Sailing and canoeing club’s season to begin next month

Preparations are in hand for the St Edmundsbury Sailing & Canoeing Association’s 2020 season, which commences on Sunday, March 29, at Lackford Lake.

This year’s programme is busier than ever with on-the-water activities scheduled for nearly every day throughout the summer. Club dinghy racing is held on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings, while social sailing and training mainly take place on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.

The highlights of the season will be the club’s RYA (Royal Yachting Association) “Discover Sailing” Open Day, which is being held on Sunday, May 10, and the “8th Antigua Sailing Day Regatta”, which is being held on Sunday, June 7. The Open Day is a fun occasion when members of the public are invited to visit the club and try sailing or kayaking for free. The regatta celebrates “Antigua Sailing Week” and is, once again, being supported by the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, who will be providing a steel pan band for lunchtime entertainment.

SESCA is an RYA recognised Training Centre, so will again be running a number of “Learn to Sail” courses and a series of monthly “Sailing Support Sessions” for members looking to improve their skills.

The club’s disabled sailing group, WASH Sailability, will be sailing on Thursday mornings; Tuesdays and Saturday afternoons, while the club’s junior sailing group, Young People Afloat, will be sailing on Wednesday and some Monday evenings.

The club’s three Sea Cadet Units – Bury St Edmunds, Mildenhall and Newmarket – will each be running several sailing and gig rowing sessions per week. The Suffolk Scouts, who run nearly all their water sports activities at Lackford, have also expanded their programme this year and will be running multiple sessions for Cubs, Scouts and Guides from across the county. Finally Priory School, in Bury St Edmunds, will be continuing their paddling outings on Monday evenings.

Anyone interested in dinghy sailing (pottering or racing), canoeing or kayaking is welcome to visit the club to see what is on offer. Membership fees are cadet £25 pa; adult £62 pa and family £90 pa).

For further information, please see: www.westsuffolksailing.org.uk