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Cam Sailing Club
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Cam Sailing Club
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When is it?The CSC Sailfish open weekend usually takes place close to 21 June each year, from Friday to Sunday. This 17th year of the Cam Sailfish Weekend (2008), the event is being organized by Peter Stratford (SF 155) of the CSC. Dates to 2011 are as follows:
The social sideMixingThere's plenty of opportunity to mix with other owners and crews; Saturday morning is free for informal socializing, such as sailing on other Sailfish or inspecting each other's boats -- "I'll show you my keel mods if you'll show me yours!". On the Friday afternoon early arrivers can motor upstream to Cambridge. Often crews swap round as it's a good opportunity to make new Sailfish friends or to chat with old ones. Although the trip downstream to Upware on Sunday includes an informal down-wind race for those wanting to take part, others make their own way without being timed. We usually raft up, moored bows-to, for lunch outside the Five Miles from Anywhere pub. (Click on small photo in right-hand column to see Sailfish moored at the pub.) MealsThe main get-together is a meal on Saturday night originally at the Plough in Fen Ditton - you can motor upstream or go by road, but from 2002 we've been to the Plough & Fleece in Horningsea. No final decision yet for 2008. Other meals are less formal. Friday evening is usually spent at the Bridge pub very near the CSC. You can eat there or come for a drink there after eating elsewhere. You can bring your own food and drinks to eat at the club. Or you can make use of various local take-aways. In previous years some people also have had Friday or Saturday lunches at the Bridge. Since it changed hands, it's now very popular at weekends and won't take bookings; so you need to go in good time, as you may have to wait. Others cater for themselves on board or using the club's facilities. Sunday lunch is taken at a riverside pub at Upware or Ely, or crews bring their own food and eat on board. Watching the formal race
For those not taking part in the formal race on Saturday, there's an excellent view of the race from the path along bank. The narrowness of the river means the boats are never far away and there are great opportunities for photographs. The 1997 race was very windy and made particularly good spectator sport as four boats were forced out of the race because of the conditions! From the sailors' point of view, luckily that's rare!
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What is it?It's an opportunity to meet other Sailfish owners and sail with them. There are also two races, a formal one on the CSC dinghy course on Saturday afternoon, and an informal one on a trip downstream on Sunday. How much does it cost?For 2007 the cost of attending was £10.00 (£8.00 for early bookers) for a boat and up to four crew, including use of the club's cruiser and clubhouse facilities. The 2008 fee is yet to be decided, but there's unlikely to by much of an increase. RacesSaturday's formal raceThe formal Saturday race is on the club's dinghy course between the club and Bottisham lock. The race officer plans a race of about an hour (usually 2 to 4 laps) and gives a briefing before the race. Although the CSC has conventional dinghy starts, the river is too narrow to do this with Sailfish, so we start in a predetermined order at about 1.5 min intervals, your start time being taken as you cross the line. Although the intended number of laps is displayed at the start, you can just keep sailing till you're "rung in" on the starting-box bell as you cross the line at the finish of a lap. As many Sailfish are not fitted with spinnakers or cruising chutes, they are not permitted in this race. There are engraved glass prizes, for both winning helm and crew, and a single one for the boat coming second. Sunday's informal raceOn Sunday we go downstream to Upware. (In early years we went as far as Ely, but a very strong wind is needed to get us there and back by the time visitors need to leave). Depending on the wind direction, we either race downstream in the morning or back upstream in the afternoon, whichever way is more likely to be downwind. You start in your own time and so this downwind-only race is very easy, designed to make everyone feel able to take part and they often do. This being an informal downwind race, you're allowed to use extra downwind sails. So if you've got one, don't forget to bring it!
Back in 1997, after strong winds on Saturday, we set off downstream in a very light wind, which then veered until it became an upwind race! Not surprisingly many of the competitors found this a bit much and stopped off at the Five Miles from Anywhere pub without completing the course, and since then this has become something of a tradition! There's an engraved glass prize for the winning boat. Currently the pub at Upware doesn't do snacks on Sundays, only full Sunday lunches. So unless you want a full Sunday lunch, bring your own snack or buy one in the village stores in Waterbeach. The pub does sell some good beers, even on Sundays! To find out more or book, please send your contact information to Peter Stratford (email address below), including a telephone number and your address for the booking form. Email addresses given on web pages are targeted with junk mail, so I've added spaces and the words "take out" which should all be removed. Please contact Peter Stratford at s t r a t f o r d @ H a v e r h i l l 1 8 . f r e e s e r v e t a k e o u t . c o . u k Past visitors that have become old friends can get in touch with John Harris at j o h n S F @ c a m b i t . d e m o n t a k e o u t . c o . u k |
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