Allhallows Yacht Club now closed

RNLI Sheerness has published this story: The demise of a local yacht club has resulted in the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station receiving a huge donation of £78,000.

The Allhallows Yacht Club Ltd, based on the Grain Peninsula within the Allhallows Leisure Park had been unable to negotiate a new lease with the owners and the sad decision was taken to wind down the club which was established on the same site in 1964. The AYC Ltd company memorandum and articles stated that should the club be closed down for any reason then any remaining funds were to be donated to a local boating related charity. Following a unanimous decision by the club members it was decided that the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station would be the benefactor due its close proximity (by sea) to Allhallows and the fact that over the years the Sheerness RNLI volunteers have helped out AYC club members on a number of occasions when they found themselves in difficulties. Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station Coxswain/Mechanic Paul Jarvis along with his predecessor Robin Castle and Sheerness lifeboat station Operations Manager Nigel Budden met representatives of the club on Saturday 7 October at Lower Stoke on the Isle of Grain and were astounded when Andrew Vincent (AYC President) and Mrs Cheryl Frame, on behalf of her late husband Barry Frame (AYC Commodore) presented the huge cheque to them. Also present were Claire Vincent (AYC President), Nigel Godden (Rear Commodore) and other longstanding members including Mrs Anne Letch who joined the AYC with her husband in 1968. Mr Vincent said: ‘Whilst we are very pleased to be able to benefit such a worthwhile institution as the RNLI it was with great sadness that this was the final act of Allhallows Yacht Club’. On behalf of all the crew and volunteers of the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Coxswain Paul thanked all those present for their generosity but also offered commiserations for their loss.

RYA Clubs Conference, Guildford, 26 Nov

If your club is RYA-affiliated you should make sure at least one relevant person attends this year’s FREE “Connected” event. There’s bound to be lots of useful things to learn. Previous regional conferences were in Maidstone, but this year it’s in Guildford which is more central for the London & South East region of the RYA.

For more information and to book…

Vacancy for Chief Instructor at Medway YC

Medway Yacht Club is looking for an RYA Senior Instructor to take on the Chief Instructor role on a full time, permanent basis. The role requires a flexible approach with the successful candidate working a minimum of 37 hour contract over weekends, evenings and bank holidays as required. Typical working week Wednesday – Sunday.

The position is designed to lead and manage the existing Club Sailing groups: Junior, Youth, Adults, Royal Engineers, NAS school all operating from March to November with Winter Training Sessions mostly for the Youth team. The position will also involve delivering Powerboat, Stand Up Paddle-boarding, shore-based courses as well as Team Building days. The successful applicant will lead on training at the Club and report to the Commodore and Flag Officers. The applicant will work closely with the other employees and volunteers.

For a full job description please contact secretary@medwayyachtclub.com or follow this link: https://www.medwayyachtclub.com/2021/01/chief-instructor-vacancy/

Peel Ports gets tough on dangerous boaters

Peel Ports have issued the following statement: “On the 26th of April 2020 a water craft collided with another vessel causing it to sink and causing serious injury to one of the occupants. Police attended the scene and the defendant was breathalysed and found to have a levels of alcohol in his system exceeding the amount permissible for driving a vehicle on the road, resulting in his arrest. The injured party maintained that the defendant had been performing ‘doughnut’ turns around her vessel but had lost control of his vessel causing it to collide with hers.

“The Port of Sheerness Ltd brought prosecution proceedings against the defendant pursuant to the Port Byelaws alleging that the defendant had failed to navigate his vessel with the requisite level of care and that he had been in charge of his vessel whilst unfit by reason of drink, contrary to byelaws 22 and 33 respectively. The defendant was summoned to appear before magistrates sitting at Medway on the 10th of December 2020. At this hearing the defendant pleaded guilty to both allegations and was ordered to pay fines, compensation and costs totalling £3,950.”

UPDATE: The “water craft” referred to in the Peel Ports Notice was a small motor cruiser, not a PWC (jet ski). The other vessel was a dinghy.