Tickets for the Successful Sailing Seminar to be held in Inverness on 27 February are now on sale on-line via the Booth -
By popular request, a RYA Club Race Officer Course is offered as an option for those who attend (it runs for most of the day); if you want to attend this course in addition to buying your full day ticket from the Booth, please also register with Iona Cornish at ionacornish-at-talktalk.net.
For the current GS Clubs, the EGM will be held immediately before the event and an agenda (one item only - to adopt the new constitution which will take GS to Highland & Moray Sailing) will be emailed to you before the end of the month.
Please pass the word about the seminar; it will be a great opportunity for all sailors to meet-up and 'network' as well as enjoy a varied set of topics or the Club Race Officer Course.
GS is grateful to Coaching Highland for their support for this event which is also being subsidized from GS's funds.
Richard Jenner
Chairman GS

To all sailors, powerboaters, windsurfers and sailing organisations in Highland & Moray Council areas:
Highland & Moray Sailing (HMS) is the new organisation representing the interests of sailing in all of its forms in the Highland and Moray Council areas. It is continuing the work started by Gaidhealtachd Sailing, and has expanded to include uniformed groups and commercial organisations.
The launch of this group is taking place on Saturday 27th February, at the Spectrum Centre in Inverness, and takes the form of a daylong seminar covering a number of different aspects of our sport; click here for the programme.
If you would like to be sent further information in early January, please email gail.joyce-at-ryascotland.org.uk to register your interest, and we will then forward the relevant information in the early part of January.
We hope you have a fantastic Christmas and we wish you all the best for 2010, and look forward to hearing from you when you register for the ‘Successful Sailing’ Seminar!

Jane Campbell Morrison, 11 December 2009
Development Manager, RYA Scotland
Landline: 0131 317 4610    Mobile: 07770 604234
Email: jane.campbellmorrison-at-ryascotland.org.uk     Website: www.ryascotland.org.uk

GS is evolving
GS has been around for nearly 5 years. While our 'strap line' has been promoting dinghy sailing in the Highlands, we have increasingly tried to promote all types of sailing. We've run a successful Sea Safety Day and organized sailing seminars featuring top speakers such as Steve Cockerill, Tom Cunliffe, Andrew Simpson, Steve Goacher & Chris Owen. We've promoted the North of Scotland Sailing Squad and Coach-the-Coaches days with RYA Scotland & Coaching Highland. We have revived the North of Scotland Dinghy Championships. We have also developed this web-site and provided useful networking opportunities for sailors in the area. We've been an umbrella group for Highland Sailing clubs - perhaps trying to do things collectively that individual clubs would not attempt. Now we have the opportunity to do more.

RYA Scotland is setting-up 15 sailing development groups across Scotland whose mission is simply to develop sailing (& powerboating). GS is seen to be the foundation for a development group but not just for Highland but also for Moray. This group is envisaged to include the commercial providers of sailing & powerboating training and Sea Cadet and Sea Scout units in addition to the clubs (both RYA affiliated and non-affiliated) and even relevant groups or clubs that fall just the 'wrong' side of the border. The collective aim is to develop all aspects of sailing & powerboating. The concept has been very well received at an RYA Scotland workshop on 6 October and at a GS meeting on 17 November, the Office Bearers were given the go ahead to draft a new constitution for a renamed organization called Highland & Moray Sailing (HMS) to be voted on by the current GS members at an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held in Inverness on 27 February 2010. We are doing our utmost to prepare the ground for a smooth transition on 27 February from GS to HMS by giving every club and organization a chance to provide input to the new constitution during a consultation period from 1 - 15 December. Directly following on from the EGM there will be a Coach-the-Coaches day and other sailing workshops and we hope that this day will also launch the new HMS.

If you have any questions or points you would like to raise please contact me via the Contact tab (remembering to replace the - at - with @ in the address).

Richard Jenner
Chairman GS

SURVEY
The Moray Firth Partnership is carrying out a survey of all marine traffic in the Moray Firth, including commercial, fishing and recreational craft, to try to generate a clearer picture of the overall types and frequency of traffic in the firth. (from John O'Groats to Fraserburgh). They have already done a desk based survey to gather details of commercial traffic, wildlife watching trips, ferries, lifeboats etc, and now need to get details about recreational boats.
A copy of the questionnaire for recreational boat owners/users can be downloaded from the front page of our website - www.morayfirth-partnership.org.  The Survey is being sent to all registered boat and sailing clubs around the Moray Firth, plus harbours, marinas etc., asking them to circulate these to members.
As a small incentive to get more people to complete the survey two prizes are offered - the first of a year's subscription to a boating/yachting magazine of choice, or £100, and the second of £25. Closing date 21 October 2009.

AN AUDIENCE WITH DAME ELLEN MACARTHUR IN INVERNESS
Ellen’s first public talks since round the world voyage in 2005.
This summer record breaking British yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur will give a series of public talks about her life and career. The talks, in conjunction with the Ellen MacArthur Trust Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery will be the first time Ellen has spoken publicly since her record breaking round the world voyage in 2005. Ellen will talk about her many experiences at sea, her work with the Ellen MacArthur Trust and her plans for the future. Demand for tickets will be high and so should be purchased early to avoid disappointment!
The talk in INVERNESS is Friday 10 July at the Caledonian Thistle Football Club from 18.30 to 19.30
Full details with ticket prices have been published on the Round Britain website (www.roundbritain.org). Tickets can be purchased online and all proceeds will go directly to The Ellen MacArthur Trust, the charity set up by Ellen in 2003 which takes young people aged 8-18 sailing to help them regain their confidence on their way to recovery from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness.
Ellen comments;
“ I’m really excited about the summer ahead, spending time with the young people from the Ellen MacArthur Trust and visiting different places around the UK for the first time since my first solo voyage around Britain in 1995. The talks are the first opportunity that I’ve had for a long time to share my sailing experiences as well as my plans for the future and I can’t wait for it all to start!”

SAIL CLINIC WITH CHRIS OWN IN INVERNESS ON SATURDAY, 11 JULY
Following his acclaimed talk at the GS Sailing Seminar in 2007, Chris Owen (Owen Sails) is coming to Inverness again but this time as well as a talk he is prepared to look at individual boats and advise on sail trimming & tuning. GS has been asked to publicise the event and coordinate the responses.
The venue is the new Inverness Marina on Saturday, 11 July. The marina will be opened officially by Dame Ellen MacArthur at 1130. Chris is planning to do a talk in a marque at the marina around 1100 and will then look at individual boats after the opening ceremony. HW Inverness is around 1530 local so it's suitable for a passage by Moray Firth based cruisers to Inverness in the morning. IML is very generously offering free berthing to those who wish to take part in the sail clinic. If we have sufficient response, we can provide a RIB so that Chris could be transferred from boat to boat on the water to save time.
Details on the new marina can be found at: Inverness Marina
If you are interested in the sail clinic or just the talk please let me know so that I can book you in.
Richard Jenner
Chairman GS  01463 811080  r.h.jenner-at-btinternet.com

Gaidhealtachd Sailing AGM - Tuesday, 19th May 2009 at 7pm in the Briefing Room of Caley Cruisers, Caley Marina, Inverness.
Agenda - pdf
Clubs and Coaching Highland are asked to send a representative and confirm their attendance to the Secretary by 22 April. All other interested parties welcome.   Clubs are also asked to submit any items to the Secretary that they wish discussed, by the same date. In addition to the formal business, Agnes Barclay, the RYAS Chief Operating Officer, and Jane Campbell Morrison, the RYA Development Manager, will provide a briefing on the new RYAS Strategic Plan and its implication for clubs.   This will be an important meeting to shape the future of GS and you are urged to participate. As a modest incentive, Caley Marina has kindly offered to keep the chandlery open to 6:30pm for AGM attendees and is offering a 10% discount on most items.

GAIDHEALTACHD SAILING NORTH OF SCOTLAND DINGHY CHAMPIONSHIP 2009.
In 2008 Chanonry hosted the N of S Dinghy Champs in August - see below. It was the same weekend as their Regatta and a number of traveller events and was a very successful event.
Gaidhealtachd Sailing is now looking for a club to host this event in 2009. As the sailing calendar is so very full we are anxious that it does not clash with other events particularly Traveller and National events that Juniors in Highland clubs may be attending. The event can easily be run at the same time as a Club Regatta and GS would be more than happy to assist with race management. GS would also contribute £100 plus the prizes for the Championship itself. We would also like to publicise the event in the RYA Scotland yearbook.  If your club would like to host this event next summer please let us know by the end of October; by email to the Chairman.  

GAIDHEALTACHD SAILING NORTH OF SCOTLAND DINGHY CHAMPIONSHIP 2008. The first GS sponsored North of Scotland Dinghy Championship was contested during Chanonry Sailing Club’s annual regatta on 2 & 3 August. The competition provided individual prizes for the winning adult and junior boats from clubs north of a line from Stonehaven to Oban plus a prize for the highest placed club (best 2 boats to count) and was contested as part of the regatta handicap race series.
Photographs by Neil MacGregor: Photo gallery
Results: 2008 Results
GS Chairman: email Brian Stirling   

March 2008 - Legend from Miami. 4 members from Cromarty Boat Club are off on a trans Atlantic trip soon to bring back a 40 foot Legend from Miami. Involved are Gwyn Phillips, skipper and owner, Bill Paterson, George Selvester, Alex Davidson (1st leg) and Neil Brooker. They have set up a website to publicise their adventure, track their progress, raise sponsorship and, by way of guess how long they will take, a fundraiser for the RNLI. The website is www.sassielassieatsea.com.

Highland Sailing Seminar 2006 on 18 November. Stellar list of speakers.
Poster (doc / pdf) and Programme (pdf).

COACHING ACTION PLAN IN ACTION! (or ‘Fun & Funky at Fortrose’)
The 2006-7 Coaching Action Plan contains:

North of Scotland School Dinghy Championships: Open to school pupils resident in the Grampian, Moray, Highlands and Islands areas. To be hosted by Chanonry Sailing Club on the 24th September 2007. Notice of Race and Sailing instructions to be issued by CSC in due course. www.chanonry.org.uk >>more

Steve Cockerill Boat Whisperer Evening With the use of some excellent hi-resolution video clips and more than a little enthusiasm, Steve explains how some boats sail faster than others - for no better reason than good technique. Steve Cockerill is the current RS300 National Champion, Blaze National Champion, UK Laser Masters National Champion (Standard Rig), Laser Masters Worlds 2nd Apprentice (Radial Rig), and Laser Radial National Champion. A combined Gaidhealtachd and Chanonry SC event. Date 9th October at Fortrose Community Centre. No dinghy (or cruiser) sailor should miss this. >>more

The 2006 Highland Sailing Seminar. 18th November. We are putting the final details together and will be contacting all soon. Another very special event with concurrent sessions to suit dinghy, cruiser and motor sailors and crews, there will be entertaining topics for everyone. Guest Speakers confirmed so far are in no particular order:
Fiona Campbell, a graduate with a Meteorology degree from the University of Reading and thesis in mesoscale weather modelling focusing on the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland for the 2000 America’s Cup, began working in a forecasting office of a new online weather forecasting company. She was contacted by David Houghton, an infamous British meteorologist famed for working with many America’s Cup, Whitbread and 8 Olympic sailing teams, he is also the author of Wind Strategy. This contact lead to a job as team meteorologist for GBR Challenge the America’s Cup team and the RYA Olympic Sailing Team for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Fiona is now a self employed marine meteorologist specialising in coastal conditions but also offshore weather routeing, as the Official Transat Meteorologist. Fiona is currently still involved with the UK Olympic team and with the current build up races to the America’s Cup in Valencia, some of her current sailing work is now on the BBC weather website.

Steve Goacher, A sailmaker who took the unconventional route into sailmaking by way of an Applied Physics Degree and some years in engineering. Along the way fitting in a 470 Olympic campaign and competing in Moth, OK, National 12, Enterprise, GP, Fireball, Flying Fifteen, Sonata, 1720, Beneteau 25, Melges 24, Formula 1. He has been 3 times Flying Fifteen World Champion, 4 times Flying Fifteen National Champion and Sonata National Champion. Last summer he has added Flying Fifteen European Champion to his CV and had considerable success in the Bell Laurie Scottish Series in the spring. Steve will speak about trimming dinghy and cruiser sails.

Tom Cunliffe, Yachtmaster instructor and examiner, Author of The Complete Yachtmaster, The Complete Day Skipper, Pilots, Ocean sailing, Celestial Navigation, Inshore Navigation and Heavy Weather Cruising to name a few. A regular contributor to Yachting Monthly, Practical Boat Owner, Sailing Today and other yachting magazines, currently cruising the Baltic. An excellent entertaining speaker who will be able to deliver two lectures.

Gaidhealtachd will issue the full details soon, expressions of interest can be made to Brian or Richard to reserve your place. If you race, cruise, motor and even reluctantly crew you really have to be at this. >>more
 

GS to provide financial backing to clubs organizing training or sailing events.
Clubs can be put off organizing events if there is a financial risk based on the uncertainty of take-up. This uncertainty results in ‘tentative’ events which unfortunately attract ‘tentative’ support. GS can ‘underwrite’ agreed activities within the limits and rules (click) to reduce the financial risks to clubs and to allow clubs to make firm plans. By ‘underwriting’ GS will make good a shortfall should the club’s event not produce the intended income to cover costs; however, if the event is financially successful, the club will not call on the GS funds. GS will charge a premium for underwriting.

Any queries to Richard Jenner - r.h.jenner-at-btinternet.com

'GS is very pleased to announce that the Coaching Highland Board of Directors has agreed to fund sailing as a core sport for Coaching Scholarships in 2006 - 7. GS will now work with Coaching Highland to produce a Coaching Action Plan that recommends the prioritisation for sailing coaching funding.

GS Launch publicity