Covid - 19 (Update 5th. April)

Following on from the government advice on Monday 16th March 2020, and in consultation with Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club, the committee have decided to postpone the start of the sailing programme this season.

We know that everyone is missing sailing but we can confirm that the club will need to remain closed until further notice in order to adhere to the directives of HM Government in relation to Coronavirus.

We will of course keep you informed through the usual channels.

Read the  Newsletter May 2020

The Committee

MBSC Coronavirus sailing update to members May 2020

Sailing

Following the Prime Minister’s May 10^th update regarding the easing of some Coronavirus restrictions we can confirm that casual sailing is now permitted, i.e. taking your boat out for a sail either on your own or with members of your own household where your boat is designed for two or more people.   You should take all reasonable precautions that would normally apply to casual sailing.  Regrettably for now the clubhouse and facilities remain closed.

· Study the forecast before you go for the entire duration of your planned sail and make sure you are competent in your sailing ability to handle the conditions.

· Take a means of communicating with you in order to contact the shore/emergency services if you do get into serious trouble and you cannot raise help by other means.  Please remember calling the RNLI to assist in the current circumstances will result in putting a number of people including yourselves at risk.

· Where possible stay within sight of other people as this could help mitigate the need for the above.

It is also permitted for you to work maintaining your boat whilst observing social distancing but it is currently not permissible to sleep overnight on club grounds currently.

The committee are currently sourcing hand sanitiser dispensers for the club but as you can imagine these are on a long lead time currently and until then we would like members to refrain from entering the clubhouse.

We also need to consider the perception of our activities by those that live locally so you should avoid the following.

· Arranging to meet other members at the club as this could be construed as social gathering.

· If others are at the club, refrain from standing around talking in groups for the same reason as above.

· Launching or landing at the same time as others as this could be mistaken for organised racing and this would constitute social gathering which is not permitted currently.

Please remember that you should follow government guidelines regarding cleanliness so you should bring hand sanitiser with you for now as you will be touching surfaces that others have touched, e.g. the combination padlock and the gate.

If any member requires the code for the combination padlock then please contact  JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING

Kind regards

MBSC Committee

JOHN PRIMETT

We are saddened to report that John Passed away on Thursday 2nd April.Our condolences go out to Hazel and all the family.

John had been a member at Maylandsea for 50 years, serving the club in many roles including as Bosun and as a Trustee.

An unassuming but strong figure at Maylandsea, sailing was John's career and hobby. He ran the sailing school at Fairlop Waters until retirement, and campaigned successfully in Fireballs at Open Meeting and National Championship levels as crew with Johnny Bovis and then Doug Galpin.

Then around 20 years ago the growth of the Sandhopper fleet prompted John to acquire 'Wild Gull'. John's patience, thoughtfulness and calmness that he applied to teaching also suited Sandhopper sailing and his success at the helm confirmed his all round class in any position in any boat.
John also developed a strong interest in aviation during his RAF service at Bawdsey radar station, and his subsequent engineering career, and as a Friend of Duxford John regularly attended air shows and was a fountain of knowledge for those fortunate enough to join him on a trip there. Such visits were invariably by motorbike, John owning a succession of ever increasing capacity touring bikes, on which he would frequently join Frank, Doug and friends on continental trips to the Normandy beaches and beyond.

John was still racing 'Wild Gull' last autumn. The suddenness of his illness and the swiftness of his passing is a great shock. Our thoughts are with Hazel. Our club has suffered very sad losses in such quick succession. Hopefully, whilst you read this, John and Frank will be reminiscing together about ignored shouts of  'starboard' and getting soaked on motorbikes.

Frank Levy.

It is with great sadness that we have to inform our members of Franks death on Sunday 15^th March 2020.

We send our deepest sympathies to his wife Doreen and the family Julie, Peter, Stephanie, Freddie and Paul.

Frank joined the Club in 1980 sailing a Fireball and then in later years joining the Sandhopper fleet with S40 after a short dalliance with a Squib. He was a very competitive racer using his natural precision and tidiness to frequently steel a lead just when you were not expecting it.

Not only was he an enthusiastic sailor he was one of the members without whom the club could not function. He could be regularly found working using his skills to make and mend all the bits we take for granted.

We will miss you Frank.