Weymouth/Portland Rally

[Jonathan Stuart]

Thanks Michael, I will include you when looking at accommodation options.

[jonno]

Yes please Jonathan.  We'd like to come - two of us in a camper van.

Thanks for arranging all of this.

John

[Jonathan Stuart]

Thanks John, that's good news. When I speak to the Sailing Academy I will check the arrangements for campervans.

[Bill Rollo]

Dear Jonathan,

regrettably I cannot do 5 July. I may be able to do the Sunday. No requirement for food/accommodation etc - if it works I'll do an early start and come straight to Portland.

Best wishes

Bill

[Jonathan Stuart]

Bill,

Sorry to hear you can't join us for the weekend but hopefully we'll see you on the Sunday.

[Colin Morley]

I would like accommodation for two, if that is possible.  My 12 year old grandson, Hamish, and myself. We are happy to share. My wife says she may also come depending....! i will worry about that on the small chance she does want to come. I young guy will be happy to sleep on the floor.

Hamish is a very accomplished sailor, polite and civilised. Very relaxed in adult company and will talk boats as well as the best of them.

Thanks for doing this. It is much appreciated. If you cant find anywhere I will fix it for us.

Count us in for any entertainment.

[Jonathan Stuart]

a very accomplished sailor, polite and civilised

It sounds like Hamish might show me up !

I will include you when looking at accommodation.

[Peter Cockerton]

I would like accommodation for two, if that is possible.  My 12 year old grandson, Hamish, and myself. We are happy to share. My wife says she may also come depending....! i will worry about that on the small chance she does want to come. I young guy will be happy to sleep on the floor.

Hamish is a very accomplished sailor, polite and civilised. Very relaxed in adult company and will talk boats as well as the best of them.

Thanks for doing this. It is much appreciated. If you cant find anywhere I will fix it for us.

Count us in for any entertainment.

Colin

No 2 grandson Jake 11 yrs old is coming with me so i'm sure they can "hang around" together when not sailing. jake is a proficient dirt biker but has a keen interest in sailing. Always on the helm unless i can prise him off.

Looking forward to the trip.

Peter and Jake

[Reg Barker]

Hi Jonathan
I wish to join the merry band at Portland. I will be sleeping on my boat. I presume there is enough room for Cars and Trailers, or do we split them for ease of parking? Can we travel down on a Friday and launch the boats? My wife Rosalind may come but would require B&B. I am sure there will be a lot in the area. This sounds like and idyllic spot. 
Does that make two BRe?

[jonno]

I don't know about two BRes - but it does make two boats from Hereford, I think.

John

[Jonathan Stuart]

Reg,

Good to hear you can join us and, yes, that is now 2 BRes including mine.

If we sail out of the Sail Academy, which is my plan,  then there's loads of space for cars and trailers and they can remain hitched. Launching from there is more expensive than the Weymouth slip but parking and logistics is much easier.

If you are sleeping on the boat then I recommend putting it in Portland Marina, which is adjacent to the Academy. The cost is £18/night but the facilities are excellent. If you want to slum it then you can probably sleep in the boat on its trailer. If that's your plan then I'll check with the Academy whether they are OK with this.

There are plenty of B&Bs in the area. The ones most local to the Academy look more "functional" or you can drive 5-10 mins further and be in the proper Weymouth "seaside" B&Bs. I am investigating options (although probably won't have anything to report until after Sail Caledonia).

[Paul Wearing]

Hello Jonathan

We'd like to come. There would be 3 or 4 of us (Paul, John & Miriam and/or Krissie) and we'd be camping. Do you know anything about Pebble Bank camp site? It's expensive but seems very nearby.

We would need to drop the boat off at the Sailing academy on arrival or we'll have to pay for it on the campsite. That said, would it be safe to leave the boat there (with engine) overnight?

Will we need our own charts for the weekend?

[Paul Wearing]

Hello Jonathan

We'd like to come. There would be 3 or 4 of us (Paul, John & Miriam and/or Krissie) in a Bay Raider 20 and we'd be camping. Do you know anything about Pebble Bank camp site? It's expensive but seems very nearby.

We would need to drop the boat off at the Sailing academy on arrival or we'll have to pay for it on the campsite. That said, would it be safe to leave the boat there (with engine) overnight?

Will we need our own charts for the weekend?

[Jonathan Stuart]

Paul,

Good to hear you can join us! Personally I would be happy to leave a boat + motor at the Sailing Academy. There is perimeter fencing and secure gates and while the gates are sometimes open during the day I think it is all secure at night.

I don't know Pebble bank camp site but I'm happy to check it out while looking at accommodation. I will be doing that in early June so let me know if you want me to have a nose around. Another option you could look at is:

http://www.swallowsrestselfcatering.co.uk/index.html

You shouldn't need a chart but it wouldn't hurt to check one before sailing. There is a free online chart at Visit My Harbour that's definitely worth reviewing:

http://www.visitmyharbour.com/harbours/channel-west/portland-marina/

On the whole you're either in water with plenty of depth or you're not, and where there's plenty of water there aren't any underwater hazards to catch you out. Steer clear of the west side of Portland harbour because it is deceptively shallow. Also don't stray too far south along the Portland coast unless you know the tides otherwise you'll end up in the Portland race!

[Jonathan Stuart]

All,

Attention everyone requiring accommodation!

Can you give me your thoughts please on what sort of place you would like to stay in? To be blunt,  I need a steer on what's important out of cost, closeness to your boats or a pleasant location. The Sailing Academy is between Weymouth and Portland and the nearest B&Bs are close, cheap and functional. Or you can go a bit further afield, e.g. closer to Weymouth, to get something nicer. Peter Cockerton has also mentioned he would be happy to share a self catering place, which again offers a trade-off between costs & location and this could be a cottage somewhere scenic or there are caravans for hire (with sea views!) just down the road from the sailing.

My starting point in my research was local B&Bs, e.g. http://www.beach-house-bandb.co.uk/index.html. That one appears to have rooms and it works out at £35-£40/night B&B. Great spot at the back of Chesil beach and only 1 mile from the boats but the area is not as pretty as, say, something near Weymouth seafront or in a country village.

Given the wide variety of options it would be good to get a steer as to what you would like so I can narrow my search. Thanks.