Following an initial event at the beginning of the month and a cancellation due to windy weather a week or so later, Wormit Boating Club recently ran its third and final planned sailing Open Day of the season. With Marcus firmly in control, volunteer club members poised and Sunday morning sunshine taking the edge off the autumnal chill, the first of over twenty participants began arriving at the clubhouse in anticipation of a opportunity to have a go for the first time or to improve their sailing skills.  Swiftly signed up, briefed, divided into groups (‘expecting to get wet’, ‘prepared to get wet’ and ‘I’ve just had my hair done so will not be getting wet’), everybody was soon kitted up ready for action.  Boats were taken down the slipway and a small flotilla of RS Tera dinghies was soon afloat under the watchful eyes of John in the racebox, Marcus on the slipway, Dai and Anna (AKA Marcus’s Mum and/or Nana) in safety RiB Vigilant, and with salty old sea dog Dave providing expert advice and guidance for the newbie sailors.

Joined shortly by the Vision and Stratos it quickly became clear that any sailing today would be of the gentlest variety, in sharp contrast to the first Open Day, accurately described by one of the novice participants as ‘spicy’.  As the afternoon progressed, Vigilant and Patrol, with Chris aboard, were kept busy towing back becalmed Teras as they slowly drifted downstream, their crews mostly having decided to chill out and enjoy a restful bob.  Meanwhile electric RiB eWOC, with Andrew at the helm, provided fast and fun rides down to Shoreline and back, and ashore in the galley Evelyn, Wendy and Kate made sure that everybody was kept supplied with hot drinks and ’shivery bites’.  This being October, the sun soon began dipping towards the horizon, and with dinghies and boats recovered onto their trolleys and kit put away, weary but happy newbies heading home for a well-deserved tea.

Overall it had been an excellent day, Wormit Boating Club’s vision of being an inclusive and community-driven organisation having again been put into practice, and with club volunteers and participants alike enjoying some serious on-the-water fun in the sun.  Big thanks are due to all those who took up the challenge to come and have a go, to members for generously giving up their own time to support the club, and to Marcus for patiently and efficiently leading and managing the whole sailing open day project.  As Meatloaf once said, 'Two out of Three Ain’t Bad’.

Look out for future dates for further opportunities to get afloat with Wormit Boating Club.