East Mersea Sailing Week 2010
Spring Bank Holiday 29th May - 5th June 2010
If you would like to take up Sailing or improve your Sailing skills then consider attending the Sailing Activity Week at East Mersea. We have a team of qualified instructors who will be able to help you. Apply on the form to come, preferably as groups, but individuals can be accommodated as well. The week will suite older Scouts, Guides, Explorer Scouts and Network Scouts. Scouts or Guides younger than 11 years of age will find the week taxing! The sailing activities during the week will be based on the Sailing syllabuses of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). The appropriate RYA sailing qualification will be presented at the end of the week if the course requirements are completed successfully.
The week is preceded by sessions at the 1st Hertford Scout Group Headquarters, Marshgate Drive, Hertford on Saturdays 27th March and 24th April. These sessions are used to undertake some theoretical parts of the RYA syllabi and to ensure that participants undertake the weeks activities at the right level for their personal needs. When attending these sessions, participants will need to bring refreshments dependant upon the time they are present. It is important that everyone should attend these day sessions. Those applying for the Instructors Course will need to attend both days. Those applying to attend the Young Sailors Courses Stages 1 – 4 should attend on Saturday 27th March in the morning with Stage 1 & 2 sailors also attending a practical sailing session on 24th April. Those applying for all other courses will need to attend on Saturday 27th March in the afternoon. Specific programmes for these days will be issued in the joining instructions, which will be sent out in the week after the closing date for the week.
East Mersea Arrangements
The course activities will start at 10.00hrs on Saturday 29th May (High Tide 13.41hrs.) with rigging and launching the boats. The setting up of camps should take into account the timing of the launching. The boats will be taken out of the water at the end of the week on the afternoon of Friday 4th June (High Tide 18.37hrs.). The boats will be taken out of the water on the Friday evening, and derigged as far as possible with any remaining packing up and course administration undertaken on Saturday morning when certificates will be issued. Each person or group will be responsible for their own camping arrangements. There are two campsites suitable for persons on the courses. The first site is Fen Farm, which is a commercial campsite catering for caravans and groups in tented accommodation, mainly families. The site is owned by Mrs. Lord (Tel 01206 383275). Persons wishing to use this site should make their own arrangements with Mrs. Lord as soon as possible, stating that they are with the Scout sailing course. Fen Farm is about 1 mile away from the sailing area. The second site consists of a field near to the launching ramp and farmhouse (Ivy Farm). Ralph Spence, the farmer, has now developed a farm outbuilding into a toilet and shower facility and there is also fresh water available in the field and rubbish disposal facilities. The field is closer to the sailing area than Fen Farm. Those camping may take cars to the tents at the beginning and end of the week. Those camping at Fen Farm may cycle but rather than cycling along the top of the sea wall they should use the lower path as the Country Park has formally requested this. The farmer can usually accommodate some parked cars in the Farmyard. Every individual or group will have to provide their own camping equipment and be self-supporting.
Sailing Arrangements
The sailing activities will be based at a point known as Mersea Stone, (map ref: TM 073 154) which is a steeply shelving shingle and shell beach on the River Colne opposite Brightlingsea Creek. The beach allows access to the water at all states of the tide. Sailing will start daily at approximately 10.00 hrs. depending upon your sailing group’s arrangements, which should allow enough time for visits to nearby shops if necessary. It is possible that some evening sailing sessions may take place, although the sailing will normally finish at approximately 17.30 hrs. The evenings from this time on will be free to enable everybody to cook their evening meals, dry out, sleep etc. As the whole day will be spent sailing, packed lunches should be planned for eating adjacent to the boats on the beach, also it is most important that plenty of warm clothes are taken. Although a limited number of buoyancy aids will be available it is preferable that you bring your own.
The cost of the courses will be around £115.00 depending upon the numbers attending and will cover the cost of the use of the boats, certificates and course expenses only. The charge for those camping on Ivy Farm will be £4.00 per head per day. Please indicate that you wish to camp on Ivy Farm as the overall limit there is 60 people.
It would greatly assist the planning of the week and the courses, if at the time of applying, you could state whether you would be willing to lend or make available any kind of suitable sailing craft for members of the courses to use. We can arrange insurance cover for the craft for the week if boats are not already insured.
If a leader is booking for a group of Scouts or Guides please ensure that a form is filled in for every individual wishing to take part in the week.
You will be notified of the final details of the courses during the last week of March, so if you do not hear anything after applying for a place, do not worry, just take it that you have been accepted. Only if the courses are over-subscribed will you be notified about any lack of place allocation.
Apply for a place early to avoid disappointment!
The R.Y.A. Dinghy Sailing courses available to join will be as follows:-
Young Sailors Courses (under approximately 14 years)
Course YS1. Young Sailors Start Sailing Stage 1
Course YS2. Young Sailors Start Sailing Stage 2
Course YS3. Young Sailors Start Sailing Stage 3
Course YS4. Young Sailors Start Sailing Stage 4
Adult and Advanced Youth Sailing Courses
Course I1 Improvers Course - (2 day Module)
Course A1 Start Sailing and Basic Skills - (Full weeks Course)
Course A2 Seamanship Skills - (2 day Module)
Course A2C Catamaran Endorsement Module - (2 day Module)
Course A3 Sailing with Spinnakers - (2 day Module)
Course A4 Day Sailing (Cruising) - (2 day Module)
Course A5 Performance Sailing - (2 day Module)
Course A6 Start Racing - (2 day Module)
Course IN. Instructor (tidal)
Course AI. Advanced Instructor Endorsement.
Courses I1, A2, A3, A4 & A5 may be able to be run separately or together during the week depending on demand. It will also be possible to undertake two of these modules if required during the week. The appropriate R.Y.A. certificates or badges will be awarded at the end of the courses to those who successfully complete them. When applying for a place please ensure that you enclose details of certificates already gained and your preference for the course(s) in which you wish to participate. If you have no previously gained certificates, please enclose a brief description of your sailing experience to ensure that as far as possible you are placed on the best course to suit your needs.
If you wish to apply for any of the courses, please apply on the application form and send to:
Richard Watson
19 King Edward's Road
Ware,
Herts.
SG12 7EJ
email:
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Applications to be received by March 7th 2010.
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