Just a quick post to say that Jilly and I are running a training session at Cookham on Saturday April 16th. We are going to start quite early, about 9.30, as there is a lot to get in that day!
In the afternoon there is the Guy Pearce memorial trophy for all Merlin's - that also forms part of the De May series event for Vintage boats.
There will be lunch and tea - and no doubt in the evening some eating and drinking in one of many local hostelries.
It is a bit early in the season for camping - but if you need accommodation give us some warning and we will try and sort something out

We went for a stroll up the bank to 'The Bounty' this evening.
The river is in very good spring form, plenty of wildlife and breeze as the trees haven’t grown too much yet.
You are all welcome to come and enjoy it.

I hate to cast a cloud over such an idillic scene, but I see from the Notice of Race that anyone sailing above Teddington Lock will need to register their boats with the Environment Agency.  (This will also affect most of the Clubs on the Thames Circuit.)  Apparently this is a new requirement for 2011.  It seems that it cost $30 per annum or £14 for each visit.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

I had wondered if the announcement might have been on April the first, sadly it appears not.
Another example of finding out what we are doing to charge us, or stop us, under the guise of furture planning and better service?

I might be wrong but I think this was always the situation - certainly at Cookham you had to have license to collect club-racing points.
As far as visitors are concerned the Environment Agency seemed to turn a blind eye - perhaps that is the change?

We will try and find out

Most of the rules apply to motorised craft and the licence is inspected in locks etc.  I've never heard of anyone checking on visitor registration at an open meeting on the Thames & the form is clearly aimed at powered craft entering the non-tidal Thames through locks rather than sailing craft at a club.

As Andrew says this has always been the case. I can remember having a registration sticker on my Cadet 30 years ago.....That said in 30 years I've never heard of this being checked on the water either.

For the training I propose to give a short briefing and chat about technique and boat set up, concentrating on the conditions we have on the river that day.
Then we will send everyone out sailing.
We will have a video camera, and we will try and hand out any advice and/or encouragement as we see fit, both to helms and crews.
 
We need to start early, about 9.30, as we will have to get most of this done before lunch - If you want to join in you will be very welcome but obviously the longer you are there the more you will get out of it.
We were thinking of charging a small fee of £5 per boat for the training - free to members of Cookham Reach

On Saturday afternoon we are holding two races, both De May Vintage handicap races, open to older Merlins  as per the NOR. However, the first of these is combined with the Guy Pearce Memorial Trophy race (a RNLI fund-raising event) that is open to Merlins of any age, and is a 'first past the post' non-handicap race.
On Sunday we have our three race Silver Tiller event.
Hope to see you on both days!