Solent Boat Rally 2016

[NickT]

Hi All,

I have wanted to attend a rally with other like minded boat owners since I owned Hot Property and in another post I mentioned the Brixham rally next May.

I think we could arrange one for all the Solent sports boat owners (and others that will travel) that is similar to the one that is in Brixham.

I have unashamedly cribbed the format from the 2015 rally below.

Before I get excited at the prospect is there an appetite for this sort of thing?

If we can find a marina that will accommodate up to 25 boats then that would be the basis of the rally and key to its success.

Votes please!




Suggested outline plan for a Solent sports boat rally in 2016 - not the end of May bank holiday as the Brixham rally is on then and I am going!

Location for boats overnight River Hamble – need to chat to local marinas and see what they can offer - if anyone else knows where 25 boats can moor together please let me know.

Friday
Meet up in pub or similar for early birds to discuss the weekend and drink alcohol.
Saturday
• Meet and Greet
• Rally Briefing
• Cruise to Needles – stop at Alum bay for BBQ/ Watersports etc. Visit Yarmouth on IOW for tea and cake, return to Hamble.
• Evening BBQ on beach somewhere or pub grub?
Sunday
• Meet up and get organised/clear heads/fill with lots of fuel!
• Morning - River cruise to Horse and Jockey for lunch (tide dependent)
• Afternoon – Boat handling/skills competition off Solent Breezes/somewhere safe and sheltered.
• Show off you boat to others
• Dinner at suitable pub/venue with raffle, quiz etc.

Monday
• Trip to Cowes/Wootten/Bembridge/Portsmouth (not all of them!).
• Return to Hamble 4pm for recovery of boats and depart.

[shibbs]

I'm in!! Obviously work dependant but fairly flexible..
Sounds great!!
I'm pretty sure bembridge can do big numbers of boats but not been in there yet..?
Programme looks spot on too!

[betty boop]

Im in - only problem with me would be weather and distance to travel if weather looks iffy but happy to pay up front for a place if needed and it would be a good reason/excuse to drag my ass down south

[_Ed_]

Yep, I'm interested. Hopefully the westerlies will be sensible - unlike this year.

[mlines]

We would be interested.

Based on our Solent experience I would ensure that the programme has some "alternatives" as on some days getting beyond Calshot is challenging for some boats so some sort of Southampton Water alternative activity would be required.

Or go to Poole where the harbour itself acts as a fallback option if the weather is poor.

Mercury is one of the few marinas with a slip but tides would play a part in the launch timing.

However, based on the Classic Motor Boat rallies, as they have enough boats turning up they persuade a non-slipway marina to lift their boats in as part of the weekend booking.

Martin

[ChrisH]

I'd be interested.

maybe Hythe marina would be a good bet.
Excellent public slip and parking, and in the past they have often advertised good weekend berthing rates.

[NickT]

Hi Chaps,

Thanks for all your replies, it looks as if there is support for this, especially if there is 9 months notice.

Will have a chat with a boating colleague regarding the logistics/dates etc. I'm not sure how/if insurance cover is needed apart from every boats individual cover.

Let me ponder and I will come back!

[Ianfs]

Hi Nick

I'm sure I'll be in one way or another, depending on which way our lives are going at the moment. I suspect when Colin gets back from Spain he'll be involved for a day or maybe two as well.

I think Martins point about his Solent experience, which I suspect is a tactful reminder that our Round the Island trip in 2014 was, shall we say, difficult! is a very good point though, Solent weather can be variable.

There is plenty of scope in this area one way or another for some great activity. I would like to see a fund raiser for the RNLI, we are affiliated with the Shoreham Lifeboat, so would love to arrange some sort of sponsorship for this, not an expensive sort of thing, maybe a quiz night or a sponsored trip mileage, or something similar to raise some cash for a great cause, of which one of us, may call upon one day.

If you make it a charity event, I think that insurance will be down to individuals rather than the organisers.

[mlines]

I think Martins point about his Solent experience, which I suspect is a tactful reminder that our Round the Island trip in 2014 was, shall we say, difficult! is a very good point though, Solent weather can be variable.

- actually it was not the RTI that prompted that. It was more that we were scheduled to take our boat (initially bowrider and now cuddy) to the Isle of Wight three years running for our cadet camp. Year 1 (May) we could not get across Lymington to Yarmouth at all. Year 2 (July) was fabulous but we had resorted to trailering on the ferry to guarantee we got there and the day of return was the day the weather broke so would have been interesting (but possible). This year we also used the ferry and definitely would have been stranded for the return journey and could not venture far from Yarmouth all week (July).

So just raising the concept that a Plan B is necessary.

Not 100% sure how it works for water based events but for land based events the organiser has to have a level of public liability insurance for the public (not the participants, they have to have their own insurance and own public liability).

[mlines]

Another visit could be Calshot NCI, they do visits to the tower ( over 18 only for insurance reasons)

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk