Seminars
GGS Seminars
The GGS Group have seminars running over the winter months on topics that encourage us to go sailing. Please see below the upcoming events as well as information from past seminars.
Winter Seminars for 2023/2024
Topic sessions to start with knot tying ice breaker.
Thursday December 7th – Christmas Dinner, meet at 6.30pm in Preston Room
Hear each other’s experiences of the 2023 season; five minutes per person on highlights on the water. Delicious seasonal dinner at 7.30pm. As usual we may change tables after first course to increase networking opportunities.
Friday 19th January 2024, 7.00pm Preston Room.
Topic – Health and Well Being on the Water. To cover dealing with seasickness, essential First Aid, the importance of good hygiene, alcohol, routines and watches, medication issues, staying hydrated with good energy levels, looking after each other.
Friday 2nd February 2024, 7.00pm Preston Room.
Topic – Staying Safe on the Water to cover how to look after yourself whilst sailing a dinghy or yacht. Checking weather and tides, wearing appropriate sailing kit especially footwear and gloves. Difference between life jacket and bouyancy aid, avoiding head injuries, keeping a good look out, avoiding collisions, using a VHF radio, ‘Tide, Wind, Approach’, having a Plan B.
Friday 8th March 2024, 7.00pm Preston Room
Topic – Sailing Kit – what to wear and new developments in sailing clothing for dinghies and yachts. Opportunities to buy pre loved kit.
Friday 12th April 2024, 7.00pm Restaurant
Start of Season Meal – Social event.
Please let me know if you have anything to add to the content of the sessions. Any comments please? I can then confirm dates with Club and we can then add this programme to ESC web site.
Winter Seminars in 2023
- Friday 6 January – Best experiences on the water in 2022.
- Friday 10 February – Understanding the River Exe – tides, sandbanks and Avocets (Andrew McAusland)
- Friday 10 March – Lessons learned on the water in 2022. Opportunity to bring used sailing kit to sell.
- Friday 14 April – Half a circumnavigation and how I ended up in Exmouth (Peter Knight).
Winter Seminar Key Points
Weather and Tides
Weather forecasts are a prediction of what might happen and can be modelled in different ways therefore get a range of forecasts.
- Met Office https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/gbvxfqgpf#?date=2022-04-05
- WindGuru https://www.windguru.cz/712
- Windy https://www.windy.com/50.620/-3.426?50.622
- Met Office Specialist Forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea
- Inshore https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/inshore-waters-forecast
- Shipping Forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/shipping-forecast
- Long range Forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/extended-outlook
- Tides
- Easy Tide https://easytide.admiralty.co.uk/?PortID=0027
- UK Hydrographic Office
- Tide Times tables from local chandlery/marina
- Tides on the River Exe https://exe-sailing-club.org/assets/documents/Dinghies/GetRacing/exe_tides.pdf
- Use the clues around you such as: Where the moored boats are pointing/Look out for tide lines
- The RYA SafeTrx app or website
- Monitors your boat journeys and can alert emergency contacts should you fail to arrive on time. Allows you to track your journey on your phone.
- For all recreational boat users, particularly dinghy cruisers, PWC users, RIB users, canoers, kayakers, wind and kite surfers and smaller boat users.
- With an easily accessible and simple to use means that can inform HM Coastguard of their voyage plans and dynamic location in the event of distress.
- Free to download and there is no charge to use it.
- For more info
https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge/safety/keep-in-touch/safetrx
Buoyancy Aids and Life Jackets
- Buoyancy aids (BAs) are suitable for any water craft where there is a chance you may well end up in the water – ie dinghy, windsurf, jet ski, SUP, kayak, etc.
- BAs allow the use a greater movement when they are in the water and you are often able to swim and get yourself out of the water.
- A BA will have a buoyancy of 50 Newtons (N) or more – we are assuming help, or the sea bed is close by and the user will be able to self recover or be recovered fairly quickly.
- Make sure it fits and how to adjust – do not want it to float above you when you enter the water – so get hold of the shoulders and check that it does not rise above the ears when you pull upwards.
- Where to purchase – Mike from AllGadgets has some lifejackets for sale at the moment – go to https://www.allgadgets.co.uk/marine/pc/home.asp for more info.
Also see links at the bottom of this page for more outlets.
- If you are wanting to do a bit of dinghy sailing tasters and not yet commit to buying one – they can be borrowed during the Improver Sailors sessions initially.
- Remember to get a BA with a minimum of 50 Newtons and if doing online know your chest and weight.
- Useful Guide to Life jackets & BAs from the RYA – click here
What to Wear! Sailing Kit Fashion Show
What to Wear when Dinghy Sailing
Footwear – grippy saling boots/wetsut suits or old trainers to protect feet
Wetsuit – warm/comfortable long/short legs
Rash vest – optional – thin top designed to be worn under a wetsuit, or in hot weather on its own. It offers both UV protection and makes wearing a wetsuit more comfortable.
Board Shorts- optional – protect wetsuit / good if you feel self concious in a wetsuit
Under wetsuit – something comfy when wet
Spray top – sailing spray top or waterproof jacket – aim to protect from wind and water
Hat- in the sun a baseball cap/sun hat for sun protection – in the colder weather a wooly hat or ear band for warmth
Gloves – optional – useful for warmth and protection from ropes
Suncream – always wear suncream – even when it is cloudy you can still get sunburnt
Sunglasses – UV protection – see below for more info
Taking Care of Your Eyes
It is so important to protect your eyes from UV when out on the water, and for ocular comfort to minimise glare. Non prescription sunglasses are widely available. Non prescription or prescription sunglasses can be purchased from any Optical practice.
Local shops and websites as recommended by the ESC Dinghy Racing group
Mike at AllGadgets Marine https://www.allgadgets.co.uk/marine/pc/home.asp
Seawood Chandlery, Exmouth Marina
MacAusland Optomestrists, Victoria Road, Exmouth
Edge Watersports, Exmouth Marina
Sideshore, Queens Drive – preloved second hand wetsuits
https://www.coastwatersports.co.uk based in Axminster
https://jimmygreen.com based in Beer
Other websites where kit can be purchased
https://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk
https://www.marinesuperstore.com
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk – cheaper end of the market
Last updated 12:34 on 30 April 2024