RALLIES

Dear Joan

Our rallies, for me at least, are an important reason for DCA membership, but although our range of venues has been attractive, attendance at some has been minimal, Why is this? I know that family problems and commitments, holidays and major cruises will always prevent some keen members from attending. I know that even the most resolute members may sometimes be defeated by weather conditions, but this does not explain why only two boats (and two members) turned up at the last two South Coast rallies. What can we do to improve attendance? I would like to throw in some suggestions for consideration:

1. More information could be provided about each rally. For instance, where tides are complex and not readily deduced from Dover times (as in Poole Harbour), times of HW, LW and tidal streams in the offing could be given. Also anchorages and beaching points could be recommended, or more important, advised against! For instance, at Shipstal Point I would suggest, “Safe beaching south of line of southernmost garden wall (conspicuous), rocks and submerged stakes to north” (I nearly found that out the hard way).

Local amenities could also be mentioned, such as Shipstal Point being on the Arne Nature Trail, with an excellent birdwatching hide on the marshes about half a mile away.

2. Appropriate launching sites for each rally could be mentioned, and if not in the DCA list, full details given. For instance, Emsworth Warblington Road site is ideal for Fowley Island rallies. It is a quiet and attractive spot with free parking, available within about 2 hours either way of HW, so you can slip in and follow Fowley Rythe to the island, dump your gear on the island if you wish, and sail off to East Head (or wherever) before returning after half-flood.

3. Another point is that, at present, members sometimes turn up and find no one around, which is disconcerting even if you ‘know the ropes’, and a very poor introduction for new members. Shouldn’t one member be nominated to ‘host’ each rally? The exact venue could be stated — “In the Jolly Sailor from (say) 8.30 pm (wearing DCA label)”… or… “on the beach at Shipstal Point from (say) 7.30 pm”.

Of course the weather has presented problems this season, but when was it ever right for everyone? If we operate the ‘candle test’ before sailing, we might as well give up! I find it reassuring to phone local members before attending a rally in hard weather conditions. Could, therefore, our membership list include telephone numbers of those members who are willing to advise enquirers on this (or any other aspects of sailing)?

Incidentally, would it also be possible to arrange members’ sailing areas, and their boat class, in separate vertical columns for easy identification? *

Finally, how about providing an annual award for the best rally attendance for the year? (Best overall, or one for each area.) Factors to be taken into account could include distance sailed (perhaps even distance driven too), whether to windward, weather and sea conditions, crew strength, type of boat, and so on. We might find our pre-conceived assumptions about the best type of boat or feasible weather conditions challenged by the results! Yours sincerely Len Wingfield

We do already — see current membership list! EB