The Children’s Trust have two Dorys for sale – dry viewing available weekdays and delivery options available. These boats have been regularly serviced and cared for. Please contact Children’s Sailing Trust on 01326 702326 or hello@childrenssailingtrust.org.uk
Also Knot Trailer KF20Z – see in left picture above. New 2020 and done less than 100 road miles. Available with the Plymouth Pilot or separately as a trailer for £1,500.
The 16ft Plymouth Pilot Poppa and the Westerly Aquila have both been sold.
Just another reminder that the Summer Season ends on Tuesday 31st October. All boats not staying with us for the Winter should be gone by then – any problems email admin@pnyc.co.uk . And may I ask that anyone who already knows that they DO WANT or DO NOT WANT the same Summer Mooring next week let me know by email as this does help with managing the waiting lists.
While most of Europe have had the hottest summer on record, we’ve have the worst July and August that I can remember, including the wettest July on record. At least the season has ended with some sun! I apologise about the lack of any recent newsletters – writer’s block. But a lot has been happening…..
Firstly Melissa and Sarah have gone through the Spring and Summer and are now entering the next Autumnal season. It has been fabulous having them, were feel very lucky and we have had so much great feedback. Ant and I are so pleased that they are with us and Melissa and Sarah have been really grateful for the fabulous support that they have received from our PN community and summer guests. Please continue to support them during the Autumn and Winter….
The new roof has been on for a few months now and only lacks a gutter. Just trying to sort out cheaper transport for this as the price quoted is £300 for a £600 gutter which seems a bit pricey.
The new outside space has taken rather longer than expected but it is really taking shape. It will definitely be ready for next year (!) and I am hoping that it will be finished by this October, just in time for some autumnal showers. We need to resurface the floor, sort out the steps and add bar stools. Johnny Vyvyan is seen here just testing a pint on what will be the bar. It held!
We have also had to dig up a bit of the carpark to put in a vent on our waste treatment plant due to some unpleasant smells emerging up the line in The Old Kiln. It should have been fitted with a vent in the first place but the guy who fitted it was one of worst people I have ever had to deal with.
We are thinking of doing an end of season race just before you put your fine vessels are put to bed for the Winter. The proposed date would be Saturday 21st of October – Trafalgar Day – provided we have enough takers. So would you let me know if you would like to enter a boat for the race – admin@pnyc.co.uk If we have sufficient numbers, we would book out the bar and restaurant and have a set menu for the event plus a little nautical quiz – note, it will be Trafalgar Day so this might be included in the quiz. The evening meal and quiz would go ahead even if weather forced us to cancel the race. If you are interested in racing a boat email admin@pnyc.co.uk
Tuesday 31st October is the end of the Summer Season and your boat should be gone from its mooring by then unless you are staying for The Winter. If you envisage any delays, please just email me in advance and we can sort something out. There will be the inevitable Cornish Cross Over as boats leave on 31st October and arrive on 1st November for The Winter but please bear with us for 10 days as we sort everything out.
If you WANT A WINTER BERTH, do let me know if you haven’t already. We offer very competitive rates with storage and you can use and work on your boats during the Winter Season – 1st November 2023 to 31st March 2024. Pontoon is £35 a foot with no minimum length. Trot, Swing and Beach moorings are £21.50 per foot.
If you know you DON’T WANT YOUR SUMMER MOORING FOR NEXT YEAR, I would be very grateful if you could let me know asap as we have a waiting list for all types of moorings.
Member looking for a very small inflatable tender – email admin@pnyc.co.uk if you have one for sale.
Lovely Saltram 18ft Motor Cruiser. 26 HP inboard diesel engine, extensively rebuilt 4 years ago and well
maintained. Small cabin with two berths. All new seals, alternator, new water pump, fuel pump and fuel tank. Injectors and injector pump factory re-furbished. Includes anchor, fenders, mooring ropes, stern boarding ladder and auxiliary engine mount. Fantastic family boat for The Helford. £6,500 or VNO. At PNYC. Email admin@pnyc.o.uk
Aquila, 26ft Westerly Griffin Mk 11. Built in 1982 with a bilge keel so perfect for taking to the mud/shingle at low tide. The original Buch 20 engine. Owned and enjoyed as a great family boat for the last 13 years. On her mooring just opposite The Clubhouse at PNYC. £8,000 ONO. Mooring may be available for new owner. Viewings welcome. Please contact admin@pnyc.co.uk
Immaculate Rowing Punt: Sedgemoor SB330 Prestigue, 11ft 6″. Handbuilt GRP simulated clinker hull, Iroko hardwood seats and trim, two sets of rowing thwarts, seats for four, 2 sets of ours and new launching trolley included. Bought as brand new for £3,252 in 2021 and used just a handful of times. Stored in garage and in immaculate condition. Yours for an amazing £2,500! Can be collected from PNYC. admin@pnyc.co.uk
Can’t quite believe it has been two months since we opened – and we are approaching the start of the summer season and all it brings! Now open four evenings (Thursday to Sunday), we are offering a bar menu from 4 pm each day and the full menu from 6 pm. Kitchen closes at 9 pm so don’t hesitate to call last minute for a table if you don’t feel like cooking! Sarah has been preparing a new menu each week – and melon, nectarines, tomatoes, basil, burrata, prawns and sashimi are featuring heavily. A particularly more-ish rosé cava has been the winner by the glass. And beers from all over the world (and some brewed right here in Ponsanooth) are being enjoyed in the golden sunlight. Bookings can be made either via email (book@pnyc.co.uk) or call us on 01326 340065. Or just pop in – outside tables are available for walkins, and perfect for a late afternoon drink and nibble. Kayak, drive or walk over – we look forward to seeing you soon!
Melissa, Sarah and the team.
Melissa and Sarah had their first evening serving food and wine yesterday. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine and a lovely turn out. Despite not having a working oven – see below – a range of fabulous small dishes were produced, along with an increased wine selection, and we all had a great evening. The bar and restaurant will be open from 4pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday going forwards. And once the oven is fixed, for Sunday lunches from 12-6pm and then will open more days as we move into the Summer.
Please book your table by emailing book@pnyc.co.uk
These are ready for you all. The beach has been laid out, the pontoon is ready for all your boats, the trot and swing moorings have all been serviced. If anyone wants to use the slip and our jet-wash (£10 for a session) to clean their bottoms, just let me know
You can also anti-foul on the slip. Please note that the club tender is now in a new position on the OUTSIDE of the landing pontoon – there is a sign on the pontoon.
So I will try to make this as short as I can.
Two weeks ago we got a gas company in to service the gas range. The chap arrived, took a quick look around and then promptly issued a notice to us and the Council stopping the use of gas – three hours before serving 24 people in the restaurant for a birthday party (thanks to Cate and Peter for use of their oven). Despite being in operation since at least 2011, apparently the gas bottles are not stored in a suitable place, the grill was too near the ceiling, there was an external pipe on the inside of the kitchen and we had a leak somewhere in the car park. He told us that since there was no-where obvious to store the 4 gas bottles (due to doorways, drains, the cellar and windows), and because we would have to dig up part of the car park, we should go electric. OK. So we went electric.
Ordered a new commercial electric range and a grill having been assured that all we needed was 3 phase power. Got that. All good.
So a week later the new electric equipment arrives along with an electrician to fit it. He looks at the fuse board and that is also all good (put in according to regs in 2017) but he then looks at our main supply and announces that, while we do indeed have 3 phase, in his view we need another supply cable and we need to talk to National Grid. They were really quick, unlike their proposed works. All we needed was to dig up Quay Road, getting permission from everyone in advance and giving the Council at least 3 months notice. And it was thousands of pounds. Oh, and when we unpacked the new electric oven we found that the on/off switch had sheared off in transit. At this point there was some considerable doom and gloom on my part.
However, our gas man arrived at that moment to remove the last of the gas pipes in the kitchen to make way for the new broken and redundant electric cooker. He overhead what was going on with National Grid and suddenly announced that, “oh, I suppose you could just move the 4 gas bottles up to the wall of the kitchen next to the shower, you wouldn’t have to dig up the carpark and then I could easily put a simple feed through the wall….” “Why the xxx didn’t you say that on your last visit!” was on all our lips. And remarkably, thanks to the broken on/off switch, we have been able to send back the electric oven and swap it with a shiny new gas one which is now in the kitchen waiting to be fitted next Thursday. So welcome to PNYC Melissa and Sarah. They have been amazing as this has all unfolded. But the future of the Bar & Restaurant is bright and electric AND gas!!!
Like London buses, at the same as the Kitchen Drama, we also had the Pontoon Drama. One of the retaining eyes sheared off and a couple of days later part of the linking section of the pontoon broke.
Roger at Helson Fabrications was brilliant and has fixed the offending parts and also welded new connection joints onto the landing pontoon that will hold it in place better than the older clamps which were prone to too much lateral movement. So it’s much better, is what I am trying to say. We are also getting new fittings to repair the twisted pontoon arm and a new, narrow pontoon arm at the village end of the pontoon.
Thanks so much to all those who have set up standing orders over the last two weeks or so. I will be leaving membership cards behind the bar for collection and I will drop you all emails to let you know. If you are reading this and haven’t joined for 2023, you can go to Member’s page on the website and set up a standing order or you can download a membership form from here.
http://pnyc.co.uk/members/ SCROLL down to set up a standing order….
Yes, we are also getting a new roof for the club house. This has arrived and is taking up a lot of the outside eating space so Johnny Vyvyan and I will be cracking on with fitting that asap. Would anyone like the old roofing sheets……!
A member is selling his small sailing boat which lives just round the corner in Abraham’s Bosum. Mike writes:
Moored locally for the last 5 years I am selling ‘Flisca’. This Cox Master Mariner 22 foot motor sailor was built in 1981. She is a very sturdy vessel, with dual helm positions and a fully enclosed deck house. She is triple keeled and takes to the ground easily, making her ideal for exploring the creeks and coastal waters. There is a comfortable cockpit with a fold-able table, good for the family day cruising and fishing trips all year round. Easy to sail single handed or motor (two sets of spare sails). A Garmin CHIRP 55 echoMAP Colour GPS plotter is fitted that includes integrated sonar/fish finder. The Yanmar 2YM15 diesel engine is meticulously self-maintained with the required tools and spares included. Economical and reliable with a large fuel tank so the motor range is in excess of 200 nm.
The accommodation and storage is surprisingly spacious for a 22ft vessel, the deck house has full head room containing the helm, a dining table that converts to a double bed, a gas stove/oven and sink. The forepeak contains two single bunks and considerable storage room. It is separated from the deck house by the Jabsco pump head and a hanging locker. Just out of the boatyard with the anti-fouling done and all the miscellaneous kit included to sail her away.
For more information and photos email admin@pnyc.co.uk The price has recently been significantly reduced.
Member looking to buy a 10ft (possibly up to 12ft) tender. Member looking for a good, 4-6 hp long shaft, 4 stroke outboard.
The tale of the disappearing Lower Deck bin might have been partially solved. I found another bin trying to make a break for the open sea last week courtesy of the wind. It had blown down towards the creek and was hanging in the bushes just above the waterline. I fear the Lower Deck bin must have fallen into the creek and taken off as there is literally no trace of it.
Ollie’s Birthday party at PNYC care of Kim…
Our very first hello to all the PNYC members – and thrilled to be typing out our inaugural announcement!
We are very much looking forward to meeting you all at the bar and restaurant in the coming weeks, and as Tom has mentioned bookings can be made on book@pnyc.co.uk.
A couple of curveballs (quite the norm during set-up of hospitality venues!) have occurred – the most major being an unexpected replacement of the gas stove…and a switch to an electric one. We will therefore be serving drinks and substantial bar food for the first weekend of trade – Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd from 4 pm. We will kick off as a fully fledged restaurant on Thursday 27th including Sunday roasts from the 30th.
We feel incredibly lucky to be working in such a special and beautiful place, and a big thank you to Tom and Ant for inviting us to a part of it.
Warm wishes, Melissa and Sarah
You’ll all be delighted, and perhaps a little surprised given the current weather, to know that Summer starts at PNYC this Saturday, 1st April. So all the Winter moorings need to be vacated by Friday 31st March. This does seem to have come as a surprise to a couple of mariners but it was ever thus. If you are not staying with us for the Summer, please can I ask that you move your boats off to their summer moorings by the weekend. If for any reason this is NOT possible, please can you let me know so we can discuss. Late leavers will be charged if they don’t let me know in advance!
There will be the inevitable hiatus for a week while boats are moved both off and on to the moorings. If you are trying to get your boat onto your Summer Mooring and there is another boat in the way, do let me know asap and we will sort it out. We will always have spots on the pontoon to house boats while we get everything sorted out so you will not miss a single day!
The Winter boats on the beach will be moved off by Thursday/Friday at the latest (two have already gone – see photo above) and I will get the beach laid out on Saturday.
It has been the worst early Spring for getting work done on your boat since I can remember. We don’t seem to have had those sunny, dry days that we have had in the past. If you want to use the slip to jet wash and anti-foul your boat you are welcome – just email me and we can fix a date. We have a jet-wash at the club which can be rented out at £10 a day.
If you had a Winter Mooring and would like me to reserve the same space for next year, then just let me know (if you haven’t already) and I will pencil it in for you and be in touch early September, at which point you can confirm that you do/don’t want it.
A huge thanks to all those that have so kindly supported Frantic Friday over the last few months. We really appreciate it and are now delighted to hand over to Melissa and Sarah from 20th April. Melissa and Sarah are taking bookings for food on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and for Sunday Roasts from 20th April – email book@pnyc.co.uk. More information will be posted on the website and a new Instagram page in early April.
With new tenants now in place, we are inviting all of our marvellous Social Members to renew their membership which remains at £25 per adult. We have set up a new standing order system via GoCardless and thank you to all those that have already signed up. This will allow you to set up a standing order and it will give you notice of the payment and time to cancel it, if you wish, each year. But once set up, it should all be automatic.
There have been a few teething problems and we apologise to all those caught up in that. We have now added an SSL (whatever that is) to our website which will stop the warning messages that some early adopters have had. And I would like to let you know that when you set it up, it can take a few hours before you get an email from GoCardless confirming that you have set it up. Don’t be tempted to try again straight away as a couple of people have set it up twice (although it is easy to cancel as well). So:
For ONE Social Membership go here:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PHG1JGB
For TWO Social Memberhhips go here:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PJWTNRE
For THREE Social Memberships go here:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PMRVX0V
For FOUR Social Memberships go here:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PMZG7GW
You can also do it the old fashioned way and download a form on the Home Page of our website under Membership Application 2023:
http://pnyc.co.uk
It is with HUGE delight that we can announce that Sarah Conway and Melissa Morrow will be taking over the lease of the bar and restaurant from Thursday 20th April. Sarah (chef) and Melissa (front of house) have some 35+ years experience in hospitality between them. They worked together in New Zealand for some 12 years before returning home to the UK and settling in Falmouth. For the last couple of years they have worked at places like The Meudon Hotel, The Muddy Beach Cafe in Penryn and Kernowine in Falmouth. This will be the first time they have owned the tenancy of a bar and restaurant and we are sure that you will give them every support! They live in Falmouth.
Initially they will be open:
Every Thursday evening for a fixed menu
Every Friday and Saturday evening for a full menu
Every Sunday for Sunday Roast – two sittings – from 12 noon to 6pm. (We have already booked a table for Sunday 23rd April )
And in the very busy Summer months – July and August – they will open 6 days a week.
You will be able to book tables using a new email address – book@pnyc.co.uk
We have been holding off on Social Memberships while we have been sorting out the new tenants. With Melissa and Sarah now in place, we are inviting everyone to renew their social memberships. We have committed to re-roofing the club, creating a new outside seating/eating area running parallel to the pontoon and installing solar panels to reduce our energy costs – all to be done by end of April. So your support as members would be very, very much appreciated!!! Melissa and Sarah will continue the 10% Members Discount on alcoholic drinks and your kind Social Memberships help towards investment in the club.
We have set up a system with GoCardless to allow for automatic renewal of social memberships – if you click on the link below it will set up an online standing order and you will get a reminder every year about payment – (you need to do nothing to automatically renew or you can cancel your membership when you get that reminder). Or you can go down the usual route of downloading a membership form from the website and emailing me a filled out form.
To set up automatic annual subscription for ONE member please use this link:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PHG1JGB
To set up for TWO members please use this link:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PJWTNRE
To set up for THREE annual Social Members please use this link
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PMRVX0V
To set up for FOUR or FAMILY membership please use this link:
https://pay.gocardless.com/AL00063PMZG7GW
Lee and Ann are looking for photos for the PN Calendar which does a great job in raising money for The Village Hall and The Regatta. Send your photos to….
info@leefrost.co.uk
The Children’s Sailing Trust are selling off a number of Dories – brilliant small boat for The Helford and it’s beaches – and a larger Atlantic Fisher. All these boats have been regularly serviced and looked after and should be great buys. You’ll also help CST in buying their next generation of instructor boats. You can arrange to view the boats at the weekend or during an evening or you can just buy one. Call CST on 01326 702326 or email hello@childrenssailingtrust.org.uk
So we (Johnny Vyvyan and me) opened up two sections of the roof and joy of joys – the joists that we can see all look totally fine and nice and big. The restaurant side had a completely non-breathable membrane over it which needs to be replaced while the bar side has no membrane at all – hence the possible leaks. There are also large voids where no insulation has been added. So we should be able to replace the roof in sections and fill the gaps as we go to finally end the draughts in the building. At least, that’s the theory! Ordering the material now and hope to get the job done by end of March.
So something very strange is happening with our bins. Firstly, one entire bin has simply disappeared! The Lower Deck bin, which was cleverly marked “Lower Deck”, has vanished. I have checked the small bit of land behind the bins and in the river and it isn’t there. Then to cap things off, BOTH padlocks on the other two bins refused to open and had to be cut off and replaced. One member with a small tender, who used to torment me by parking in the car park both when he didn’t have a mooring with us and then when he did, has promised (jokingly) to find new ways to test our patience – but I don’t think this is his work (CINK NOTDAL).
On the positive side, Dilys found The Old Kiln house keys in the village after a guest had dropped them from his car. So swings and roundabouts.
We are currently cleaning the moss off the roof of the club to investigate the three leaks that we have. The roof sheets are split in a number of places and have seen better days. As reported earlier, 30 solar panels are on their way (currently in the Med) from China to attempt to reduce our electricity bills but it would seem foolish to try to put them on a roof that is not in great repair. So we are getting a cost to replace the club roof with tin sheeting WITH BUILT IN INSULATION ! And at the same time we will extend the roof over the terrace on the water-side to make a new covered seating/eating area.
We have had our annual fire extinguisher. The nice guy servicing the extinguishers asked me if I had ever set one off – answer no. So here I am testing an old one. He offered me the chance to let off all 12 extinguishers in his van, including some foam ones which he said made a bit of a mess, but I just did the one. Must be getting old and boring.
We have sent out mooring forms by email to everyone who had a mooring last year. If you haven’t got the email, can you check your junk box and/or let me know and I’ll send another form. Prompt payment of fees would be much appreciated but please do not make them later than 1st March in order to secure your mooring for the Summer. If you DON’T want your mooring, please do let me know asap (if you haven’t already) as we have a waiting list for everything.
One large 16ft rowing boat is leaving the beach and we will remove this mooring to allow for more space.
On 1st April we will move the club tender to the outside of the landing pontoon next to the life-belt to allow Brian Spargo to keep his boat on pontoon No.1. After many years of climbing in and out of a tender, Brian would like to give his knees a bit of rest, although he remains our most active boat user, going out almost every day. Without any spaces becoming available on the pontoon this Summer, the tender will move. I will remind everyone again at the start of the Summer Season and will put some notices on the pontoon.
Please do remember to bail out your boats – it’s your responsibility not the club’s.
We had a fabulous evening with Brian Roper and family and friends celebrating his 92nd birthday. Brian was as ever full of smiles. It was great to share his birthday with him.
You can join for 2023 by emailing admin@pnyc.co.uk and if your details are the same just add SAME DETAILS. Annual membership remains £25.
Port Navas Yacht Club Ltd, Lloyds Bank, 30-80-48, Acc No. 51425568
Ant and I, with the kind help of Fran, Mike, Nigel and a small group of Bar Volunteers for Saturday nights, will keep the place open three nights a week – Thursday, Friday and Saturday – until the end of April.
We realise that the bar and restaurant is at the centre of the club and, as I write, we don’t have tenants in place from May. We are actively reaching out on various websites etc to find a suitable tenant. The tenancy doesn’t come with accommodation and therefore we need to find tenants who are based locally in Cornwall. We are hopeful that we can find the right tenants as it’s a great opportunity – to earn a reasonable income (especially in the Summer), work part-time either side of the Summer and have the option to take 2/3/4 months off every Winter (when Ant and I can run a reduced schedule). It’s also a beautiful place to work and we are lovely landlords!
So…
If you would rather defer your membership until we have new tenants, we totally understand.
We opened the bar last week after a couple of weeks off and unfortunately found two leaks. These can be added to the leak in the gents. The roof, which Brian Roper says is the same roof that was put on the clubhouse when it was built in the 70’s, might be giving up the ghost. I have spread some moss killer over the roof to remove that and then we’ll take a closer look at the roof.
As reported in the last newsletter, we have committed to fitting solar panels on the roof in order to reduce to some extent the terrible electricity bill. They are en-route from China – like so many things! But it would seem foolish to put solar panels onto a leaking roof that might need work. We have two roofing people coming to have a look. Of course, we don’t know what we’ll find under those rather lovely concrete corrugated sheets, including the state of the roof beams. What we do know is that the whole clubhouse is incredibly draughty and lacking in insulation. We will keep you posted.
We would like to wish joyful Jeff and terrific Tiffa Meadows every happiness in their new home up-country. We are very, very sad that they are leaving our community and we hope that they will return to visit. Jeff has been incredibly kind in helping us with the website for which I am eternally grateful. I will also miss his world class bridge playing.
We hope you had a good Christmas and here’s to 2023 at Port Navas and on The Helford.
We are very sorry about the slight uncertainty in regards to the Bar and Restaurant. We totally understand that for Social Members this is a major part of being a member at the club. We assure you that we will do our best to get a quick resolution. We were so pleased when we thought we had solved the hand-over last August. The plans of mice and men….!
Happy New Year
Tom and Ant
We are planning a communal Beer, Rugby and Pasty event for the following matches:
These will be a fixed price including food and need booking in advance via admin@pnyc.co.uk
These will be sent out by email in the first week of January. As announced earlier this Winter the new fees are on the website. The pontoon and the beach are both full for Summer 2023 (unless we get someone suddenly not wanting their mooring again) and we have waiting lists for all types of moorings. There may be some trot and swing moorings available. If you know you DON’T want your mooring again please could you let me know asap if you haven’t already told me.
Our wonderful Race Captain, Rob Templeton, is keen to organise a group sail over to Falmouth or St Mawes for a Sunday pub lunch to blow those Christmas and New Year cobwebs off. If you fancy getting your boat out for the day in Jan/Feb and going by sea to a local pub for lunch and then back to PNYC for an early evening night cap, then drop Rob and me an email: racecaptain@pnyc.co.uk and admin@pnyc.co.uk
We have invested in solar panels for the Clubhouse in an attempt to reduce some of the crippling electricity charges which have gone up 365% for the next 12 months. These will be fitted in February.
So, another summer season on the glorious Helford is coming to an end. If you’re moving your boat off for the Winter, please can you do so by Monday 31st October. If you don’t think you’ll be able to do that for any reason, please do let me know in advance and we can see what we can do. Otherwise boats will be charged for overstaying their welcome!
We have more boats wintering on the beach than ever before so I will have to make sure that the beach is pretty much cleared by 31st October at the latest. This might mean me moving boats onto the trots or the pontoon the week before when spaces become available – ie from 22nd/23rd October. I hope this is ok with those on the beach and I will of course let you know in advance if moving you is necessary. But we guarantee that you will be on a mooring until 31st October if you want to be!
If you want a Winter Mooring at PNYC please let me know asap as we are filling up.
I am afraid that we have been faced with a massive increase in electricity costs. From 17th November 2022 our electricity bill has gone up 655% !!!! And that includes a 10% loyalty discount. Obviously the Government scheme has reduced that by about half but we have yet to hear from our suppliers about the standing costs and it is literally impossible to contact anyone at their call centre. So after Government aid, about a 340% rise in electricity costs. And gas for cooking has also massively increased.
This has sadly impacted on Brendon and Sarah’s plans to run the bar and restaurant. With a huge increase in electricity and gas, and in the face of rising costs across the board, Brendon and Sarah have pulled out of opening the bar and restaurant in January. We totally understand this decision. We know that the current climate is affecting a lot of the hospitality industry across the board and opening up a new venture in this environment is extremely challenging. We are looking at ways of reducing our electricity bills such as installing solar panels, reducing the usage of power (such as running the waste treatment plant 3 hours on and 3 hours off instead of 24/7) and investing in some more efficient machinery.
We will continue to talk to Brendon and Sarah but at the moment the bar and restaurant faces an uncertain future next year. We will keep you posted.
While the Winter fees for 2022 remain unchanged, we are going to increase our mooring fees for Summer 2023 and onwards:
This equates to a 7% increase for the pontoons and trots. The increase for beach moorings is greater but we are planning to lose two more spaces on the beach to give you all more room as people leave. The increase for 10ft and under and for inflatables is £50 but it still represents good value for a seven month season. Kayaks remain unchanged.
With this in mind, if you know now that you want the same mooring again next summer (or if you don’t want it) it would be fabulous to know asap as we have waiting lists for all types of moorings. I won’t send forms out until next January and payment for the Summer will be due not later than 1st March 2023 – although earlier payment is much appreciated!
We had a cracking days racing last Saturday. 10 boats in 3 classes with stunning weather, choppy seas and a good breeze. It was a race around The Manacles and back, some 10 nautical miles. Two out of three of our own boats were working so Finn and I were the committee boat, equipped with a working radio for once, and Iain McLaren and Ant were out on a rib as safely boat. A huge thanks to Iain for his time and help and enthusiasm. It was fabulous to see a line of PNYC boats racing in the beautiful light.
The Sprat Class was won by Don and Pauline Garman in Mary Ritchie with Aquila, Cicada and Susan J.
The Pilchard Class was won by Ian Tolchard and Michael Gardiner in Emmet withYemanja, Mormendill and Carrie Maid.
The Mackerel Class was won by Roger McDonald and Anna McLaren in Mirri withLindy.
The overall winner after handicaps was Roger McDonald and Anna McLaren in Mirri.
The race was followed up by a tasty curry and drinks in the club courtesy of Nigel and Mike and a quiz.
Thanks so much to all those that took part, on the water and at the club. And huge thanks to our fab PNYC Race Captain, Rob Templeton, for helping to get the race set up and for working his magic with the handicap system. It must only be a matter of time before the mighty Cicada (19ft yellow hull above) wins on handicap!
If anyone is looking for a tender – inflatable or hard hull – then let me know as a number of people responded to the request by a member who was looking to buy a tender in the last newsletter.
Beautiful 16ft Clovelly Picarooner with loose fitted lug rig. Great day boat for up to 6 people.
A fine example of a Clovelly Picarooner, Otter was built by Martin Heard of Tregatreath Yacht Yard, Mylor in 1994. She was completely rebuilt by boatbuilder Reece Jacobs in 2021. Includes new 2021 cover, trailer, oars, small inflatable tender and outboard. You can also retain the PNYC mooring should you wish. £5,500 ONO. For more details contact Tom at admin@pnyc.co.uk
As we enter our final three months at Port Navas we thought we should just send out an update of our opening times and exit plans.
We are currently open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6pm. As usual, if you wish to book a table for restaurant food, please book in advance. The limited bar snack menu will continue to be available for a quick bite to soak up the beer. Incidentally, we are very sad to hear of the demise of Skinners Brewery who have supplied us with our draught ales for the last five years and given us great support at the regatta and always got us out of a hole when necessary. Let’s hope someone buys them out of administration and runs with the ball. In the meantime, we’ve had to act fast and will be offering Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale over the next two weeks at least.
We will be closed on the weekend of November 17, 18 and 19th. Mike and Helen jet off to Boston and Nigel and Debs are in London for a rock concert twice postponed over COVID.
As Tom stated in his last newsletter our final weekend will be the 15, 16, and 17th of December when we will be offering a much-shortened menu, with pre-ordering obligatory to avoid food waste. We are already fully booked for the 16th and 17th. The Club will then be closed until Brendan and Sarah open up in 2023.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Mike & Nigel
It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of David Lloyd a few weeks ago. He will be a huge loss to all those who were lucky enough to know him. He was a charming, enthusiastic, funny man who loved talking with people of any age. A great raconteur, Lloydy spent 6 years in The Welsh Guards and then 25 years at Lloyds. But, as was said at his lovely funeral, he should have been an actor! He moved down to Cornwall in 1996 and became a wonderful part of our local community.
He was my friend, and, like so many of you reading this, I think the world is poorer for his absence. We will raise a beer, in a mug with a handle, at our next Trengilly Bridge game. We lowered our flags to half mast when we heard the news which would have made him laugh. “My dear boy!” he would have said.
2005 Laser Pico for sale. Excellent condition. Comes with launch trailer and jib sheet. Complete new rope set fitted plus new foot straps and centre straps. Trailer has been refurbished – no rust. £750. Can be delivered to PNYC pontoon from Helford.
As most of you know, Mike and Nigel are ending their tenancy of the Bar and Restaurant this December. Their last night will be Saturday 17th December. They will have been at the club for 5 years and Ant and I would like to thank them publicly for helping us to keep PNYC going and growing. We couldn’t have done it without their help and support and it has been a pleasure working with them and their families for the last half a decade!
We are delighted to formally announce that Brendon and Sarah Howson will be taking over the lease of the Bar and Restaurant from January 2023. Brendon and Sarah run The Oyster Catcher gift shop in Mawnan Smith. Prior to coming to Cornwall with their two teeenagers, they ran a very successful National Trust tearoom and restaurant in Devon. What was particularly nice for us was that they approached us the moment they heard that Nigel and Mike where hanging up their tea towels. They would describe themselves as cooks rather than chefs. They plan to be open more hours in the Summer season and are looking to open for Sunday lunches in the off season.
From Sarah and Brendon:
Hello! We are so excited to be taking on The Bar and Restaurant in early 2023. For us it is a privilege to be continuing on from Nigel and Mike. We wish them a very happy future. We are Brendon and Sarah (some of you may already know us from The Oystercatcher gift shop in Mawnan Smith). We both come from catering backgrounds and we set up and ran a very busy tea room as National Trust tenants for 10 years before our move to Cornwall. With the help of our two teens, we can’t wait to welcome you all with open arms to the Bar and Restaurant.
We have so many plans and ideas and we’re looking forward to serving you delicious meals, snacks and drinks from the beautiful and unique setting we all love in Port Navas. We’re busy sourcing the best of Cornwall’s produce from local suppliers for new and seasonal menus to serve to you in a warm, welcoming setting. Hope to see you join us in the New Year!
The UG (Uncle Giles) has had a major make-over.
Please can you make sure that when tying up the club tender you make sure that the bow can’t go under the pontoon! Within less than a week of doing our repairs on the tender, she was tied up in such a way that the bow got trapped under the pontoon and it broke the wooden prow. We have also put up a sturdier kayak rack, replacing the wooden contraction that I made a couple of years ago but which has not stood the test of time. We have also added some new planters at the entrance and a few hanging baskets with herbs, cleverly choosing one of the hottest periods in our history. All the plants are now looking a little sad.
We are sorry to announce the death of lovely Pat Cross a few weeks ago. Pat was 93 and came to the club for dinner just a week or so before suffering from a stroke from which she didn’t recover. She was a charming, graceful lady who was both interesting and interested. There is a lovely piece about Pat on the PN Website – portnavas.com/pat-cross/ Our thoughts are with David and Carol Cross.
We are a bit down on previous years, partly because I think the Covid lock-down had an effect from which we haven’t quite recovered. It may also be partly my fault for not pursuing members! And while on the Admin Front, if you have paid and have not had your membership cards, please do let me know. There are a number of membership cards awaiting collection behind the bar.
On a personal note, I can report that our own fleet of boats have gone from three out of three not working to two out of three up and running. This has revolutionised our use of the water as a family. I can recommend regular servicing and turning the engine over at least once a week – not something that we have found time to do despite being down at PNYC almost daily. I can see some salty dogs shaking their heads as they read this.
Member looking for 10ft tender.
The Regatta took place a few weeks ago and was a great success. Thanks to all those that came and to all those that helped to make it happen. There are photos and videos on the PN Website – portnavas.com/regatta/regatta-2022/ We also have pictures of all of the winners getting their cups so if you want a copy just drop me a line.
The committee is looking for a couple of new committee members who want to take an active part in next year’s regatta. And we are always looking for additional volunteers to help the week before the regatta to help with setting up and for volunteers who are happy to give us a hour or two on the actual day manning games and stalls. If this might be you, please email admin@pnyc.co.uk.
The new Summer Season has arrived. Along with occasional flurries of snow and sleet!
Many thanks to the Winter beach yachts who have all returned to their Summer moorings. Lovely to have you over the Winter. The beach is now empty and I have put out orange line to mark out the running lines. Please use SINKING line (which makes it easier for others to get in and out) and please remember to put a bucket over any outboard to protect it and other boats.
With regards to the pontoon, it might take a little longer to get everyone into their correct place as we still have a couple of Winter boats with us. But there is space for everyone who wants to get on now – just let me know you are coming and we will sort out a place, even if it is not your full time Summer mooring. Should be all sorted by the end of this week. 
We are waiting for Seawide Services to service all the swing moorings. I have serviced the trot moorings. Please remember that there are lines between all the navy blue trot moorings with yellow pick up buoys, so try not to cross them or you will get caught up. There is no line over the channel just to the stern of Mivvy, the lovely black Mk1 Crabber. New navy blue trot buoys are on order to replace the motley collection of 4-5 mixed buoys that we had to use last year – it was impossible to get new ones last year due to Covid and supply issues.
Early commendations to Kurt and Lucy’s Mivvy and Reece and Emma’s Otter for their immaculate condition! And a mention for Dan’s Faith too. Our two boats, needless to say, are not working at present.
Please come and join us! It’s £25 for the year with 10% off your alcoholic drinks and our huge thanks for your help in supporting The Club. If your details are the same as last year, just email admin@pnyc.co.uk and write SAME DETAILS and confirm that you have paid. Pay online – PNYC Ltd, Lloyds, 30-80-48, 51425568. If you are a new member, you can download a form from the website:
http://pnyc.co.uk/members/
We are looking for volunteers to help repair, clean, sand and paint the 5 Sailing Trust Regatta Dinghies which we use for The Regatta. Would plan to spend one day just up the road at Henry Collin’s farm and to do a group “blitz”. We would pick a date in May that works for the most people volunteering.
We had a lovely afternoon and early evening watching Ireland vs Scotland and then France vs England on the final day of The 6 Nations. It started very badly when my laptop was not allowed to share the screen on our big TV thanks to a new bit of ITV software (when previously it worked perfectly). There was almost a riot but huge thanks to Emma White who rustled up an old laptop which then plugged straight into the TV and away we went, 20 minutes into Scotland vs Ireland. Food followed the first game and then unfortunatley we had to watch the better team, France, beat England. But it was great fun to share the pain with others.
Red Hot – Seawolf 26ft. Built 1983. Bilge Keel, Bermudan Rig, 8HP Yamaha IGM Diesel, 4 berths in two cabins. More details on application. £8,000 ONO. Contact admin@pnyc.co.uk
We have a member looking for a 5-6 hp outboard to be used as an auxiliary engine for a Plymouth Pilot.
We have put up some new lighting in the car park – just in time for the Summer! But hopefully it will help in those dark Winter months. We have also almost finished painting the corrugated shed. Drekly this month we will start building the new outside “bar” space running along the side of the restaurant. We will have to block off access to that area during the works for health and safety reasons – don’t want anyone falling onto the pontoon below. This should provide a lovely, covered area with 15-18 bar stools looking out over the creek and with full sun for most of the day.
If you can keep out of the Easterly winds, it certainly is very spring like this week. You could even catch the last of the sun on the outside tables on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. To make it more attractive, we will be resuming a bar snack menu for outside this week, so if you are pining for Mike’s dirty fries with beef & chorizo chilli, or a bowl of crayfish fries, then this is the place to be.
Mike and Debs will also be bringing some lighter Spring dishes onto the restaurant menu over the next couple of weeks so have a look at this week’s menu and give us a call if you would like to book a table.
To book a table 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
We have a temporary tender (red hull, white inside) on Pontoon No.1 while we do some well-needed repair work on The UG (Uncle Giles).
If you are a returning member, just email admin@pnyc.co.uk saying JOIN – SAME DETAILS and we’ll register you.
If you’d like to become a PNYC social member for 2022 you can download a membership form, fill it out and email a scan or photo of the form to admin@pnyc.co.uk
Membership costs £25 per adult for the calendar year. Payment can be made online: PNYC Ltd, Lloyds Banks, 30-80-48, 51425568. Or cheques/cash can be left at the club or posted to Helland House, Treverva, Penryn, TR10 9BP.
We are indebted to all our members, boat and social, because with their help we are able to improve the club for everyone. This year, with your kind help, we plan to create a covered bar area along the water side of the clubhouse as well as re-decking the final pontoons and improving the car park lighting. Members get 10% off their alcoholic drinks, this dodgy newsletter, the right to fly the club burgee and our eternal thanks!
Mike and Nigel have decided to do one more year running the Bar and Restaurant and will be stopping in December 2022 at a date to be announced. They will have been with us for 5 years, including two challenging years of Covid lockdowns, limited openings, facemasks and sanitiser. We are extremely grateful to Mike and Nigel and their families for helping to get PNYC back on an even keel after a challenging time with their two predecessors. But until December, things will carry on as per normal.
We will start to look for a double act (front of house and kitchen) to follow them and are happy to hear about any interested parties.
Many thanks to all those boat members who have filled out and returned paperwork AND made payment. Much appreciated. Could I remind all those that haven’t done this, that both paperwork and payment should be with us no later than 1st March for your Summer Moorings which start on 1st April. We have a waiting list for all the moorings (pontoon, trot, swing and beach moorings) so if they are not secured with paperwork and payment by 1st March we will start to offer them to those that are waiting for moorings.😃
It has come to our notice that our lovely Race Captain, Rob Templeton (4th in from the left), hit the Falmouth Packet headlines with a dramatic helicopter sea rescue a few weeks ago. On 24th January, while out on a training flight, the RNAS Culdrose based Merlin heard a garbled radio distress message from a capsized kayaker in Coverack. The helicopter was only 5 minutes away and Rob was already kitted up to go down on the winch for an exercise.
“This was actually the first time I’ve ever done this” said Lt Rob Templeton to the Falmouth Packet, “It was a team effort and we all worked well to make sure that it had a successful outcome.” Matt Rogers, Team Leader at The Maritime & Rescue Coordination Centre in Falmouth said: “It is a great example of how we operate as one big team when it comes to search and rescue – the navy crew were happy to offer their services and we were happy to receive them.”
In replying to my excited email, Rob wrote, “It wasn’t very daring, poor guy had fallen out while fishing….”. Rob has turned down my offer of promotion to Racing Commodore at the time of writing. But well done Rob and the crew.
Local scallop fisherman, Tom Flatt, bought in some Manacles urchins recently and Mike immediately decided to serve some up. Unsurprisingly to many, it was not my cup of tea. There are, however, plans afoot to fix a date when Tom can come onto the pontoon with his boat and the Bar and Restaurant can serve some hand picked scallops (and chips) fresh from the Helford River. We will announce the date in due course but it will be later in the Spring with the warmer weather.
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.
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
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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 !!!
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’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.
