2021 Events

Summer Picnic 2021

The GXSA Summer Picnic was held on Saturday 17th July at a private location near Flaunden. It was a very hot day and 30 members enjoyed good food and good company on an idyllic English summer afternoon. 

Plymouth

Good news from GXSA member John Apps, who successfully completed another single handed Jester challenge sail to the Azores and has now returned. He left Plymouth on 21st June and reached Praia da Vitória (Azores) on 10th July. Had a bit of a rest and then sailed back, arriving in Penzance on 28th July. Here he is on 4th August meeting up with Bernie and Steve, who are in Plymouth on Burnadebt's West Country cruise.

 

Autumn walk by River Colne,  Grand Union Canal and lunch at the Coy Carp

 

Many thanks to Colin for organising a fine day out with 20 members and friends enjoying a nature ramble and learning about the canal history, followed by lunch at the Coy Carp pub.

Well, there also may have been a cafe stop for some...

 

Sailing Rallies 2021

Bembridge - 10th July 2021

10 boats with 24 GXSA members and friends met up for a convivial weekend, even with social distancing still in place. An excellent happy hour on board Burnadebt and Sonar Too (berthed alonside each other) provided a good start to the evening. There was even a birthday cake for all to share (thank you, Bernie). On the Sunday morning some had a lie in but others took the harbour ferry and finally did the walk to Bembridge lifeboat station before a lunchtime departure on the rising tide. 

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Sailing in UK waters is likely to be very crowded this year.  We've managed to squeeze into the locations below, usually as the 3rd Rally on that date

FYI: the earliest Yarmouth could fit us in was late October.  We're REALLY SERIOUS about booking early.  If we exceed the reserved number of berths, we are likely to have disappointed crew.

Date	Destination	Notes	Boats booked far (Crew)	Allocation
June 5th	Lymington, Dan Bran Pontoon	Still within Lockdown period.  Maximum of 30 people can meet together outside (6 inside). We expect dinner to be a Picnic or BBQ, probably held in the park, near the Marina. Skippers, please reserve berths by March 31st (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).	2 Spaces remain 8 Bookings 1 Home Berth -- Beyond Belief (2) Bothie (4) Burnadebt (4) Coldplay (2) Edu (2) Felix (2) Rowen (2) Sanderling (2) (No berth required) Sonar Too	10 berths reserved
July 10th	Bembridge	Hopefully, Post-Lockdown, so we expect marinas an eateries to be quite full. We expect restaurants to be quite full, so we will need to confirm restaurants (if we can get spaces) early. Skippers, please reserve berths by March 31st (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). It would be ideal to get a view on the number of people for evening dinner, so an indication of crew size would be helpful.	Full - Waitlist Only 11 Bookings -- Beyond Belief (2) Bothie (4) Burnadebt (4) Celtic Flame (4) Coldplay (2) Edu (2) Hallam (1) Sanderling (2) Sandpiper (1) Sonar Too (4)	11 berths reserved
July - August	Cornwall	A loose Cruise in Company, sailing down to Cornwall, and back. Dates are very vague at the moment. If you would like to join in the cruise, please let us know  (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) Skippers, Crew, anybody interested	Interested in going: Burnadebt (4) Coldplay (2) Edu (2) Sanderling (2) Sonar Too	Unlimited
September 11th	Island Harbour, Cowes	Very much Post-Lockdown.  This should be a pretty normal Rally, but the harbour is already quite full, so we definately need your booking information before March 31st so secure places. Skippers, please reserve berths by March 31st (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).	10 Bookings 0 Space available -- Avalon (2) Beyond Belief (2) Bothie (4) Burnadebt (4) Celtic Flame (3) Coldplay (2) Optimist (2) Rowen (2) Sonar Too Vagabond(1)	10 berths reserved
October 9th	Marchwood, River Test (top of Southampton Water)	Returning, after a couple of years.  Excellent Club House, Interesting Walks, Fascinating Shipping. Skippers, please reserve berths by March 31st (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).	7 Bookings 3 Spaces Available -- Beyond Belief (2) Bothie (4) Burnadebt (4) Coldplay (2) Edu (2) Optimist (2) Sonar Too	10 berths reserved

 2020 Events

 Wayfarer dinghy hull available -  this dinghy was acquired by a GXSA member with a generous donation to the Tall Ships Youth Trust.

Cast-Off for Christmas

Our regular pre-Christmas party (this time on Zoom) went well.  The Photo Competition had 44 entries (you can see the entries and winners by clicking here).

Congratulations and Well Done to the winning entries:

• Boating - Gerry Knight - Catch Me If You Can
• Scenic: Derek Youell - Schilthorn, Switzerland
• Humour - Gordon Sims - Keep An Eye Open...
• What I did during Lockdown - Geoff Matthews - I Built a Bottle House

Autumn 2020 Sailing Rallies

Because of Covid limitations, these are being held as informal gatherings determined by interest of boat skippers.

• 5th September at East Head, Chichester. Anchoring overnight and beach barbeque.  5 GXSA boats came to the anchorage but only 3 intrepid crews went ashore for the beach barbeque. It was warmer than it looks in the picture...
• On 19th September, Burnadebt and Sonar crews met up for in Yarmouth, while obeying the "Rule of 6". A nice downwind sail from Portsmouth on the Saturday. It was a big spring tide so we also enjoyed the tide assisted sailing to windward on the Sunday morning back to Portsmouth.

 

"Pub lunch" (Zoom Online)

• Tuesday 8th September
• Wednesday 8th July

 

Summer Quiz  (Zoom Online)

• Wednesday 3rd June

 

Annual Dinner 2020

• Saturday 14th March

This was at Gerrards Cross Golf Club; Download Dinner Menu and Booking Form

A memorable evening just before gatherings became inadvisable because of the Covid19 outbreak. 

 

 

The GXSA Annual Awards, cups and trophies were also presented at the Annual dinner.

 

Bus trip to SS Great Britain, Bristol

• Saturday 29th February 2020

SS Great Britain. Picture, copyright Matt Buck

30 members attended and we mostly dodged the heavy showers !  This was an excellent day out with just the right amount to see in the time we had there. 

The bus left the Gerrards Cross Memorial Centre at 0830 arriving about 1115. We had a nice introduction inside the dry dock from Museum staff and mostly went round the exhibition and ship  before lunch.  After lunch we visited the Brunel museum and went round the ship again.  We left at 1530 and were back by 1815. Cost of the trip (£34) included entry to the SS Great Britain. 

 

 2019 Events

 

Saturday 2nd November 2019 - First Aid Course,  £95 

This RYA approved course was provided by Bisham Abbey staff at a location near Gerrards Cross. The course ran from 9 - 5; the 8 participants were awarded their RYA First Aid certificates (and avoided watching England lose the Rugby World Cup Final..)

 

Wednesday 2nd October 2019 -  GXSA visit to Poole RNLI College for Discovery and All-Weather Lifeboat  Centre tours

Fully booked, 25 people attended. Participants made their own way to Poole and met up for a good lunch in the cafeteria at the College before the tours, which started at 2.30pm.

 

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Saturday 21st September 2019 -  GXSA Autumn Rally at Yarmouth:

Pontoon party and dinner at Yarmouth Sailing Club (Organiser Stuart Gaunt) 

 

Tuesday 9th July 2019 - GXSA Summer Pub Lunch at The Black Horse, Fulmer SL3 6HD, from 12 noon

Fortunately it was fine weather and 38 GXSA members and friends enjoyed a good lunch in the garden at the Black Horse. It was a good opportunity to get together in the summer break.  Our thanks to Bernie Smallman for organising this event.

 

Saturday 22nd June 2019 -  GXSA Rally at Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu River:  Menu and Booking details

8 boats and 25 GXSA members attended this rally, which was very enjoyable.

 

Thursday 13th June 2019 -  Operation Wellfound Charity Golf day at Harleyford Golf Club. 

Excellent course, breakfast, 18 holes Texas scramble, 3 course evening meal and prize giving. Contact Steve Daish.

 

Saturday 11th May -  GXSA Spring Rally at Marchwood:     Menu and booking details

 

Saturday 23rd March 2019 -  GXSA Annual Dinner at Gerrards Cross Golf Club

Download Dinner invitation