Tag Archives: skiff

Long service award from the RYA

I am delighted to share with you that our very own Tony Walker has been conferred a Long Service Award by the RYA.

Tony joined Forfar Sailing Club in 1974/5 and has been a continuous member ever since. During this time he has always taken an active part in the running and development of the club, including holding various positions as committee member, Secretary and twice Commodore. Even now, he continues his strong work and community ethic as the current co-ordinator for ground and building maintenance: organising work parties and making sure that the steps and pontoons are safe, as well as cutting the grass every week!

Over the years Tony has worked with various local groups and organisations to attract new members to the club. He was key to the return of Aberdeen University Sailing Club to Forfar and continues to encourage and develop our relationship with them. He keeps in regular contact with other affiliated groups, such as the Radio Sailors and local Angling club to maintain and develop good relationships.

Tony has an incredible amount of drive and once he has set his sights on a goal, no obstacle is too great. He makes excellent use of his local contacts to ensure that the club is well supported by local companies and other clubs.

In 2021, he was instrumental in getting the “skiff project” off the ground and through to completion. Bringing together the Rotary to help with finding funding, Men’s Shed to build the skiff and Strathmore Cricket Club to provide a shed to build it in.  He also organised for students at the local secondary school to be involved. Forfar Sailing club now looks after two skiffs and encourages member of the public of all ages to take part at the various sessions that are run each week.

Recently he has worked with a local architect, local rangers, local industry and Historic Scotland to develop a storage area for the Club on St Margaret’s Inch, which is a Scheduled Monument so development is very sensitive. As always, his drive to reach a suitable solution keeps things moving forward.

Tony continues to be an active member on the water and regularly takes part in the series racing each week. Even when conditions are challenging, he is the first to say ‘come on, let’s get sailing!’.  He is also very generous with his time on the water and will pretty much go out on any boat if it helps to get someone else out on the water. A lapsed dinghy instructor, he is always available to take new sailors out and often supports young and inexperienced sailors to take the helm. He regularly engages a cadet member as his crew for club regattas and encourages everyone to get involved to the best of their ability.

We are a very small club and over the 12 years that I have been a member we have faced continual challenges with attracting new members. Tony’s unwavering support is without doubt a significant factor in securing the club’s future.

Please join me in congratulating Tony on his achievement and dedication to Forfar Sailing & Watersports Club.

Note that he is currently reluctant to receive his award at the RYA Awards Presentation & reception at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports show in Farnborough in February, due to its potential clash with the FWSC prize giving! 

All the best,

Helen Brown

Forfar Skiff Report November 2024

This week marks the second anniversary of the launch of Greg
Lockhurst
I’m delighted to report that both boats are in excellent condition and
being used extensively in the last three months we’ve had more than
60 sorties on the loch. We have attended the Broughty and Perth
Regatta, Monster the Loch on loch Ness the Tummel sprints where
we received a number of medals, we have Held our Skiffy regatta our
skiffs have been rowed all over Scotland including Caterline,
Montrose Broughty Ferry and North Berwick.
We intend to participate in the world championships in 2025 in
Stranraer
We now have more than 60 paid up members and are still getting
new members are still joining us.
The community side of the Skiff is very active including a wild water
swimming group.
We have had a Dementia group, Scouts, Forfar Tangent, Options in
life, and are about to get a Probus group coming to use the skiffs 
Before the next Rotary council meeting, we intend to put a document
in front of Rotary to look at the future ownership and responsibility for
this Skiffs. The original document was not signed.
Scottish environmental Heritage have stopped us with our original
plans for the new boat Storage shed, not allowing us to build on their
site. We have now got agreement with Angus council to extend the
area of our lease to allow us to build the new Skiff store outside the
HES site. It is presently awaiting AC action for a second set of public
consultation which is not expected to cause a problem when this is
complete.
In the meantime, the two skiffs are being kept on good waterproof
covers and being maintained appropriately.

(As you might have seen there are discussions with the council and grants have been put forward to build a new shed. This is still not completed and discussions to make this happen are still ongoing. We will inform all members as soon as we have a final outcome)

Skiff regatta

On Saturday the 24th there is a skiff regatta on Forfar Loch on the birthday of the ‘Mary Campbell’. The day will start with boats arriving from 8:30 with breakfast rolls. Tea and coffee during the day as well as some excellent cakes to keep going. There will be sandwiches for lunch time.

Racing will begin at 10:30 on the loch, where we have a 1km straight to create a 2km long race.

Our race categories are:

  • 280 mix
  • 50+women
  • open mixed
  • 60+women
  • 60+men
  • open women
  • 50+women
  • 60+mixed

Please pop in if you have time and support the skiff team.

An Invitation from the Commodore: –

After over a year of hard work, from a wide variety of individuals and community organisations, the Forfar Skiff will be transferred to Forfar Sailing and Water sports Club for ongoing management and coordination on the 5th of November.

This will involve ‘parading’ the beautiful, hand-built and finished, grey and red vessel through the streets of Forfar leaving the Cricket club build facility at 11 am on the 5th of November with the launch anticipated to be at midday on St Margaret’s Inch.

I would like to invite and encourage all sailing club members to this event where we are hoping to have visiting Skiffs and further opportunities to try a row which is a ‘dry’ water sport and all safety equipment will be provided.

Come along, support this fantastic community achievement and (hopeful) find another social, fun way to get a gentle or good workout depending on your preference.

Thank you in anticipation

Mark

FSWC Commodore.

“Sticks 🚣‍♀️ and Rags ⛵️ on Forfar Loch”

The FSC Midsummer Madness – a day of fun in the sun on Forfar Loch dawned cloudy and blustery with the threat of a shower or two. The North Queens Ferry visitors arrived first with the St Andrews visitors not long behind and the weather was soon forgotten as the skiffs were prepped and launched and after a coffee and cake the first crews took to the water.

As the day progressed the visitors utilised the hosts and other Forfonians on the oars who where all willing crews and very little pressing was needed. Once the skiffs had been tried some of the sailors took to the water for a blast in the blustery north eastish-north westish breeze with some exciting reaching getting the sail dinghies planning nicely, with only yours truly wetting his sail.

A rowing skiff seen through some grass on the shore, the name 'Blue Bay' and number 122 at the bow. 4 rowers and a cox

As the afternoon drew on the gauntlet was thrown and what can be thought of as the Inaugural Forfar Skiff race (now there’s an honour) saw a St Andrews vs North Queens Ferry race start with St Andrews making a powerful start and leading to the turning buoy, an admirable effort from the N Queens crew saw them close the gap on the turn but not quite able to drive the power through on the second half to over take the St Andrews team who finished first – well done. No prizes (this time) but bragging rights for the First Skiff to win a race on Forfar Loch go to St Andrews. 👏

This was a great day with lots of people on the water and at the club, huge thanks to the visiting clubs we are very grateful and with the opportunity to chat to other local skiff clubs the beginnings of new club relationships and friendships have been commenced. As always thanks to FSC members for the great showing on the cake front and come down to try ‘pulling the sticks’.

rowing a skiff

Here is a video of some of us rowing a visiting skiff, want to find out more? Come and see us this Sunday (19-06) when there are more skiffs to see. Coffee and tea will be available, with a piece of cake or a biscuit.

A visiting skiff with members of the sailing and water sports club having a go.