As I write this it does appear that summer has arrived at last, in spite of it being Wimbledon fortnight. Let’s hope so, because we need to get afloat and remind ourselves why we own a boat.
The Paddle and Oar event held on 8 & 9 June was very successful with rowing boats visiting from quite a distance away. Thirteen boats entered the 7 mile `Wrabness Challenge’ on Saturday in very windy conditions and Sunday enjoyed another dry day with less wind when ten boats rowed the `Mistley Triangle’. Also the `Hog Island’ duck hunt and blind rowing competition took place from the beach.
You will find an excellent report with results and many photographs on the club web site. Our thanks have been given to the sponsors Red 7 and Rose Builders and I am pleased to report that a profit from this event has enabled £1000.00 to be paid into the club’s account.
We now look forward to the next big event, our club Regatta on 10 & 11 August. I hope you are able to take part in the racing on both days and the mud sports on Sunday morning. Not forgetting the social evening and fireworks on Saturday.
Our application to replace the starting hut is still not successful at this time. We attended the Tendring District Council planning committee meeting on 28 May at Clacton Town Hall where the application was deferred to allow further consultation with regard to the size of the new structure. Further meetings have taken place with two Manningtree Town Councillors and another with T.D.C. planning officers at Weeley.
We have been asked again to reduce the height and length of the proposed building and have produced a fourth proposal which will just about give us the extra space we need providing we hone our storage and packing skills.
Our amended application will be submitted to T.D.C. and will have to go through the whole process again. We will be displaying the new drawings in the clubhouse and public library in the near future.
The marquee had the side panels removed after the Paddle and Oar event and looks more like a large gazebo. We will be leaving it like this between our next planned events of Regatta and Harwich club visits and will only fix the side panels over the two weekends involved.
We have an application lodged with T.D.C. for a Certificate of Lawful Use. We have agreed with them a delay in their response whilst we take legal advice regarding the Certificate of Legal Use and its interpretation.
Saturday 13 July is the Stutton Beach BBQ and I hope to see many of you there, so let’s hope the good weather is still with us.
May I remind the fishing experts amongst you that there is a fishing competition on 17 August and a poster with details will be in the club.
David Warner