Category Archives: News and Reports

Updates and reports on events

Club Information, News and Reports

Commodore’s Statement 16th May 2020

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Dear Member

I hope all members and their respective families are all well and that no one has been directly impacted by this deadly disease. Our thoughts are with all those who have been less fortunate.

Whilst the fight against the Covid-19 virus continues the UK Government has started to ease some of the lock down restrictions and in England at least this means we can take the first steps towards getting our club back open. During the lockdown period club officers and committee members of WMYC have been in active discussion with the RYA, MCA and other interested organisations to better understand and take on board the various messages and sometimes conflicting information presented by the UK Government.

Today WMYC held its first on-line committee meeting to discuss what steps the club should take to get the site up and running. The good news is that the club site will be open from 9am Monday 18th May, all be it in a limited capacity. The club house will remain closed but members will be able to access the site to work on their boats and in line with Government advice go sailing for exercise purposes. There is an accompanying document being produced by the Hon Sec Andy Sargent outlining how members will be asked to conduct themselves whilst on site, the success of which will determine how quickly we can move to the next stage.

Please stay alert, be respectful of other members and maintain social distancing at all times.

Lastly, if you choose to go on the water please bear in mind that the RNLI and MCA teams are running on reduced numbers and that any incident they attend puts their teams at risk, please be extra vigilant if venturing out.

I look forward to seeing you all in better times, under better circumstances.

Steve Adams
Commodore WMYC

News and Reports

Much loved members cross the bar…

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This year has been a particularly difficult year for WMYC,  since we have sadly lost two stalwarts who have put a lot into the running of the club, and indeed, who were both hard working committee-members at the beginning of this season.

Here are a few words I’ve put together: –

Both Pablo Bars and Bob Hoath have recently sailed away from us

No doubt they have arrived at a better and ever eternal landing ground,

Of sparkling waters, sun kissed beaches and rich muddy Morecambe-Bay-esque estuaries,

And where billowing white sail cloth hoisted aloft traverse blue skies, by long summer days,

And where harbour side inns filled with good company that beckon,  by short summer nights,

God bless them both, and those of their families left in their wake.

The following is a set of happy images celebrating our dearly departed Bob on his last sail to Piel 2019: –

Bob Hoath sailing past the tip of Walney Island in May 2019. The seal colony is not far up the beach to the left.
The same photo as above but this time with a club member and some of the top sides of the seaworthy and roomy ‘Janvier Six’ Westerly Centaur.
An all time classic WMYC photo with a WMYC member hook in hand on the bows. Bob  in the cockpit navigating ‘Janvier Six’ safely in to Piel harbour.

 

It wasn’t all plain sailing, with Bob in the middle of the trio. Steadfast at the helm, he had to contend with fast moving wind farm support vessel comings and goings. The sail of  Wardley’s boat ‘Sika’ can be seen bringing up the rear.

 

With ‘Black Combe’ the western most hill of the Lake District rising high above the town of Barrow, Bob looks out for a mooring close to the Ship Inn.  The Black Combe, correct me if I’m wrong, features in the lyrics of Bob’s, ‘Wardleys Sailor’s ballad.
The same photo as above, but zoomed out a little. The crew have been well briefed and know what to do. Buoys can be seen ahead and to port can be seen the long Piel Island jetty that drops down thirty six feet to cope with all states of the tide.
Bob in the Ship Inn surround by friends.

 

Bob looks up at the photographer. I leave the reader of this blog to fill in the caption of what was said :).
Bob in front the the WMYC club house on St. Georges day.

 

Pablo in the Ship Inn.

This Photo of Pablo took a while coming. Here is one taken in the Ship Inn during the club’s 25th-anniversary raid to Piel Island. A large squadron of Wardley’s boats sailed over in-company. It was quite a hairy ride at times. It got very wind-over-tide whilst crossing Mort Bank. Quite a few members with normally sturdy sea legs reported feeling queasy on that tumultuous crossing.

Again, another of Pablo taken on the same raid to Piel Island. Here he was in deep conversation with persons unseen, banging the world to rights about some topic.

And behind a rather nice motorboat complete with with a fly bridge–very nice! And further beyond lies the spit of land called Foulney Island, and in the far distance stand the two Heysham nuclear power stations.

Club Information, Forthcoming Events, News and Reports, Social Events

Crane Out Monday 28th October 2019, and photos of new Jetty in progress.

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Crane out date is Monday 28th October.

The crane has been booked, so let’s hope for good weather and low winds.  HW 10:55 GMT (clocks go back the night before!), 10.1m.  Members involved need to be on site early before 8am.

The craning plan is on the Clubhouse notice board – if your details are incorrect or missing, please contact a Committee Member as soon as possible.

Prepare in advance by slackening all guard rail wires and with two  lengths of rope around the hull, one forward and on aft on the desired lifting points, so that the strops can be pulled into position in a timely manor.  Please ask if unsure.

New Jetty in Progress. Thirteen photographs

Starting a the bottom of the slip and working back towards the club house:

1.

The extremity of the existing jetty is to be preserved.

2.

On the left hand side jetty, John Gorse proudly oversees progress

3.

The starboard side posts (rows 7 & 8 ) at the far end still await there complementary port side post.

4.

View of completed pairs, rows 6, 5, and 4. Note that rows 5 and 4 now have the scantling affixed.

6.

7.

Rows 4, 3, and 2 with scantlings and decking. The march of progress!

8.

Same as above put further back.

9.

Yet to be joined with the start of the existing jetty (the first post).

10.

Timber yet to join the affray. Five quotes for timber were sought with massive differences in price.

11.

Going slight back in time from the above images. Before the scantlings and decking.

13.

Our WMYC Club sadly flag flying at halfmast in respect of our dearly departed Pablo Bars.

Club Information, Morecambe Bay, News and Reports, You'll enjoy this

The boat called ‘Inchree’ – September 2019

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It is so sad to see once well  founded boats left neglected and abandoned. But then again our boat builders need a steady stream of new orders to support the livelihood of themselves and their families. So maybe  we should just accept that there will always be the boats of summer-day past, the boats of summer-day present, and the boats of summer-day  future.  Let us just remember the old and discarded as fondly as we can.

The stretch of tidal water called Bass Pool on the south side of Piel Island has been a focal point for WMYC sailors in 2019.  Abandoned over looking the castle, as high up as can be carried by the tide, where the sand and  seaweed give way to grass, lies a boat called ‘Inchree’.

 

Inchree’s view over Bass Pool and Piel Island beyond

 

Inchree has lost her bilge keels but still retains her big central block of pig iron. In her day, to keep the crew secure, stanchions once surrounded the boat, but only three now remain. The guardrail wire has long since corroded away.

 

She’s so slim!  But that is how boats had to be in the 50s and 60s. They had to be able to sail to windward. The idea of relying on the superbly reliable power of a modern engine was never fully factored into the equation.

 

Nevertheless she was equipped with an engine well that would take a small  3hp to get her home in a flat calm. Her owner wouldn’t need to hang over the stern in a seaway to operate the outboard. As can be seen, the port winch has succumbed to the passing years and is missing, but hidden from view, her starboard twin is still there and can be turned by hand, albeit with difficulty..

 

‘Inchree’s cabin by modern standards is very compact. Perhaps in the days before the cheap high calorie modern diet we didn’t need so much room to move about. Still, a quick glance is evidence alone that the designer thought long and hard to ensure the most convenient internal arrangement.

 

As already said, she had been well thought out. She possessed every convenience that was required in her time.. All members of the family were sure to want to come along and join the adventure.

 

Look at this photograph. With a bit of imagination one can imagine the water surging asunder, and possibly feel ‘Inchree’s bow rising and falling on the passing peaks and troughs. And maybe see a young child, proud of his father at the helm, peering through the window feeling both safe and exhilarated by the sight of the foaming sea.

 

Her name can still be seen clearly inscribed upon her bow. A proud owner there once was!

 

Well, time to get back to the mother ship and set sail to the English seaside resort of Morecambe, which is the next port of call.

 

Wardley’s sailors away we go.

News and Reports, Sailing Events, Social Events

Anchoring at Bass Pool full report. August 2019

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A brief synopsis goes like so: –

Five Wardley’s yachts entered ‘Bass Pool’ to drop anchor, three  lay there for the whole night.

Those that felt secure enough to trust their ground tackle all had big heavy hooks with plenty of chain, or had the modern  delta type anchors that cut deep and efficiently into the sand and mud.

Those who relied on their Chart-plotter for a suitable location were punished severely  by an  ebbing tide, and  were left embarrassingly  high and dry. The moral here is don’t trust the men from the ministry and their new fangled electronic charts.

Those who sailed furthest into the pool dried out briefly until the tide returned.

Those on an imaginary  line between the lighthouse and the castle brief elevated a few inches and settled again once the flood tide began.

Only those gently swinging at the outer margins of Bass Pool stayed afloat throughout.

Skippers with ladies aboard opted for the perceived greater safety of the large buoys closest to the pub.

Fifteen sailors and two Wardley’s dogs joined in the club event that took place overlooking ‘Bass Pool’ behind Piel castle. Everyone had a great time and later mingled with the other party goers on the island.

The night at anchor was quiet All those involved returned home safely the following day.

Lots of people on the island.

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