Dear Joan,

This letter should have been seen in the winter edition of the Bulletin, not the spring one when everyone will be busy getting their boats ready for long awaited sailing. I am writing it anyway in hopes that even a few of you who live within striking distance of south-east London would be interested in sailing with my club. We sail all winter long, so that may, or may not, be an encouragement. The club is Tideway Sailing Club for Disabled People. It is a fully integrated club which tries to offer all its members a chance to sail, learn to sail, participate in club life, to the best of their capabilities. We are looking for new members who would like to join us in our aim to help people with disabilities. This includes the able bodied as well as those with.

We either sail on Greenland Dock in Rotherhithe, London SE16, or out on the river when the tides are right — there is a 6 hour window to lock out-in. We sail on Sundays and Thursday afternoons, and Thursday evenings when the light allows. Many of our learning disabled members like to come on Thursday afternoons in the winter when most people are at work so that is the time when more sailors would be welcome.

We have a fleet of two Wayfarers, two Victoria 16’s, a Beaufort, a Roamer, a West Wight Potter, and two Pioneer safety craft. We also preferably need qualified people (RYA level 3 training may be offered) to drive the safety boats in addition to those who do it now and might possibly rather sail.

In the summer we sail more on the river. We had about five all day trips last year which took us to Erith and back as well as our usual 4-5 hours out and about. Some of us are talking about cruising. We don’t race a lot but could if members wanted to; we usually enter the Hoo Freezer. We are there for the members, which means we are there for each other.

If anyone is interested in joining as a member, helping out on Open Days (next one is on 28 June), or just coming along to meet us, please phone Mary Brown on 0171 289 1863, or Clare Gray on 0181 858 1822, or Ron Cutler, Commodore TSCDP, 0181 289 8472. MB

P.S. I have written to Peter Bick asking for his advice as to a suitable boat for our club. It would be very interesting to get others’ ideas as well. We are thinking of a day sailer, preferably with a loo or space for portable, easily launchable and manoeuvrable which probably means a centreboard, stable with good visibility, i.e., a high boom, able to take 4 comfortably (fewer for cruising) and more for sailing on the dock with learning disabled members).