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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 15th July 2009
“It Aint Arf Hot Mom” Many of our Sailors are plotting a course due North for the cooler climes of France or Blighty. Those left behind have found their way to Cuevas, the last couple of Sundays, covering themselves with suntan oil and wearing Big Hats. I hope by next year, we will have a big Marquee serving cool drinks.
We may have been few in numbers but at the end the day, sitting outside Bar Malaga, we have all agreed it´s been a great day.
Last Sunday the 12th, it was good to meet Mike and his wife, who sail a “Wayfarer” back in the UK, we hope, they will be sailing with us this Winter. Say, “Wayfarer” to many dinghy sailors and they will think of Frank and Margaret Dye, who have sailed their boat Wanderer, to Norway and Iceland and have been dinghy cruising in many countries of the world. The books “Ocean Crossing Wayfarer” and “Sailing to the edge of Fear” are still available. Another visitor to Cuevas was Derek, who sails a Tinker. I remember it as a sailing yacht Tender from my cruising days but I didn´t realize how versatile it was. I hope we will see it regularly at Cuevas, its an inflatable dinghy, sturdy, very stable, performs well under sail, power or oars. They are raced in the UK and Europe.
Want to know more? I did, so had a look at: www.tinkerowners.co.uk
It could be a good “ 1st time on the water” teaching boat at Cuevas. How does it sail? Quite good, with a masthead jib, it has more sail area than a Mirror dinghy, the Tinker weights 32 kg, while the weight of the Mirror dinghy is 46 kg.
My thoughts on Cuevas, we should try to get more of our Class dinghies on the water, there is no slipway, so we need a pontoon that sinks as the weight of the dinghy goes on to it. You will see them at “Club de Mar”, Almeria. We then have regular Pursuit races, its fun and easily organized, and at Cuevas, a” spectator sport”. All our dinghies can be involved: the Cadet, 350, Europe, Topper, Solo, Lark, 420, Pastinaca, laser 4000, Osprey and any other sailing dinghy that want to sail with us . There is a Mirror dinghy for sale, phone: 610315325, and Dannie and I are looking for a Laser 4.7, the length of these Pursuit races can be any thing from one to ten kilometres. I haven´t forgotten the Oppies, there will always be a place for them at Cuevas.
Try to keep cool, remember to drink plenty of water, keep off the Sauce!! hope to see you Sunday at Cuevas.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
Sailing News Sol Times - 22nd July 2009
I Want to tell you a Story. Having had a good day sailing on the Cuevas Canal, we were sat at Bar Malaga, enjoying the company, Del asked me: why I had named the Club “Santa Irene”? A good question ! Most Clubs are Club Nautico (Aguilas) or where ever they are situated, but there are few with Saints Names.
Back in 2001, when I was dreaming of creating a Club, building two “Oppies” on the patio and writing my progress in my Spanish Diary, I noticed the name “ Santa Irene”. My wife Ethel Irene had died in 1999, when visiting our Spanish friends, Medico or Hospital, She was always called Irene which made me want to know more about “Santa Irene”. She was the youngest of tree sisters
(as was Ethel Irene). Possibly a teenager, which fitted in with my thoughts of giving the Youth of the Area an opportunity to learn to Sail. Santa Irene was also the Patron St. of Peace. Our Burgee (Flag) has a White Dove on a Blue background and the colours of Andalucia : green and white.
Looking back in my old files, I discovered that I had opened a bank account in the name of “Santa Irene Club de Vela”in 2001. By 2002, I had 8 Dinghies, on the weekend of the 31st of May and the 1st of June, the Club was founded with an Exhibition of 9 Dinghies at the Artisan Centre.
At the end of the Exhibition, I had the names of 20 youngsters, but at our 1st meeting, only 5 young girls arrived. Never the less, through out the year, we continued to meet, sailing from the” Garrucha slipway”, using the Mirror Dinghy , the Oppies and occasionally renting a Dinghy from Lola and Carlos who had just started a Sailing School.
So, where are my Chicks now? Most have flown the nest but its possible you may meet one of them regularly when you do your shopping at Mr. UK. Remember to say: Hello Sailor the next time Vicky is serving you.
I should make them Honorary members, it helped to keep me young.
Young or old, I hope to see you at Cuevas Canal on Sunday.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
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