I wasn’t really expecting much of a rally so early in the season, but three boats came, four people, and a fourth DCA boat was seen sailing in the harbour. Tired following a busy week it was 3.30 pm on Saturday before Tessa was afloat. I left her bobbing quietly beside the deserted hard at Cobnor while I parked my trailer and, returning five minutes later, was surprised to find Bluey sitting beside her — no sign of Len — but he soon returned and pointed out a red-sailed gaffer disappearing up Bosham Creek who were newcomers Paul and Colin in a Cornish Crabber.

The wind was onshore at the rendezvous and rather chilly, so we decamped to The Roman Landing at the head of the creek for more shelter. I was less eager to move because I like this venue and can seldom enjoy it with so few people about. I was also slightly concerned that if anyone arrived later they wouldn’t find us. Colin and Paul cooked-up on the beach beside their boat; the rest of us cooked aboard, then all four of us walked into West Wittering to the pub. The afternoon had been overcast, but we returned to our boats beneath a star spangled sky. Len grumbled because the clouds that had kept away the warmth of the sun during the day, having now cleared, augured a chilly night.

On Bosham Quay, Colin and Paul had found a weather forecast for Sunday for F7-8. This was rather startling as the last forecast I’d heard was for SE 3-4 on Saturday, which was about what we were getting, increasing to F5 on Sunday. I never did hear another forecast, but the others confirmed that it was indeed destined to blow. Sunday was a beautiful day, but the rising wind had us scurrying back to our bases. Out of the wind, though, the sun was warm and I spent a lazy couple of hours eating lunch sheltered behind my boat in the dinghy park. Liz Baker

Cobnor, Chichester Harbour 2/4 May 2003

John and Linden Kuyser Westray 16 Rachel Keith Holdsworth Own design The Flying Pig Chris Jenkins Potter AX Gispey Len Wingfield Gull Doug and Sue Forster Cruz John, Michelle & Peter Holman Wanderer Beaky Simon Homer Whilly Boat Steven Bradwell Enterprise Dave Sumner Mirror Curlew Liz Baker Cormorant Tessa

Howling wind and torrential rain on Friday evening, and a forecast of SW F8, increasing to Severe Gale F9, was not an auspicious start to the week-end, but the weather had moderated by morning. The wind stayed around F5 for most of the week-end, but with big reefs conditions were sailable, the sun shone, the water sparkled and the sailing was superb. Ten boats (all different) and 14 members came along — some sailed around from other launching sites; others arrived by road and launched at Cobnor, some camped afloat, others ashore. Some went home on Sunday, but most of us stayed over until the Monday bank holiday and during the week-end we cruised together to East Head, Mengham Rythe and Dell Quay. Nearly everyone came up to the camping field to share in the barbeque laid on by John and Linden on Saturday night, and as there was enough food left over we had another barbeque on Sunday. Liz Baker

Beaulieu 24/26 May

Chris tells me this was a rally of two, himself and Keith Holdsworth. John and Josephine got half-way up the river and gave up — presumably because it got too late. The £5 anchoring fee would have been a discouragement to some, but Beaulieu is a beautiful river and well worth a visit. I would have gone but other commitments kept me elsewhere. Chris Jenkins

Wootton Creek 7/8 June

S-SW 3-4 on Saturday — dry but cloudy, with patches of fog and occasional sunshine. Tessa and I sailed from Chichester and arrived around 5pm. At Wootton Bridge I found Jay Milbourne — Star Trekka Ka Lae, Chris Jenkins — Potter AX Gispey, and Steve Bradwell — Enterprise. The numbers might have been greater but several were doing a stint at Beale Park Boat Show. When daylight faded we adjourned to the Sloop. Heavy rain fell for several hours during the night, but we all stayed dry in our tents, and by morning the sun was shining warmly.

The forecast for Sunday was S-SW 3-4 — sigh of relief — becoming 6 — oh no! Hopefully we would all get back before the wind became too strong… but F6 it very rapidly became, making for an interesting return. Thankfully we all got back safely, although I chickened-out at Langstone and returned to Chichester via the ‘back door’ (Hayling Bridge). Liz Baker

Shipstall Point, Poole Harbour 21/22 June

Keith Holdsworth One Off The Flying Pig Chris Jenkins West Wight Potter Gispey Derek Milbourne Star Trekker Ka Lae Dave Drye Falmouth Bass Boat Steve Bradwell Enterprise Alastair Law Paradox Little Jim Duncan Gilchrist Wayfarer Withy Wobbler John & Michelle Holman Wanderer Beaky Bill Jones & Rachel Topper Cruz Arion Keith Holdsworth

Many thanks to first-timer Duncan Gilchrist for the following write-up:

SHE — a one-time Wayfarer — bought as a wreck for £50 — much epoxy repaired, a two-pot poly-paint job, and many donations of ‘gear’ from friends later, and is now a ‘derivative’ (derogatory term used to describe Wayfarers that are unlikely to ever conform to class rules). But I love her anyway! I may not legally race it but that does not stop her behaving like a typical Wayfarer, and charging about at speed. A great passage maker, as you may have heard. She is however, NOT good for camping aboard in my opinion, because in my particular case the tent is too heavy, the thwart is too low for stiff old me to sheep under, the under-deck stowage area is backbreaking to access, and I am such an untidy person that having to move any item on a daily basis soon leads to chaos! In cruising mode she weighs about 500 lbs.

ME — 64, on my first ever cruising/camping outing and DCA Rally! (Plea to the young — do not delay — get on with what you want to do TODAY.)

THE VOYAGE THERE

Launched at Poole Yacht Club! (Recommended for its security, all-tide slip, changing rooms open 24/7, hot showers, washbasins, loos, all cleaned daily and, if you are that way inclined, a FAB clubroom/bar/ restaurant upstairs. £8.50 per day (24 hours) per dinghy. But I digress… we set off towards Shipstall Point at 15:00 hrs on Friday (yes — I know) and on from there round the south of Round Island, with centreboard and rudder scraping the bottom into ‘Round Island Lake’ and from there on along the length of ‘South Deep’, out past the Ferry (thank you Mr Honda) and, as it was high tide, mooched across the inner end of the training bank (DON’T DO THIS) and into Studland Bay, where I planned to spend the night. It ought to have been sheltered in here with a NW wind but there was a rather sickening swell coming at right angles to the wind. As I did not wish to overdose on Sturgeon, I upped anchor and hared back the way I had come, into the lee off Furzey Island where, careful to stay clear of the under-water cables, I anchored in shallow water.

After dinner I had a visit from an authorative figure (on the shore) who expressed his concern at my being there, so close to his oil-drilling gantry! He was assured that I (no longer) intended to light fires or to come ashore (although at that time we were very nearly aground on the falling tide). Boy, was it noisy in there! Those damned oyster-catchers were piping away all night!

DAY 2

Up before dawn (on the longest day at 04:45 hrs). After a cold breakfast and ‘breaking camp’ we were off up ‘Green Island Lake’, against quite a fast ebb tide, and then north to PYC, where I ‘used the facilities’ long before the cleaners arrived at 08:00 hrs. Some minor modifications to Withy Wobbler then followed, most notably removing the recently fitted GNAV. (GNAV = the ‘American’ for kicking-strap is VANG, reverse that word and you have the name for a reverse means of holding the boom down, i.e. a strut from the mast to the boom).

Determined to get to Wareham we set off with the tides ‘all wrong’ i.e. ‘against’ and approaching low water. Under reefed main only we ploughed our way ‘at the charge’ (as is usual with a Wayfarer) on a dead run before a North-Easterly F3 up Wareham Channel with the mud banks exposed right out to the channel marker posts. Locals may know why but on one of the reaches the wind became dead ‘on the nose’ and Mr H rescued me again.

Did you know that there was a nunnery on the site of the hotel (on the right before the bridge) when the Vikings sacked Wareham in 817?

Fish and chips, a hot cup of tea (under a sun umbrella) and use of the ‘public facilities’ and we were off again against the now in-coming tide. (Actually this stop was a lot more pleasant than I have made it sound). Once again, I would like to thank Shell Fuel Co for the assistance of their Optimax Unleaded fuel for this part of the trip. I did not risk putting the mainsail up until we were near to mark No 82 (but I did unfurl the genny on a couple of reaches to motor-sail). Then, under a reefed mainsail and genny, we had a delightfully brisk but not taxing beat into the now Easterly F2/3 in warm sunshine.

THE EVENT

The sun had been shining all day but now at 16:00 hrs, in the shade of the sails, dressed in a lightweight shirt and shorts, I felt cold. The east wind was blowing onto Shipstall Point and I was the first DCA member there. The sheltered NW corner of Long Island looked inviting so I sailed in there to get out of the wind, have a warming cup of cocoa and put a pullover on. Almost immediately a very interesting craft sailed in looking very ‘DCA’. This was a ‘Paradox’, which was designed by a young American who is obviously a genius! Tell us more Alastair!

Next in was a lovely robust Falmouth Bass boat. Not yet a member, Dave Drye is another ‘very nice man’ with a super quality cruising dinghy. Then Gispey, a professional looking West Wight Potter AX; followed closely by Keith, the event organiser in his lightweight, plumscious, stable, comfortable-looking own design, which I covet! Then there was a Star Trekker, Ka Lae, flying appropriate ‘exotic’ American flags. So many lovely boats that I never get the chance to see at my usual racing-dinghy-orientated inland sailing club. And every new face behaving like a long-time friend!

Things could hardly get better. ‘Bread of Heaven’ as ever was, and a lovely day to boot. Things could hardly get better, and they did not! First there was the Fire Brigade (I kid you not) with its industrial water pump, right there in among us on the beach ready to douse a potential heath fire. Then there were the multi B-B-Q parties, virtually pushing us aside to get to ‘their’ best bit of beach. Then there were the ‘all-night’ drunken revellers. Have I mentioned the thunder storm?

Following my sleepless night at ‘Oystercatcher Beach’, a too long day in the sun for this shade-loving specimen, the down sides of my beloved Withy Wobbler as a sleep-aboard were starting to show. The din from the shore (20 metres away), the thunder and overtiredness all got to me so that, at about 02:00 hrs, feeling murderous, I upped anchor, in my nightwear, and with the tent still up, motored back to PYC. But, sleep was still to evade me. Parking on a finger pontoon with the wind from behind, the waves were slapping loudly on the flat bottom panels of the Wayfarer, so that I was up again moving her to a quieter spot. My watch said 03:13 hrs as I, at last, lay down.

Swish — BOOOOOOM! The whole world rattled! (04:22 hrs).

Swish — Boooom! Boom, Boom! I gave up at 05:00 hrs and started to take the tent down under the most theatrical sky ever. Then the rain came.

Short write-up? I could write a book!

Did I enjoy it? Strangely, yes. In parts. If I had been aboard any one of four other boats there I think I would have been okay. So my big white charger does have its shortcomings? (In my creakage — yes).

Does anyone know of a lightweight, stable, cheap, easily handled sailing craft fitted with permanent full-size mattressed bed and no need to erect a tent?! Also there is a need for me to be able to have a (dry) place for everything! A cross between a “Paradox” and Flying Pig? DO LET ME KNOW! Meanwhile, how do I get to attend other future rallies without putting myself through ‘that’ again? I really MUST continue to see more of these ‘alternative’ ingenious sail-boats!!

Hurst Castle, Keyhaven 5-6 July

This rally was noted in the Bulletin calendar as accessible by sheltered water (meaning from Keyhaven or Lymington I suppose) but the five boats that attended all started from Southampton Water and enjoyed perfect dinghy cruising conditions on both days. The winds were in accordance with the forecasts in the range 0 to 3 from the westerly quarter. Rather cool on Saturday under thickish cloud but no rain at all. Sunday and Monday more summery.

Attending were: Len Wingfield, from Warsash, in Bluey Keith Holdsworth in self built Flying Pig Alan Glanville, from Warsash via Newtown, IOW, in Lowly Worm III, self-built Ness Yawl David Jones, from Hamble R., in Speedy, Beaufort class 16’6” Doug Jones, from Netley, making his maiden DCA rally in his self-built wooden Houdini dinghy, Esther. The Houdini is a New Zealand design and is a real head turner. Length 13’6” and beam 6’2”. Rig — balanced lug catboat. Doug’s is the only example in Britain and I hope he will submit something about it to the Bulletin.

After settling-in we found we did not have the makings of a BBQ so each resorted to making his own version of goulash, after which the energetic (i.e. all except David) went for a walk to the Castle. Keith was even talking of walking around the shingle spit to the pub in Keyhaven. All must have been relieved when he found he had not brought his walking boots and decided the Castle was far enough!

David’s excuse was he had spent Friday struggling with his trailer, which suffered a suspension unit collapse on arriving at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble R. Only thanks to the generosity of Derek, the moorings contractor, in helping with repairs, did he make the rally.

On Sunday, Len and David sailed together to Newtown entrance for a lunch stop and then onwards to Warsash and Ashlett Creek respectively. Doug and Alan omitted the Newtown diversion and returned to Netley and Warsash. Keith lingered and was not observed leaving. David Jones

Cowes — Folly Inn 19/20 June

S-SW winds F3-4 and fine weather for the whole week-end, despite a forecast of thundery showers. I sailed from Cobnor at 7am, hoping the last couple of hours of the early morning tide would enable me to reach the IoW. I had missed my planned Friday departure by letting Tessa go aground on a falling tide while parking my trailer. By 8am I had nipped through the swatchway off Black Point and was heading westswards on a close reach. Unknown to me at the time, David Sumner and his Mirror, Curlew, were then setting sail from Itchenor.

We had passed Langstone by 9am, but then the wind changed and, unable to make further progress against the now contrary tide, I used the o/b to help gain the sheltered waters off the IoW. Just beyond Ryde I stopped for lunch and a snooze in warm sunshine. By the time the tide was running west again the wind had dropped, and so we approached the Medina helped by occasional bursts from Suzie. Once past the chain ferry I noticed a Falmouth Bass Boat tacking up-river ahead, and also a 420. I dismissed the 420 as unlikely to be DCA, but the Bass Boat looked hopeful, and turned out to be new member David Willis coming to his first rally. Then I realised that the ‘420’ was actually Len Wingfield sailing Bluey. DCA boats were popping up like mushrooms all around — suddenly there was David Sumner’s Mirror astern — where did he spring from?

We all cooked aboard our boats and then adjourned to the Folly Inn, which was packed and noisy, with a live band and table dancing. We sat outside on the terrace and watched the fun through the windows. Liz Baker