Fellow sailors, it has indeed been a very strange year so far and it is only very slowly getting better. We now need to look at the way forward which of necessity will be slow.
First we need the sixes out on the water at your clubs. If you do not already do it organise regular six metre sailing and racing days. I don't actually think we can run much in the way of large events for some time and to this end the intention is to cancel the Six Metre National Championships for 2020. These will now move to 2021 at Norwich at a similar time of year. We also are intending to run all the events we had planned for 2020 in 2021, just adjusting the dates by the requisite day to cope with the calendar.
I feel that an explanation of this is required and as you probably suspect it is due mostly to the ongoing pandemic, the demographic of the model yachting fraternity puts the majority of us in the vulnerable zone and thus congregation in large groups, overnight stays in hotels etc. are not the ideal situation. Furthermore, the MYA has a requirement that National level events should be available to all skippers who wish to attend and the possibility of local lock-downs in the case of surges in infections could happen at any time with very little notice, thus necessitating cancellations. We cannot ask a club to go to the expense and hard work of organising an event at this level only to have to cancel at short notice.
The events ie. open meetings we have in the calendar for the rest of the year are totally depending upon the regulations in force at the time of the meeting. I for one am sure I will go to meetings if I am able and allowed to go but I will not be staying overnight and until things change will not be walking up and down lake-sides in a group of skippers. We at Two Islands have developed the art of sailing from a chair and I feel that this is the way it will be for some time. In the Midlands District we have cancelled all the district six metre events but the dates are there and we could resurrect some or all as local opens, conditions permitting.
I do realise this news is probably not that welcome but am sure with some thought on the matter you will agree with our feelings and agree that this is the only safe way forward.