SOCA held it’s 2025 Fitting Out Lunch at the Cowper Arms on Saturday 8th November
There was a slightly reduced attendance than we normally have due to conflicting committments and illness. However the members attending managed to enjoy a very convivial gathering.
SOCA held it’s 2025 Fitting Out Lunch at the Cowper Arms on Saturday 29th March.
There was a very good attendance with 22 members attending the very convivial gathering.
The Commodore, Terry, took the opportunity to thank the attendees and outlined the plans for SOCA events over the coming year.
The outgoing Commodore also presented the Commodore’s Cup to Peter Sackett who could not attend the 2025 AGM where the cup was awarded to him.
The final action of the Fitting Out Lunch was for Geff to remind the attendees of his choices for the Commodore’s Charity for 2024-2025. It was decided to donate £400, £10 for every year of the 40 years SOCA had been in exsistence. This has been split evenly between the RNLI in recognition of it’s 200 year anniversary. With another £200 being presented to Grafham Water Sailability.
Geff presented a cheque to Pauline who is a long time SOCA member and key member of Grafham Water Sailabilty.
Saturday 8th February
with Ashley Cato from
This RYA course is a full day. event.
Maximum of 12 students on the course, a minimum of 4.
Venue local to Stevenage. (Maximum 12 people)
£60pp club price + venue Stevenage
Email commodore@socasailing.org to express interest.
Can I take this opportunity to wish all our members and supporters a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Best Wishes and hopes for good sailing conditions for all of us in 2025. How Time flies.
SOCA held its Laying Up Lunch at the Cowper Arms in Welwyn North.
Eighteen members were in attendance for a very enjoyable and convivial meal.
The autumn gathering followed the recent, successful, practice of holding the event at lunchtime rather than in the evening as this suits the majority of the members. In addition the Cowper Arms has the advantage of being very close to Welwyn North Station for those who wish to arrive by train.
This is the same location that SOCA held its 40th Anniversary Lunch earlier this year in April.
This event was scheduled so we could celebrate that March 2024 was both the 200th anniversary of RNLI’s formation and the 40th anniversary of SOCA being formed. The planned presentation on the RNLI had to be delayed to another time due to the presenter being ill, (he has offered to conduct his presentation at a later time). However in its place SOCA held a RNLI themed evening for its September meeting, including showing some videos available on the RNLI website and a few group quizzes,
The main part of the evening was a presentation of a cheque to the Chairman of the RNLI Hitchin & District Branch of the RNLI, John Pearce.
The majority of the £260 that was donated was from donations from individual members with a top up from the Commodore’s charity fund.
After the actual cheque, (rather than the one in the picture) was handed over John gave a quick speech to the audience highlighting the difficulties that the local branches of the RNLI have had in recent years with falling numbers of people able to organise events that can be used for collecting donations. He made a plea for anyone who is interested and can help to contact him. (pearcej53@virginmedia.com).
This page on the RNLI Website is worth a visit
Various videos were shown during the meeting. If you click on the images below you should be taken to the Youtube website where the video can be seen
A simple Refresher Quiz on the RNLI which you should get 10/10 if you have visited the RNLI website
1. How many times were lifeboats launched in 2010?
2. RNLI crew members are all …….
3. How many crew members are there in the RNLI?
4. Where are the RNLI Headquarters located?
5. The RNLI was founded by Sir William Hillary in which year?
This quiz was written by Mr Adrian Boyd from the RNLI.
Four yachts from the extended SOCA fleet meet up at Levington marina on the river Orwell in August 2024. This was the CIC event that was originally planned for late May but was rescheduled due to other commitments.
The yachts involved were Honfleur, Missbehaving, Skylark and Just Fleur.
Honfleur under sail
Just Fleur on the river Orwell
The crews of all 4 yachts meet at Lightship Bar, home of the Haven Ports Yacht Club, where a nourishing meal and a few drinks helped to generate a very convivial atmosphere.
All crew members present were looking forward to the next time we can all sail together.
Message from Hitchin RNLI Facebook Page
If you wish to volunteer and help raise funds for the RNLI to help please get in touch with Phil Underhill, stating your availability (morning or afternoon), on 01462 436973 or at phillipj_underhill@yahoo.co.uk.
In the summer holidays SOCA normally organise a BBQ at a members house. This year it has been decided that we would instead join the BBQ and dingy sailing event being organised by at Paxton Lakes Sailing Club, see report from Peter below.
BBQ/ Dinghy Sailing.
Our BBQ & Dingy Sailing , Paxton Lakes Sailing Club, Thursday , 25 July, enjoyed good weather and with some wind for our sailors.Very good turnout with SOCA Members, BOSG Members, Members children and grandchildren. Lovely evening. Simon ( Bob’s son) did a great job getting boats ready & packed away, BBQ organised and all the admin – thank you again Simon.
SOCA held a celebration lunch on Saturday the 13th of April 2024
to mark the 40th Anniversary of its inception.
The event was held at the Cowper Arms which is close to Welwyn North railway station.
This also served as the 2024 Fitting Out Lunch.
Over 50% of the commodores from SOCA’s history attended.
A full list of all the Commodores over SOCA’s existence is shown in our History section
A selection of other pictures from the event is shown below.
Also on sale at the lunch, at a special price of £45, were SOCA burgees the ideal addition to your Starboard spreader. These are still available. Contact commodore@socasailing.org.uk