new local Navigation rules

[Peter Taylor]

Seatern is now equipped to comply with the "Solent and Adjacent Waters 2015 Directive" which applies from the 1st August.  Due to the large number of jet skis and other motor boats in the area it will be mandatory to use the flashing indicators before tacking.  The brake lights are linked to the boat's GPS and come on when you slow down.  If you get caught in irons, the hazard warning lights flash.  That's progress for you!

Peter

[David Hudson]

It's not April 1 is Peter?

If it's true, then God help us!

[Peter Taylor]

Hi David,

No it's not 1st April and it isn't true either! Having rigged a way of attaching the trailer number plate to the boat to make it more visible (and nearer the back of the boat) than when attached to the trailer, it did make me wonder how long before we do have turn indicators on boats....  There are times when they might be useful; I've resorted to hand signals before now when cutting across the "traffic" going in or out of the mouth of the Hamble!  And yes, having taken the photo I did photoshop "SEATERN" onto the number plate in place of my car registration!

Cheers, Peter

[David Hudson]

Hi Peter

We don't have your problems at Beadnell in Northumberland.
It is a super launch spot fot Holy Island and the Farne Islands
and our beautiful coastline, otherwise it's as you see in the photograph.

I had my first taste of sailing in a state of the art National 12 almost 60
years ago.

Beadnell Sailing Club hosted the Prince of Wales Cup in 1979.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://beadnellsailingclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/013.jpg&imgrefurl=http://beadnellsailingclub.co.uk/the-stor-of-beadnell-sailing-club/&h=795&w=1160&tbnid=ih4Vvz_2Rw_mWM:&docid=9dqsXZ5jkbVXUM&ei=JrK4VYiCDKmu7gbdl5eYDg&tbm=isch&ved=0CF0QMyhaMFo4rAJqFQoTCIit3eKXgMcCFSmX2wod3csF4w


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.victorianweb.org/places/northumbria/4b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.victorianweb.org/places/northumbria/4b.html&h=536&w=774&tbnid=5XcUQg7wzIkyTM:&docid=bWzFF0EfVg2-aM&ei=JbC4VamrFqqu7gbzo6CQDg&tbm=isch&ved=0CDEQMyguMC44ZGoVChMI6dGY7pWAxwIVKpfbCh3zEQji

[Peter Taylor]

David, looks good!  I saw a new National 12 in the Force 4 Dinghy Store a few weeks back.  I commented that back in the 1960's they had a tendency to nose dive.  The guy in the store said "they still do" and pointed out the horizontal fins either side of the rudder. By part raising the rudder you can angle the fins to keep the nose up... I hadn't come across that before although we had experimented with something similar on model boats!
Peter

[Matthew P]

Hi Peter

Could your "Solent and Adjacent Waters 2015 Directive" be summarised as Sea-Flash-Tern?

Thanks for your advice on slipways around Southampton, by the way.

Matthew

[Rob Johnstone]

I had to resort to hand signals when passing through the Dorus Mor passage near Crinan the other year. It was one of those situations where the tide had just gone favourable and about six yachts were trying to go the same way in a narrow passage that ended in the T junction. Vagabond was in front and wanted to turn right and we being overtaken by a large Halberg Rassey that I suspected wanted to turn left out to the open sea. The fog horn was below decks so I stuck my hand out to be rewarded with a burst of laughter from the Halberg and a cheery shout of "thanks"!

[David Hudson]

I find hand signals are an excellent way to release tension.