Overall the events have been very well attended this year and resulted in a boost to the income for the club. The Club has benefitted from a growing pool of host skippers who’s expertise and time is greatly appreciated.
The 2024 SESC event programme drew to a close in early November with the popular Master Class. This event was fully booked and so there was a waiting list in operation, which worked well, as sadly due to unforeseen circumstances there were a couple of drop outs.
The two summer cruises are very much being enjoyed and as such gaining in popularity. The passage plans for the 2025 cruises are taking shape. All being well the Early Summer Cruise will head south across the channel and the Late Summer Cruise hopes to go west. Crew members who register early will be asked to pay to secure their place as we anticipate high demand and will operate a waiting list if required. If an event shows no space please do let Christine de Quincey know your intent, as if there is enough interest we may charter a second yacht for the Early Summer Cruise as we did in 2022. We will make a decision on this early in the New Year as it will have a cost implication for the event.
The engine replacement earlier in May did impact the 2024 programme and required some rescheduling of events. However in the later part of the season we were able to run some additional training/taster days and some mooring practice /Just Go Sailing events. These events were requested by members and made possible by flexible Host Skippers who were able to accommodate these requests and make themselves available to suit members schedules.
Looking ahead to next year, the Host Skippers have stepped up again and volunteered. The season will kick off in March with a series of Refresher Days. As there is an expectation that all Skippers planning to charter participate in one of these events, if none of the dates are suitable, please contact Richard Foulkes, Training Co-ordinator to discuss alternative dates.
As for the rest of the programme, oversubscribed events such as the Ladies Weekend and the Master Class make a routine appearance. New events from 2024 such as “Tricky Harbours” which proved popular, are being repeated. Talking and listening to members proved fruitful and has produced some new ideas. In particular, look out for Navigation without Electronics and the Royal Yacht Clubs tour. Not least, the Just Go Sailing events are a fine way to pick up skippering skills and are a good preparation for ticket assessments. In addition to the programme, there could be other ‘short notice’ Club Events offered during the year when members request them. If you would like a bespoke event organised for you or a group, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate this, including providing a Skipper.
The club is very keen to encourage new Skippers and existing Skippers to upgrade their tickets, so please do let us know if this is of interest to you. We can then organise preparation or testing events during the year. All that remains now is to direct you to the website, encourage you to register early and remind all that a waiting list does operate so please show intent, as like the weather, things can change.
For any questions concerning the events programme, please contact Christine de Quincey