This is the key weekends where we set ourselves up for a successful year by cracking all those jobs we would rather not do when sailing is on offer!

Sunday was the first of our two maintenance days and 19 club members turned out to clean and paint. Jenny, Lynette, Pauline and Margaret made lots of spiders homeless for the coming year and as tallest member, Lee was designated chief interior window cleaner while Kerry attacked the dust on the beams and ceiling from a step ladder.

Before rain stopped play Steve, Norm, James and Jason were able to get two coats of paint on the western side of the clubhouse and Dan, Patrick, Adrian, Stewart and Olly painted the container an interesting shade of pea green while Joe refitted the main lock and made new hand rails. Nigel and Tim oversaw proceedings and kept everybody supplied with paint, polish, dusters plus of course tea and coffee and Janet and Jenny provided welcome soup and bacon or sausage rolls for a prompt 13.00 break.

Maintenance Day 2 got off to a great start on a sunny Sunday. 11 members turned up and got on with painting the outside of the club house and a fantastic job they made of it. Joe was working on the container, Dan adjusted the side gate so it can be opened, Nigel got on with the archiving of old club paperwork, some dating back to 1920’s and also completed were some small repairs that did not get done last Sunday. Yesterday Pauline and Margaret put back the curtains after Pauline had washed them.

Everyone stopped at 12:30 for a quick bite to eat with Jenny and Sue in charge of providing soup and bacon butties this week.

It was so encouraging to see club members (including some new ones) taking pride in our historic clubhouse. Once again a big thank you to all those who attended.