Sailing is really my husbands hobby, he has sailed for all of his life and is a very experienced dingy sailor, having sailed a Mirror, Toy, Fireball, Enterprise, Laser, ISO, Wayfarer, 505 etc.  Dave’s parents have a cruiser (Sadler 25 called Spring Song) which we borrow sometimes.

We sail at the Blackwater Sailing Club where Dave has been a member on and off for nearly 40 years. The Brett clan have purchased a Laser, and the Brett and Ryder clan have jointly purchased a 505.  We will keep the Wayfarer to sail at the nationals which will be at the BSC in 2004 and then see how we feel about keeping it on.

Our 505, a GBR Kyrwood number 8556, wonder if the boys will ever get it going as well as this?

The best we've done so far!  That's me by the way

The Ryder and Brett team sailing Dream Harder (W 9033) have won the BSC Regatta 2001 with Mick Brett as the crew, and also the club week race series by a small margin with Mick and Michelle crewing on different days. As both of the crew were novices, we thank Dave the helm for our victory :-).

The prize winning Ryder and Brett team get 3rd place place et the BSC Wayfarer open meeting 2001, with a bottle of wine and tankard each. Well done boys.... make it 1st or 2nd next time!

Well after a disappointing year in 2002 with very little wind during club week (Dave's worst case scenario), 2003 went a bit better.  Dave and Mick came 2nd to Paul Trueman and crew in club week 2003, and won the Regatta which was on a very windy day.

Michelle in her madness had a go in a Fireball in club week 2003 - an eventful week with plenty of excitement, spent a lot of time in the water, but it kept her of trouble and the bar any way.  Totally and utterly fearless now which may not be entirely a good thing.  Dave got his HASH name for my efforts that week "Wife Beater" on account of the black and blue legs.

See embryonic Blackwater Natural History site

Club Week excitement

Michelle sits on the fence while the rescue boat crews give marks out of 10 for artistic interpretation on a range of capsize manoeuvres including:  Nose planting on the mainsail, being dragged though the water at quite high speed while holding onto the spinnaker several meters behind the boat, flying through the air while holding onto who knows what for some time, and nearly having my buck teeth cured in an instant by a flying spinnaker pole etc.

The most fun I have had in a boat for some time.......  Quite sad that I might not be doing club week next season now.