The Sailing Committee has now reviewed the feedback and suggestions on the race format review and wishes to thank everyone who has contributed.  The Committee has discussed a wide range of issues and concerns and has identified the following aims –

1. To enable OODs to set shorter length courses for the slow handicap fleet.  This should improve racing for sailors in the club’s largest fleet.
2. To encourage junior sailors to participate in Sunday racing within the slow handicap fleet
3. To avoid additional complexity, OODs should not have to set more than three courses 

The Committee has also considered the fleet turnouts and feedback, in particular from sailors in the asymmetric and fast handicap fleets, and has decided against the suggestion of merging these two fleets at this time.  Whilst the asymmetric turnouts remain a concern, there is a clear preference from the fast handicap fleet, plus a significant number of asymmetric sailors, to retain separate fleet starts.  It is possible that the recent drop in asymmetric fleet turnouts is temporary, but the Committee will review this situation again if numbers in this fleet continue to decrease.

The very successful new Junior Winter Training sessions continue, with the support of parent helpers, under the direction of experienced RYA race coaches. 

Challenging conditions on 12 March gave the more experienced youngsters an opportunity to practise boat handling and mark rounding in strong winds, while the less experienced group enjoyed reaching to and fro in the breeze.

£15,000 John Merricks Sailing Trust Legacy Award
to help retain junior sailors

SYC has received £15,000 from the John Merricks Sailing Trust, to buy six new RS Teras to further boost its thriving Junior Section.

A statement of the SYC Safeguarding Policy towards Social Media has been produced and has been approved by General Committee. It sits alongside SYC's already existing 2017 Safeguarding and Equality Statements and can be accessed for reference from the About menu on the Home page of the SYC website. Both documents can also be accessed from the current page via the 'Safeguarding' pop-up menu under 'Content'.

(Update: 8th January Junior Winter Race Training Report is now live in Yachts & Yachting. Also 5th February.)

A mild November Saturday saw 21 keen junior sailors on the water at Starcross Yacht Club for the first of eleven Winter Junior Race Training sessions.

We are really excited to announce that Starcross YC has become an RYA OnBoard Club.

What is OnBoard, I hear you ask ..... Well, OnBoard is…

… RYA's children's sailing and windsurfing programme. It offers children the opportunity to try watersports through their local club or centre in a safe, fun and structured environment.

RYA Junior Regional Championships,
25/26 Sept at WPNSA in Portland 

SYC always welcomes new members and you don’t necessarily need to already have - or even buy - your own boat.

For more experienced sailors, the club maintains a small, varied fleet of dinghies that can be hired by members at very reasonable rates.