All open meetings at Carsington are now cancelled until further notice due to low water level.The problem at Carsington is an abnormal one; due to repairs at nearby Ogston reservoir the demands on water from Carsington have been significantly increased. We have been looking round at the possibility of running the event elsewhere (Bala, FileFiley, Beaver) but we got a low level of enthusiasm to travel further distance or to visit Beaver 3 times in one year. We have therefore concluded that the best thing to do is to abandon the event and reduce the summer series to 4 events to count out of 7 (instead of 5 from 8).
Editorial comment by the Events Secretary:
Carsington is a popular venue for our TT circuit and we will certainly include it on next years calendar if all returns to normal. It is large reservoir close to the peak district and consequently offers good walking and cycling options. Additionally there is a growing fleet of about 10 Dart 15s most of whom would not travel to an alternative venue (although they did have 4 boats at the Nationals in Whitstable). It is our policy to concentrate our traveller events at venues that are popular with our travellers and which have local fleets of Dart 15s. That way, we get to know the local Dart 15 sailors (hopefully an outcome is more of them subsequently take part in future Dart 15 Association activities) and get larger attendances because often many of the local Dart 15s will not travel. The viability of many of our traveller events depends on this. Thus for some of the northern events we may get 6-10 travellers so if there is a local fleet of say 8 Dart 15s we might achieve an attendance of 14-18, but without them (e.g. Bala, Blithfield or Filey if the locals don't race - as tends to be the case) we would be down to the 6-10 hardened travellers, but even those are loath to travel long distances for small events when there are no locals. Many of us travel to see our chums - in the Carsington case Ray and Tom Gall, Jerry Hampshire, Norman Grum, George Love, etc. We also travel to meet new Dart 15 fleets/sailors so we get to know them, break down the barriers and hopefully get them to pay a return trip some time to attend an open meeting or a Nationals.
Carsington is a newish venue founded 1992, in beautiful surroundings near Matlock where the Dart 15 fleet has been steadily building up over the last few years. There are about 20 Dart 15s and Ray Gall is in the process of pulling things together. Ray is often to be seen on the open meeting circuit and he has managed to get a team of 3-5 boats to some events.
For further details contact Colin Pimblet on 01625 262058
