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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 3rd May 2007
My sincere thanks to Chris and Alan for bringing along two future bus-pass holders. Tom aged 8 – no sorry 8 ½ and Adam aged 6 on the last Sunday of April. Pity it wasn’t one of those calm, warm balmy day, never the less we did get Tom on the water in the Pastinaca in Garrucha harbour – hid first time in a dinghy. Next time it could be trip round the bay in the Drascombe – then in an Oppie. I have four just waiting for some youngsters to use them. Remember the next time you visit Almeria at the weekend call in at the marina, yes you can walk in, you will see the young kids getting their “Oppies” ready to go to sea. Someone once suggested to me they were for lakes only! Well most of the time you will see them out at sea, they may look like a bath-tub at 7ft 6in long but are a good little sea boat. Designed in 1947, they are celebrating their 60th Anniversary this year. Lake Garda in Italy has just seen the biggest ever Oppie fleet, 707 young sailors 8 to 15 years of age, it was the biggest Oppie event worldwide. I’m sure no other class of dinghy could muster such a number. It is said that two thirds of the Olympic sailors started in Oppies. In Holland, the Easter International Easter Optimist Regatta had a further 250. Some came from as far as the U.S.A. It was won by Britain Phil Sparks, who could be an Olympic sailor of the future. As could Tom and Adam starting as young as they are. In a few years time their reactions in racing a dinghy would be automatic, reacting to every wave and pull of wind and growing up with nature. Why am I so passionate about the Oppies? I built two of them 6 years ago on my patio, to start a club for youngsters. Two youngsters helped me build them, Analisa and Marian. I was 22 when I first sat in a racing dinghy, my first “National 12”, how I wish I could have started at 8 years old – no chance in those days.
We celebrated May Day with Layo on his Laser, Trevor in his Tideway, Terry brewing tea on the Drascombe, Jim and George were on the Playa showing us a bit of speed sailing on their Hobie 16’s. Oh, and a few spectacular capsizes – all part of the fun when you are dressed in the right gear! It was blowing a good F4 with gusts of F5, along with that was a BBQ; a good day was had by all.
If you are a sailor, you should come and join us, if you know nothing about sailing but would like to be involved, come and have a friendly chat. Five years ago on the 1st and 2nd of June – with the help of some good friends I was able to put on a Boat Show. I had 9 boats on show in the Artisan Centre. It was the start of the “Santa Irene Club De Vela”. I recall we had very little time to advertise it, never the less I met a lot of nice people. If there is anyone out there who visited us I would love to hear from you. We will celebrate our 5th Anniversary this year on the Playa del Cantal – opposite Mr. UK on June 10th. Can we put on a Boat Show? I hope so, if you have a boat give me a call or just bring it along. I’ll talk to the gang about a BBQ and maybe I can cook a Paella, I have the pan under the bed – well it’s too big to put anywhere else!
A couple of weeks ago, I asked about Clare Francis – “like where is she now?” I had a reply from Ann – so a big Thank You Ann, nice to know you are out there reading my “rambling”. You can watch the Americas Cup live on Sky Sports, Louis Vuitton Cup Final 1st to 12th June, Americas Cup Match 23rd June to 7th July and you should visit us on Sunday 3rd July on the Playa.
Remember we can have a chat anytime on Sunday. I’m at the slipway Garrucha, with the Ducks and Vic is usually on Playa del Cantal with the Cats.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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