RAID England 2014

[Julian Swindell]

This year's English Raid will be in the first week of September, based at Mylor in Carrick Roads (Falmouth). Should be a good one, sailing up to Truro and down into the Helford River. Full details here:
http://www.raidengland.org/?page_id=565

Map of the proposed routes here:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zWexiFAfmRgU.kPNGkKqk0fNM

I've already registered

[Michael Rogers]

So have I. Four Swallowboats (out of 14) so far. Another works outing? Falmouth/ Helford is a fabulous area for sailing.

[Graham W]

Make that five. Definitely another works outing.

[Julian Swindell]

I've just checked, and there are six Swallowboats registered now, including, I am delighted to see, a second Baycruiser 20. Whilst the rest of you are rigging your tents, we shall be smirking quietly from our cabins

[Jonathan Stuart]

We have enjoyed summer holidays in Mylor for the past 4 or 5 years and sailed Carrick Roads extensively and I think this is a perfect Raid venue. My favourite sailing has been done here - one day you can be quietly pottering up the tree lined waters towards Truro and the next have a fantastic sail to/from Helford. The year before last we saw two sunfishes on the Helford sail.

In fact I had thought about suggesting this as a venue for a SwallowBoats meet so it's good to see the English Raid will be there. But speaking as a grumpy young-ish man, it's a bit odd that the dates don't include a weekend and are on the first week that children are back at school.

For that reason I probably won't be able to join the Raid but will almost certainly be at Mylor earlier in the summer. If anyone else is in the same position and wants to meet for a Carrick Roads sail in July or August then let me know.

[Tony]

...........In fact I had thought about suggesting this as a venue for a SwallowBoats meet so it's good to see the English Raid will be there. But speaking as a grumpy young-ish man, it's a bit odd that the dates don't include a weekend and are on the first week that children are back at school.
For that reason I probably won't be able to join the Raid .............

True.
Not everyone that sails a Swallow Boat has a Bus Pass...and grumpy OLD-ish men, like me, can't take the Grandchildren! (..but, then, it wouldn't exactly make a cheap family excursion anyhow!)

[steve jones]

  I may be missing something here, I too go to Falmouth every year and enjoy the full range of  the sailing area.  Why would I want to pay an additional £ 200 + for a few breakfasts  , is it to sail in company? I can see the attractions of that, why not suggest a more mutual time and suitable tide range for a period, over a weekend, for a longer period that would allow participants to drop in or out as they please ( not the water) .

Steve Jones BR17 Nona Me

[Julian Swindell]

Raiding is a largely social and partly competitive activity to get people together to sail in areas they are not familiar with. So if you are very familiar with sailing in Carrick Roads and the Helford River, you are unlikely to be interested in raiding there. But if you have never sailed in, say, the Baltic, you might want to join the Finnish Raid, where you will get local support, some competition if you want it, accommodation, rescue boats, launching, mooring and trailer storage all sorted out for you, plus all meals, friendly evenings and a chance to see (and have a sail in) some really remarkable boats.

The first raid I went on was in the Solent, where I went with my brand new Baycruiser. I had a far better time and learnt far more by going in a crowd of mad small boat sailors from all over Europe than if I had just gone on my own and wondered what to do and where to go.

So most of those Raiding at Falmouth in September are unlikely to be regular sailors there. That's why I am going. I wouldn't want to join a Raid in Poole harbour, because I sail there all the time. But I would love to join the Raid in the Venetian lagoon. Sailing down the Grand Canal in a crowd of small, mad boats would be wonderful.

[Julian Swindell]

On the raid dates, I don't know for certain why they have chosen the first week in September. Usually they are the first week in August. But I suspect it is just the logistics of booking about 25 mooring spaces, plus car parking and trailer storage in such a major holiday centre. And I can tell you, as I have just booked a cottage, the prices halve on the 1st of September, from astronomical to just stratospheric.

[Michael Rogers]

I think Julian has 'explained' raiding very well. Certainly it chimes with my motivation to join in at Falmouth (which is added to by memories of a memorable sailing holiday some years ago out of the Helford River). Also Steve, with respect, in the first place one gets more than 'a few breakfasts' - indeed, if you add up the cost of all the meals which are provided, it's not inconsiderable. Then there are all the other aspects of organising a raid, succinctly listed by Julian. It's quite a list, enabling you to turn up and join in, interacting with all the other raiders and their boats, and without having to bother about all the background things which make that possible. I think that's worth quite a bit, both literally and metaphorically, so although it isn't cheap it's arguably value for money. Well, I think so.

We're up to seven Swallowboats out of 19 boats so far. Actually I think variety is the spice of sailing, and I'm glad there are 12 (so far) 'others'.

Julian, I shall make a point of enlisting your help putting up my tent.

Michael

[Julian Swindell]

I am the most inept tent putter upper in the business, so I shall be delighted to give you a hand Michael. I must confess that I shan't be sleeping under canvas, or even on board. We've snapped up one of the holiday apartments in Mylor Yacht Harbour for the week. The only way I could entice the family to come sailing with me. They will probably kick me out and make me sleep in the boat.

[Michael Rogers]

Only joking, Julian. And actually I'm camping at Mylor (I have a camping CV going way back, in at least a dozen countries) to prove to myself I'm still up to it. I just hope it doesn't rain all the time!
Michael
PS I don't believe the 'inept' re tents bit from someone who sails and fettles with such obvious distinction.

[Andy Dingle]

And now me too..  Just registered. I believe I am the 20th so it's getting full.

I doubt very much that my palatial shiny new BC23 will be ready so it'll be camping I expect.. so any advice on where to put up my £19.95 decathlon 'chuck it up in the air and it erects itself tent'!?

I'm not overly familiar with the area so am looking forward to it very much.

Regards

Andy

[Michael Rogers]

If you've registered as a camper, Andy, I think you'll find that a place at a nearby campsite has been reserved for you.

I'll probably have a similar tent (we've got Decathlon nearby in Stockport), so we could have a tent-chucking competition. All I ask is that it keeps the rain out!

One thing about that area is that it's much further away (by road) than you think. When we went to Helford, got to Exeter on the M5, thought 'we're nearly there'. Were we heck! Hours later….. Mind you, we were bound for the south side of Helford river (which is a ria, not a river), which meant Gweek (home of Water Craft, incidentally) then Helston. Falmouth is not so bad. The roads beyond Exeter are pretty good, and the worst of the holiday traffic will be over by the first week in September.

Michael

[steve jones]

Whereas I understand and appreciate the  sentiments regarding 'Raids'. I feel the restrictions placed on the participants ,to sail after breakfast and return for fleet dinners, do not allow  the area to be fully  enjoyed' more,  I think ,for lakes and restricted waterways. Raids in foreign climes are different.
  Amorphous mass sailing can be fun, but usually spontaneously .  If racing is required, I'm sure a Rally could be set aside for that purpose.
 
Steve Jones BR17 Nona Me