Cor blimey, Guvnor, where have the last three weeks gone! Time to gird the loins and get ready to re-open the bar and restaurant again from Thursday 20th January. Our thanks to Fran and Ant for bravely holding the fort with Frantic Fridays over the last two weeks.
Mike and Debs will be back in the kitchen preparing menu items anew on Wednesday and Thursday, so we are happy to take bookings for dinner from Thursday 20th January.
Please email nigel@pnyc.co.uk with your requirements, or leave a voice message on 01326 340 065 and he will get back to you.
Here’s to a brighter and less disrupted season.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Mike & Nigel
I will be sending out mooring forms this week with the new prices that we announced last Autumn. We have had only one person leaving the pontoon this year and that empty place has been filled with someone from the waiting list. We are also fully subscribed for the beach and swing moorings and it looks like we are full on the trots as well. We would ask that payment for moorings is made not later than 1st March to secure your spot again for the Summer and we would appreciate earlier payment if possible as it helps our cash flow in January and February. We plan to re-deck the remaining pontoons that haven’t been done over the last two years and to add more anti-slip strips to the pontoon. In addition we will look to boost the flotation of some of the finger’s on the pontoon so that you keep your feet dry when getting aboard. And finally, with the help of Phil Clarke and Falmouth Marine School, we are going to get some work done on the club tender.
This remains £25 for the year. I will email all our social members with a form and the bank details, which are the same – PNYC Ltd, Lloyds, 30-80-48, 51425568. I will add an option on the email where you just have to tick, same details as last year, and I will fill in your form for you and send out membership cards without you having to do the form yourself.
We really appreciate the help that you, the members, give in supporting us to improve the club for everyone. Last year we were able to do the following; re-plaster the front of the clubhouse; relay the surface in front of the clubhouse and the seating area; put the roofing up over the seating area; re-deck two of the pontoons; instal new sockets and a light on the beach wall; replace some of the outside lighting; re-cover all the benches in the clubhouse and improve the lighting inside; and as a club, we supported Clean Ocean Sailing. This year, with your help, we plan to improve the outside seating areas further and to put up a roofed area on the pontoon side of the clubhouse with a long bar-style table with 15 bar stools so that you can sit overlooking the pontoon and the water while enjoying your drink and food. We will also be putting up some new lamps in the car park asap to improve the lighting.
From Nigel:
With Christmas coming up we thought it would be fun to offer a few of our favourite PNYC Wines of the Year at normal retail prices. Despite being out of the wine trade for nearly four years we still have useful contacts with some of our old key suppliers.
Nigel has 8 wines on offer with a 5% discount on orders of 12 bottles and over before 7th December. Wines can be delivered to you locally but in this instance the discount will not apply to cover delivery. For a list of wines and the prices email nigel@pnyc.co.uk
We have finished painting the dining room. Hopefully it’s a bit fresher than it was. What the painting has done is make the swirly carpet stand out even more! The carpet is going and will be replaced with a wooden floor – probably in the New Year. We are also adding a little more lighting to the dining area so that you can see better who you’re sitting with. That obviously has some pros and cons. FYI – the lights will be fitted with a dimmer switch so you’ll be able to ask for the lights to be turned down if you wish to eat in obscurity.
The Children’s Sailing Trust has 5 Regatta rowing dinghies. These are used by the trust for younger kids when the wind is too strong for their modern sailing dinghies. They are also used by Port Navas and Durgan Regattas each year and are a great help in providing a standard rowing boat that can be used by anyone wanting to take part in a race.
They need a bit of TLC. There are some wooden parts that need to be replaced or repaired; the old varnish needs to be removed and repainted; they need to be anitfouled and painted inside; some of the oars need attention; and we would like to rig up a system for the Regattas to take an old Oppie rudder so that the kids can use these rudders rather than an oar.
We are looking for some volunteers. The aim is to do the work in the late Spring but we would love to get an idea of who might be able to spare a day or two. One option is to work on the boats at Henry Collins’ Farm at Calamansac where the Trust have a shed and access to power. However, if someone wanted to work on one boat themselves this could be an option.
One final “ask” is whether anyone has any inside storage for the 5 boats for the Winter – November to May each year from next year. When stacked side by side they take up a space of a large trailer.
A collective thanks to everyone for a pretty smooth transition from Summer to Winter. And congrats to Andy Bennett for his beautiful beach mooring set-up…a hand made cradle…
…and the commitment to dive around the boat to check everything was good. He is available for hire I believe!
We are offering PNYC polo shirts for men and ladies in a large range of colours (£31 + postage) and thick weave sweatshirts (£35 + postage); and finally a baseball cap with embroidered logo (£25 + postage). See members page for more information. Or email admin@pnyc.co.uk
The ideal Christmas present while supporting the local community. There are 35 calendars left. They are £10 a copy plus 50p for an A3 envelope if you want to post it to a friend for Christmas. The profit all goes to the Village Hall. Please contact annfrost19@gmail.com
It’s been coming all year, but Sunday is the end of the Summer Season. Can all Summer Season boat owners remove their boats by Sunday as we are pretty full this Winter and we are going to need the space. We have 5 yachts wintering on the beach (two 32ft plus boats are coming in on Sunday) and most of the pontoons are taken with just a few spaces left if you are interested. If you know you won’t be off by Sunday and it’s matter of a couple of days, please drop me an email or give me a call but otherwise charges will be made.
From The Children’s Sailing Trust: “We’re finalists in the Building Futures competition from Persimmon Homes to win £100,000. It’s an incredible amount of money and would ensure we can continue our life-affirming watersports opportunities for Cornwall’s young people, something that costs us over £160,000 per year to run.
So whilst brushing your teeth. After feeding the dog. As the kettle is boiling. Whenever you choose to vote each day, make it your #CSTTime and please ping us your vote every 24 hours. Thank you so much!”
Go here and follow the links:
https://childrenssailingtrust.org.uk/CSTTIME/
Thanks to our membership fees, we have been able to re-cover the seats and stools in the clubhouse with new blue leatherette. No-one has so far commented so we’ll take that as a positive that we haven’t drastically changed the character of the club!
Cornish Shrimper, Crevette. 19ft, 1980, Sail No.23. Re-varnished mast and boom 2020 and all new rigging. Some new stainless steel fixings. Currently on Pontoon No.26 so viewing available. £9,000 ONO.
It happened! After a seven year pause and inspite of dire weather warnings of Force 11 winds a couple of days before the race, our Black Rock challenge took place on Saturday. We had 12 hearty boat crews ranging from a classic gaffer to a 26ft racing catamaran to a 44ft modern Jeanneau. The plan was to start from a line just off Durgan and then race via the August Rock buoy, around the Black Rock and back again to the finish line.
True to form, all three of our current boats wouldn’t start. Simon Boote kindly allowed us to use his boat and that wouldn’t start either. Luckily Iain McLaren came up trumps with his small tender with which we could time the starts, while he kindly provided his big rib as the safety boat. So one crisis over.
When Ant and I got to the start line, there was not even a hint of wind. With three classes of boats, we grandly started the Sprat Class of four yachts.
Dragun (Charles Richardson) got away, somehow, but the other four spent an hour making almost no progress. And in the case of our gallant Race Captain, they went backwards and never managed to cross the start line for an hour until they resorted to their engine!!! It was pretty much the same for the next two classes of boats, Pilchard and Mackerel Classes – so crisis number two. After another half an hour barely moving from the start line, the decision was made to allow everyone to motor to the August Rock and then to start the race from there – with the exception of Dragun who led the race out into Falmouth Bay under sail all the way.
Another 45 minutes of no wind at August Rock followed by 95% of the PNYC racing fleet milling around like a flock of birds flying round in circles waiting for one bird to decide on which way to go. I contemplated cancelling due to lack of any motion (with the sole exception of Dragun) but was assured by Rob that the wind would come. And low and behold, some two hours plus into the race the wind arrived.
What followed was a cracking race to, round and back from The Black Rock in a steady Force 5-6 wind with the two catamarans, Lindy and Mirri, and Dragunleading the way and Cicada bravely bringing up the rear. It was lovely to see PNYC’s 12 boats in line astern racing across an empty Falmouth Bay. Along the way we had pretty much every kind of weather except snow.
A huge thanks to all the crews who took part with great humour and patience, particularly at the start. And massive thanks to Iain McLaren for providing the vital support boats and his time and support – couldn’t have done it without him. Finally thanks to Rob Templeton, our PNYC Race Captain, whose enthusiasm knows no bounds, unlike his boat! We have learnt a lot for next time – like make sure we have a working committee boat and make sure we actually have a radio on board!
The race was followed by a cracking night at PNYC Bar and Restaurant. A lovely set meal from Mike, a maritime based quiz (which was won by Jonathan Thornton and TeamCalico) and a bit of a lock in at the end. And not a mask in sight! Team Cicada and Mormendill finally left at 12.45, Cicada to bravely spend the night on their boat at the end of the pontoon. After locking up, Ant and I set off home, only to run out of petrol at High Cross Garage followed by an hour’s walk to get home. Crisis number 3. Perfect day.
Results:
Sprat Class Winner on handicap: Marty Ritchie skippered by Don Garman
Pilchard Class Winner on handicap: Mirri skippered by Roger McDonald
Mackerel Class Winner on handicap: Sea Otter skippered by Andy Cooke
Overall Winner (and only boat to sail the entire course): Dragun skippered by Charles Richardson.
Sprat Class: Cicada, Rob Templeton; Dragun, Charles Richardson; Mystery, Andy Bennett; Marty Ritchie, Don Garman. Pilchard Class: Guinevere, Paul Clark; Mirri, Roger McDonald; Calico, Jonathan Thornton; Katie, Angus MacArthur. Mackerel Class: Mormendill, Phil Clark; Yamanja, David Tippett; Sea Otter, Andy Cooke; Lindy, Keith Wilkinson.
The end of the Summer season is here at the end of this month. In the last newsletter I asked that you let me know if you want a Winter mooring and, if possible, if you want the same mooring for next summer. Many have let me know – thank you – but if you are reading this and haven’t, could you drop me an email – admin@pnyc.co.uk. We have a waiting list for all types of moorings next summer and it would be useful to know if anyone doesn’t want a mooring.
I will be sending out mooring forms for next Summer in early January. You can also download them on the website – go to the moorings page.
Over the next couple of weeks we will be re-decorating the inside of the club. New cushions have been ordered for all the benches and stools and we will be re-painting the restaurant area (as opposed to the bar area). We also plan to replace the old dining room carpet with a wooden floor but lorry delivery prices and availability are delaying this.
Autumn is nearly in full swing and, as happens at every summer’s end, there is a migration of staff away from their holiday jobs back to their places of study or even new places of work. So it is this week, and with some other stuff going on in the background, we are having to postpone opening the bar until 6pm each evening this weekend.
Should the weather be clement enough, we will run our bar snacks menu outside from 6pm as well.
The restaurant is fully booked on Thursday and Friday, with one table left on Saturday. Please leave your details on the club ansafone if you are interested and we will get back to you.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Mike & Nigel
We have not changed the price of Summer and Winter pontoon, trot and swing moorings since 2017. We are therefore increasing the price of these moorings from this winter. In addition, the cost of beach moorings for 10ft or under and inflatable racks will increase from £200 to £250 (unless they are tenders for trot and swing moorings, in which case they remain free as part of the inclusive price for trot or swing mooring).
The price of beach moorings for boats of 11ft or more will remain the same since they were raised three years ago. And the price of kayaks will also remain the same for the same reason.
Membership will remain at £25 per adult per calendar year.
A member is looking for a 9-11 foot tender in reasonable but not necessarily immaculate condition – and therefore a reasonable price rather than top end. Engine not required. Anyone have anything – perhaps an Anarth or something similar?
Geoff Dandy is looking to sell his dory. Price is £3750 ono. The boat is on the pontoon – see pictures below. Suzuki 90 hp engine.
We have finally put the red marker buoy back in place so we have a very clearly marked entry and exit channel. The shackle pin worked loose and fell out. I was convinced I would be able to find the chain and stone since I knew where it was but after 30 minutes staggering around in the mud I had to give up and get a new chain and stone.
It’s been a fabulous week of warm weather and blue skies. Perhaps not enough wind for the sailing types but brilliant for trips out to the local beaches.
The August Rock gig crew, with Ottie and JC, popped in a for pint earlier this week. It is so lovely to see these gigs coming into PN.
I can report that it was almost pitch black when they headed home!
It is with great delight that we can report that the missing oars have been found and therefore no theft has taken place. Another member was borrowing a tender for the season and thought that the missing oars belonged to the boat they were borrowing. The much loved oars have now been reunited with Kyla. Please make sure that ALL your items in the shed are clearly named so that things like this don’t happen. But oars well that ends well !!!
We have been approached by a relatively new member, Rob Templeton, to stage a fun sailing race at PNYC and we would love to do it if there is enough interest. The idea would be a handicapped race to Black Rock and back from a start line just off Durgan (tbc) on Saturday 2nd October with a start time of 1pm. Afterwards we would offer a team dinner and drinks at the Club along with prize giving. If you would like to take part – either on your boat or as a possible crew for another boat or to help run the race (or you would just like to come to the dinner and prize giving) – then please drop me a line at admin@pnyc.co.uk . If there is enough interest we’ll come back to you with more details. It would be so great to stage a PNYC race and we are indebted to Rob for offering his services. We miss Peter Goad’s enthusiasm and skill but I am sure that he would encourage all those that can to take part from his home in NZ.
Sorry to raise this in August…. but if you already know that you would like a Winter mooring with us can you let me know. The pontoon is charged at £28.50 per foot (with no minimum size) and we have had boats up to 30ft wintering on the pontoon and taking advantage of being able to sail all year round and work on the boat in the early Spring. The trots are £18 per foot and the beach is £20 per foot for boats over 10ft long (we already have a number of large yachts booked in).
In very good condition. Repainted this year. New stainless keel strips. New custom fit cover. Raymarine Chartplotter and Fishfinder included. Marine VHF included. All fenders and other accessories including rear seats included. Regularly serviced by Robin Curnow. A perfect boat for The Helford. If sold to a member, the mooring on the pontoon at PNYC would be available. The boat used to belong to Giles Williams. She is currently on Pontoon No.16 if you want to have a look at her.
The tender has been returned to her place on No.1 as indicated by the new sign on the landing pontoon. We had moved it to the outside of the pontoon so that we could get everyone back onto the pontoon as a couple of people wanted their moorings back after taking a season off for covid but it needs it’s own dedicated space. So everything has gone back to normal.
If you see Mike Maguire floating around in the water, just leave him. He’s swimming. For the first time in many years.
It was lovely to see Brian Roper and family heading out onto The Helford a little while ago – well done Brian.
It was a total delight to see the Regatta again at PN after a year off. We estimate some 350 people attended with lots of kids and teenagers – we had 60+ people in the fun race all trying to collect a duck and get it back to the quay without oars. There is a report on the Port Navas website (portnavas.com) along with lots of photos and a few video clips. The whole thing was made possible by the work of the committee and a great group of volunteers – so if you want to be a new volunteer next year, just email me at admin@pnyc.co.uk .
Next year’s PN Regatta is set for Saturday 23rd July – start time tbc.
The only casualty of The Regatta was the ladies loo at the club. We had to destroy the cleverly constructed boxing to get access to it so while the loo now works again, there’s some work that needs to be done to get it back to normal. Aaaagh!
Black Dog has won the RORC IRC National Championships – again. So that’s two national wins for this PNYC registered boat – 2019 and 2021. The team has been racing for 11 years and this year Stuart Sawyer’s team was joined by double Olympic Silver Medallist, Nick Rogers.
“We are delighted” said Stuart. “We are surprised to win as we haven’t been racing much but we have been training and our crew work is slick…. we were confident with ourselves but we didn’t know how we would measure up against the top IRC boats.”
Well, they beat them! Congratulations to all the team members and The Club would like to stand them some beers.
3.4m 5 person inflatable TakaCat. 4 years old, very stable and with a “ramp bow” to make beach and water embarkation very easy. It also a has reinforced airdeck floor which is very tough. The boat will reach 10 kts+ with 2 adults with a Yamaha 6 . Total weight 42Kg but packs into 2 bags. Detachable launching wheels, oars, pump and storage bags included . Engine 2018 Yamaha 6 FCMHS integral fuel tank with separate tank option, less than 23 hrs running, professional 20 hr Service completed . Short Shaft weight 27kg Price with engine £2,200 ovno (new cost £3250). You can inspect the dinghy – it’s in the rack next to the white corrugated shed.
A pair of hand made oars have gone missing 4 weeks ago from the storeroom. These are much loved. They are a distinctive shape with leather collars. Has anyone taken these oars in error? We have never had anything go missing and stay missing.
Two new sailors have taken to the water in the last couple of weeks. 10 week old Emmy Jones (first grandchild of Peter and Cate Jones) and Hugo aged 3 (David King’s grandson). Future Black Dog Crew?
It’s been absolutely beautiful over the last few weeks.
Friday 28th was the first time the bar was open outside. And we had some 60 people enjoying the beautiful late afternoon sun. PN looked at it’s best with the tide in, the spring flowers in bloom and the lovely buzz of lots of people enjoying a drink and a bite to eat. Really great to see. Can I just ask that you do make sure to abide by the social distancing rules – it’s not for much longer hopefully.
Apologies that the roof for the outside seating area has not been fitted yet. Will get that done asap.
Steve and a very small team have now removed 18 out of 28 identified wrecks at Anna Maria Creek. They have recently been granted a 3 year licence to remove as many wrecks as they can from The Helford River. To give you some idea of the scale of the job, The Duchy estimate that there are some 12,000 abandoned boats on their 380 miles of waterline. Amazingly there is nowhere that properly recycles fibre glass in Cornwall and Devon – for instance, it can be broken up and used in roadbuilding. Those that claim to recycle it seem to be sending it to landfill after a bit of research.
Volunteers needed to sift through 8 large bags of rubbish that is being brought to Gweek from Anna Maria Creek – date provisionally Wednesday 16th June in Gweek. It can be a messy job but very necessary and useful! Email admin@pnyc.co.uk to put your name down to help.
And a volunteer is needed to manage the online donations to COS. Monica and Steve are looking for someone who can log the donations, thank donors and reply to questions from donors. If you might be interested email admin@pnyc.co.uk and we’ll pass you on to COS.
We just wanted to let everyone know that after a valiant fight with Motor Neurone disease, John Ford died on 17th April. He is buried in Constantine Church. Our thoughts are with his wife Teresa, their three lovely children Hannah, Ed and Ellie and the whole Ford family. John loved The Helford and was looking forward to spending more and more time down here after a long and successful career in the Far East. We will miss his energy, enthusiasm and love of life.
Just to clarify the situation with regards to who should and shouldn’t be boat members: As an adult, if you have or you use a boat at PNYC, then you should be a member of the club. It is not one membership per boat. So if a number of people share the use of the boat, everyone should be members rather than just one adult. Equally, if you own a boat and your partner never (or rarely) uses the boat, then membership is not required for the partner. We are one of the cheapest – if not the cheapest – sailing club in the UK and we do use the membership money for improving the club.
Two doves – Megan and Harry – have taken up rather permanent residence of the dovecot. Permanent because they are made out of resin.
I was joined by a Robin yesterday.
The new season is almost upon us. Let’s hope that we have a much better one than last year. People are welcome to put their boats on their Summer moorings from Thursday 1st April but please just remember your social distancing.
Seawide Services are coming back to finish the moorings on 29th or 30th of March – so, like the 7th Cavalry, just in time. All Winter Mooring boats need to be off the moorings by 31st March – if you have a problem please contact me at admin@pnyc.co.uk We will try to lay out the beach on 31st March but this depends on when the last of the yachts have gone and the state of the tide – we need a low tide to do it. So it might be done on 1st April. If you find a boat in your space on the pontoon, put your boat in an empty space and let me know asap and we’ll sort it out. If your beach mooring isn’t available, leave your boat on the visitor spaces on the pontoon (by the slip or up past the clubhouse) and again just let me know. It will all work out in the end !
We have restored power to the beach wall. There are now two caravan sockets (large three pin sockets) and two standard 3 pin sockets. A light is coming.
Thanks to all those who have renewed their membership. We couldn’t improve the club without your kind help. If you’re reading this and haven’t signed up for another year you can download a membership form here pnyc.co.uk/members/ , scan or photo it and email it back to PNYC. Or for ease, you can just email me, admin@pync.co.uk, and say that your details are the same as last year, make payment online and I will do the rest.
PNYC Ltd, Lloyds Bank, Sort 30-80-48, Acc 51425568
I am colour blind. It’s not that bad. Blues and purples; reds and browns; and it doesn’t hurt. But occassionaly there are some dodgy clothing decisions. I have ordered some new signs for the club and on arrival PNYC navy blue appears to be purple and PNYC red has gone brown. Not worried about the brown lettering as it was a sign asking people not to put their dog poo in our bins but to use the dog bin that we have provided right next to our bins. So colour appropriate. But the other signs are now a medley of navy blue and purple. I am waiting until Colour Blindness becomes the next issue (after gender and race etc) when finally we will be allowed to identify any colour as any colour we like !!
I am sorry to say that Pete Witham, the owner of the lovely fishing boat, Faith, on the pontoon, died on Monday after a fight with cancer. You might remember him working on his boat with a woolly hat on, a cigarette and a smile. He was a lovely character with a mischievous sense of humour and our thoughts go to Sue and his whole family. We will miss him.
Work is well underway to improve the outside areas at the front of the club. It’s been beautifully rendered by Lawrence Kay (I would recommend him) and once dry will be painted white.
Meanwhile I have followed Peter Goad’s design and added more posts over the outside eating area so that we can put a roof on it and make a covered seating area. Much to my surprise, it’s come out quite well. Mostly straight and actually very solid. Peter, I hope you approve. A new resin and stone floor will be added to the seating area and the area outside the front door. This will be finished for the opening up of the Bar and Restaurant on Friday 16th April.
In the next couple of weeks Tony and Mike Comyn will be re-concreting the path from the slipway to beach moorings 1-5, replacing the cracked and irregular surface. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Continuing my work as a slightly haphazard DIYer (probably with emphasis on the ‘hazard’), I have to report that while installing some insulation in the big corrugated shed, I managed to angle-grind my way through the mains supply. Amazingly, and much to the electrician’s surprise, there was no large bang or, more to the point, electric shock. So now we have a new join in the electrics. I have been re-using the old planking from the pontoons to line the inside of the shed on top of some cellutex insulation panels.
Work on the path beside the slipway leading on to the beach wall has been completed replacing the old, cracked surface that was there – thanks Tony, Pete and Mike.
We have a Shrimper on the pontoon that a member is looking to sell. £5,950 or nearest offer. For full details contact Tom on 07798 824435 or admin@pnyc.co.uk
Along with a friend from up-country, Tim Hunt, we have put new decking down on two more pontoons. We even had enough sun yesterday for T-shirts. The anti slip strips are to follow once it stops raining! There are a couple of cleats missing because we had to cut the bolts off. These will be put back asap. The old decking is being used to re-line the inside of the corrugated shed. I proudly showed off my work to my daughter Nancy yesterday – I have lined the walls and ceiling with insulation panels and have started to put the old decking on top of that.
All she said was: “Wow Dad. You’ve put everything in jam jars.” Not quite what I was expecting!
We were sad to learn of the death of David Burke in Port Navas last week. This followed on from a period in hospital at the start of this year. David was a charming and joyful man and will be sadly missed. Our thoughts go to Jane and the whole family. There is more about David on the PN website www.portnavas.com
Port Navas, alongside Constantine and Mawnan Smith, have put together a Volunteers List to provide assistance to PN residents who might need help.
If you need help yourself details are on the Port Navas website: portnavas.com/ and for Constantine: constantinecornwall.com/
The new Government guidelines regarding essential travel preclude us from progressing with the Friday Feast takeaway that we were planning for this week.
We will instigate this scheme if and when we can. I imagine this will be a possibility before we are allowed to open fully again.
I have been looking into the history of the Seventh Cavalry. At the time of General Custer, infamous for the Battle of the Little Bighorn River, he had been up against Native Indians called Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, White Bull, Hump and Chief Gall amongst others.
We could perhaps invent a game whereby these names are applied to our illustrious leaders or if anyone can come up with other suggestions!
We will let you know when it is safe to come to us, hopefully not too long!
Please keep safe out there, look out for each other and keep your distance!
Mike & Nigel
Our kids have been told that they will not be returning to school until September….! This is going to create some interesting moments in The Ellemann household. Martha’s A-levels, end of school, summer jobs, working in a school in Zambia and then travelling have gone out of the window. So the girls have been dying their hair (and bits of Finn’s) to compensate. Great response to a crisis. Change your looks!
Dear All
We hope that you all ok. This is such an unprecedented event – unless perhaps you listened to Bill Gates in 2015:
We are constantly looking at Government Sites for advice – Maritime Service, Coast Guard and other Helford River sites. At the moment all the advice is as follows:
That said, if individuals or families want to get out on the water for a short time to exercise and they are not travelling significant distances then the moorings are there. Just please use your discretion and be respectful to the people in Port Navas and along Quay Road. The beach will be ready on Monday for moorings. And the pontoon and trots are ready.
In the next few months we will be doing some work on our club tender, The UG (Uncle Giles). Phil Clarke has very kindly repaired the oars. She could do with a good clean, a lick of paint and some Danish Oil. We are also putting three kayak racks down on the pontoons below the clubhouse to allow three big kayaks to be stored closer to the water. And finally we shall be painting the two doors for the engine store and adjacent storeroom.
We have a new flag to replace the rather shredded one currently flying. We have decided to fly the new flag when the Covid 19 restrictions are lifted.
We’re very sad to report the untimely passing of Alan Gardner. Many in Port Navas will know Alan as the always cheerful and generous former owner of Port Navas Yacht Club. Sandra, Alan’s wife, has said that their years owning PNYC and getting to know all the members were some of the happiest years of their family life. Sandra has loved the Helford since childhood, and Alan grew to love it so much, never more content than when pottering about in his little boat and having a pint of Doom Bar or enjoying a meal and a few glasses of wine with friends! When they came to sell the Club, although they had a number of offers, they were determined to sell it to someone local who understood, and would carry on, their care of the Club without trying to turn it into something else. And so they sold to Giles.
A keen and passionate golfer, Alan was interested in everything and everybody. He spent the last active week of his life in Port Navas before he showed signs of being unwell and he and Sandra had to cut their stay short. He collapsed 24 hours after they got home; spent the next three weeks in hospital, and was never able to return home.
Our thoughts go out to Sandra who is having to cope with both loss and self isolation due to Coronavirus. Alan will be cremated on 24th April with only Sandra, Jamie and Kerry present. The flag at the Club has been flying at half mast since we heard the news.
(Thanks to portnavas.com)
We hope that you and your families are all coping with the current situation. Ant and I feel very lucky to be living in this beautiful place, especially at this time. Fingers crossed, we believe that we still might enjoy some part of the season as the Government amends its restrictions in the coming months.
In the meantime we should focus on the positive; the great job that is being done by the health service and care home staff; emergency services; supermarket staff; and delivery drivers. And also on the amazing stories of people helping both neighbours and strangers. There should be no place for finger-pointers and those that simply want to criticise. This is almost unprecedented and, as such, everyone is having to make the best of things as the emergency unfolds. Let’s all be kind to each other at this time. And enjoy the sun, the primroses and bluebells.
If anyone in our immediate area needs shopping or medical supplies to be picked up, do call or send an email – 01326 340525 or admin@pnyc.co.uk. We can help and we have an under-used, willing 18 year old driver in Martha! Carnon Downs Garden Centre (01872 863058) are doing a brilliant phone and collect service – you order and pay by phone and then you can collect your items from the car park.
Does anyone claim this inflatable? It’s been on the wall of the shed for almost year with no name. I have put a notice on it but no-one has called. If I hear nothing by return, I have a buyer who will make a contribution to HRCST.
The UG (Uncle Giles) is getting some well deserved TLC. Phil Clark is very kindly making a new hatch cover for the forward deck and she is going to get a wash, a good internal paint and some danish oil on the woodwork. To do this work I will put her on the slip for a few days. Please use the navy blue Anarth that we will put on Pontoon No.1 as a tender.
All the moorings are ready for use and have been since 1st April. However, on the pontoon there are a couple of boats that are on the wrong berths because owners have not been able to move them from Winter moorings out onto their moorings on The Helford. When you want to get your boat onto its place on the pontoon can you let me know in advance and I will make sure that your berth is free. If you arrive and a boat is in your berth, can you moor up in an empty space, let me know and I will immediately move boats so that you are on your rightful berth.
The beach moorings are all laid out and ready for use, as are the trot and swing moorings. I have had a sudden flurry of interest from new boat owners looking for a mooring so if you have not returned a mooring application form and paid, please let me know what you would like to do for the rest of the season.
I removed a number of beach running lines over the winter so I will hang these at the appropriate points one the beach wall. Please can I ask that all beach moorings use sinking running lines, ensure that the line runs from bow to stern (and not off to one side) and that owners put buckets over their propellers when left.
Following Boris’ recent announcements, as from Wednesday 13th May, people are free to travel by car to the Club and use their boats provided that:
According to the RYA website, from Wednesday 13th May “unlimited outdoor activity will be permitted in England and this will include all forms of boating”. Gweek and Mylor Boatyards are now open and will start putting boats into the water from tomorrow. We have been open to locals throughout but from Wednesday we are open to boat owners travelling by car. Just be mindful of keeping your distance in the small car park.
The Bar and Restaurant remains closed but Mike and Nigel are running a Saturday night take-away service, taking orders from Tuesday. You should have got an email about this. Contact mike@pnyc.co.uk if you want more information.
The current changes are certainly welcome but it can be that subject to the R Number, the season could be further interrupted. We naturally hope that this doesn’t happen. So I guess we just go step-by-step and see what happens as the Summer Season unfolds.
One member looking for a small sailing dinghy to learn how to sail.
One member looking for a dory type boat – 13 to 16 ft.
And one member looking for a Shrimper 19ft or Cape Cutter 19ft or something similar.
The parking is reserved for people on the pontoon (who pay a premium), the holiday lets and for the bar and restaurant customers. Please please can you park in the village before going out on the water. Kayak, paddle board and dinghy owners might turn up when there is one inch of water, find an empty car park and think it’s fine just to leave their cars in the car park. But half an hour later when there is 2 ft of water, the other boat owners arrive and have no-where to park and unload. Telling people not to park is my LEAST FAVOURITE thing (along with finding dog poo bags put in our bins rather than the dog loo which is just opposite the bins).
We got a call from George’s son Russell on Wednesday to sadly let us know that, after quite a long illness, George died on Tuesday surrounded by his family. It was not Covid related.
George was a charming, smiling Scouser who absolutely loved the Helford and all things boating. The picture here encapsulates this kind man. Our thoughts go to Doreen and the whole family.
Russell has sent us a few words about George:
It’s with sadness I would like to inform you and all the boating crews of Port Navas YC that George Bibby, a face many have seen around the Helford River since 1979 has passed away. He had battled cancer for a few years but lost the fight. George quietly slipped his mooring and headed off on his final voyage late on Tuesday 19th May at home Devington Court Falmouth.
George’s log books recording the years spent on the Helford River and Falmouth Bay areas tell many a story of his dreams and passion for the sea coming true. He started off on the Helford owning a Kingfisher 22 “Rattler” then a 30Ft Catalac “Prowler” which some locals referred to as an aircraft carrier!! moored just off Port Navas Quay. On Retirement he moved to the dark side of boating and bought Motor boats “Helford Picket”, “Celtic Eagle” and finally “Picket”.
Both George and Doreen his wife spent many a winter evening in the yacht Club with new and Old friends, Plenty of banter with locals and Grockles! He was a proud holder of the YC Sailing Cup for a number of years in the early 80s and many races would have been crewed by his friends and family. He loved the Sea and all those around it. In his last years he joined the Nare Point Coast Watch team and still kept an eye on his passion.
Many younger Sailors may remember George as “Skip” from the years he gave to running the local Constantine Sea Scouts (now Helford Scouts).
From the family I would like to thank all the boating community he knew and loved for the friendships and memories you gave George over the years. He will be missed by many but remembered by all.
Russ Bibby
The pontoon and beach are completely full and for the first time since we took over, the trot moorings are full as well. Please be aware that there are pick up lines between Trots 1 to 8 and 9 to 15. We have put floats on all the lines to show you that they are there. Don’t get your engine caught up! The channel between Trots 10 and 11 is open and has no lines – just in front of Mivvy, the black MkII Shrimper.
The unclaimed inflatable on the wall of the shed has been claimed. And the Cornish Shrimper, Crevette, on the pontoon has been sold.
It’s been a frantic first week or so since the restrictions on boating were lifted. It’s been wonderful to see lots of people on their boats, kayaks and paddle boards enjoying the water and the amazing weather we have had. Please remember to keep your social distance from other people at the club. There seems to be huge differences between what people think of as 2 metres – I might be guilty of that myself. Here are a few pictures of the activity:
We have decided to serve twin markets as we go on to the next exciting stage of lockdown lottery. There are a good number of you who are tentative about going out to dine and there are some who cannot wait. We have therefore decided that we will continue to do a weekly takeaway, initially on Thursdays, and we will open a restricted restaurant on Fridays and Saturdays. These are temporary arrangements which may change at any time.
The menu for the takeaway will now be published on Monday morning and orders will be taken from 8am. A similar menu, with a few tweaks will then be used in the restaurant over the weekend.
I am afraid there are certain rules and regulations that must be adhered to by both us and you in order to safeguard both us, our staff and you, the customers.
There are 5 tables available to book in the restaurant and three tables available to book outside.
In the restaurant we can take three tables of two people only alongside the window with partitioning between them. There is a further table at the far end of the room and a table in the bar area which can accommodate up to a maximum of 6 people from a maximum of two households. Only diners with a reservation will be admitted to the inside areas.
The three tables outside can seat a maximum of 6 people from numerous households.
At all times, at all tables, both food and drink can only be ordered through a member of staff, and payment will be taken at the table, not in the bar.
In addition to these tables there are two small seating areas accessed from either end of the site which can be used by drinkers.
In order to maintain social distancing of two metres there will be markings laid on the ground outside. Within the building we can reduce this to one metre+ through mitigation. Staff will wear face coverings to protect themselves and you at this closer level.
There will be hand sanitising stations at each of the toilets and inside the restaurant entrance. Everybody must use them.
We cannot allow any congregating in pinch points at the site, so please use common sense and listen to any instructions from staff members regarding your safety.
We are told by Government, albeit with scant detail, that we will be required to take and keep personal data from all customers. There will be no slackening of this requirement and failure to comply will result in a refusal of service. Sorry! Members must bring their membership cards with them please.
Finally, in the unlikely event that we should experience inclement weather, tables booked outside may be subject to cancellation at short notice. Shelter cannot be taken inside.
We will endeavour to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Many thanks for your continued support. For reservations please call the restaurant on 01326 340065 or Nigel’s mobile 07779712457.
Mike & Nigel
Nare Point opened again on 25th May providing a watch keeping service 7 days a week from 09.00 to 17.00 covering the mouth of The Helford, Falmouth Bay and the Coastal Path. The 66 volunteer watch-keepers are now operating a full service inspite of having reduced volunteers and having to create a single-person watch rota due to Covid. A large part of their funding comes from raising money from collection boxes, supermarket collections, grants from regattas etc – all of which have been effected by the impact of Covid. In responce, NCI have set up their Nare Point 50-50 Club. You can buy tickets and/or set up a standing order to support the NCI and in return there is a regular draw where 50% of the money raised can be won back in the form of three prizes. For more details see www.nare.point.nci.org.uk
At the end of June there was a “tense” rescue situation as Simon and Charlotte Boote were forced to head back to the landing pontoon after engine failure. Turned out the pipe inside the fuel tank had fallen off, preventing any fuel from getting to the engine. 15 tools later, the offending vessel (the fuel tank) was back on the vessel (their dory) and off they went. It was very exciting for a moment. Thought I would have to rescue Ancasta Boats’ owner from his own boat !!!
The trot and swing moorings have been serviced by Seawide Services. We have removed trots 1 & 2 to give more room to the boats on the pontoon by the Clubhouse and have replaced them with two new swing moorings. Not before time, we have also added boards and fenders to the landing pontoon and the pontoons alongside the slip (see photo below). These will stop smaller boats getting stuck under the pontoon. I will be doing the same on the visitor pontoon section at the far end of the clubhouse. We are also widening the four thin fingers from two boards to three boards. Done one, three more to go. The club tender is next for a makeover (although I also have urgent plans for a Covid Haircut as soon as I can get an appointment).
We have more new boats than ever before – at least under our stewardship. So welcome to the crews of Jeanie, Obi, Auriel, Idler, Seaskate Fourteenn Crevette, Coburg, Scruffy, Sea Spray, Wagtail and a number of un-named boats.
The moorings are full, the holiday cottages are all booked in the village and from this week the Bar and Restaurant is open from Friday and Saturday for the season from 4pm, while the take away service will run every Thursday – see below for more details.
Not everyone has the same perspective on Covid so it is only fair that we all respect the social distancing rules and that we are polite and tolerant with each other. Instead of bunting The Club will be shortly be dressed in Covid related signs.
We have purchased a green marker (in place) and a red marker (to be placed) to make the channel to the Yacht Club more obvious. We have also added Max 6 Knots To Ferryboat just to re-emphasise the speed limits on the river. I think I ordered one size too big! When I measured it out it seemed to be the right width but I was not counting for the overall circumference and ended up with much bigger buoys than expected!
The last two “thin” fingers have been widened to three planks. I was hoping to get this finished early on in the season, so am delighted that it has finally been done as we draw towards the end of the season. Almost “drectly”.
For the observant amongst you, you might have noticed that there are three types of planking on the pontoon. Very Old. Very New And Sturdy. And Quite New But Thin. The QNBT planking was suggested as a better alternative by our wood suppliers. But because it is thinner, it has turned out not to be so robust. I have made a number of plinths out of this QNBT planking on which I have put cleats and rings. But now it is starting to split. So I will be replacing all of this with VNAS planking plinths. You live and learn.
We have increased our kayak storage from one to six this summer with the addition of racks on the pontoon but we don’t plan to have any more because we want kids to still be able to crab between the wall and the pontoons.
Mike and John, staying in The Lower Deck, have honed their skills as mullet fishermen and have landed lots before putting them back in the water. The heaviest was 4lbs. The trick, apparently, is to have some bread bags hanging off the pontoon and then once they arrive, to use a small pellet of bread on a small hook. So there you go…
Sadly we have learnt that a number of outboards have been stolen from the Ferryboat beach this morning (September 9th). They were cut off with bolt cutters. It was apparently done very early in the morning. All we can do it just keep our eyes out for any suspicious activity. Very sad.
We have decided to change the membership fee for next year, increasing it to £25 for the year. This reflects the fact that, at £15, it costs almost £2 a year in postage just to send out application forms and then membership cards to each member. I hope that this is acceptable. Mooring prices will not change for 2021 with the exception of charges for kayaks, paddleboards and inflatables which will be tweaked.
We have also made the decision to change the structure of memberships slightly for 2021. There will now be three kinds of membership:
At the moment, people can join the club for £15 for the year and then launch as much as they want. This has led to an increase in traffic and parking. So we are making the following changes:
Our aim is a) to reduce the traffic to the club of people just wanting to launch small craft b) charging them properly if they do want to do this. The public slip in the village, of course, remains a free alternative.
With 3 weeks left of the Summer Season, just a gentle reminder to all boat owners that moorings need to be cleared by 31st October. However, if you want to extend your stay, we can offer the cheapest Winter moorings on The Helford!
We have some pontoon spaces for the Winter and have done away with the minimum size of 17ft for the Winter. It’s £28.50 per foot or part thereof on the pontoon for five months – 1st November to 31st March 2021. The trot and swing moorings are £18 per foot and the beach is £15 per foot. We have two new 30ft + boats wintering on the beach this year in addition to the yachts of Geoff Dandy and Pete Osman so I’ll need to ask those on the beach not staying for the Winter to take their boats off by Saturday 31st October.
If you fancy a winter mooring and making the best of those lovely Winter and early Spring days on the comparatively empty Helford, drop us an email – admin@pnyc.co.uk Equally, we are happy to discuss “early starts” if people want to put their boats on the pontoon or on a mooring in February/March (this would be a monthly fee based on our Winter Rates).
For the first time since we took over, we have a waiting list for the pontoons, the beach and the trots for next summer. If you know you want the same mooring next year, or you know that you don’t, then I would really appreciate an email. The same moorings are yours again if you want them. The price, with the exception of kayaks and paddle boards, is the same as 2019 and 2020.
As per the last newsletter, membership for next year will be £25. Many thanks to those few members who have commented about this and said it is fine. Gawd bless ye. Equally we have luckily had no gasps of horror to the announcement and it’s too late for those now! We are sourcing recycled, cardboard membership cards for 2021 and exploring a way for people to fill in and submit membership forms entirely online, preferably directly via the website.
Our plans for the Club include:
The membership fees help enormously in getting these things done and Ant and I are really grateful for your kind support of The Club.
Along with the approach to winter, we will be having a clear out of the engine store in November. Can you make sure that everything you have in there is named? Anything un-named will be photographed and shown in the next newsletter and, if unclaimed, will be disposed of.
For those of you who love Julia Bradbury, I can report that you missed her last Sunday wearing a wetsuit and paddle boarding in the creek! She was recording a short segment on paddle boarding for her next series of Best Walks With A View for ITV.
15ft Boston Whaler Dauntless with 50 cc Yamaha Outboard – 1998
A cracking boat for the Helford. Includes a trailer. The boat is currently on the pontoon. Contact admin@pnyc.co.uk for more details. £7,850.
This week a local groundworks company installed a new drain across the entrance to the club in the hope that we can stop the continual flow of water and soil into the car park. I cannot recommend them more highly so if you have any need for groundworks contact Edd Jeffery – info@greenstonecornwall.co.uk.
They also sorted out the leaking mess of pipes on the corrugated shed so we now have one tap for the hose pipe and a separate tap for everything else. We look like the back of an old American fire truck. Now I just need to paint the shed and the doors……
With the help of my very old – as in long term – friend, Tim’ll Fix It, we have re-decked three more pontoons and I am in the process of adding non-slip strips down the middle. It all looks pretty good until you get to the bend in the pontoon and then you find the much older decking. So if you want to hop and skip along the pontoon to your boat, can you limit yourself to doing that on the new section!
Finally, the oversized red channel marker is now in place alongside its green friend. Thanks to Anna McLaren for her lovely photo.
We are now pretty much set for the Winter with Summer boats out and Winter boats in. We are delighted to welcome two lovely wooden yachts onto the beach – Wanderer II which was built in 1901 and Mystery which was built by the current owner’s dad.
If you are at a loss for things to do, how about a bit of varnishing? Mike North’s gleaming tender is an example to us all. Particularly me.
The membership for next year is £25 per adult. You can download an application form from the website. For ease, you can fill it out and take a picture/scan of the form and just email the picture to admin@pnyc.co.uk. We will then print out the form and send you membership cards. If you are paying online the details are: PNYC Ltd, 30-80-48, 51425568, Lloyds Bank
Please could you make sure that you include your name as a reference when paying so I know where the money has come from and ideally let me know that you have paid online.
We have introduced a Launching Membership for those who want to regularly launch small craft from the slipway or pontoon (ie paddle boards or kayaks). We have introduced this following a sharp rise in the number of people wanting to use paddle boards and kayaks. There is a public slip in the village which can be used for this purpose.
This year, with your kind support, we intend to do the following:
We will be in touch with boat owners early January about Summer 2021. We were completely full this Summer and have a waiting list for pontoon spaces and a small waiting list for beach moorings for the coming season. If you know you don’t want your mooring again, I would be grateful if you could let me know (admin@pnyc.co.uk) so that we can address the waiting lists. The mooring fees remain the same as 2019 and 2020 for all moorings with the exception of kayaks and inflatable dinghies.
It’s been an interesting year for PNYC and especially challenging for Nigel and Mike. Ant and I would like to thank them on all our behalves for keeping the bar and restaurant open during these challenging times and we hope that next year will be easier. As of yesterday they have had to cancel their New Year’s Eve feast due to us going into Tier 3 which is a great shame. We also had to cancel a lot of holiday bookings, both in the Spring, then in November and now over Christmas and New Year. But PNYC will be here in all its glory for 2021.
Dear all, we hope that you have had a lovely Christmas given the circumstances and we wish you all health, happiness and company for 2021. Roll on the vaccines and getting back to normal for one and all !
I can report that The Helford was beautiful on Christmas Day with the sun shining (see picture above) after what seemed like two weeks of constant rain. Grebe Beach had a steady flow of people coming down to enjoy the view and congratulations to all of the crazy people who swam. I can include our three kids, Elsa, Flora and Angus (their cousins) and my sister-in-law Vicky in that list. Ant and I chickened out.
Our thoughts are with Will Beattie, Jo and his family. Will has been seriously ill (not covid) prior to Christmas. We wish him a full recovery.
Every mooring has been spoken for. Thanks to those members that have returned forms and an even bigger thanks to those that have paid ! Please can I ask that all forms and payment for the Summer are in by 1st March at the latest to secure your mooring for another season. We have a waiting list of people looking for moorings. If you haven’t had an email from me about moorings, check your junk mail and then check in with me – everyone should have received at least one email about summer moorings. admin@pnyc.co.uk
We have two members looking for small tenders. One is looking specifically for an Anarth or Regatta.
There is another new member who is looking for a 20-22 ft fishing boat.
And finally, does anyone have a small inflatable they want to sell to a third member?
Thanks to all those who have so kindly joined for 2021. Your kind support is much appreciated. If you haven’t yet joined but would like to, you can download a membership form here: http://pnyc.co.uk/members/
If you were a member last year you can just email admin@pnyc.co.uk saying you want to join and that your details are the same and I will fill out the form on your behalf.
£25 per adult and the bank details are:
Port Navas Yacht Club Ltd
Lloyds
30-80-48
51425568
We have used up all our membership cards and am awaiting new cards which are 100% recycled and 100% recyclable. Once these are in, we will send out membership cards to those waiting for them. Thanks to member Jon Calvin Thomas who’s company have helped – http://lighthouseprinting.co.uk
With Seawide Services we are replacing all the trots and swing moorings this year. While the timing might be better, this investment has been on the cards for a couple of years as the lifespan of the existing stones was coming to an end.
We managed to remove all but four stones whose eyebolts parted. These stones can now have new eyebolts put on them and then be re-used. The suction of the mud was truly amazing and it took some careful pulling to get them out of the mud. The next step will be to drop a single length of very heavy chain from Trot 1 to Trot 15. The chain will be linked to three of the biggest granite stones, one at each end and a third at the “turning” point of the chain where it bends round. We can then fit the 15 riser chains and buoys at any point along the large chain, rather than having the riser chains fixed to the location of each stone. This will allow us the flexibility to choose the widths of the trots from time to time. We also removed a number unsightly old car tyres which had been used as markers for the stone. We’ll use some of the recovered granite stones to replace the swing moorings which have tyres filled with concrete.
As many of you may know, last year John Ford was diagnosed with motor neurone disease after a period of ill health. Fran, Pie, Finn and Euan are raising money for charity. Fran writes:
My 57 year old brother was diagnosed in March last year with this cruel disease. Since then he has lost weight, become progressively weaker and is now struggling to walk and talk.
We have been inspired by Kevin Sinfield running 7 marathons in 7 days for his team mate Rob Burrow, and want to raise as much money as we can for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, who have been helping us deal with this terrible progressive disease.
As a family we are going to travel the total distance of 7 miles for each of the 7 days, either by walking or Kayaking.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
Here’s a link to Fran’s Just Giving Page:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/frances-ford-dungavel
