Hi All,  we are looking for a new club... anyone got any experience of either Whitefriars or South Cerney? 

Hi Alan,
Never been a member but when our girls were in Cadets we did a few meetings at South Cerney. Friendly club, new club-house, quite small and nice lake. I don't think there are many (if any) Merlins, handicap racing seems to be the order of the day. The big problem they have which is shared by many inland shallow-lake clubs is weed. This can make any sailing impossible at times especially in the summer. I remember seeing Cadets come to complete standstill in the middle of the lake and their centrboards are half the length of a Merlin one!
Cheers, Dave

Hi Alan,
 
Can't say I've experienced South Cerney, but whitefriars seemed like a pleasant enough place when I was at a conference there last year. There was even a Merlin in the boat park at the time 3757? something around that number
 
Whitefriars sailing area does suffer a little from shallow water and (from what I've heard) weed in summer, Also has trees quite close to the waters edge.
 
I sail at Bowmoor which is another local option. Must admit we don't get on the water as much as we should in our boat (NSM2 3446) and it is all handicap racing but there is always a good race against some of the Phantoms etc (they are quite quick)
 
If I was in your shoes I'd try and get round to the clubs for a visit. I''m sure that'll help make your mind up pretty quickly. You could probably get round in a day as they are all within 15 mins of each other.
 
 Cheers, Paul 
 
 

Whitefriars came over as a friendly club and has a good junior section. The water isn't big, though larger than Shearwater and we've had good cvrda racing there in our older Merlins and the fleet has included a 505 and a certain author's Smokers until he broke it!
South Cerney has an Albacore fleet but I haven't sailed there yet.  Bowmoor is a bit further over near Lechlade and I've sailed on both old and new lake and it was similar to Whitefriars.
 
All are surrounded by trees and none feel as spacious as Cheddar (Bristol Corinthian) which is about the same distance from us though faster to drive to.

 

Pat,  I agree that Bristol Corinthian and Chew Valley would be the best water but they have very restricted sailing times due to water board rules from what I gather (i.e. you can only sail every tenth Monday if Neptune is waving a flag or something!) 

Alan, where do you live?  I sail at Llangorse near Brecon.  I'm looking for other Merlins to sail against.  During the season March - Nov you can sail at anytime unrestricted.  Racing on Sunday, Training on a Saturday.  Brand new club house, very reasonable membership fees.  All in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park.  We have members travel from as far as Shrewsbury and Redditch, as well as Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and  South Wales.  We have a very good youth coaching scheme.
 
Regards
 
Nigel Taylor 

 BCYC at Cheddar sail every Saturday and Sunday all year round and also on Wednesdays between beginning of April and September. The water is fairly open as there are no hills between there and the sea so the sea breeze kicks in. It's a Merlin Inlands venue sometimes too so a good sail. We've been members there for a few years but have dropped it this year to give house building work the priority.

 

 Bowmoor SC is a short drive from the water parks and is (in my opinion) a much better venue. Much more open and a deeper lake, they have cured the weed problem by using blue dye (similar to food colouring apparantly!) and the club racing is at a very good standard. Only one regularly racing merlin at the club.
 
The best bit of sailing in "that area" by far!
 
Jc