Dear Tim,
Further to our discussion yesterday, I have decided to post the following on the club forum on the web site in order to hopefully attract comment from other club members who may have opinions on the matter.
Over the past few years I have sailed on Speedwell on a number of occasions, and have been impressed by the amount interest and admiration this hundred- year old classic yacht attracts where ever it goes. I am also aware of the huge amount of money that Suzie has spent to keep Speedwell on the water and enable her to become an active participant in club events and an ambassador for Sussex Yacht Club.
It was therefore very sad that rather than being proud and protective of Speedwell, the club has now chosen to use it as a large fender between the jetty and an enormous motor boat, now tied along side her on the slip. This must surely risk damage to both vessels. Indeed I feel sure that damage was only avoided yesterday thanks to the skill and dedication of our boatswains.
I cannot help but wonder how the large motorboat came to be in a club, which is supposed to be using its space to promote sailing activities, in the first place. I am also aware that there was a previous incident with this vessel when it was holed and sank on its mooring, which could also have ended in an expensive debacle for the club if it had not been for the expertise and commitment shown by Bob Page and his team who worked through twenty-four hours to rescue the situation. The motorboat is now blocking the use of the slip for small boats and dinghies to the detriment of sailing at the club, and blocking the use of the piles by other club members.
I appreciate that it was felt necessary to move the motorboat from its position on the west slip trolley, to fulfil the clubs obligation to another member who has a long term booking for this facility. Surely it could be argued that meeting this members needs should have been the responsibility of the motorboat's insurers as there was no where else sensible to put the damaged vessel at the club.
Also there is precious little yard space to winterise the active sailing members, how can we justify taking on more and more of these big project vessels, to the detriment if the aims of the club, which surely prioritise the yachts that take part in the club activities.
Yours sincerely
Angela Bower
Further to our discussion yesterday, I have decided to post the following on the club forum on the web site in order to hopefully attract comment from other club members who may have opinions on the matter.
Over the past few years I have sailed on Speedwell on a number of occasions, and have been impressed by the amount interest and admiration this hundred- year old classic yacht attracts where ever it goes. I am also aware of the huge amount of money that Suzie has spent to keep Speedwell on the water and enable her to become an active participant in club events and an ambassador for Sussex Yacht Club.
It was therefore very sad that rather than being proud and protective of Speedwell, the club has now chosen to use it as a large fender between the jetty and an enormous motor boat, now tied along side her on the slip. This must surely risk damage to both vessels. Indeed I feel sure that damage was only avoided yesterday thanks to the skill and dedication of our boatswains.
I cannot help but wonder how the large motorboat came to be in a club, which is supposed to be using its space to promote sailing activities, in the first place. I am also aware that there was a previous incident with this vessel when it was holed and sank on its mooring, which could also have ended in an expensive debacle for the club if it had not been for the expertise and commitment shown by Bob Page and his team who worked through twenty-four hours to rescue the situation. The motorboat is now blocking the use of the slip for small boats and dinghies to the detriment of sailing at the club, and blocking the use of the piles by other club members.
I appreciate that it was felt necessary to move the motorboat from its position on the west slip trolley, to fulfil the clubs obligation to another member who has a long term booking for this facility. Surely it could be argued that meeting this members needs should have been the responsibility of the motorboat's insurers as there was no where else sensible to put the damaged vessel at the club.
Also there is precious little yard space to winterise the active sailing members, how can we justify taking on more and more of these big project vessels, to the detriment if the aims of the club, which surely prioritise the yachts that take part in the club activities.
Yours sincerely
Angela Bower