Club receives grant for new additional training rib

We received fantastic news last month that we have been awarded a grant for an additional training rib to support our increased level of training for adult improver sessions and to facilitate moving the club forward in its quest to provide the best training in the region to introduce youngster and adults to the sport.  This will be fully funded by the Sport England Grant that was compiled, submitted and chased by our commodore Cathy Partington with help from Ollie Shaw, so many thanks to them.

The grant will be used to purchase a new 4 metre Ribeye rib with a state-of-the art 2-stroke Evinrude 30HP engine.  We have selected this boat after a long evaluation process and some years of experience with our existing craft.  Its key attributes are a robust aluminium based hull construction, high power to weight ratio, high fuel efficiency (it idles effectively as a 15 HP engine, then kicks in the additional power when required), low spray due to normal rib construction, quiet engine noise, high freeboard so reversing in waves should be similar to our current rib and light overall weigh for easy manoeuvring on shore.  With additional load on our boats due to training, open water swimming and extensive sailing program and the escalating fuel costs over the past 2 years, the fuel efficiency was a key target along with low servicing costs – 3 year initial period.

It is inevitably a slightly less comprehensive craft than the current 4.9 metre rib, due to its size and this current rib being designed for all-out sea rescue, but we believe as a committee is represents the best in safety and efficiency for a lake environment that we can achieve within our financial constraints considering this will be an additional resource, see comments below.

You will start to see this rib in operation at the club in the next month or so and we will put it through its paces in earnest before deciding on the future of the current rib.  All coxes and instructors are invited to familiarise themselves with the boat, how it launches and handles before their next duty – please contact myself or Terry Oliver.

Ideally, we have the intention to replace the current rib with another identical 4 metre rib (making spares and servicing consistent), so that we have two ribs available to us on a full time basis in addition to Yak and Jaffa.  This gives us much improved safety coverage for the winter series and larger events.

Any questions on this, please see myself at the club or give me a call on 07917068291.

Thanks.
Richard Catchpole, Sailing Manager