November 2021 blog
November has crept up on us and already the wintry weather is starting!
I am overjoyed to begin this blog with congratulations to Arnside and Budworth Sailing Clubs for being nominated for RYA and Yachts & Yachting of the Year 2022 supported by Gallagher.
Arnside has been recognised as ‘heart of the community’ and Budworth has displayed a strong application including its successful open day, developing its communications and delivering a huge range of water activities for its members, including windsurfing!
Please visit this website to vote for your choice of North West club: https://awards.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/rya-vote/
The winner will be announced at the Dinghy & Watersports Show 2022.
Dinghy & Watersports Show 2022
Tickets are now on sale for the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show presented by Suzuki, at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre (26-27 February 2022).
If you love being on the water, join us for a weekend of dinghy cruising, racing, windsurfing, wingsurfing & foiling, paddleboarding, kayaking, and more!
I will be there, so I hope to see many of you present at the show and please visit this website to find out more: https://www.rya.org.uk/news/2021/10/29/join-us-in-farnbrough
RYA Facilities survey
Thank you to everyone for completing the RYA facilities survey! I am proud to say that the North West had the highest percentage of completion, with nearly half of all clubs in the region sending back their feedback.
It has highlighted that a huge proportion of clubs identified the renewal of a lease/licence to be a major threat for their future.
I recognise these difficult times and recommend that you reach out to me as your RDO if you require more guidance. Otherwise, there will be the opportunity to meet a legal advisor, Mandy Peters, at the Affiliated Clubs conference in December, where clubs will have the opportunity to receive further support and help each other to work out respectable solutions.
The second main point from survey highlighted that many clubs were concerned about the restricted availability of boat parking. Please send me an email or message as I am very happy to help with offering solutions and advice.
In the meantime, if you have discovered any inventive racking systems, please send pictures to me also.
Affiliated Clubs conference
Bookings for the Affiliated Clubs conference on Sunday 5th December have now reached the halfway mark! This year we will be exploring the theme of 'planning for a successful
future'. Whether your club has been able to capitalise on the staycation trend or is struggling to resume activities, this is the event to help you move forward.
The conference is ideal for anyone involved in managing your club or its activities: flag officers, committee members, staff, and volunteers.
Please book now, as there is reduced capacity because of covid-19 precautions, and it is a great opportunity to network with other clubs from across the North West region.
If you need any other encouragement, here are 5 splendid reasons to attend:
1 Hear about all the latest unmissable trends / insights
2 Learn from other clubs across the North West region
3 Discover how the RYA can provide bespoke support for clubs
4 Share ideas
5 Connect with other clubs / volunteers / staff
And a bonus…
(6) The event is free to attend with Christmas lunch included!
https://rya.eventsair.com/acc-2021/reg/Site/Register
Online club catch-up/Northern Training Forum
Both online events will resume next month. The next North West catch up will take place on 14th December, and the next Northern training forum will be on Tuesday 11th January. Both will be at 7pm via Microsoft Teams, and details will be sent to club contacts shortly.
These are great opportunities for clubs to meet and discuss relevant topics ahead of next year’s busy summer season to share best practice and to offer guidance and advice for those clubs which may be in need of support.
Moving into 2022, the plan is to alternate between the two events, with one taking place each month. This will then be reviewed during the busy season!
Regional training
We are just finishing the last courses of 2021, with an SI course and a Safety Boat course next weekend. This will mark the finish of regional training for this year, but we’re planning a full calendar for 2022.
Please note these confirmed dates for next year:
Windsurf instructor course at Crosby - 19-23rd February
Powerboat instructor at Hollingworth - 19-21st February
DI course – venue tbc at the Anderton Centre - 21-25th February
SI course – venue tbc – 19/20th March and 26/27th March
And a last important save the date for the region and all of our instructors = Instructor Training day on Sunday 13th March - venue tbc
A huge thank you to the Regional Committee and the rest of the volunteer for the AGM 2021 – I am very grateful for all their continued hard work and dedication towards helping support the region moving forwards from strength to strength!
And a last gentle reminder about Winter sailing events, taking place in the North West region. I am currently looking forward to participating in various Christmas events, so please do let us know about any upcoming winter events / series.
You can email me or the Regional Communicator, Sitara Bartle, and we will help to promote your sailing events on the North West social media channels.
If your club would like a one-to-one chat with me to discuss any concerns or queries about returning to boating safely in the upcoming weeks and months, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by email.
Happy sailing,
Adam McGovern
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RYANorthWest
Instagram: @ryanorthwest
Twitter: @RYA_NW
