Reading Offshore Sailing Club welcomes you!

Jackie Bignell says:

Hello one and all,

Steve Giggs and I swapped roles at the AGM. Steve has taken over as Treasurer and this is my first note as Commodore. It is about 10 years since I took on the role before. I hope you will all continue to support this great club and consider coming forward to take on officer roles at the next AGM.

Autumn through to the end of the calendar year is a very busy period with many activities taking place. We have had the Summer BBQ at the beginning of September, a boat rally in  Lymington the weekend of 15th September , the AGM at the beginning of November, our laying up supper on the 18th November, slot car racing this coming Monday, 4th December, and our annual post Christmas walk on 29th December. People have been very pro-active in getting all these events organised, shopped for, catered for, payments checked and venues booked. Thank you to all those members who contributed their time to make it all happen!

Ours is a very active club, having been running for over 50 years now. We still have our founder member, Mike Bowyer, as our Vice Commodore. His story is elsewhere on the website, please read it if you haven't already done so.

We shall continue to organise club nights, speakers, social events and sailing rallies throughout the coming year, with our great committee and with members’ input and support as well.

Although Phil has now taken a back seat from the training role, we have liaised with other clubs to provide theory training for you, so please take advantage of this and any opportunities on charter boats where members are encouraged to join the crew whatever their experience.
We already have an exciting talk organised for you in February, by one of the original members of Mike Bowyer's theory classes and of this club. Many suggestions have been put forward for guest speakers and our first priority is to organise the monthly talks for club nights for the coming year and into 2025. We do intend to have a spring and autumn rally again this year, most likely in May and September. Dates will be published as soon as we have the tidal information and agreed where the rally will head to. Of course, as sailors, we are always prepared for last minute changes due to weather restrictions. C’est la vie – and it's the life we all love.

Bill is very prompt in putting information on the club website about upcoming events, photos after these events and other news. Thank you Bill. Please can you be equally prompt in meeting requested  payment dates. This makes life much easier for all those who give freely of their time to organise the club itself, it's events and any shopping or catering required. Anything which makes their roles less time consuming will be much appreciated.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I hope to see as many as can make it at our January social club meeting.
I cannot close this note without mentioning the loss of one of our longest standing members – Maurice Hewitt – who recently passed away after a long illness and was attending most meetings and events right up until October. Maurice's funeral is on 8th December at Easthampstead Park at 11am. The club has made a donation in his memory to Sue Ryder via A.B.Walker. Maurice was a great supporter of this club over the years, joining in many rallies and events with Liz, both when his boat was in the Solent and even when it was later moored in the Mediteranean. Maurice took great delight in regaling the club with both sailing and house building adventures. Our thoughts are with Liz and the family at this sad time.