August Bank Holiday saw some great weather and lots of club use. Sunday’s racing was disappointing due to the light variable winds. However, that was soon forgotten as the club’s gas BBQ was fired up on the concrete apron and the bar opened. Everyone enjoyed a picnic or BBQ, then the band struck up and a good time was had by all. 

Monday saw the inaugural Notts County Sailing Club Bank Holiday Games. Martin and Moira Hart (Commodore & wife) had luckily got plenty of helpers, including past commodores, safety crew and the like. It was a good job they did as 86 people had entered for a day of fun, with both water and land based games. Entrants were aged between 3 and 85, with a large number of families turning up. It was somewhat of  a mystery how the Games were scored, but it was a case of  “being in it to win it” and the more games you entered the bigger the chance of coming out a winner. The results came out and the winners were happy with their medal (see below). I know Martin had it all sorted using a sophisticated scoring matrix on his computer.

The day started after a briefing, with on Water Wordle game. Everyone was split into teams and with a windsurf board, a SUP and a Topper. Each team had to go to each of the numbered buoys on the water where black and red Wordle letters were attached. They then had to work out the words – which did take some figuring out.

Meanwhile in the clubhouse the cake stall, in aid of Sailability, was being prepared and cakes arriving all in aid of Club Sailability. The cake stall earned around £150, entry donations generating £200, making a total of £350 on the day. On top of that Tuesday night food had made a profit thanks to the Davies’ hard work and they donated £400 to Sailability. A brilliant result all round in memory of David Stevens. Sheila Stevens was there to help with the cakes.

It was then lunchtime and on-shore games commenced. This involved: table football, boules, quoits and a peg-it game. These  all scored points and counted towards the overall score, it was the taking part that counted. 

After lunch there was a  water relay race, I won’t try and explain the rules but the aim was to get as many round the various courses, which depended on the craft being used, you also had to swap after each circuit.

Finally a ‘tug of topaz war’ took place with teams of 4 (or 5 for smaller ones). The Treasurer officiated. Some team members tried to touch the bottom to pull craft along, but that disqualified them!. 

All helped put everything away whilst the complex scoring took place in the race office. Prize giving took place promptly at 4pm in the clubhouse.

Results: (they were handwritten so please correct me (info@ncsc.org.uk) if any spelling is wrong). All are listed 1st to 3rd.

Under 13
Girls: Harriet McIntyre, Isabel Ritchie, India Gilbert-Scott
Boys: Tom Hopewell, Conner Romily, Oliver Wallcot

Under 19
Girls: Isis Bemrose, Ari Doel, Gwiinth Lanyon
Boys: Tom Moseley, Ed Paling, Dan Kerslake

Ladies: Liz Mcintyre, Selena Ainsley, Sarah Lewington & Sarah Ogburn (Joint bronze medal winners)
Gents: Jonathan Mosley, Phil Wallis, Jonathan Ainsley.

Overall Games champion: Jonathan Mosley.

Thanks to James Logan for some of photos