Sunday 10 Jan 10
Hi Cruisers, The Cruising Programme for 2010, has now been published and sent as an attachment to all the members with email addresses, and also in hard copy sent out with the renewal notices on the 27th Dec last. Happy New Year. See you all on the water.
ps
Many of us stay afloat through the winter and happily cruise locally on day trips. If the WPCA burgee is flying it is the 'international signal' to come and say hello.
21 Nov 09
Cruising Programme 2010
Our new cruising_programme is now being actively produced, will be published published at the beginning of the year. please make contact with me (Clive Sammels) if you would consider being the focal point for a cruise in 2010, whatever the distance.
The programme usually shows quite a number of trips to local anchorages for gatherings and BBQs, and trips further afield, to the Westcountry, and to Normandy, Brittany, and the Solent.
The process starts by checking through the Tidal Streams Atlases to seek out favourable tidal streams around the major headlands, etc. Members are then approached to get volunteers to append their names to each of the cruises, just so that there is a focal point for each trip. During its compilation in the winter months, we haven’t any idea of course about the weather plans for the coming season, but we jolly soon find out!
This last season we had eleven boats gathering on one fine occasion, nine on another, down to only a couple when the weather was a bit discouraging.
We cracked off with a really pleasant long w/e in Cherbourg in May, with eleven members sitting down to an evening meal in the best window tables of 'La Cave', Place de la Republique, just ten mins walk from our floating homes.
Five yachts went on the trip to Brixham Yacht Club in June, and a very pleasant time was had by all, despite 'changeable' weather! BYC really looked after us, the food is excellent and fairly priced. Recommended. Then we had great trips to Exmouth and Poole.
After that it was a 'bomb burst ' to north, east ,south and west. Many, and varied were the reports coming in from members by email, texts, phones, and messages in a bottles.
~~~~~~
In the interests of safety everone taking part in an Association cruise further than a few miles, should individually inform the Coastguard about their intentions, ETA etc. It is not practical to do it as a group because often people start at quite different times, and/or may change their minds completely.
It is well worth taking advantage of the Coastguard 'CG 66 Scheme' whereby boat owners record the details of their craft, contact numbers etc., on a simple little form which the CG then transfer onto their nationwide data base. It can considerably simplify the process of informing them of your trip from A to B, and should there ever be any difficulties, they have the info about your vessel literaly at their fingertips.
Clicking on CG66 will screen the form, which you could then print, complete, and hand into the Coastguard on the way to the club one evening. Alternatively the whole process can be done on line via the CG website.
Keeping together; a recent little survey among members concluded that it was not really practical for everyone to sail in close convoy simply because boats speeds vary quite a bit. But 'paring off' seemed to be a popular and practical idea. Generally we try to not leave inexperienced crews unattended.
Regarding communications on any of our cruises. On VHF, we use the standard procedure of making initial contact on CH 16, then switching to CH 72. If you have a dual watch facility you can 'cut out the middle man' and go straight through on 72. I have to say it is not unusual to hear one boat trying everything under the sun to make contact with another and failing, whilst everybody else in the north Atlantic has perfect reception! ( I have on occasion resorted to the mobile phone!)
Skippers will always of course make their own decisions about how and where their boats will sail, but should anyone seek information, there is a wealth of experience available from the membership. Just ask.
Several of our experienced cruisers set off independently for weeks, or months away, visiting some impressive destinations many hundreds of miles from base. I had emails from two particular cruising friends last season, one to the east and the other to the west more than 1300 nm apart at the time!
Whether a novice or an expert, if you would like to join in on a crusie at any time, please do so. If not yet a member, then likewise come, and join the Association a bit later on if you enjoyed the experience. (Membership is currently £25 pa)
Enjoy the winter, and may all your breezes be abaft the beam.
Clive Sammels, Cruising officer.
