The 2022 Annual General Meeting of the East Coast Yacht Division will be held on 19 November 2022 from 10.00am onwards at Littleton Sailing Club, Littleton Lane, Shepperton, Surrey, TW17 0NF.
The planned programme, with the AGM at 11.30am is:
– 10.00 Tea and coffee on arrival
– 10:30 Captain’s welcome and introduction
– 10.45 Review of 2022 including current plans for the start of next year; training opportunities and private charters, then our plans for the 2023 long trip to the Baltic
– 11.30 AGM followed by Skippers and members discussion on the 2023 long trip proposals (see below), lunch (available from the Cafeteria) and further discussion as necessary.
AGM AGENDA
- Minutes of the previous AGM in November 2021
- Matters arising
- Captain’s report
- Reports from the Club Treasurer and Independent Examiner, and the 2021 Accounts
- Election of Independent Examiner for 2022/23
- Yacht Husband’s report
- Motions for consideration
- Election of officers and committee members for 2023
- Resolutions and Nominations (for the Committee)
- Any other business (including publicity and CSSA matters)
No resolutions or nominations have been received from members and therefore notice is herby given that the following nominations for the ECYD Committee will be placed before the AGM.
NOMINATIONS
| POST | NOMINEE | NOMINATED BY | SECONDED BY |
| Captain | John Figgures | Paul Dunn | Clive Pelerin |
| Treasurer | John Figgures | Brian Barnes | Jeff Herschel |
| Yacht Secretary | Mary Reed | Brian Barnes | John Figgures |
| Yacht Husband | Vacant | ||
| Crew Bureau | James Allen | Jeff Herschel | John Figgures |
| Secretary | Chris Robbins | Vic Crawshaw | Martin Hugo |
| Member | Vic Crawshaw | Brian Barnes | Chris Robbins |
| Member | Paul Dunn | John Figgures | Clive Pelerin |
| Member Training | Vacant | ||
| Membership Sec | Jeff Herschel | Chris Robbins | John Figgures |
| Member Webmaster | Martin Hugo | John Figgures | Mary Reed |
| Editor ECYD News | Tony Pattison | Vic Crawshaw | Brian Barnes |
Chris Robbins
Secretary
Captain’s Note (Demitting)
Most, if not all, our meetings are now held on-line or wider discussions by email.
Existing committee members, who like the Club Captain have served the club over a long period of time, have indicated that they are intending to stand down in 2023. They are however willing to actively support members willing to take up roles on the committee. Their commitment to this support should not be under-estimated.
Anyone considering taking on a role, and it could easily be you, will find on the club website an outline of what might be expected and the present holder of the position will be happy to provide greater detail. Most tasks are fairly straight forward requiring no more than an interest in the club and perhaps a few hours a month. Largely at a time to suit the individual.
That said there is an elephant in the room.
Our Yacht Husbands are and have been over the years a very special breed. But they need the support of every member to keep Freyja of Orwell ‘ship-shape and Bristol-fashion’. For too long it has fallen to a few to support our Yacht Husbands. That needs to change if we are to prosper as a club.
Every member is an owner of Freyja of Orwell and their help is essential. The question is “What can you do?
All of us have skills of some sort of another. And for those who doubt it, there is the opportunity to learn more about our beautiful yacht as you work alongside others, even while just cleaning and polishing Frejya for the season ahead. All of us can and must do something.
Now is the time to stand forward.
No matter how little it might seem.
Many hands make light work.
Brian Barnes
Club Captain (Demitting)
The Proposed Long Trip to the Baltic – 2023
So, looking towards next year, the ECYD Committee have decided that the summer cruise for 2023 will definitely be to the Baltic (visiting hopefully Denmark, Sweden and Germany, with Holland and Belgium on the way). For those of you who have not sailed in this area, it provides excellent sailing and scenery with Fjords if you are sailing around Frederica or a visit to the islands of Bornholm and Christianso if sailing out of Ystad and a trip to the North Baltic if sailing from Malmo or visiting fishing ports and scenic harbours from Travemunde and Warnemunde and the island of Rugen.
The initial charters from Ipswich through Holland, Germany and the Kiel Canal are agreed as has the return from Rendsburg in September. The two skippers who have agreed to undertake these two charters will be pleased to have members join them as crew. The Crewing Bureau will be placing details on our website. These particular passages are an ideal opportunity to expand their experience on longer passages, night sailing and watches.
What is sailing like in the Baltic?
In a word, or two: usually fantastic. It’s no surprise that there as so many sailing clubs in the Baltic. The sailing season is typically from May/June through to September with July and August being the warmest, typically 24°C with weather similar to that of East Anglia with moderate winds and minimal rain.
Getting to Freyja, and back home again by public transport.
The club boats have visited the Baltic many times over the years and experience in the past has shown us some ideal places as handover ports. Regular flights, with local train and bus connections will make getting to and from Frejya relatively easy.
The Proposal.
Detailed below I have shown possible handover ports with a number of days for the charter shown, but these can be amended to meet individual requirements providing that either side of the charter can be agreed.
I have also shown rail links to the handover ports to make it easier for planning.
It would be useful if we could have some thoughts about where you would want to go and when, although it may well be that we will have to juggle some of the plan to make it fit and be workable.
I welcome some thoughts and any provisional interest, and I would try to honour any bid but confirmation of the charter can really only be made on payment of a deposit taken after the AGM.
Proposed dates for the summer cruise with possible handover ports.
| Start Date | Finish Date | Departing port | Handover port | No. days |
| Monday 1st May 2023 | Thursday 11th May | Delivery from Ipswich | Rendsburg | 10 |
| Thurs 11th May 2023 | Saturday 20th May | Rendsburg | Travemunde | 9 |
| Saturday 20th May 2023 | Monday 29th May | Travemunde | Travemunde | 9 |
| Monday 29th May 2023 | Wednesday 7th June | Travemunde | Warnemunde | 9 |
| Wed 7th June 2023 | Friday 16th June | Warnemunde | Stralsund | 9 |
| Friday 16th June 2023 | Sunday 25th June | Stralsund | Ystad | 9 |
| Sunday 25th June 2023 | Tuesday 4th July | Ystad | Ystad | 9 |
| Tuesday 4th July 2023 | Thursday 13th July | Ystad | Malmo | 9 |
| Thursday 13th July 2023 | Saturday 22nd July | Malmo | Korsor | 9 |
| Saturday 22nd July 2023 | Monday 31st July | Korsor | Frederica | 9 |
| Monday 31st July 2023 | Wed 9th August | Frederica | Frederica | 9 |
| Wed. 9th August 2023 | Friday 18th August | Frederica | Sonderburg | 9 |
| Fri 18th August 2023 | Sunday 27th August | Sonderburg | Sonderburg | 9 |
| Sun 27th August 2023 | Tuesday 5th Sept | Sonderburg | Rendsburg | 9 |
| Tuesday 5th Sept 2023 | Friday 15th Sept | Rendsburg | Ipswich | 10 |
Note: Kiel Week is from 17th to 25th June 2023 and either side can be a very busy period.
Change overs will be at midday unless previously agreed with the outgoing or incoming skipper. This will help for victualling etc.
Rail Links to Handover Ports
| Destination | Train Station | Departing Station | Approximate travel time | Airport |
| Enkhuizen | Enkhuizen | Amsterdam | 1 hr | Amsterdam |
| Delfzijl | Delfzijl | Groningen | 37 mins | Groningen |
| Delfzijl | Delfzijl | Amsterdam | 3hr | Amsterdam |
| Rendsburg | Rendsburg | Hamburg | 1hr 15mins | Hamburg |
| Frederica | Frederica | Copenhagen | 1 hr 46 mins | Copenhagen |
| Malmo | Malmo | Copenhagen | 1 hr | Copenhagen |
| Ystad | Ystad | Copenhagen | 1hr 29 mins | Copenhagen |
| Travemunde | Travemunde | Hamburg | 1hr 20min | Hamburg |
Below is a selection of local harbours that are worth a visit – but there are many more.
| Handover Ports | Adjacent Ports |
| Federicia | Middlefart |
| Haderslev | |
| Assens | |
| Kolding Fjord | |
| Bogense | |
| Vejle | |
| Juelsminde | |
| Malmo | Brondby |
| Dragden | |
| Kastrup | |
| Flakforten | |
| Stubbekobing | |
| Copenhagen | |
| Helsingborg | |
| Helsingor | |
| Ystad | Bornholm and Christianso Islands |
| Bodden and Grabow lakes | |
| Stralsund | |
| Travemunde | Wismar |
| Lubeck | |
| Warnemunde | |
There are plenty of alternatives possible, I have shown a feasible trip starting in the south of the Baltic across the German coastline and then travelling North to cover Sweden and Denmark and then back to Rendsburg for the homeward trip. However, I am sure that at the skipper’s meeting after the AGM there will be as many suggestions for alternatives as there are Skippers!
Brian Barnes
Captain ECYD