Troon Cruising Club Newsletter – Spring 2019
COMMODORE’S COMMENTS
Welcome to Troon Cruising Club’s first Newsletter of the year. Here we are at the start the 2019 sailing season and I would like begin by introducing you to 2 new members who will be serving you on the committee this year, namely Mark Johnson and Connor McGaughey. Both Mark and Connor have sailing boats named “Sparkler” and “Crystal”. They live locally and bring a range of skills and new ideas with them.
Next, I’d like to thank John Woods for all the time that he has given and for all that he has achieved over the past year as Commodore. The improvements to our pontoons are clear to see and that project is now virtually complete. So, thanks are also in order to those club members who gave of their time and skills and to Troon Yacht Haven staff who have worked hard on the project. A number of re-furbished safety ladders have also been strategically sited to aid your exit from the water in the event of an accident. It would be a good idea to familiarise yourself and your friends with their location along the club’s pontoon and finger pontoon by the clubhouse.
Congratulations to John Lewis for becoming our most recent Honorary Member and to Andy McRoberts for being awarded The John McFarlane Trophy. Both are long-standing club members who have done an incredible amount over the years to support and develop the club’s facilities and activities. These gentlemen have been recognised for making the Club what it is… and to steal a phrase, “Without them there is nothing.”
So, here we are in a new post-Babs era. Your committee is adjusting to the loss of a treasurer/secretary extraordinaire so please bear with us. Babs, we cannot thank you enough for your tremendous input to the club over the last 50 years and hope that you enjoy your retirement enormously. Please continue to pop along to the club from time to time for social events and such like. Your friends at the club will miss you if you don’t!
As your Commodore, your social convenor and a crew member of the Troon Lifeboat, I’d like to help Promote Safe Sailing. So as a start, on Wednesday evening 10th April (that’s 10 days before Lift-In) some representatives from our Local RNLI Community Safety team will visit the club and give a short talk on Personal Locator Beacons (or PLB’s) and other safety aids for sailors. After the talk, there will be an opportunity to have your life jacket checked by one of the team before the season gets fully underway. Get checked and be sure ~~~ help to Promote Safe Sailing.
Our Club harbours an awesome amount of knowledge, skills and experience amongst the membership. Couple that with energy, enthusiasm and direction ~~ we should be unstoppable! If we pull together, I hope that this year we can make real progress with some of the important projects that have been on our wish list for a number of years, namely: the refurbishment of the slipway, and the construction of a retaining wall to create a safer dinghy park. There’s also the flag pole to repaint, as well as a clubhouse to freshen-up and lots more besides. Much of the equipment and materials that are required to complete these tasks we already have. What we would benefit from is a positive and enthusiastic response from members when it comes to assembling volunteers (work parties) to actually get the work undertaken. So, when the call for assistance comes, (via clubhouse notice board and emails) please give what time you possibly can to lend a hand for a few hours in order to help improve the facilities and the safety aspects of our club.
Finally I’d like to remind all members to make sure that all outstanding monies to the Club are paid up promptly please. I wish you all a very happy and rewarding sailing season and look forward to seeing you around the club, or possibly on the high seas, over the coming months.
Carolyn Voisey
TCC COUNCIL 2019
Flag Officers
Commodore – Carolyn Voisey
Vice Commodore – Position Not filled
Rear Commodore – Andy McRoberts
Hon. Racing Secretary – Connor McGaughey
Secretary – John Hall
Treasurer – Jamie Allen
Council Members
John Woods (Immediate Past Commodore)
George Whiteside
Kyle Stewart
Ewan Black
John Haston
Jim Palmer
John McLatchie
Peter Barker
Mark Johnston
Connor McGaughey
Council Secretary Designate – Val Hughes
Convenorship Committees
Moorings/Marina Liaison Kyle Stewart with sub-committee Iain Gairns, Stuart Cockbain, John Lewis & John Woods
Racing Connor McGaughey with sub-committee
Cruising Ewan Black and Peter Bunning
Compound/Lifts Kyle Stewart with Jim Palmer, John McLatchie & George Hunter
Clubhouse Andy McRoberts
Social Carolyn Voisey with Moira Brown, Gregor Baird and David Grant
Membership George Whiteside
Finance Jamie Allen
Website John Haston
| Address for ALL Correspondence
Troon Cruising Club, 47 Harbour Road, Troon KA10 6DH |
Off Committee
Special Projects – Don Lindsay
Honorary Auditor – Oswald McClure
Honorary Auditor – Henk Pellenkoft
Book-keeper – Kat Watson
CLUBHOUSE REPORT
Dear Members, welcome and happy new Sailing Year.
I would like to thank those who took on board my request to help keep the Clubhouse clean, tidy and hoovered. Again, they know who they are.
To reiterate my statement of accepting and sharing second hand boat parts, where we welcome free useful parts, TCC is not a dumping ground. Please take note, if the parts are not removed within one month, we would appreciate if the person donating them take them away and dispose of them at their own expense. Failure to remove will incur a charge to the club for disposing of unused items. TCC would want to recover this expense. At present one large head sail and other items are still there since my last report.
The collection of mugs in the kitchen has grown to an unmanageable amount with them stacked 3 high in the cupboard please do not bring any more for the foreseeable future, the same rules apply. TCC is not a dumping ground.
I will be disposing of stained cracked or chipped mugs, if you have a favourite put it in another cupboard or it might be GONE forever!
We also asked for any help or knowledge of any funding to upgrade our not very eco-friendly Clubhouse e.g. the 20 year old gas boiler, minimum depth loft insulation, un-insulated floor and single glazed windows all causing major heat loss. This is then reflected in gas consumption. Any upgrade would be a major expense for the Club. We can’t bury our heads in the sand forever as the clubhouse needs a major revamp to bring it into the 21st century, so the more funding we can find the less painful for members. Any member with design skills could help with ideas for the clubhouse.
We are still aware of the roughcast on the gable being loose and it will be dealt with in the better weather.
Water supply. Just to make Members aware, up until now we have not paid for metered water, but things are changing and we have a meeting with the “Water Board” to discuss our water usage before they start activating the meter. After that date we will have pay for every drop used. We will also therefore be paying for that metered amount that runs down the drain, A double whammy. We will be pointing out that only water used in the Clubhouse will be running down the sewer system. We will also be paying for rainwater off the roof running into the sewer. We can’t stop our need for water but we can be more aware by thinking first before we use it, and how much.
Lastly, after following your lectures please leave all your doom and gloom at home and do what we all want to do, GO SAILING, enjoy ourselves, have a great season no matter what the weather.
Andy McRoberts Clubhouse (Biscuit Convener)
SOCIAL REPORT
The very special “home-grown” nature of the club’s most recent club social event, the Burn’s Supper, which took place at The Links Golf Clubhouse in Troon, was made possible by a special few of its own members giving entertaining performances, toasts, poetry recitals and such like; lots of merriment & fun was had by about 50 folk and thanks to their generosity, the club has been able to make a donation to The Ayrshire Hospice. The Links staff looked after us well; the food was plentiful and tasty. Thank you to everyone who came along that night and contributed to it being a terrific occasion.
In December we threw a Children’s Christmas Party in the clubhouse. A dozen children came along and enjoyed some good-old fashioned games like, pass the parcel and musical chairs. Santa made an appearance, chocolates and presents were shared around, and yellow wellies and balloons and happiness filled the clubhouse. We plan to organise a similar event again this year.
Next month, on the evening of Wednesday 10th April, our local RNLI Community Safety Officer, Vince McWhirter, will be giving A Short Talk in the clubhouse on Personal Locator Beacons (PLB’s) and various other safety aids available to those who enjoy being out on the water. After the talk there will be an opportunity to have your life jackets checked by one of the team, and for those members who are new club to racing, there will also be an informal briefing on OOD (Officer of the Day) duties.
Lift In has been scheduled for the Easter Weekend, Saturday April 20th. It’s a big event and there in excess of 30 boats to scoop up and drop in the water. There’s much to be done in the galley as well as outside in the compound and on the water, so, even if you don’t own a boat, please try to keep it free to lend a hand if you possibly can.
A week after the club lift in, on Sunday 28th April, we are planning a get-together and a meal in The Harbour Bar; an establishment well-known for its relaxed, hospitable atmosphere and jolly good food. Watch the notice board for more details of this and other events in the planning ………….
- Mediterranean Night on Friday May 10th (with a licensed bar)
- Family Club Gala Day with races, rafting and sailing on the water together with some shore-side entertainments – weekend of 28th/29th
- Gin Tasting Evening at the club when the weather gets warmer
- Talk in the clubhouse from Ian Johnson (retired Coxswain/mechanic of Troon Lifeboat)
- Prize-Giving Supper on Friday 25th October at The South Beach Hotel.
So, lots to look forward to. Any new ideas/suggestions will be gratefully received.
Your Social team, Carolyn Voisey, Moira Brown, Gregor Baird & David Grant ~ Digger
CRUISING PROGRAMME
The first weekend muster of the season has been scheduled for the 14th & 15th of May. Destination is Largs Yacht Haven. Berthing in Largs Marina on the Saturday night this year will cost £22 per boat, the same as last year. The Bosun’s Table has been booked for the evening meal. Menu options will be posted on the notice board.
This is the 2019 Cruising programme;
- 11/12 May Largs Muster
- 22/23 June Arran Muster
- 19/21 July Rothesay Muster
- 3/4 August Sanda or Campbeltown Muster
- 4th Aug onwards Gigha and beyond … Cruise in Company
- 7/8 September Largs Muster
- 14/15 September Portavadie Muster
Following the muster to Sanda or Campbeltown, and if the weather forecast is favourable, then some boats will be heading around the Mull in company to Gigha and possibly beyond ~~ “Cruise in Company” ~~ There will be spaces for those who would like to do the journey on someone else’s boat, as well as options to make just the outward/homeward leg as the area has reasonable public transport options. Please help yourselves to the leaflets in the clubhouse detailing the Muster dates for the season and the planned trip to Gigha in August with some useful information about the various travel options available.
Enjoy the season ~~~
Your Cruising Convenors Ewan Black and Peter Bunning
COMPOUND AND MOORINGS NEWS
Dear Members,
Lift-in will commence at 8.00 am on Saturday 20th April. All help will be greatly appreciated. There are numerous tasks required to be done on lift day and many hands make light work. We trust we can rely on your support and cooperation. There will be two mast stations operating. Would boat owners please present your boats in an orderly manner with running and standing rigging all present and correct to avoid delays. Any member not lifting in or with a particular request please make sure one of the compound committee are aware. A copy of lift procedure will be circulated shortly in a separate email.
Could all members occupying a temporary winter berth please vacate the pontoon as soon as is practically possible to allow mast stations to be set up. There is considerable movement on the pontoon for the start of this season and we kindly ask the membership to work with us in facilitating any changes required to accommodate new boats.
Moorings committee recently issued a revised wall mooring drawing. It is our intention to survey wall mooring equipment ahead of the lift and give feedback to individual members to remedy numerous mooring problems up the wall. It would be our aspiration that members work with us following the criteria in the wall mooring drawing to achieve this.
Regards,
Compound and Moorings Committee.
RACING
See Course Card and diagram at end of newsletter.
Racing Convenor, Connor McGaughey
A THANKS FROM BABS ………………..
On the occasion of the 64th Annual General Meeting of Troon Cruising Club, I stepped down after 50 years serving the club as Secretary/Treasurer. From the AGM in 1969, when my children were 7 and 4, throughout their growing up, losing my husband Joe in 1985, their marriages and the subsequent birth of my five grandchildren, TCC has always been there in the background. It has caused me a lot of happiness but frustration and tears at times. I have made some wonderful friends, but lost far too many through their passing. I was graciously given some wonderful gifts, flowers, a weekend away, and I would like to thank those members who generously gave gifts of money, which I will put to good use, with part of which I would like to buy a piece of jewellery as a permanent memento. Thank you all who have contributed in any way through this 50 year long journey.
TROON CRUISING CLUB
RACING COURSE CARD 2019
ABBREVIATIONS
MR Mill Rock Buoy
BB Beechams Buoy (IB-A)
LI Lady Isle
LAP Lappock Rock
IR Irvine Buoy (IB-B)
APPROXIMATE BEARINGS & DISTANCE
MR-LI 233° LI-MR 053° 2.8 NM
LI-IR 014° IR-LI 194° 4.0 NM
LI-BB 032° BB-LI 212° 3.8 NM
MR-IR 332° IR-MR 152° 2.8 NM
BB-IR 302° IR-BB 122° 1.2 NM
MR-BB 352° BB-MR 172° 1.9 NM
COURSES
(S) – Leave mark to STARBOARD (P) – Leave mark to PORT
| COURSE | WIND | LENGTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1 | S / SW | LONG | LI (S) | BB (S) | FINISH | |
| SHORT | LI (S) | FINISH | ||||
| 2 | W / SW / E | LONG | LI (P) | MR(P) | Repeat LAP 1 | FINISH |
| SHORT | LI (P) | FINISH | ||||
| 3 | NW | LONG | IR (P) | BB (P) | IR (P) | FINISH |
| SHORT | BB (P) | FINISH | ||||
| 5 | N / SE | LONG | BB (P) | MR (P) | BB (P) | FINISH |
| SHORT | BB (P) | FINISH | ||||
| 6 | NE | LONG | LAP (P) | BB (P) | LI (P) | FINISH |
| SHORT | LAP (P) | BB (P) | FINISH |
Racing Marks in Irvine Bay
*** All other navigational marks (e.g. Yellow Distance Mark, Crab Rock Buoy etc.) must be correctly observed at all times. 