Weymouth Rally 5th & 6th July 2014(
Original post is included below. This post will now be used to provide consolidated information about the rally.)
Plan is to sail out of Weymouth/Portland on the weekend of 4th, 5th & 6th July and go out for dinner on the Saturday evening. We will use the slipway and facilities at the National Sailing Academy, which was the sailing base for the 2012 Olympics, and Portland marina. Although launching isn't cheap the facilities are excellent and the slipway and parking much quieter than Weymouth town slip. For those wanting to leave their boats on the water Portland Marina is next to the Academy and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I will keep my boat in the marina and will probably sleep on it.
I will confirm all costs when we have finalised numbers attending, but rates can be found on the following web pages:
http://www.wpnsa.org.uk/day-membership/http://www.deanreddyhoff.co.uk/portland-marina/just-visiting/visiting-rates/For those wanting a hotel I recommend the
Royal Breakwater. This is walking distance from the Academy and marina.
There are links to some
useful websites below. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the harbour chart and regulations - while Portland is dominated by leisure craft this is still a commercial port and there are restricted areas. In practice you won't go wrong if you don't sail in the working areas in the south eastern corner and you don't use the south ship channel. That channel is closed but small motor boats do use it. Don't follow them!
HMS Hood was scuttled in the south entrance in 1914 to block the harbour to u-boats, etc. It lies 2m under the surface and there is a high voltage cable strung across the entrance, so anyone with a centreboard and mast would be on a suicide mission to try using this channel! More information to follow.
Confirmed attendees are as follows.
Name | No. Sailing | Boat | Marina? | Sat Dinner? |
Jonathan Stuart | 4 | BRe | Yes (F & S) | 4 |
Peter Cockerton | 2 | BR 20 | Yes (S) | 2 |
Andy Dingle | 1 | None | N/A | 1 |
Colin Morley | 2 | BR 20 | Yes (F&S) | 2 |
Michael Rogers | 1 | Trouper | No | 2 |
John Westoby | 2 | BR 20 | Yes (F&S) | 2 |
Reg Barker | 1 | BRe | Yes (F&S) | 2 |
Paul Wearing | 4 | BR 20 | | 4 |
Bill Rollo (Sun only) | 1 | BR 20 | No | No |
Helen & Chris Ash | 2 | BRe | | 2 |
Ken & Ann | 2 | None | N/A | 2 |
Total | | 9 | | 23 |
Useful Websites:
Contact Details
Sailing Academy Main office – 01305 866000 VHF – P4
Portland Marina – 0845 430 2012 VHF – 80
Harbour Master – 01305 824044 VHF – 74
**********Original Post**********All,
I've been procrastinating for some time about suggesting a meet in Weymouth/Portland and while I don't yet have a suggestion for a particular date I thought I would throw this to the forum before we get any closer to summer!
My home-based sailing is generally out of Weymouth and/or Portland and that provides great access to the sea with the opportunity to sail along the Dorset "Jurassic" coast if conditions allow. I suggest we base ourselves out of the National Sailing Academy (base for the 2012 Olympic sailing) & Portland Marina because those are excellent facilities right on Portland harbour and quieter than Weymouth. Perhaps we launch Friday night / Saturday morning, sail on Saturday and Sunday (locations depending on weather), go out for dinner on Saturday night, have an informal race one day, etc, etc. If the weather's reasonable then in addition to sailing in and around Weymouth bay we could head down to Lulworth Cove, which makes for a spectacular sail and destination.
What do people think? If anyone's interested in this then I'm happy to organise. I could potentially do late June / early July, and then the first 3 weekends of August.