Dinghy Racing

Dinghy Racing

The Club has a number of keen racers within its membership and promotes dinghy racing activities through a number of events:

10 Hour Relay Race – Frensham Pond Sailing Club

This event is held during a summer day at Frensham Pond Sailing Club. The race is open to teams racing the Club boats.

Match Racing – Frensham Pond Sailing Club

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We normally try to hold two series of match races, one in the spring or early summer at or near the end of the Level 1+2 course and one in the late summer after our summer camp. Both of these series use the Club boats on Frensham pond usually on a weekday evening and are open to all members. The racing is competitive, but not too serious and is an ideal introduction to club racing. Each series usually culminates in a race afternoon held at the weekend usually coinciding with a social event (Summer Social in July and the Late Summer Social in September). The races are usually held on an individual helm basis and trophies are awarded for best helm and best novice helm.

Summer Camp Regatta

A highlight of the Clubs annual camp is the Regatta, usually held sometime during the middle weekend. The day consists of races in a number of different categories. There is a handicap race open to all and a ladies helm race as well as races for the coveted ‘GP’ and ‘mirror’ trophies.

Bart’s Bash

Bart’s Bash is a charity event to raise funds the help transform the lives of young people through sailing. We are looking to put teams into the next race in the Autumn.

Winter Series – Frensham Pond Sailing Club

The club Comet Trios are available to Dinghy Section members and there are handicap series on both Saturday and Sunday.

Comet Trio Nationals

The club boats can be taken to any Comet Trio Open Meeting and Nationals. Any Comet Trio rigged as our boats are, with the sails from the standard sailmakers and just as they are can be taken to any Comet Trio event and it’s in class. That also means that you can race our Comet Trios in any handicap race as well, and it’s within class and ready to go.

Pictures of our boats at the Comet Trio Nationals in 2015 with thanks to Mike Rice.

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Round Isle of Sheppey Race Notes

A good sail is the longest dinghy race in Europe, and the notes for the race will help future explorers enter this race without making the mistakes that we made on our first year.

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A cruise in Portsmouth Harbour

We had a lovely autumn day sail in Portsmouth Harbour, visiting three sailing clubs.

The track of the day

Not having done many events there recently, it was as an interesting sail that was surprisingly green and picturesque in parts. Martin had arranged with Portchester Sailing Club for us to launch from their slip way and use their facilities for the day. They were very welcoming inviting us also to join them afterwards for their boat laying up end of season social.
Martin led the cruise in his Wayfarer crewed by Edmund and Joshua. Simon sailed his Comet Trio crewed by Anne and Andy. James sailed the club Comet Versa single handed.

Comet Versa ready to launch

It was a good wind for the sail, mainly F3 to 4 from the north to north west and wonderful autumn sunshine! We left Portchester sailing club slip following the channel firstly south then north west up Fareham channel which was a beat for part of the way. We landed at Fareham Sailing and Motoring Club for lunch at close to high water. We tied up on a jetty there. The club house is a lovely old building with a great view over the water with a nice bar serving food and drink. We had a very leisurely lunch in the sunshine.

After lunch when the tide turned, we sail back down Fareham Creek taking the falling tide out towards Hardway Sailing Club. We first landed on the beach at Hardway but were advised by a local to sail to a jetty next to the hard as the tide was falling and the it was not nice for grounding boats (hard concrete leading to mud). We sailed the boats to the end of a long jetty to ensure they didn’t dry out while we popped into the club for tea. Landing on the jetty in a strong cross tide was tricky but good practice though.

Martin’s Wayfarer

After a short stay at Hardway we then sailed up a now narrower channel than in the morning back towards Portchester sailing club. The wind picked up slightly and it was a hard beat (especially for the single hander) against a falling tide. We made it back to Portchester SC eventually though with the last of the day light.
Once back at Portchester SC there was a bit of a party going on with food, drinks in the bar including homemade rum punch and a band setting up. We packed up the boats in the compound and enjoyed the excellent friendly hostilely of Portchester SC. It was very enjoyable end to a pleasant sail and in fact the main Cody sailing season. We hope to do a few similar sails like this over the winter.

Thanks to Martin leading and arranging with Portchester and also Fareham sailing clubs to host us. Surprisingly, the sail was 21 km in total, longer than I had expected. Portchester sailing have welcomed us back next year for a sail and may be do a rounding of Portsea Island. That will take some careful tide planning!

Simon M (photos by James P)

The fleet in Portsmouth Harbour