In line with government advice and just plain common sense, we would like to remind everyone that all racing is cancelled until further notice.

It may seem like a nice idea to just go and stand 6 feet apart and sail around some buoys, but it would be hard to justify that it was not a meeting of more than 2, or that it was exercise (although definitely , under normal circumstances, good for well being). But remember – a key point about this social distancing and all the other restrictions is to slow down infection rates to avoid the frontline NHS and other essential services from being overwhelmed by the high number of infected people who become very seriously ill. Social distancing is not only about avoiding being infected oneself, it is to reduce the chance that you may unwittingly infect others, especially any at high risk.

We can look forward to the time when we can start again, with a fleet of beautifully maintained and polished boats, and Hugh has suggested we have a picnic to celebrate the event. A few bottles of bubbly would do, but I am sure we could have a (very) long coffee/lunch break!