Here are some summary notes for the Ullswater rally next weekend (12-14 June)
Currently I have a list of 12 boats, so there's room for three more late entries.
BR17 Emily – Anthony
BR17 Tripos - Mark
BR20 Turaco III - Graham
BR20 Carpe Diem – Simon
BR20 Shuna - Tom
BR20 Ristie - Tim
BR20 Gladys - Matthew
BR20e Moirach - John
BR20e Alice Amy - Reg
BR20e Amy Eleanor – David (maybe)
BR20e Gobhlan-G – Rory
BR23 Vagabond – Rob
Please let me know if you are on the list and are not coming or not on the list and would like to come.
Please register and pay fees on arrival at Glenridding Sailing Centre. See map attached for GSC location near Patterdale.
GSC fees are £20/day (Fri pm to Sun pm counts as 2 days), which includes launching and use of facilities. We are also invited to the annual GSC Ceilidh in the village hall at a cost of £25 pp and includes feasting, drinking (included in price!) and, for those with agile feet and energy to spare, dancing.
Glen Ridding Sailing Centre’s require people to wear buoyancy aids on and around the water and boats have at least 3rd party insurance.
I shall be arriving about 5pm on Friday and camping at Gillside Farm. Neither Gillside Farm on Side Farm accept prior booking, so I’ll sleeping under a hedge if they turn out to be exceptionally busy. Please make your own arrangements. Campsites and B&B can be found at
http://www.ullswater.co.uk/camping.html#Watermillock.
SAFETY
See the Ullswater Users Guide at
www.daysoutinfo.co.uk/pdfs/Ullswater%20LUG_2.pdf with safety advice and a map showing the main things to avoid.
Also please read the Events - READ THIS FIRST post on this forum.
Note I'm not trained, qualified or insured to advise other people on risks for their sailing activities and:
- I do not know participant’s capabilities
- I do not know how good their equipment is for the conditions
- I am unwilling to look after other people’s money
It is the boat skippers’ responsibilities to ensure their boat, crew and behaviour are safe for the conditions on the day.
No rescue boat service is available so it is up to us to look after ourselves and each other.
My unqualified risk assessment is:
Man-eating crocodiles, fire-breathing dragons, fire-quenching hippos, tsunamis, complicated tides and fierce currents are rare on Ullswater. Also rare are super-tankers with crews relying on radar to see your little boat and big catamarans speeding out to service wind farms.
On the other hand there are rather charming Edwardian lake cruisers (surprisingly fast), unstable dinghies with hydrofoils, lake swimmers, canoes, incompetents in small boats and me in Gladys - all best given a wide berth.
Some Swallowboats have encountered centreboard-eating rocks but the areas they (mostly) lurk are shown on the map at
www.daysoutinfo.co.uk/pdfs/Ullswater%20LUG_2.pdf and marked in the real world with red-buoys or spindly beacons. In common with any mountain surrounded water the wind can be playful, so reef early or be ready to swim. For extra sport there may be a few irate land-owners and Ullswater Sailing Club along some of the shore line – but again those areas are shown on the map.
If anyone is aware of any other hazards please let everyone else know.
I look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones.
Matthew
BR20 Gladys