In the weeks leading up to the date we had fair weather and the first anticyclone for months. Several sailors contacted me about attending and we had high hopes of a bumper rally. These were:

George Strube (Drascombe) Duncan Gilchrist (whose boat I apologise for not recording) Roland Hunt (Mirror) David Jones (Beaufort)

Colin Newnes would have attended if the weather was better and Len Wingfield was going to crew for me. I was also contacted by Phil Weston of the Shipmate Owners Club, who was likely to meet up with us at the island (maybe another time).

Unluckily, weather systems started moving in the day before, bringing gales. Saturday was a little better, but the forecast was for cold weather with winds up to F6, and the weather station on Chichester Bar Beacon recorded winds of 25 knots gusting to 30 knots and waves of 1m.

Both Len and I visited Northney Marina, from where we could see the island with binoculars, but no boats were visible. Later, Liz Baker told me that Tom Hart (Fabian Bush ketch) had set off from Southsea but was unable to control the boat for the row through Langstone Bridge due to the strong wind.

There was a lot of interest in the rally and it would be very nice to meet everyone at other events during the season. Maybe we need a few more easy-to-reach venues to encourage new dinghy cruisers. David Sumner

Shipstall Point, Poole Harbour — 4-6 May

This was a most enjoyable rally attended by seven members and seven boats on Saturday night, with five returning for the Sunday night. Members and boats were:

Saturday Night Only: George Strube Drascombe Peter Duck Golden Eye Keith Holdsworth Own design yawl Flying Pig

Saturday & Sunday Nights: Steve Bradwell Enterprise Derek ‘J’ Milbourne Dodnor Star Trekka Ka Lae Len Wingfield Leader Rebel Dave Sumner Mirror Curlew Alan Glanville Ness Yawl Lowly Worm III

Saturday and Sunday were fine with broken sunshine and a cool northerly wind. Monday dawned grey, drizzly and cold.

With Shipstall Point being a lee shore, we camped off the sandy beach on Long Island and were completely sheltered by a low cliff and trees. The nights were cold; one member who shall remain nameless resorted to full dress, two sleeping bags and a hot water bottle on Saturday night!

Short sails around the islands, and walks on Brownsea and Long Island were agreeably social. Saturday’s winds were variable and often light, whilst Sunday and Monday were exciting, one reef weather. Apart from ‘J’ who was on a mini-cruise from Keyhaven, via Newtown, to Poole, everyone else had launched directly into the harbour. Steve found a good public slip near the Royal Marines base at Hamworthy and parked on the street nearby, all for no charge. Len, Dave and Keith all launched at Red Cliff Farm for a cost of £5 including the first night’s parking, and £2 for the second. George and I went in at Rockley Point with a £15 launching fee and £5 a night for parking. The latter was very secure for cars, however.

A personal highlight of the rally was the bluebell glade on Long Island with a proper, dug latrine surmounted by a plastic barrel seat. Sitting en pleine air with sunshine and birdsong was memorable — not quite as memorable as the ensuing observations on this by Len — but as this would rightly not get past our editor’s blue pencil, you will have to use your imagination. Alan Glanville

Wootton Creek — 26/27 May — got blown off. Weather was awful, with heavy rain and near gale force winds, but, as a result of Len communicating by e-mail, Len, Liz, Tom Hart and Chris Jenkins met for lunch in the Bluebell pub in Emsworth. Food was excellent. Nobody launched — not even in Chichester Harbour.

Oxey Lake — 8/9 June

Two days before this rally, I returned to work following an enjoyable few days in the Farne Islands to find an e-mail message on my office computer from Keith Holdsworth saying he’d made a mistake with the date and had gone to Oxey Lake on the wrong week-end. Unfortunately he’d be in the USA on the actual date, so could I find another person to host the rally?

As Tessa was still in trailer mode, I decided to tow to the Hamble and sail from there, but an early start would be needed to catch the tide. In fact I wasn’t sailing until 4pm, and found myself beating against a light SW wind and foul tide. The outboard was needed to maintain forward progress. Off Beaulieu at about 7pm I was overtaken by Len in his Leader. That boat moves on a zephyr and very soon he was a mere speck in the distance. Three hours later and still motor/sailing I arrived to find Len alone at the venue.

The forecast next morning was SW 4, increasing 5-7 — and rain — so I resolved to set off as soon as we floated to catch the last two hours of fair tide and get back before it got too rough. Len hadn’t heard the forecast until I told him shortly before I set off, double-reefed. It was exciting sailing — surfing at times — but my Cormorant, Tessa, seems to thrive in these conditions and didn’t give any worries. For once, however, I was thankful to be returning to the Hamble and not continuing to Chichester. I passed Warsash at 11am, three hours after setting-off.

Len set off double-reefed, but off Lymington lowered his main altogether and completed the distance under jib alone. He safely reached Warsash about half-an hour after me.

The rain began as I reached Swanwick, so I had a welcome hot drink and lunch under my fishing umbrella, but all the packing-up had to be done in torrential rain — ugh!

I later learned that ‘J’ had looked into the creek about 3pm, but on seeing nobody, went away again. Liz Baker

The Folly Inn — 22/23 June

This rally was a disaster for me as my mast broke out on Chichester bar. However, I was already returning to the safety of the harbour as I’d found conditions out there too rough to continue and was wondering whether I’d still have time to trail round to Swanwick and try from there when… c r a a a a c k! It wasn’t so much the weather which caused it, as a design fault in the gooseneck fitting. Having sorted out the tangle, I was motoring back towards Cobnor when I met David Sumner, so we had a chat and lunch together behind Pilsey Island before he headed off towards East Head and I continued upstream. Just off Cobnor Point I altered course to avoid a rather nice looking cruising dinghy when I suddenly realised it was Len in his ‘new’ fibreglass 14 footer, obviously up there looking for me. Both he and David had likewise decided Chichester Bar wasn’t the place to be that morning.

I later learned from ‘J’ by phone that three members had assembled at the Folly Inn, himself with his Dodnor Star Trekka, Chris Jenkins with his Potter AX and Steve Bradbury, who I’ve yet to meet, with his Enterprise.

Newtown Harbour — 6/7 July

John Stone, the new owner of Tai Tai, a cabin-modified Roamer, and I launched from Swanwick because of weed problems at Warsash. Calm conditions soon forced me to accept the kind offer of a tow from John, but fortunately, by early afternoon, the wind picked up and we tacked down the Solent with the ebb. At our venue above Shalfleet Quay we found ‘J’ anchored in his 16ft, fast cabin bilge-keeler, and Chris Jenkins in his Potter AX who had sailed from Buckler’s Hard. John Catlin, who keeps his yacht in Newtown Harbour, met us on shore (John has a 15ft double-ender on order). As usual the way inshore was thickly in weed. Rowing was useless, but kedging-in with a thrown fisherman anchor worked. The weather had been lovely on Saturday afternoon, but by Sunday morning rain and mist had settled in, with a forecast of strong winds. John Stone left very early to ensure high water for recovering his boat at Swanwick, and Chris sailed for Buckler’s Hard later. With the fresh favourable breeze I had no trouble in stemming the ebb stream under small mainsail only, indeed out in the Solent I was tempted to sail on jib only. ‘J’ stayed on since he is almost permanently afloat April-September.

Incidentally, my boat at this rally was my heavily built GRP/timber traditional style 14ft dayboat Bluey, which was based on an as-yet unidentified local class. Len Wingfield

New — South Coast Newsletter!

I am about to distribute the first edition of an informal news sheet for south coast sailors. This is intended as a medium for south coast sailors to keep in touch and swap yarns of a more parochial nature than would be of interest in the Bulletin. It will be produced intermittently, whenever there is something to say, so short-notice information such as a changed rally venue can be sent out at once. If you would like a copy, please supply an A5 sized sae or an e-mail address to Liz Baker at Westfield, Western Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3EN. Liz Baker