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RADIO CONTROLLED SAILING CLUB STILL SEEKING MEMBERS
Press Release / 2011-09-21 11:13:59
Well Autumn is here and the visitors have gone back, you may just be looking for a new hobby to fill in all that time you have on your hands!!! Then why not try sailing, Radio Controlled sailing.
I am talking about a great pastime whether you are a beginner or a seasoned sailor it is worth giving it a try.
The new Radio Control model group based in Los Alcázares, under the name of RC Mar Menor Sailing Group has progressed well over its first three months. The group is a S.A.M.M. group and members can enjoy the full range of benefits that S.A.M.M. has to offer including an active social scene and the opportunity of sailing full size boats.
We are based at the sports college of Infanta Cristina on the shores of the Mar Menor and enjoy their excellent sailing facilities. Our racing series has now started and will mainly consist of members getting use to their new boats with some learning to sail for the first time. Later we will have a better understanding of the full range of boats at our disposal and what we need to cater for. While our main venue will be Infanta Cristina we hope to visit other locations perhaps once a month to try and attract a wider membership at venues such as Cartagena. We have our first visit planned for this October on Friday the 14th and will be meeting not to race but just to check out sailing conditions in the harbour. We are currently seeking permission from the Harbour Authority to use this location as a regular monthly meeting. Anyone wishing to join in is very welcome please give me a call first for more info.
Later we will start with some simple Match racing to define the different capabilities of each boat and then progress to a form of handicap racing along the lines of a rigged start. With all new clubs it is a matter of wait and see what boats people want to buy and I believe that variety is the spice of life. In the short term it looks like the International One Metre will form the first boat class for racing. The I.O.M. as it is called has world wide support and has been in production for more than 30 years with national competitions in Europe, USA, New Zealand, and Australia, and world championships run every year. Last year the Spanish National Championships where held at the college over a 3 day period with some 14 boats taking part.
We have already attracted a wide range of boat types and owners with an equally wide range of diverse skills. Their skills are always available to members and they are willing to assist if need be. The group caters for all tastes whether you are a seasoned model boat builder or you prefer your boat straight out of a box. The range of boats we have attracted so far to our Friday morning get together is very varied from the compact Victoria at 750mm long, up to the mighty 5 foot long American East Coast 12 metre, also including a Thunder Tiger, two International One Metres, and a Austrian Smaragd. We have Just acquired one of the new American Vela one metre boats, this was shipped in from the states for valuation and trials, looking very good it comes fully built and includes a 2.4 R.C. control system. We have also had a Laser which is a copy of the world famous Laser single handed 2.4 class dinghies. In the U.K. Sailors of the full size Laser regularly race the R.C. version in winter to sharpen their skills, that is if they can break the ice on the local pond, sorry I could not resist that one.
It is also our intention to cater for our disabled friends with a new boat due to be completed by September. It is an M6 and the biggest boat to date at 5’6” long and dual controlled. It is controlled by a crew of two, one helmsman and one sail trimmer each with a separate radio unit, we believe it is the only one of its kind and is an ideal tool for disabled sailors. This boat also has value for beginner’s wanting to test the water so to speak, it allows a beginner to gain confidence with a tutor on one aspect at a time before going solo.
We also would like to bridge the divide and become multinational and have some other nationalities as members. We already have members from Scotland, Ireland, England and even Yorkshire, where ever that is, (answers on a post card to!!).
If we can tempt you to come and take a look then for more information please check out our website www.rcmarmenorsailinggroup.eu or phone David on 968 170 870
E-mail davidlees66@hotmail.com. Hope to see you on the water soon.
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