Kielder Water Sailing Club

Jim Saltonstall gives his insight into racing at this northern club

Situated in the heart of Northumberland, towards the head of the North Tyne valley, Kielder is the largest man-made lake in Europe.

Kielder is a great venue to have good racing, testing all aspects of the sport, especially the use of windshifts. The clubhouse itself like the surrounding area is of log type construction, with ample parking space for cars/boats and trailers. There are good facilities for changing, eating and they have an excellent bar licence, a must for any open meeting or National Championship. Launching facilities are good with a large concrete slipway.

The club can offer good race management, with rescue boats and can lay on any course configuration required for any class association. The club enjoys hosting open meetings, also national events as and when they are booked in good time, so if you would like to have your Nationals there in the future, book early, to save disappointment.

The clubs sailing season is normally March through to December, although they can make use of the water all year round if requested to do so. The club, like many, offers RYA training courses, attracting people from all over the North and Scotland. Recently the club has hosted events for the Solings, as well as the BT RYA Match Racing 'Q' series, along with events for the Ospreys and Flying Fifteens, other classes are welcome.

HOW TO GET THERE
Access to the club is off the A68, North or South bound, unless you are approaching it from the west, then you will come in off the A7 north of Carlisle, making your way to the SE corner of the lake, the first land mark you are looking for is Tower Knowe. If you are looking for a venue, steeped in scenery and away from the maddening crowd, this is it!

WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation in the area is good, with plenty of B&B's in the area, in Kielder village, Falstone and Bellingham. Camping is allowed in the club grounds during events, for the latest accommodation list, contact the club direct, or the Kielder Visitors centre. Camping/caravan sites are available in the area, they are perfect for the surrounding scenery. Restaurants are available at both of the nearby visitors centres and there are some good pubs in the surrounding area, all offering good pub grub. For help contact the nearestTourist Office - Hexam 01434 652 220

RACE AREA
Kielder offers a great expanse of water on which to race, the main race area being in front of the clubhouse, makes for good spectator sport. The main pool area lies East and West, 3/4ml wide N/S, and two miles long East and West. The predominant wind direction during the summer months is from the western sector giving plenty of room for a good long beat if required.

WIND DIRECTION
North. With the Northerly wind, we have only 3/4ml windward leg maximum and with the higher hills to the North, our skills on how to use the wind shifts are put to good use. As with any offshore wind we need to know in the starting/ leeward mark area, which is the lifting tack out of the line/ leeward mark and get on it as quickly as possible so as to be in sync with the oscillations. Do not forget the golden rules of sailing in shifty conditions- Don't get to either lay line to soon, other wise you may end up easing sheets to get to the windward mark. Advice - Use the shifts more up the middle of the track, not getting to either lay line until you near the apex of the beat. We know that some one might bang a corner on any beat and come out of it smelling of roses, do the same on the next beat and come out down the tube and round the 'S' bend, which is not good conservative racing tactics.

WIND DIRECTION - NORTH EAST
The shifts are still going to be there, quite large as with the North wind, but working the top left of the beat should pay as you will get some bigger shifts lifting port tack as you near the northern shoreline. Be careful not to get to the lay line too soon, otherwise we end up easing sheets again for the windward mark.
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