Report by Jane Clark
On the weekend of 10th/11th August, 6 members of the club with more life insurance than sense thought it would be a good idea to undertake a boat handling course on the club rib from Littlehampton.
Andrew and Julian bravely took Mark Swan, Steve Spurgin, Jane and Lauren Clark through two days of training in preparing, launching, handling and recovering the club rib. The weather on Saturday was too poor to take the rib out to sea, with a lively force 7 blowing but Andrew and Julian deftly rearranged the weekend to fit in our theory training, a lovely lunch provided by Jenny and some boat handling further up the river Arun in calmer waters. After a thorough recap of the day’s training in Littlehampton Wetherspoons, our 4 intrepid trainees were ready to take the rib out to sea on Sunday in a slightly calmer force 4. The sandbar safely navigated we spent a happy hour trying not to capsize or hurl our colleagues into the swell. The afternoon was spent on the river in the calmer pursuits of Man Overboard, placing the shot-line and mooring the rib, which was done (stereotypically) at speed by the boys and cautiously by the girls. Thanks to Andrew, Julian and Jenny for giving up a weekend for a really fun and useful course.
