Excited is an understatement!

We can’t believe how well this weekend has gone, it’s been fantastic to get back on the water and not blown off again.

The conditions were literally perfect for our training weekend, from super light breezes enabling some new sailors learning about spinnakers, team work and communication on the Saturday to breeze and chop on the Sunday for racing.

The weekend really nailed home our ambition of equality and inclusion, Saturday had 3 impaired/disabled individuals on our Sonar – Spare Part, leading with Coach Steve, a double above knee amputee and qualified racing coach, 2x Blind Sailing medallists, Eddie and Laura and new able-bodied sailor to the water, Sarah who had been in touch via the CCYC, took the opportunity to come and get involved and out sailing for the first time. Having new individuals with us makes the days so much more fun, as everyone is keen to support each other, no matter the sailing level, even if none.

Sunday followed with 4 more of our regulars coming along from able bodied help to having mild Cerebral Palsy. Including one of our able individuals who even though is extremely water confident had his second time in a sailing boat with us and straight into a racing environment. It just go to show anybody can take part in our sport especially in a great club environment like we have.

This quote from Coach Steve sums up the weekend – ‘Great mixed bag of training in very different conditions this past weekend. Fantastic to have new people here and all attending helping and welcoming them. Brilliant to see how everyone is progressing every time we go out.’

Huge thanks on this weekend goes out to the Cowes Yacht Haven for looking after us and getting our boats on the water. CCYC teams of Ralph, the bosun and team for their support of helping making our lives easier by launching the RIB and supporting our boats around all of the dredging movements at the club. Plus a huge thank you to the shore team who sort us with soup after sailing on a Sunday. Always amazing food but the best part is the atmosphere it crates in the club house and is also welcome for anybody to join in.

But ending this report with excitement is looking towards the summer with more numbers of people coming to join in and play proving we need o keep this up, the current sailors are progressing and becoming the trainers in many ways, parting their knowledge and sometimes just being there is enough, which they don’t always realise, so thank you to the sailors also.

As always, if your keen to come and get involved or just to find out more about what we are up to, then do get in touch via info@acfsailing.org , contact page on our website www.acfsailing.org or Facebook messaging and will aim to get you out on the water asap.

Otherwise we hope to see you on the water to race against, or onshore to have a laugh on return.

Keep your eyes out for News to come soon about what we are up to this year and how Andy himself will be out to give you a run for your money!

Yours sincerely,

The ACF Sailing Team.

Location

Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club