are suitable, but not starting before 9am and not finishing after 7pm, effectively ruling out some eight or ten weekends in a typical year.  Because of the tidal constraints, the three Clubs almost always race concurrently, over different courses using different sets of permanent marks, without conflict. Although the placing and use of the marks might seem to a non-sailor to be a potential source of friction and discontent between the Clubs, it is in fact better than having one set of common marks. All sailors, regardless of the Club they belong to, understand and sail within the International Racing Rules for Sailing. The potential for conflict between a sailor leaving his mark to port and another sailor leaving his mark to starboard (even if they are only a few metres apart) is less than if the same sailors were trying to leave the same mark in the opposite direction.

Mudeford holds a small Series of races at sea during the season, usually when the neap tides make the Harbour unsuitable for racing.

The number of Club members who race varies from season to season, but typically there are 2000 individual “sails” a year and in the last 9 years (when records have been kept on computer) Club members have sailed 15, 692 times.

Considering its small size, the Club has an enviable record of success at local, Regional, National and even International level.  The most successful Club sailors are:

  • Tim Reid.  Previously Hurricane 5.9 National Champion, Hawk 20 National Champion, Laser Inland Champion 2007, Laser Apprentice Master Champion 2008.
  • John Challener. Previously Comet National Champion.
  • Max Holloway. Previously Optimist National Squad, Laser 4.7 National Champion, Laser Radial National Youth Champion, Laser Olympic Squad.
  • Phil Sparks. Optimist National Champion, 2006 and 2007. 420 National Champion 2008.
  • Rob Spencer and his brother James Spencer are National Laser Squad members.
  • Josh Sparks is leading the national rankings in the Optimist dinghy class.

In addition, the following Club members have competed at National and International level: Kate Grandfield, Dave Holloway, Roy O’Callaghan, Phil Sowden, Jim Sowden, and Karen Thompson, Ali and Terry Reeves Jackie and Martin Hiscock. John Snelling and Derek Burdell.. 

Once a year, in early August, the Club hosts “Mudeford Week”, 7 days of racing and social events which is open to all the sailing community in the area. The event regularly attracts 70 or more sailors per day. Open meetings are also held for dinghy classes, notable being the Optimist and Laser regattas. The Club has recently hosted the National Championships for the Gull and Comet classes.

The three Clubs mentioned in the introduction get together during the year for an Inter-Club Harbour series (at the end of the season) and a Sea Series (in the middle of the season). These races attract up to 100 sailors over the Series.

CONCLUSION

Assuming that Mudeford SC, with 2000 “sails” per year is typical of the three Clubs, there will be an approximately 6000 individual dinghy “sails” per year, not including training, recreational sailing and cruising. The associated safety and committee boat movements to support this activity will be in the order of 750 per year. 

Dinghy sailing is a thriving, healthy recreational activity that involves people of all ages and abilities in a common purpose.  It has a high profile in the sporting world, with gold medals at Olympic level feeding and encouraging local talent. As conducted by the Clubs using the Harbour it has a minimal effect on the environment and provides exceptional benefits for members of the local community.

Mike Roach for Mudeford Sailing Club

November 2008

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