CASTLE Cove Sailing Club are opening their doors to the general public on Saturday May 6 to show off the Club facilities and encourage new members.

As well as displays demonstrating different aspects of the Club, the RNLI Safety Team will be in the Clubhouse to talk to members and visitors.

Weather permitting there will be opportunities for visitors to try sailing on board members boats.

The galley will be serving refreshments all day and the bar will also be open.

The Open Day will run from 10.30am to 3.30pm and members will be at the gate to welcome visitors.

All age groups are welcome to come along and find out more about sailing and joining the Club.

n Castle Cove Sailing Club have also put on a range of training courses to ensure that all of its new and existing cruisers are fully aware of how to manoeuvre in marinas and safety out in the water.

The club takes safety on board very seriously and take pride in the fact they see growing numbers attending the exercises each year.

The first weekend was what the club call the “shakedown sail”, incorporating some vital core skills such as Heave to, MOB, Reefing Afloat, Spinnakers and dropping and recovering the anchor, all of which are essential to safety on the water.

Weekend one ended with a barbecue and pint back on land discussing the day.

The following weekend was spent completing manoeuvres in Portland Marina.

This is where the club ensured the group understood the methods in getting onto and off the pontoons in different wind positions, the best approaches to finger pontoons and the key thing; putting it all into practice.

Castle Cove Sailing Club also expressed their thanks to the Marina for allowing them the time and space to carry out such training onsite.

Practicing these exercises is vitally important for the club’s planned trips in 2017, and it’s vital the members understand the best approaches to take.