A really big burst pipe in the roadway under the back field but United Utilities stop tap wont shut off so the water meter has been going berserk and has been running for a while. Toggle and a few others tried to find the leak but had to get a digger. We have had to cut the pipe and double it over as a temporary measure as you can see but this means there is no water to the club house at all so there is NO WATER TO FLUSH TOILETS etc.

We are trying to get a temporary supply sorted but United Utilities said it wasn’t an emergency so it would take 12 weeks to repair their stop tap!

Thanks to Keith Thomas for an update following the first social event of the year – a walk which took a route through Wythop Forest for a high level view of the lake

Flooding� left a mass of debris on the footpath

Becky Dawson and her galley slaves preparing food for the walkers

The walk was soooo tiring..

Sailing season will soon be here – Robbie D and Ethan waiting, trying to get the flagpole lowered for maintenance, and the safety officer is on a rescue mission – the ice has caused the Bates mooring to sink and he’s off to save it!

Did you spot the snowman on the webcam? Various people have been at the club enjoying the magnificent, magical, views. If you have any photos to share, please send them to us to be loaded on the website.

Thanks to Claire for these pics

Thanks to Sarah for these pics

Many thanks to Alan Nicholson for the following pics

Those New Year revellers have done it again and had their antics caught on the webcam but in colour this year!

Very best wishes for 2010.

At the AGM approx 40 members voted on the following

• To adopt the minutes of 57th AGM
• To adopt the Hon Treasurer’s accounts for the year ending 30th September 2009
• After some discussion, Council’s recommendation to leave subscriptions unchanged were challenged and it was proposed that they should increase by 3%. However, as the majority vote for the amendment was less than 75% of those voting, the amendment does not stand, and the subscriptions will remain the same for the forthcoming season.
• To elect the officers of the club
  Commodore – Dave Nicholson
  Vice Commodore – Stephen Kirkpatrick
  Rear Commodore – Stephen Hunt
  Hon Secretary – Pauline Nicholson
  Hon Treasurer – Dave Lawson
  Hon Sailing Secretary – Roy Blackburn
• To elect council of the club
  Lucy Cowen, John Prestidge and Alan Waugh stepped down and were thanked for their help and efforts
  Becky Dawson, Andrea Kirkpatrick and Nick Orton were newly voted on to council along with the remainder of the outgoing council
• Claire Garrison was elected Hon Auditor
• The existing fleet captains were re-elected
• It was agreed to amend rule 3 (A)iii to read:
  �Family members being the husband, wife, or child of an Ordinary member, Associate member, Life member, Country, or Senior member�������
• It was agreed to replace bye-law 4 to read
  �Camping (in tents, caravans or motor homes) shall only be undertaken in the Clubs grounds on specific days nominated by the Council. Those days nominated for camping will be detailed in the current years handbook and, where relevant, in Bass Week and Open meeting literature (with amendments posted on the Club notice board). Some camping days will be for tents only. Camping in the Clubs grounds at any other time is not permitted�
• It was agreed to amend Rule 6 Clause (1) ii. to read
  �Other persons elected����
• It was agreed to delete Rule 6 Clause (1) iii.
• After considerable discussion, a proposal to amend Rule 12 was defeated

There followed an open discussion on various matters stemming from the following points

a) Does the Club racing programme support close racing and help sailors improve?

b) Does our taster session/training scheme directly feed into the Club�s racing programme and provide a logical step up from training to racing and is this what the Club wishes to happen?

No answers were determined, but it was accepted that class racing helps improve sailors racing skills