Panpipe on the beach at the Blackwater s.c. for pressure wash, antifouling, variable pitch propeller dismantle and refurbish. All achieved with the help of Vivien, club members and four good dry days of weather.
Panpipe ready for 2022
SOCA Fitting Out Lunch April 2022
The 2022 Fitting out Lunch was held this year at the Crown Aston End.
The event was well attended and the food, and company, was enjoyed by all present. A personal recommendation for the food and service which was first class.
Due to a road closure on Long Lane it meant that some attendees had a chance to refresh their navigation skills.
Holding the event at lunchtime rather than in the evening seems to be very popular so holding them at this time in the future will likely be the way forward.
As well as general chit chat it gave the attendees the opportunity to discuss their plans for the future sailing season, a topic that will continue at the next meeting to be held on Thursday 14th April to be held at the RNA Welwyn Garden City 7:30pm.
2022 Annual Review and AGM
SOCA 2022 Annual Review & AGM held on
Thursday 10th March Live at RNA Welwyn Garden City
This was a relaxed, social evening which gives members a chance to look back at the past year and discuss plans for the next season.
Commencing with the Commodores review of the past year and presentation of trophies the club AGM then followed.
The 2022 Trophy Awards were as follows
Kelphil Bell Awarded for the most support to the club.
The Kelphil Bell is one of the oldest awards within the club. It was awarded by the Commodore to Deborah for her support over many years.
Joseph Evanson Trophy awarded for best log
The Joseph Evanson Trophy was awarded to Andrew for his adventures in when he helped Ray bring home “Miss Behaving” from Gibraltar.
Joseph Evanson was a founding member of SOCA, the first Vp and Treasurer,
Astrolabe Trophy awarded for most attended presentation
The Astrolabe Trophy (donated to the club by Roy Maynard) for a member’s presentation at a club evening. The Astrolabe Trophy this year was awarded to Andrew for the epic presentation that described the journey and mishaps in bringing “Miss Behaving” back from Gilbrator with Ray and other helpers . This was a marathon presentation that lasted “over a month!!“. Started at the January meeting there was so much to cover it concluded at start of the Febrauary meeting.
The Commodore’s Cup
The Commodore’s Cup is presented entirely at the outgoing Commodore’s discretion.
This year it was awarded to Paul for his services to the club and his willingness to do numerous presentations. This year he regaled us with an ultra high tech presentation which future members will struggle to surpass. Unfortunately Paul could not attend the presentation evening so it will be awarded to him at a future event.
Awarded to Paul, who unfortuanately
could not attend the presentation evening.
2022 Flag Officers: Rear, Commodore and Vice
The new Flag Officers for 2022
endorsed by the membership at the AGM.
2022 Commodore is Alex
Vice Commodore is Andrew
Rea Commodore is Geff
SOCA Photo Competition
Around 100 photos were submitted from members for the competition on the night held at the RNA club in Welwyn Garden City. No longer laid out on tables but displayed digitally for the attendees to choose their favourite picture in each category.
No doubt the winning photographs, plus some of the other submitted images, which came close to winning, will form the basis of the 2023 Calendar.
The competition for best photo was broken into six different Categories:-
1) Club People since the club was formed.
2) Seascapes
3) Artistic (with a nautical flavour)
4) Boats
5) Weather and Sunsets
6) Sailing Holiday
Below are the winning photos from the 2021 Photo Competition.
Club People since the club was formed.
Seascapes
Artistic (with a nautical flavour)
Boats
Weather and Sunsets
Sailing Holiday
September Rally up the East coast
Sailing trips appear even harder to organise but three boats made the four day rally a great success and all of those participating enjoyed the great weather with gentle breezes that assisted us by coming from the right direction.
Honfleur, Alex’s Nauticat 33, had slight technical issues with over zealous crew and chief winchman (Wolfie). Genoa winch now needs some TLC over the winter lay up.
John and crewmate Derek on the Shrimper Skylark sailed the farthest coming from North Fambridge on the Crouch to Bradwell and then Brightlingsea on Saturday and Harwich on Sunday. Strange how the elders of the fleet sail the longest route in the smallest boat, Well done John and Derek.
Ariel Spirit had former Soca member John Robertson taking time out from his narrowboating around the uk network to join in some offshore fun.
Highlights were dinner in Colne Yacht Club where we were met by Oonagh, club secretary and made very welcome and a very convivial dinner in the Alma at Harwich where John R enjoyed a very large Lobster.
Honfleur Joins Soca
Honfleur a Nauticat 33 recently purchased by Alex Nicholas joins the Soca fleet.
After being boatless for three seasons Alex has now taken ownership of a well found Nauticat.
Having spent the end of August aboard at Southwold getting to know the boat,
Alex with the help of Andrew Davidson then brought her down to her permanent mooring at Walton.
The Soca committee hope she will be out with other boats next season enjoying the sailing.
Martyn Reed
Bringing Natsumi back from the Baltic – Sept 2019
Bringing Natsumi a Sunbeam 37 back from the Baltic.
A phone call from my sailing friend David informing me that he had successfully purchased a replacement yacht after recently selling his Moody 336 leaving him without a boat for the summer.
After looking at a number of different yachts in various countries David had settled on an Austrian built Sunbeam.
Although nearer than the other Sunbeam 37 he had seen in Croatia, Natsumi was still some distance from its new home port of Tollesbury.
To hear about the trip from Laboe in Germany back to Amsterdam you will have to come to SOCA in the new year when I will talk about the first half of the trip home.
Martyn Reed
Flag Officers Afloat – July 2019
This is the first time in our club’s history that there have been three female flag officers, a first for SOCA and probably unusual among sailing clubs.
Commodore Tanya Warren was joined by VC Debby Taylor and RC Dee Hilliard for a weekend sailing Sigma 33 Wabbit on the River Orwell. Along with fellow crew Stewart and Adam the SOCA flag officers headed down river with wind gusting 6, the number 2 jib and 1 reef in the main. Perfecting their tacking towards the Port of Felixstowe cranes the huge bank of dark cloud they were hoping to avoid seemed intent on getting closer. It was time to turn tail and find a buoy for lunch. Too late! Giant hailstones rained down, thunder boomed, visibility was limited, all they could do was wipe the rain out of their eyes and hold a safe position in the river. The downpour didn’t last for too long and was soon followed by bright skies. They hooked a buoy with ease and ate lunch while drying in the sunshine.
On the Sunday they had a delay in the lock when a yacht lost it’s dinghy and recovery was required “pass the dinghy to the right hand side”. There were lighter winds on this day and it was a slow tack and reach down the river. While running back the Wabbit visitors were entertained with the River Orwell Treasure Hunt. Taking bearings on latitudes along the river to spot various treasures, some of you may remember this from the 2017 SOCA Autumn Rally.
Holland Trip – Summer 2014
Three boats went to Holland seperately in the summer of 2014. Martyn on Ariel Spirit (Moody 34), Richard on Baltic Cloud (Finmar 361) and Paul on Jenny B (Island Packet 380), all with their own crews.
Ariel Spirit arrived via Vlissingen having motored most of the way due to a lack of wind. Then spent 10 very hot days in July traveling up through the canal system taking in Veere ,Zeirekzee Oudha Tonge,Steenberge returning via Goes and Middleburgh.
Baltic Cloud went to Dunkirk then travelled to Vlissingen and was met by customs officials 2 miles off shore, interested in their red diesel. After some interrogation they left for the canal system finally mooring at Middleburgh. They spent the next day exploring the waterways around the town in their tender and were only thwarted on reaching a bridge with only 450mm headroom. Fortunately they were not arrested for using their outboard engine as these are prohibited on the waterways.
Jenny B crossed to Ostende staying at the North Sea Yacht Club then travelled to Vlissingen to enter the inland waterways. They followed the “Mast up” route to Amsterdam visiting Goes,Ghouda and Harlem carrying on up through the in shore route past the Friesland Islands into the Elbe. This was the start of their Baltic ARC cruise to St Petersburg taking in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Estonia a 5200mile trip