10 May Cove SC’s Junior Sailing Programme Continues to Gather Pace

Thrills and spills were the order of the day last Saturday as Cove SC’s junior committee presided over a very successful first day of the junior season at Whitepoint Dinghy Park.

The junior committee’s organisation and attention to detail paid off as all grades of sailor got afloat in a testing 15-20 knot south-easterly breeze. The 120 juniors who participated were divided into different fleets, each with a dedicated time-slot and sailing ground. As is customary at Whitepoint, ISA safety standards and child protection guidelines were scrupulously adhered to and Cove SC’s team of six sailing instructors, beachmaster, and senior instructor ensured that all had an exciting and safe day afloat.

Richard Marshall put Cove SC’s advanced dingy sailors through their paces on the Oyster Bank, with the RS Fevas and Laser Radial revelling the in breezy conditions. Closer inshore, the beginner and intermediate fleets were overseen by Pat Bruton. Club instructor, Michael Bruton commended his group of level two sailors, saying that Cian and Aobhinn Sinnot, Laura and Jack Delaney, Ben Quigley and Ed Lane “all did very well” in conditions that were ” fairly challenging”.  Level one sailors, Eve Manley-Griffin and Lucy Stoat had “great fun” as well, learning to safely capsize and were “not scared at all”.

Cove SC junior committee members were at hand throughout the day and were active in support of club instructors. Brenda Bruton and Marina Stoat were to the fore here, especially in ensuring that first time sailors and their parents had an enjoyable first ‘taste of sailing’.

A satisfied John Stoat, Cove SC’s junior officer, summed the day up, in the following terms – “we had lot of nervous sailors and a good breeze, but they all managed very well. They had a lot of fun. We had a few capsizes today.  It was the first time many of them capsized, so our first lesson today was the capsize.  They all capsized and got back in again, three or four times each. Once they get over the fear of it – it’s all sailing after that.  Happy days and great fun”.

As Amy and Richard Brett’s dad states “It’s Cove Sailing Club.  It’s about sailing and about getting boats on the water”.