Sussex Sailing Banter

I appreciate that start times don't always suit everybody but the 1310 kick off for the last of the Spring Series did seem rather puzzling when you looked at the tides - although I understood a lot of boats were still stuck in the Solent there were three boats from the canal who would have raced on Sunday if the start had been earlier and we could have got back in without the prospect of a very long wait outside the lock.

My sympathies go out to Geoffery on Ghylly who soldiered on out to sea in the pouring rain from the river only to find he was the only boat out to play. Must have been really frustrating.

Looking ahead Rob Grierson has spotted another anomaly. Sunday 10 June shows an 1810 start for the Summer Series 2 (HW at 0714 & 1951). Why can't we race early in the morning?

PS Please don't think I'm knocking the team who puts the fixtures together - they do a sterling job, and no I don't want to volunteer to look after this next season!

Steve V

Although I have not looked carefully at this particular race, it is true that sometimes we may be able to improve on the times, you can be assured of our continued vigilance on this subject.

I believe that we have changed the 10th June start time...I will check but I think the website shows a different start time? And indeed I thought there was a notice about this on the notice board...I will check Steve

Thanks for pointing out though

I think I recall you mentioned this at the Keelboat meeting.

No.  The time has not been changed for 10 June will look into this with the Racing Secretary

The start time for the Summer Series 2 race on the 10 June is 1110 as shown in the Keelboat Racing Handbook.
It would appear that there was a mix-up at the time the fixture card was produced which resulted in the incorrect time being shown.
I have also corrected the events calendar on the SYC main site which was based on the original fixture card file.

Neil, thanks for that, much appreciated....

Steve V

As a bilge keel boat sitting on a mud birth in the river I usually need three hours before high water and three after HW. This is probably what the boats in the lock prefer as well. A race over high tide suits me perfectly provided the start is between 2 and 3 hours before HW. The race on 10th June could have done this with with a 7: 00 am start. Who would have turned up for that time anyway? I certainly would, but that is only me perhaps others could say whether they would. As it turned out, the start at 13:10 gave me about 30 mins before being trapped out of my mooring over low tide. I was happy to do this for this race, as I was competing for a place in the PY results, but, when it was cancelled 15 minutes before the start when I received the information, I only just back on my mooring having to pull it in over the mud in the last seconds of a falling tide. I was not too pleased!
I do understand the difficulties of trying to fit all the races in to suit the tides but surely getting up early to meet the tide is all part of sailing and I urge the planners not to be shy at starting races as early as 7:00 hrs if it makes for a more suitable tide.
Godfrey Hix Ghylly

i dont mind how early we start as long as the bar is open when we finish