Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club

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The Enterprise is a two sail dinghy of just over 4m in length and is ideal for the family as well as the competitive or cruising sailor. It is suitable for beginners and makes a good inland water racing craft as there is considerable skill to getting the very best from the boat and its crew.

Wraysbury Lake is where Enterprise sailing started over forty years ago. Its designer, Jack Holt, was our commodore and later our President. Not surprsingly, therefore, the Enterprise is an ideal boat for our lake.

The lake is very attactive with a good sailing area and easy launching and mooring in any wind. the roomy clubhouse is particularly well sited with excellent views over the water from the bar. There is ample car parking and storage for boats. The club is particularly popular with families as there is a large play area and a very active Optimiist fleet for the younger sailors who grow to make excellent Enterprise crews and helms.

Enterpise Open, October 2007

Another year has passed, but the Enterprise fleet seem doomed to get light winds for their Open meeting. A high pressure system had dominated the weather for several days with nothing more than a light puff. And so it was this Sunday morning. The forecast was for a 3 to 5 mph wind from the North East. The direction was pretty much spot on, but the winds strength a little optimistic.

After a short postponement to allow the wind to settle its direction, the nine boats took to the water and set off round the course. There was just sufficient wind to push to boats along their way. The first five boats all kept closely together round the first lap with light wind maestro Dave Beaney and Maggie just showing the way. Andy Bird and 9 year old Samantha, being probably the lightest combination, were close behind in second place whilst Wraysbury's Commodore, Chris Ryder-Richardson with his wife Jillian claimed the last place in the leading bunch. The light and fickle winds proved much more tricky for the remaining boats whose challenge faded one by one. At the end of the next lap the Race Officer had pity on the contestants and shortened the course before they all sailed out where the wind had completely faded.

Over the lunch period the weather seemed to be changing and there was some hope for better conditions for the afternoon. But those hopes turned out to be false and after another short delay racing was abandoned for the day with the contestants settling for an extended chat overlooking the attractive, but glass like, lake. With only a single race completed, the results of that constituted the event's results. Congratulations to Dave Beanery on reatining his trophy, albeit with a diferent crew.

Enterpise Open, September 2006

50 YEARS OF ENTERPRISE SAILING

In 50 years of Enterprise sailing there may have been mightier winds but none so significant as those which blew at Wraysbury Lake on Sunday 24 th September for the Enterprise Open regatta, 50 years after the very first ever Enterprise Open held on our lake in December 1956, and every year since then. The anniversary fleet of almost 20 boats waited patiently for the postponed start at 11.30 am, rewarding race officers Richard Lock and Tony Lord’s judgment to allow the flat calm to give way to a reasonable 6 to 10 miles an hour South-Easterly with gusts and shifts ideally suited to the talents of this exceptional boat and the crews who master it. A dozen boats visited from around the South Eastern Area, including Anne Jackson and Alan Skeens (20 th at the World championships in August). At times like this one is reminded just what a remarkable club Wraysbury is - many of the visitors had learnt to sail here, on Wraysbury Lake.

Top Wraysbury boat was skippered by honorary member Peter Lynch and crewed by an Oppie sailor who promises to teach his father to sail better. Tom and Beryl Webster were right on Peter’s heels, followed in hot pursuit by Chris and Jillian Ryder Richardson. As if that were not enough, one of the club boats must have been wondering what an earth had hit it as it roared round the lake in a master class of boatmanship from our Commodore and his vice. (See a full list of results on the website.)

The prizes were presented by an old friend of the club, former Commodore Jonny Johnson, now organiser of the Enterprise World Championships, who came back for the anniversary Open, and a certificate in commemoration of the 50 th Anniversary was presented to the club by Steve Collins, South Eastern Area Representative of the Enterprise Association.

Many thanks must go to Richard Lock and the Solo fleet who ran a delightful and smooth running day.

Results

Enterpise Open, March 2005

13 March 2005

Awkward winds characterised the opening of the Thames Valley Bowl series (sponsored by London Pride) at Wraysbury Lake Sailing Club on Sunday 13 March.

The south westerly of about force 2 was punctuated with all sorts of gusts and the occasional lull making the race officers concentrate just as hard as the crews. Very successfully they did too, as the twelve boats that participated over four races (two before lunch and two afterwards) were able to find wind most of the time.

Winners were Pete and Alicia Bennett of Silverwing Sailing Club thus opening their return to the Thames Valley Bowl competition which they won some years ago. Second placed were Roger Bennett and Gavin Peace of British Airways SC and third were Adam Wickenden and Anna Biggs, also of British Airways SC.

The picturesque conditions of Wraysbury Lake were glimpsed in the occasional bursts of sun but most of the time, the opening of Spring still seemed to be some way off.

Overall Results:

 Click the images below for a better view

For more information about the Enterprise fleet call our fleet captain