Sailing Committee

The sailing committee is responsible for organizing all of the sailing events and activities at the club. It is chaired by the Rear Commodore Sailing and consists of representatives from all of the major classes and groups within the club.

If you have any questions of suggestions just have a chat at the club or drop the appropriate representative a mail. We are always looking for help so if you would like to be more involved, please let us know.

Rear Commodore Sailing:

Steve started sailing at the age of 6 crewing a Mirror in the Tyne estuary, and for the next 20 years progressed steadily through several classes including National 12's, Enterprise, Albacore, Scorpion, Fireball, Int14 & Laser, competing at national and international level and dabbling in sailmaking.

After a switch to competitive windsurfing, then a brief spell racing a Laser at Burghfield in the early nineties, Steve returned to sailing at the club in 2008, and can sometimes be spotted campaigning a Phantom or helping out with the Junior Sailing activities.

Chair Junior Sailing Committee:

Charles comes from a sailing family and learnt to sail on the Isle of Wight when quite young in a proper clinker built Scow before progressing onto state of the art Mirrors. He had not sailed since growing too tall to see under the Mirror’s sail until about two years ago when he joined BSC.

On the two or three occasions a year when he gets a chance to sail, he takes part in the Admiral’s club activities in his Enterprise or Laser. He states 'my sailing skills are as rusty as my halyards but that does not stop me from helping children to succeed and learn from their mistakes' and gets as much pleasure from this as from making his own mistakes!

His aim is to continue developing Junior sailing activities but with particlular focus on helping the less competitive children into recreational sailing.

Recreational Sailing:

This is Jay Dear, representing Recreational Sailing on the Sailing Committee. The club has a representative on the sailing committee for all of those people at the club who sail at Burghfield, but don't race. Call it family sailing, recreational sailing or leisure sailing, whatever the name, it describes many club members and their sort of sailing.

Jay can be found sailing his Laser 2000 dinghy, pottering about at the weekend and competing in the wednesday evening summer pursuit races. You'll also find Jay out on yachts in the Solent, both racing and cruising, and sailing almost anything from windsurfers to yachts when on holiday in the Med.

Enterprise & Prizes:

John has been a member of Burghfield for longer than he likes to admit. As well as representing the Enterprise fleet, he also organizes all of the prizes which are awarded by the club.

Radio Sailing:

Derek Yardley joined the club in the early 1960's as a beginner, and sailed Mirror dinghies for ten years while his daughters grew up.
He became the Fleet Captain of the largest fleet on the water at that time - yes the Mirrors!

On leaving the Committee after fifteen years Derek and Dot bought a Fireball and promoted the fleet as Fleet Captain.

Derek has sailed radio control boats for eight years, both the International One Metre and Marblehead at Club, Open and National levels. Derek intends to promote Radio Control Sailing as an integral part of Burghfield S.C.

Admiral's Club:

Helen wanted to learn to sail ever since her father read Swallows and Amazons stories to her as a 7 year old. However it took several decades more before she was finally able to fulfil her ambition on a family Sunsail holiday in Greece in 2006. She came back and completed her RYA Level 2 at BTSC – and hasn’t looked back since!

Although her husband, Peter, also learnt to sail at the same time, they decided that marital and marine harmony would be best preserved by sailing in two single-handed dinghies and so Helen sails a Topper whilst Peter sails a Laser. Both are to be found on or in the water most Saturdays in summer.

Helen has been involved with the Admiral's Club since it started and has found it a great way to get to know people at the club and to improve her sailing. Sailing around on her own tended to be a bit aimless (it’s all too easy to avoid the trickier manoeuvres!) so the Admiral's Club programme has given more of a focus – and a lot of fun!

Slow Handicap:

Paul is a relatively new member (3years!) of the club but has very quickly established himself within the Slow handicap fleet and is well known throughout the racing side of club. He arrived with a stunning looking solo that he re-built virtually from scratch and since then he has developed both his sailing knowledge and building knowledge further. His most recent accomplishment was to design and build his own aluminium mast!

He thoroughly enjoys the competition within the slow fleet and is now competing regularly at national events. A photo and further profile will be updated shortly.

Fast Asymmetric:

James joined the club a number of years ago from what was Pingewood sailing club. Having never sailed an Asymmetric before his first purchase on joining was a new RS 500 which in which he has developed his skills significantly. Both a keen club and open sailor, he divides his time, with his partner Lucinda, between racing on the National circuit and racing on Sunday and Wednesdays.

A more detailed profile and photo will be forthcoming shortly.

Laser:

I joined the club 4 years ago after a long break from sailing.
Being from Poole sailing is a sport which I grew up with crewing a range of different boats from mirrors to large racing yachts.
I have enjoyed taking part in many national and international events in a range of classes clocking up some top results.
When I joined the club I had very little helming experience and over the 4 years I have grown in confidence and took part in my first national championship and I am looking forward to the next.
My other interest includes scuba diving which is lucky as I feel this summarises my style of laser sailing.
I look forward to seeing you our on the water.

Sean Murray
Bob 191089

Fast Handicap & Blaze:

The Blaze has a very strong following at the club and races within the Fast Handicap Fleet. Roger has been a Blaze sailor for many years and regularly sails both at National and club level.

A further synopsis and photo will be forthcoming but in the meantime if you have any questions regarding the Blaze or Blaze fleet at Burghfield please contact Roger using the link above.