Gold Fleet at Lymington Optimist Flotilla

The Gold Fleet Captain is Giles Lloyd Williams and he is in charge of organising race training for Gold Fleet Sailors on the Lymington River and Solent. There are over twenty sailors in the Gold Fleet, the majority of whom sail with the Flotilla on a regular basis. You can see all the Gold Fleeters in the Members Area. Sailing in the Gold Fleet is challenging - sailors need to be experienced helms and properly equipped before they can be allowed to sail with the Gold Fleet. On the river, there is plenty of traffic including the ferry that needs to be avoided and the strong Solent tides can be difficult for even the most skilled helms.

 

    
            

Meeting Times

The Fleet usually meets on Sunday mornings at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club and sailors need to be rigged and ready for a 9.30am briefing before getting on the water. The sessions usually end around lunchtime, depending on weather conditions but occasionally there will be all day training or an all-day coached session. The Gold Fleet train for most of the year, usually only taking a few weeks out in December and January.

 

Gold Fleeters are generally very committed to their training and in addition to the Sunday morning sessions sailors may also compete in the Evening Race Series held during the summer months by both the Royal and Town Clubs on Mondays and Wednesdays. Sailors are also encouraged to keep fit and there is regular swim training at the Lymington Recreation Centre on Thursday evenings and additional fitness training is occasionally organised.

 

Giles Lloyd Williams heads up the Gold Fleet

Parents Needed

Although parents do not always have to stay at the Club while their children are sailing, all parents will find themselves on duty every third week or so. According to qualifications and skills, parents are on the rota as JSOOD, coach, safety boat driver and safety boat crew. Please check the rota to see when you are on duty and remember swaps can only be made with another suitably qualified parent.

 

Wight link is pretty big when you are in an Oppie!