SAMM (the Sailing Association Mar Menor) can be regarded as the sailing Centre of the Mar Menor and surrounding district. Members and friends come from the local towns and other European countries to sail and socialise. Membership of one of the associated Groups is required to be able to sail one of their boats. The sailing groups are listed below by category, where you can find out all the latest news, race results, and social events.
- Pat Fleck
- Sep 27
- 1 min read
AN APOLOGY AND BIG THANK YOU
When I wrote the report on the 21st September race day I remembered to thank everybody who did a job on the day to help make it possible.
But I forgot one important person, Bob Miles. Sorry Bob, please accept my apologies.
When I had to stand down as primary race program organiser, Bob stepped forward and kept racing alive.
When the race box and gear had to be removed from storage at Areaz, Bob offered to store everything at his house.
When he started the Spring 25 race series, he purchased a van to transport all the race equipment to Los Urrutias, and then acted as Race Officer for most race days.
He has continued to give Whaly helm training, not only to simply manage the boat, but also on the additional techniques needed to be a competent race day helm.
On the 21st he bought everything needed to Los Urrutias and helped get the Whaly prepared, then helped pack it away to take back to his house again.
So when you next see Bob, shake his hand and say “Thank You”. As I say now Thank you Bob.
Terry Chapman
- Pat Fleck
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
SAMM RACING STARTS AGAIN
After having been forced to leave our operating base, CTD Los Najeros, after 17 years in residence, our sailors struggled to find a new home for their boats.
In late 2024 this changed when most of the two Balaton boats, the Delatanias and the Support Boat had all found berths in Los Urrutias marina and some of the Shoestring dinghies in nearby Mar de Cristal marina. This enabled a limited race program to be run in the Spring of 2025.
The Autumn Series has now started with the first race day on September 21st in which three Balaton boats one deltania and one dinghy competed. It was a good day’s racing with no major incidents, although a couple of the boats fowled the anchor lines of the course buoys and were forced to do a 360 turn as penalty.
Due to lack of wind, the first start was delayed until the wind came in at 5.5 knots from the south west at 11.40. Deltanias Gemini Dos got a great start, closely followed by all the others. Gemini led for the whole race, managed to lap every boat, completed 8 laps in the hour long race and recorded an average lap time of 250 seconds. Balatons Sirocco was second with 314 seconds.
By the start of the second race at 12.58 the wind had increased to 8 knots and stayed between this and 11 knots the whole time for perfect race conditions. Again Gemini was first over the start line, again led all the way and again lapped every boat, one twice. With the increased wind she completed 11 laps in the hour, this time with an average lap at 181 seconds. The dinghy Shoestring Uno placed second with a time of 229 seconds.
A great days performance by Gemini’s crew Nick Cussell and John Sawyer.
The charts show the race results and include the handicaps each boat sailed to (right hand column). An E before the numbers indicates the figure is more than 10% different to the handicap in current use.
Thanks must go to all the volunteers who made the day possible. Race Officer Terry Chapman, Assistant Lisa Chaytor, Support boat Helm Martin Bisofsky and Crew John Hutchinson, while Laura McDermott handled the competitor registrations. Other non-SAMM friends of Colum and Laura, Christy and Julie McEvoy also attended to observe, with the intention of helping in the future.
