Cherub Training at Queen Mary

[dave_ching]

Is the events calender still correct?

[Tim Noyce]

Which bit of it Dave? It all looks OK to me at a glance, except the new Training date isn't on there yet.

[phil_kirk]

Is that 9am riged and ready for briefing or turn up 9am and fall straight into briefing.

If the former we will be leaving bristol at 6:15am to get to QM at 8:00am and rigged ready for 9:00am briefing.  That's quite early for us.  I will have to see if Sarah and I can get time off work. 

[Stuberry]

I was thinking turning up at 9am.

[daryl_wilkinson]

I'd read the rest of the thread.

I was sort of amazed that a mid week training day is the only option.

For two reasons, there are many clubs in the UK and there are many people able to provide training. Given that the 'class' is subing the day I would have thought the 'best value' would have been to be chasing numbers of attendees rather than a venue or specific coach.

As I run my own business I can take the time off. But for the loss of earnings I will sustain I would be better paying a private coach for me and Luke. I would get better value and a time and venue to suit.

Then of course there is the fact that Luke is at school. If a mid week date has to be chosen, a school half term week may have been a better idea. The week before is one. Not that we can attend then either, but it might help others attend.

Then there's the fact that if you are trying to drive class membership a little by offering training for members,  it's a date that really doesn't make a compelling reason either.

So sorry, to me this date seems a little narrow minded.

Sorry Stu. I've got to say it as I see it.

[Stuberry]

Daryl,

Thank you for your sharing your feelings on this, I am interested to hear your views. I take in to consideration everybody's preferences when organising events on behalf of the class.

We all know the Cherub is a very individual dinghy to sail. The skills required to sail Cherubs well generally vary from those required to sail other twin-trapeze dinghies. This is not always a fact that coaches are aware of. Feedback from training sessions we have had in the past has been that the coach didn't have any appreciation of these differences.

Peter Barton has spent three years racing, owning and bimbling a Cherub. He has attended two National's, winning both convincingly. He knows the personalities in the class. Has experience of the current ability in the class and the massive differences. And he has coached the class before, receiving excellent feedback from those who attended.

There is not another coach out there with comparable skills, knowledge or experience. I am therefore of the opinion that Pete offers the 'best value'.

I am sorry for the fact you won't be able to attend. I hope that next year the training will be on a date that is more suitable for you.

[andy_peters]

Due to lack of holidays left we may struggle to attend the whole day, however I do have a random 0.5 to use - which of course means I will have to work from home in the morning.

If anyone needs some floor space for the Tuesday/Weds night let me know.

FYI  - QMSC isn't nornally open before 9am so I suspect the start time is the time you can get through the gate.  I note this is the week after Whistable so I should think QMSC will be OK for people to leave their boats up there on Sunday rather than drag them to the West/North country and back.

Be interesting to see how we all get on in the Weds night race.  So far the winds have been on the light side and we have been comprehensively stuffed sailing off 930.

[phil_kirk]

Floor space for two appreciated Tuesday night Andy. very much appreciated.

If I can leave the boat at QM on Sunday that would be helpful however depending how late it is I may just want to get home on Sunday and the boat seams to follow the car ok.
We finish the top cover this evening. Thanks go to EBAY and BGM for source of materials and loan of sewing machine respectively.

[john_hamilton]

CHeese before betime and crew will be unable to make it due to a horrible GCSE exam getting in the way

[Tim Noyce]

We finish the top cover this evening. Thanks go to EBAY and BGM for source of materials and loan of sewing machine respectively.

Phil, sounds interesting. Can you shed any light on your resources as I currently have 2 boat covers to make. I was thinking about buying a Gazebo and hacking that up for material but you may have a better idea?!

[Stuart Hopson]

Tim if you want some top spec polycotton in dark grey I have a roll of about 40m long 205cm wide. Can sell it at a touch over trade plus postage to help keep stock moving. I'll have to check for price when i'm in work but i think it would be roughly £12-13 per m

[phil_kirk]

PVC from ebay.  i also got a reasonable deal on 25mm wide webbing and buckles for the straps.

In hindsight the PVC has been quite hard to work with (its plasticky surface sticks to the table and sewing machine slows the sewing progress. furniture polish on both surfaces does help.  I would choose polycotton in the future.

[phil_kirk]

So who's coming to the training?

So far the roll call is Andy and Jill and us that I know of.
 

[roland_trim]

Sorry, was keen to come but EJ iss off the water for the next two weeks.

[andy_peters]

Stu is coming but I think he may be in search of a crew