Calshot

jpa_wfsc · Post by **jpa_wfsc** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:30 pm

I just have to enthuse about Calshot watersports centre! The Instructors there are great, and the facilities good. For Ã‚Â£8 fee you get to launch down the old Sopwith flyingboat slips into the Solent jsut be Calshot Castle.

We just took a group of Juniors from our sailing club there for a weekend in which they had great sailing experiecnes including a day cruise to the Island and back (in Laser Stratos). I took Janes Pegasus down there and having paid the fee, joined in with the cruise. We kept up very well, upwind just a litte faster, and downwind about par (no boats using spins). With the Spinnaker up we enjoyed a very fast broad reach back to the Calshot side of the Solent while the Stratos's were towed in to save time. Fab sailing!

Bit of a mishap on the way back, gybing to avoid the ferry we ended up swimming just in front of it. Ugh, but we were up and out of the way in time! However - somewhat swamped and with wind against (very strong) tide we could not bail faster than waves were breaking back in. We made it back to the Castle slips though.

In case you were wondering, which Pegasus - well, we are now the custodiands of "Blast from the Past" Pegasus 194.

Maybe, a possible venue for a CVRDA rally in the future?

john./

:D:D

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:37 pm

John,

You're right, calshot is a great place to sail BUT - and this has to be one of those all time show stopper 'BUTS', it can be hairy in the extreme when the conditions freshen up a bit. I'd not want to be sailing an 'old' merlin (not just numbers 6 or 111 but right up to the Kipper era) nor a British Moth. I speak from some experience here having raced British Moth 196 and Merlin 1317 (Proctor 12) in those very waters.

Just around the corner and up into Southampton Water the waters are much less troubled - more like large lake sailing but with salty water and tides. We've now an old Albacore, an IC of indeterminant vintage, two old Merlins, the original Wotnot and 2539 and - when I can get it across the Solent, the Unit, all at Netley.

I did try to get across to Seaview on Saturday to collect the Unit but got beaten back (and this in a well equipped 36' yacht) by the wind over tide down towards the forts - it must have still been hairy up at Calshot until the tide turned.

We've just held the Sprint 15 nationals at Netley, after 3 days racing they had 2 days 'fun sailing' where they did trips in company down to Hill Head (a Pub visit) and across to the Medina on the Island (another pub trip) - Netley provided rescue cover for both trips so it was a well supported event.

The killer question is that of numbers - how many boats could we get for such an event on the Solent?

David

Alan Price · Post by **Alan Price** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:37 pm

Me for one!. But then I would say that,would'nt I?
The tides were bad over the weekend. 5 meter springs at the Portsmouth end I believe.

jpa_wfsc · Post by **jpa_wfsc** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:26 am

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Alan Price</i>
5 meter springs at the Portsmouth end I believe.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Yes - biggest for 20 years apparantly! (They often say that though!) I can understand that some of the more Vintage boats perhaps should not be put to the Solent Wind-over-tide chop, but, it is what they were bult for (in some cases). Not a good place for a Moth, but Pegasus, Jolly-boat, many Merlins, etc were designed and built to sail there. And we do aim to use our boats, don't we?

Trevor C · Post by **Trevor C** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:53 am

Calshot would be good for me, David and I in our ugly Albacores - ED!

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 1:24 pm

And it's not far for the Shearwater migrants so I'd expect several boats would turn out. Just get anything into the calendar ASAP to avoid clashes and get the weekend reserved.

davidh · Post by **davidh** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 2:11 pm

John,

of course you're right about the Merlins - Hamble being (in the past) of the the classes spiritual homes. But, as one who raced out of Hamble, there is a world of difference between racing out around Hamble Spit buoy and the area along towards Solent Breezes - and then being on the Island side of Calshot Spit.

I sailed though those waters recently, first in a well sorted Contender and then more recently in the Blaze. On both occasions the conditions were a test for helm and boat. You could sail a 40+ years old boat there but it may not be the best way of helping preserve them - or their rigs.

If an event was run on a small lake or puddle then I've no doubt that envious eyes would be made towards those lucky sailors in a Moth (of any variety) whereas I know that the same classes would have a torrid time of it with wind against tide somewhere out twixt Lepe and Gurnard. Yes, it can be done though it's not a situation I'd encourage!

D

Post by **roger** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:27 pm

I am a great supporter of an event at Netley and I am sure you would get a reasonable turnout. For those of you who dont know it. The water is lumpier than Clwedog but you dont get the visious squalls and windshifts. I sailed the planker there two years ago and only went swimming once and no it wasnt flat calm.

Post by **Rupert** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:11 pm

I'd be there, at Netley, but Calshot would take a little more looking at the forecasts. I think the Moth would stay at home, and the boat for all waters - the Firefly - would come out to play!

Post by **stu** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:07 pm

Netley favourite here too. When Lizzy was a little Lizzy she spent a good deal of time at Netley waiting for her Dad to get their boat ready for a cruise to the Isle of Wight.

Alan Price · Post by **Alan Price** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:54 pm

OK OPEN EVENT @ CALSHOT S. C.
A scratch OK OPEN EVENT (ie unofficial) has been arranged by a member here for Sunday 8th Oct. We will be joining club racing with two races during the day. Absolutely ANY OK of ANY AGE is more than welcome to boost the numbers and have a sail in the company of other OKs. Details and Calshot Sailig Club links on the forum of http://www.okdinghy.co.uk
Afterwards,I let you know just how strong the tide was and how rough the waves were!! Should be good, looking forward to it.

jpa_wfsc · Post by **jpa_wfsc** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 10:36 pm

There was some sort of Oppie open there last weekend too. I note that inside the spit there is no waves.. but 1/2 the time no water either.

A good place to sail - does Calshot SC have a visitor's membership?

Big-C · Post by **Big-C** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:11 pm

Calshot is a great place to hold an event 2 good slips both useable at all states of tide one of them launches you into a nicely sheltered lagoon and then straight out onto Southampton water and away from that Solent chop!
The activity centre charges a daily launching fee to non members but that also gets you the use of decent changing rooms and good hot showers ( plus there is a bar on site )

Cat sailors with long memorys should check out the Calshot Cats boat park where you will come across my boat "EMMA HAMILTON" the Little Americas Cup winning C-Class from the 60's.

I will be around on the 8th October so if any of the visiting OK sailors fancy being converted to Cat Sailors then come say hello!

Steve

Alan Price · Post by **Alan Price** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:18 pm

Hello Steve
It's all sounding better and better. I'll be there with OK 1963 or, failing that, 1211 so come and say hello. As to converting me to cats, that was done a few years ago. I sail a little Dart/ Sprint 15 in another life. Looking forward to a stroll around the cat park now.

Big-C · Post by **Big-C** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:33 pm

Alan, what happened to the Ok's at Calshot this weekend didn't see any on the water, but then again maybe it because I was busy trying to play pick up sticks with 3 bits of broken mast[:(!][:(!][:(!]