Coniston — 6/7/8 July

This was a joint rally with the Drascombe Association, and some eighteen boats took part. Some members arrived on the Friday evening, and most launched at the Coniston Sailing Club, where crews became temporary members for the weekend. Saturday saw a large flotilla of dinghies, with the tan sails of the Drascombes predominating, beating down the lake against a SSW f3 wind, in slight rain which persisted all day. Lunch was taken standing up in the rain on the west shore, whilst crews compared the various layouts and rigs of the assembled fleet.

Hopes for a successful barbeque on the Saturday evening were not high, but the rain stopped to order at 7.00 pm, just in time for a very enjoyable two and a half hours of yarn-swapping and sustaining the inner man! Many thanks once again to Isobel and David Shuttleworth for their hospitality in ideal surroundings on the bank of the lake.

Sunday was dry and sunny, with the wind now SSW f5-6, and, apart from one GP14, only a few of the Drascombes set sail, under jib and mizzen. Most members spent the morning yarning on the beach, getting ready for a leisurely slipping out in the afternoon. DCA members attending included Stewart Calcutt (Cadet); John Longbotham (Wayfarer); Dennis Rushton (GP14); David & Jean Chatterley, Albert & Joyce Hattersley, Graham & Helen Laws, David & Isobel Shuttleworth (Dabbers); Gerald Harrison & Philip Davies (Lugger); Peter, Enid & Rachel Filshie, Ray & Margaret Ohnstad (Coasters).

Piel Island — 21/22 July

Three boats attended the rally — Gerald & Phillip in the Lugger, Edwin in the Seagull, and Peter & Rachel in the Coaster. Edwin had set sail on the Friday from Knott End, across Morecambe Bay, and the others launched from Roa Island Boating Club slip. The weather was dry all weekend, and on Saturday all three boats caught the ebb out into the bay, with the wind light and variable. Fortunately, the wind became 2-3 E, which helped on the return against the last of the ebb, and all three boats anchored off Piel Island just at low water. The east wind made the anchorage a lee shore, so we all moved anchors up the beach later in the evening to enable us to dry out early in the morning. Once again the strong flood tide through the anchorage made the return trip from the Piel Island pub rather hazardous for my small inflatable tender!

On Sunday we all floated off about 1030 and enjoyed a good sail in the channel, with the wind 3-4 E and the strong flood tide. Gerald and Peter slipped out in the afternoon, and Edwin sailed with the ebb on his second extended single-handed cruise of the season, en‑route for the Solway Firth, the Isle of Man and Anglesey before finally returning to Knott End.

Ullswater — 15/16 September

The Ullswater Rally was once again blessed with good weather — dry, with the winds 1-2 N on Saturday and 4-5 SW on Sunday. An interesting assortment of craft attended: John and Alexander Curtiss (rowing boat); Cliff Laycock & Alison (Sussex Cob); Tony Thompson (Hunter 490); Graham & Helen Laws (Dabber); Julian Fisher (Wanderer); Anthony, Phyl & Rachel Sluce & Alison (Pirate); and Peter Filshie (Coaster). Joan Abrams and Liz Baker crewed for Peter on both days.

Saturday’s light wind allowed a leisurely sail south for lunch at Howtown, then on to Purse Point Bay, opposite Glenridding steamer pier. The return against the wind required the use of the outboard, but John and Alexander managed to row the full length of the lake both ways! ( 14 miles). Some boats slipped out at the camp site on Saturday night, whilst others anchored or moored south of the camp site on the east shore. Most crews met up in the pub in Pooley Bridge in the evening for a good yarn, but Julian, who had launched a lot later than most, spent the night down at the south end of the lake. On Sunday the brisk 4-5 SW wind made a reef necessary, and produced a good beat down to Howtown, with lunch in the Coaster cockpit, followed by a gull-winged run back.