Cape Cutter 19 sailing into river Crouch

Life on a floating art studio | The Art of Cornwall

Windsurfing Hayling Island

Chichester race week will bring hundreds to the harbour

The biggest annual sailing spectacle on Chichester Harbour is about to get under way as competitors gear up for Race Week 2019. Already around 150 dinghies from the harbour and beyond – even as far as Germany – have signed up, and as many competitors make last-minute decisions that number is expected to approach 300 by the time the first races start on August 19. The five-day event, now in its 56th year, is organised by volunteers from member clubs of the Chichester Harbour Federation and run from Hayling Island Sailing Club. Three separate courses for boats of differing speeds are set within the broad stretch of water just inside the harbour mouth, and spectators on East Head get a grandstand view of a kaleidoscope of dinghy design as the racers come inshore to avoid adverse tidal currents. Classics such as National Solos and Flying Fifteens are represented, as well as Olympic classes – Finns in particular – alongside some of the latest asymmetrics and foilers, plus RS Teras and Optimists, popular boats for the youngest sailors. Race Week is very much a family regatta, often seeing two or even three generations of the same family competing, and with regulars returning year after year in a chase for the coveted prize plates, which depict the burgees of the 14 harbour sailing clubs. Racing is of a high standard, but competitors at all skill levels find much to enjoy – it’s not always about winning, but beating a close rival or even simply finishing a race far longer or over a much bigger course than ever previously attempted. Over the three courses, there are 17 separate starts each day for different one-design and handicap classes, which are decided each year on year according to demand. New this year are starts for Fireballs and 2000s. In the fast handicap class there is an exceptionally large advance entry from International Canoes, and in the medium handicap 420s will be competing in numbers not seen for many years. This year’s tide times mean racing will be in the afternoons, so with good weather sea breezes will build in to make racing exciting for all competitors. A full social programme, including live music, a quiz, a chance to try stand-up paddle boarding and the renowned HISC disco, completes the week’s appeal. Full details are at chichesterharbourraceweek.sailevent.net, where on-line entry is available until midday on August 17. After that, competitors can enter in person at HISC. Day rates are available for racers unable to commit to the full five days From August 18 to 24 sailors and crew, with their families and supporters from across Europe, will join forces with UK Sharpie Sailors at Itchenor Sailing Club for the 55th European Sharpie Championship. The sailing will take place in Chichester Harbour and the surrounding waters of Bracklesham Bay and Hayling Bay. There will be a series of ten races and a great social programme with each competing nation hosting a themed evening, including a British Night, Dutch Pancake Night and more during the week culminating in a prize giving ceremo The Sharpie class of boat is now sailed in the UK in Brancaster Staithe, Burnham Overy Staithe and Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk. It is also re-emerging on the South Coast and in Europe in Holland, Germany and Portugal. The European Championship takes place each year and rotates between the four countries. The International 12 Square Metre (sail size) Sharpie is a classic wooden sailing boat – Initially designed as a fast two man racing dinghy, which is also suitable for day cruising.It has shallow draught and a gaff rig and is capable of standing reasonably heavy weather. Apart from toe straps, sitting out aids are not permitted. This annual event has grown into a sailing extravaganza over the years with hard and fast competitors sailing for the European title. This year there are so far 42 competing Sharpies. Interest in Sharpie racing is certainly growing again with a host of young sailors partaking and enthusiastic yachtsman from around the UK and Europe taking on many Sharpies as restoration projects. Several Sharpies have changed hands over the past 12 months and a top condition boat for sale is becoming difficult to find. James Nunn, Sharpie Fleet Captain said: “Once the magic of a Sharpie enters your lifestyle you become part of it for a very long time, there’s nothing that can compare.” Chris Gibbs, Sharpie Sailor said:‘There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a fleet of Sharpies sailing together and is ultimately the reason us Sharpie sailors are members of BSOA (British Sharpie Owners Association) which helps preserve the Sharpie class we all love.’ To find out more please visit www.sharpies.org.uk or www.itchenorsc.co.uk or call 01243 512400.

iFLY15 Foiling in 25 knots of wind during SailGP Cowes // Hydrofoil Cata...

Sail training voyage with OFFSHORE: Ipswich - Boulogne - Southampton (Au...

Sailiability Summer Successes

Sailability has been enjoying a busy summmer in Scotland, with events like Wheels 2 Water, through to international competition. Here's a round up of what's been going on! Rory McKinna travelled out to the Para Sailing World Championships in Spain last month and continues to take his sailing further afield in the Hansa 303 class. Last year Rory took part in his first World Championships and this year he has continued to learn new skills from sea venues and moved into the top ten in the world for the class. We caught up with Rory on his return and asked how it all went. “Overall the event was brilliant. The conditions were excellent, with continuous sunshine (I’ve never sailed a whole competition in shorts before!) and the wind was pretty constant, with very few changes in speed or direction. It was great to see everyone and catch up. I was very happy with my 9th place, although I believe I could have done better but if it had not been for a catastrophic charter boat failure where the steering snapped in two which caused me to drop from 4th to 13th during that race and missing the next while the boat was fixed.” “The highlight of the event for me was achieving my goal of getting into the top ten, especially after missing out on it in Sheboygan last year. That was my main goal for the event, so goal achieved!” Following on from the Eurosaf European Championship on Lake Traunsee, Austria in May, Rory noticed a major increase in the standard of competition and therefore took every opportunity he could get on the water once he got home, in preparation for the worlds. This included joining Largs Sailing Club and joining in the weekly racing at a sea venue. “There are many people I would like to thank at the event, especially Massimo Dinghe of World Sailing and all the other organisers for a brilliantly run event.” “My next big competition is the Hansa Nationals down in Rutland. Then it’s the Dutch Hansa Nationals near Amsterdam which I was invited to by the Dutch team at the Worlds. Beyond that it’s the Hansa European in Portugal. I’ve also been invited to sail with the Sailability group in Hong Kong in December, so that is also a possibility. It’s amazing to where sailing can take you, even in a small boat!” Another group of competitive sailors looking towards their next challenge is the Special Olympic Sailing Team with their team from Able 2 Sail preparing for the next round of events as part of the build up to the World Games following their success in Abu Dhabi. RYA Sailability co-ordinator David Hill has also been working with Able 2 Sail with a team aimings to have 5 pairs for the Special Olympic GB event in Liverpool 2021 and then the 2023 World Games in Berlin. As part of their fundraising they will be mounting a Three Lighthouse Challenge in September 2020, with coaches, unified partners and sailors from the Special Olympic Sailing Team sailing or cycling from Mull or Galloway past Cape Wrath and onwards Dunnet Head. The cycle alone is over 1050 kilometres with 12,500 metre of vertical ascent. We wish them every success in their exciting plans. Clyde Muirsheil also hosted the Wheels 2 Water event at the start of August in association with Scottish Disability Sport. Liza Linton of RYA Scotland said, “It’s great to be involved for a fourth year alongside a number of other governing bodies in promoting the opportunities available across sailing, canoeing and cycling activities. Over 35 families went afloat on Castle Semple Loch during the day, in some lovely conditions too.” For more information about Sailability visit: https://www.rya.org.uk/scotland/initiatives/Pages/sailability.aspx

THINK! - WEAR YOUR KILL CORD - always ensure the kill cord is attached t...

Sailing a Wayfarer to Allhallows

SailGP Round-Up | Cowes, UK

Falmouth Sailing Week programme

FALMOUTH Sailing Week takes place from August 11 to 17. It's a tradition for Falmouth Week, where each club hosts a day's racing as part of the week as well as regatta teas for the competitors at the end of each day. The Sailing Following the race briefing on the evening of Saturday, August 10, racing will begin on Sunday and continue until the following Saturday.
The main regatta is a sequence of races over seven days, with courses laid in Falmouth Bay and the Carrick Roads. All levels of sailor – expert or beginner – are catered for. The Bay Fleet The Bay Fleet races in 15 square miles of open water outside the harbour. The area has been the venue for many prestigious events over the years ranging from iconic J-Class superyachts to the Finn World Championship won by Falmouth’s own Ben Ainslie shortly before winning Olympic Gold in 2012.
The Bay Fleet comprises Firebird catamaran, IRC and YTC (South West Yacht Time Correction) yachts, Marieholm and YTC Cruising (No spinnaker) yachts. The YTC Cruising class is aimed at the less ultra-competitive and family crews. There will be both Regatta (“round-the-cans”) and Windward-Leeward racing for most classes.
Bay Fleet competitors will race on Wednesday in the Champagne Race. The Champagne Race is a longer, coastal race in Falmouth Bay and adjacent water to the NE. Falmouth Harbour is the third largest deep-water harbour in the world, after Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. The Carrick Fleet races in the lower estuary – an area some two miles long by one mile wide – and, weather permitting, may also venture a short distance outside the harbour mouth, beyond Black Rock. Classes comprise Dinghies, Flying Fifteen, Ajax, Cornish Shrimper 19, Sunbeam, Falmouth Working Boat, Falmouth Gaffer, St Mawes One Design, Cabin Yachts, and Dayboats. On Wednesday the Carrick Fleet compete for prize bottles of champagne. Skippers’ briefing There will be a briefing for competitors on the evening of Saturday, August 10. Presentation of prizes Each day one of the clubs will host teas and other refreshments followed by presentation of prizes. Family and friends of competitors will be most welcome at the club while racing is in progress. The host clubs Sunday, Helford River Sailing Club & Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (Carrick Fleet) Monday, Mylor Yacht Club Tuesday, Restronguet Sailing Club Wednesday, Royal Cornwall Yacht Club Thursday, Royal Cornwall Yacht Club Friday, St Mawes Sailing Club Saturday, Flushing Sailing Club The presentation of overall series prizes will take place at Flushing Sailing Club on Saturday evening. A complimentary launch service will be available during the evening to take participants to Flushing Sailing Club from Falmouth (Royal Cornwall Yacht Club) and back again. For some 60 years Falmouth Week has included a long coastal race on Wednesday for offshore yachts, with prize bottles of champagne – the prestigious Ancasta Champagne Race. The tradition commemorates an occasion back in 1951 when friends Lord Shawcross and H. A. J. (Jack) Silley, owner of Falmouth Docks, were competing in a yacht race off Falmouth. The spirit of competition was so keen that the friends broke away from the main race in which they were taking part, in order informally to settle the result between themselves. The loser, in good grace, presented a case of champagne to the winner, and so the legend of the Ancasta Champagne Race was born. In 1955 Philip Fox, the then chairman of GC Fox & Co, started the first official Champagne Race, to be sailed under the auspices of the Falmouth Town Regatta Committee, by donating a case of champagne as first prize. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, all classes racing in Falmouth Week now get their chance to win champagne prizes under the banner of Champagne Day. For the Bay Fleet the Ancasta Champagne Race usually attracts a strong daily entry by boats drawn by the challenge that the race presents. Long courses, in keeping with the tradition of the event, are set to suit the conditions and the boats taking part. The course area will encompass the whole Bay and extend up the coast in the direction of Gull Rock. The finish is usually to the west side of Pendennis headland. Because of the excitement, and congestion in and around the town, surrounding the Falmouth Week Air Show on Wednesday, August 14, there are no teas after racing that afternoon and no presentation of prizes.
Instead, the prizes are presented at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club on Thursday evening.

Nat 18 Cock O’North, UK & Irish Champs RFYC'19

First Rolex Fastnet Race 2019 finishers arrived in Plymouth