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Archived News Items 2011 updated 16Mar12

Items that have been on the News page but are no longer current are generally transferred to an archive.



On Wednesday 28th December the bar will not be open.

A large part of the website has been replaced using updated software; if there are any problems please let the webmaster (Richard Cannon 01932 786636) know using the link in the banner or phone.

On Wednesday 21st December 16 members enjoyed  seasonal nibbles; mulled wine, cocktail sausages, pizza, mini scotch eggs, sausage rolls, bacon and cheese frittata, cheesy garlic bread, mince pies. Many thanks to Nigel for organising, providing the nibbles and manning the bar.

On 11 December 38 members enjoyed a super traditional (not cheats because turkey) Xmas lunch organised by Rodger Wheeler; more.  

On 3 December 39 members attended the AGM, prize giving and party. Rodger Wheeler replaces Tony Hopkins as Commodore with the rest of the Officers unchanged.

In his first year sailing Frank Goodall has made extremely good progress and won 7 of the 9 trophies. Hover over thumbnail for larger picture.

 Diana Carpenter and helpers provided excellent food for the party with mulled wine prepared by Joan Walkden aOn Wednesday 21st December the bar will be open from 8pm as usual BUT there will also be seasonal snacks/nibbles, mulled wine etc.

On Sunday 11 December the Cheats Christmas Lunch will be held in the clubhouse at 12:30; booking essential. Details.

On 4 December the weather forecast is reasonable and the patrol boat will be manned from 11am until sailing finishes if anyone would like to sail. This will probably be the last day the patrol boat will be manned this year.

On Saturday 3 December the AGM, Prize giving and End of Season Party will start at 7:30pm for 8pm. This is our most important meeting of the year where the future administration of the club is discussed. Details.

The 27th November was a super sailing day, warm with a West force 3 to 4 wind. It was excellent for the 26 members at the working party and lunch so there wasn’t any sailing. Over 20 tasks were completed.

On Sunday 27 November there will be a Working Party from 10:30 am onwards There's plenty to do outside and inside the club; a priority will be clearing upstream moorings & trailer park. Lunch will be provided for THE WORKERS. Bring old clothes, gloves, gardening gear etc. Boats and covers will need to be made secure for the winter.

On 19 November 39 members enjoyed a delicious Annual dinner.

On Saturday 19 November don’t miss the Annual Dinner at the Club. Details, Menu and Booking form (PDF), booking essential.

 13 November is the last sailing day on the program but if conditions allow there will be duty officers to organise sailing beyond this date; races will be allocated to the TFC (Training, Fun, Cruising) series.

To avoid needing lights on the patrol boat and members putting their boats away in the dark the 2nd afternoon race will start soon after all boats finish the 2pm race for the rest of the season. Tea and cakes will be after the end of sailing.

On 5 November there will be a visit to Fire Works at Kempton Park, the largest display in Greater London, then soup & victuals at the Club. Tickets in advance from http://www.kemptonfireworks.org.uk/ are £6 or £8 on the night. Alternatively Richard Cannon can also obtain advance tickets from a local shop, ring 01932 786636 by Friday 4 November. Meet and park at Richard's house, 77 Saxonbury Avenue, Lower Sunbury, by 7:00pm for a short stroll to Kempton Park, Map.  

21 Oct The Autumn Newsletter, PDF is on line. There is also a story about what happened to a company commander in Afghanistan (Steven’s Story pdf) this can also be accessed from the top menu by More>More>Stevens Story.

14 October The downstream launching ramp has suffered under the weight of the Bosuns and needed major refurbishment. Having completed the upstream launching ramp Bodgit, with help from others, have a major heavy engineering task rebuilding the downstream ramp. Picture by Mike Baker. More pictures in web album.

   


On Saturday 8 October there is a Swinging 60s evening with a supper;  7:00 for 7:30pm. Booking essential, details.

On 4 September there was added interest with the annual veteran cruise of Dunkirk Little Ships passing; around 15 ships built between 1920 and 1938. Hover over thumbnail for larger picture.




Weed removed from the propeller of the patrol boatThe Patrol boat was completely disabled by a massive amount of weed around the propeller.

On Monday 29 August the visit to Bewl Valley Sailing Club by 12 members with 7 boats was perfect. It was a fine cool day with a shifty W to NW 8 to 15knt wind. There was enough wind for the experts to enjoy some planing but was easily managed by our novices. The bank holiday traffic was light and the travel time from and to AQSC was only 75 minutes.

On Monday 29 August there is a visit to Bewl ValleyBewl Water arial view Sailing Club for Family sailing and cruising. It will be an excellent opportunity for members to experience a relaxed day sailing on a large expanse of open water. You don’t need to have a boat to bring and it should be a super experience for new members. If you think you may come it is important to ring Richard on 01932 786636 to help plan boats required. General Bewl details.

At AQSC on the previous day, Sunday 28 August, there will be training for new members, fun sailing and packing boats to take to Bewl.

A patch of weed, picture by Dave Jennings22Aug Weed is causing a lot of problems; it extends several boat lengths out from most of the bank and completely stops a boat. There are also patches in the middle of the river.  Stuart Schafer and Brian Clements have dragged and raked a huge volume out but there is a lot more and they would appreciate help by other members.

20 Aug Additional Lockers have been installed in the foyer and the ladies changing room; details.

On Saturday 10 August there is a Gilbert & Sullivan Evening, Pinafore Pirates of Titipu, at 7:30pm.

On Sunday 24 July the next races in the youth series take place at 2pm. There will be 2 short races and all our younger members are encouraged to take part. There will also be training and tips etc. from 1:15. The series has been extended as some races were postponed.

Mudeford Week is in Christchurch Harbour from 30 July to 5 August. It is a family oriented regatta aimed at the not too serious competitor and has a mixture of Series racing, fun races and a variety of social events to suit all ages and tastes. Details Please let Tony Hopkins (Tony Hopkins email) know if you may be going. No one went.

Mon 25 July Committee meeting at 8pm.

21 July The Summer Newsletter, PDF is on line.

From 20 July until at least the end of August we will have someone on duty from 3.30pm to man the safety boat and help with Wednesday afternoon "fun and training" sailing. The "old timers" may be able to give you a few "tips and tricks". We look forward to seeing you.

Sunday 10 July is the 2nd day of the regatta. NOTE the Hampton Court flower show is on and this can cause wide spread traffic problems; suggested routes map.

On Saturday 9 July there is a Signet Open Meeting and AQSC Regatta, details, Signet Open Meeting Notice of Race. Don’t miss the Hog Roast/BBQ at 7:30 pm Saturday; save by booking and pay by Wednesday 6 July. Booking form PDF (80kb, 30kb).

On Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June all AQSC members are invited to the Hampton SC regatta. Racing at Hampton SC isn’t suitable for novice helm and on Sunday the patrol boat will be at AQSC for those who would like informal sailing and training. HSC regatta details

On Saturday 18 June there is an afternoon of activities for younger members. The emphasis is on having fun; a change of clothing and a towel is a must. All are welcome, and youngsters are invited to bring a friend; if not a member then they must bring along a consent form (PDF document) signed by their parent/guardian. Postponed due to a bad weather forecast.

On Wednesday 15 June there is a Mid Summer Day Cruise. The cruise will depart from the club at about 6.00 pm. The plan is to cruise/sail up through Sunbury Lock to the Weir Hotel at Walton for drinks and supper. Places in the patrol boat are limited so if you would like to go in it please contact Richard Cannon asap.

On Monday 30 May there is a visit to Bewl Valley Sailing Club. There is no racing and it is an excellent opportunity for members to experience a relaxed day sailing on a large expanse of open water. You don’t need to have a boat to bring and it should be a super experience for new members. If you think you may come it is important to ring Richard on 01932 786636. General Bewl details.

On Sunday 29 May there will be training for new members and fun sailing; there will probably be some racing. Please support our new members.

Cirrhosis of the River cruiser25 May For sale Sold Birchwood 25 soft top motor cruiser; details




On Sunday 22 May it was extremely windy for the Open day; visitors couldn’t be taken sailing but were taken out in the patrol boat. Robert Britton was the only member to sail, a Laser, and was very entertaining. Photos, video. Note that Photos and Videos are also in the ‘More’ menu in the banner.

On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May, 10:30 to 17:00, everybody is invited to the Aquarius Sailing Club Open Weekend to have a look at the club and experience FREE sailing in a dinghy or cruiser. You should bring spare clothes in case you get wet. Details poster (PDF file 30kb). Club details. Road works in Thames Street, Hampton, may cause problems with access to Lower Sunbury Road at the traffic lights. Diversion via Harefield Road. Ignore road closed signs in Lower Sunbury Road.

The next Management Committee meeting is on Monday 16 May 2011.

On Saturday 14 May there will be a working party from 10:30am to 4pm; lunch provided.The principal task is to clean and tidy the Clubhouse and site generally in preparation for the Open Days the following weekend. Bring work gloves, gardening tools etc.

On Saturday 7 May at 11:00 there was no wind for the Mid-Thames Trophy inter club event at Littleton SC. Story. Results. AQSC Web Album Pictures. More on the SigneT Association picture gallery

   

On Saturday 7 May the Mid-Thames Trophy inter-club event takes place at Littleton SC. The first race is at 11:00 with a briefing at 10:30; allow plenty of time to rig.  Notice Of Race and Information Poster as PDF files. Please support this important event to help AQSC regain the Trophy. Please let Richard Cannon know on 01932 786636 if you expect to come.

 For the non sailors there is a visit to The Savill Garden, Windsor Great Park, with lunch at the restaurant in the car park. Leaflet (PDF), details. This is a bit different from what was published in the newsletter and in the program.Nigel and Gordom working in the river

   28April Bodgit & Associates have done a great job improving the launching ramp which involved a lot of discomfort working in the river. More.

28 April Peter Clayton

It is with great sadness that I must report the death of Peter Clayton. Peter and Georgina had a Thames Water berth with their cruiser Cirrhosis of the River. Peter was a great character and also a staunch supporter of the club bar. He will be sadly missed. His funeral will take place at Hanworth Crematorium (South West Middlesex Crematorium) on the 5th of May at 4.00pm. No flowers but donations to the Princess Alice Hospice would be appreciated. Google Maps

25 April ‘More’ has been added to the Banner Menu; when you move the mouse over it a pop-up menu displays and as the mouse moves over items more may display (it uses scripts).

Our Commodore has created an Aquarius SC Blog at http://aquariussc.blogspot.com/ for members information and to use. Our webmaster has created a sailaquarius account on Google with Web albums for photos.

Easter Sunday was a glorious day but the 9 boats competing for Easter Eggs had a poor sail because there was very little wind which was extremely variable and shifty; Pat Halling won.

On Sunday 24 April there are Easter Egg Trophy races. Four races, 3 to count for Easter Egg prizes

11:30 2 sprint races back to back

14:00 2 sprint races back to back

15:30 Tea and cakes followed by presentation of Easter Eggs prizes

It is important to be in time for the 11:30 start as it won't be delayed for late comers.

The next Management Committee meeting is on Monday 18 April 2011.

AQSC Post Code. Our commodore has manage to get The Royal Mail to allocate us a Post Code; it is TW12 2FZ. We also have a post box at the first entrance gate.

  27Mar10 The Rules and By-laws (updated from 2008 to 2009, 97kb PDF) and other AQSC documents are available on line.

 The Race Results give access to results for the years 2000 through to 2011

On Saturday 19 March there will be free refreshments at the Start of Season Party starting at 8pm. There will be a showing of a video of the Aquarius ‘Pico Pan’ pantomime on the quarterdeck for those who haven’t seen it.

The next Management Committee meeting is on Monday 21 March 2011.

AQSC Future Events for your diaries.

OSunday 13 March started wet; not good for the working party. Fortunately the weather improved and 21 members completed many outside tasks such as clearing overhanging bushes and trees from the moorings. Diana Carpenter, helped by Helen Barnett and others, prepared a curry for lunch to warm members up.

n Sunday 13 March there will be a working party from 10:30am to 4pm; lunch provided. The principal task is to complete cutting back and disposing of the overhanging bushes and trees which are encroaching on the boat berths. Also tidying up the drive and site in general. Bring work gloves, gardening tools etc.

9 March The 2011 program, Duty Roster and Spring Newsletter PDF are on line. All newsletters back to 1995 are in a ring binder on the bookshelf in the clubhouse, and back to 1999 are on the web site. There is a story by George Bray on his childhood wartime recollections that has too many pages to go in a newsletter; Wartime Child (60kb PDF).

On Sunday 27 February there will be a Lunch & Frostbite Cruise at 12.30 for 1.00pm. Details

The next Management Committee meeting is on Monday 21 February 2011.

Sunday 13th February 2011 Ladies Day Lunch at 12:30pm for 1:00pm. Professionally catered by “A Bit of a Do”. Thai Influenced cuisine at a cost of  £15-£18 per head (Menu and cost available soon). Booking, via Tony Hopkins, no later than Wednesday 9th February essential. Tony can be contacted at 31 Clayton Crescent, Brentford, Middx TW8 9PT or 020 8847 0170 or . Cheques must be made payable to “Aquarius Sailing Club”

Entrance of the haggisOn 25 January 2011 the Burns night supper, with a showing of the Pico Pan Pantomime (2nd performance) videoed by Roger Wheeler, was enjoyed by 28 members. It gave the performers an opportunity to see the Pantomime.

Rodger had prepared delicious authentic food of  2 Haggis, tatties, neeps and clapshot which were consumed in their entirety. Lorna Morris had made some gorgeous cakes.

Entrance of the Haggis

  



Tuesday 25th January 2011 Impromptu BURNS NIGHT at 18:30. We will be showing one of this year's Panto videos followed by appropriate fare, Haggis tatties and neeps, with alternatives for the faint hearted. Please email using the link in the banner to indicate if you are coming and whether you want food or not, or leave a message on 020 8979 7254.

On Saturday 15 January 2011 there were 2 performances of the of the Aquarius Pantomime ‘Pico Pan’. The audience had a printed programme (PDF document) with which they could follow the story line. Although the production team and cast (24 members) had found it very chaotic they were very well received by the audiences (25 and 33). The script was written by Imogen and Edmund Morris, and the Director was Hanna Lunniss; a big challenge for our youth members who were guided by the Producer Rodger Wheeler. The second performance was followed by a party.  

On 15 January 2011 The Aquarius Panto ‘Pico Pan’ will be at 2:30pm and 6pm (note change of date). Anyone wishing to help or take part should contact Andrew Morris 07976 625610 or Rodger Wheeler 020 8979 7254.  

The next Management Committee meeting is on Monday 10 January 2011.