Carsington Water?

[Andy Dingle]

Now that winter is just about upon us I am loathe to put 'Psalter' into the garage all tucked up when there are often good days to be had sailing.
I've been  looking at some of the inland sailing venues within reasonable driving distance of me - I have often sailed at Rutland Water and Grafham Water but would like to try somewhere else.

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of day sailing at Carsington Water Derbyshire - either the sailing club or the water authority (Anglian?) centre?
I've had a look at the web site and it seems the Sailing Club only allows 'authorised' boats to be launched and it appears that Swallow Boats do not feature on their list. Damn cheek!
The water authority are charging £20 a day for a launch which I think is very excessive, and not really worth my while considering the cost of fuel just to get there.

I would think that with the number of Swallow Boats now sailing all around the UK there must be someone who has sailed there - it does seem a quite nice location.

Thanks

Andy and 'Psalter' BR20

[Michael Rogers]

Hi Andy

I don't know Carsington, and am not sure what you consider a reasonable distance to travel, to sail. So a slightly tentative mention of Rudyard Lake, north of Leek. I've been twice, and the wind(s) happened not to be brilliant either time. There's quite a big sailing club at the north end. The public slipway is at the south end, a bit steepish (that's gradient, not price) as I recall. I think it's open all year (my local sailing, on the lake at Tatton Park, has closed for the winter), and my not-too-reliable recollection is £10 for a launch. It's quite an atmospheric place - probably attractive right now with autumn colours - and several of the trad design boats reviewed in 'Water Craft' have been sailed (and photographed) at Rudyard.

All this presupposes remotely favourable weather! Still, hope springs eternal....etc

In passing, I know boat names can be very personal, so don't respond if that's so. I'm very intrigued by 'Psalter'. Were/are you a chorister/choral vicar somewhere?! Anglican psalm chanting is, very sadly, a dying art.

Michael with Trouper 12 'Cavatina'

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks for the suggestion Michael. I like to think I'm pretty adventurous and always keen to find different and interesting places to sail. After all, that is what I bought a Bayraider for.
Rudyard Lake does appear very interesting - I actually live just 5 miles from the Lincolnshire coast so it is quite a haul from here - 3 hours? I used to go to the Leek area doing (attempting!) some Paragliding until I came to my senses. But will definitely be arranging a visit in due course - you would be very welcome to join me for a sail.
I will be contacting Carsington Sailing Club and get the low down on sailing there and will update all in case anyone else fancies going there - be nice to arrange a day for a few of us to go there (or somewhere) during the winter months.

I'm hoping Jonathon Stuart hasn't slammed shut the lid of his laptop in a fit of pique over things said in this forum and will, when he has time, start the directory of sailing locations that was proposed and we can update all these places for the information and benefit of us all.

As regards the name 'Psalter' - you are certainly on the right track, almost! I have done many things to try and earn an honest crust but taking the cloth hasn't been one of them!

Rightly you suggest that a 'Psalter' is a collection or book of Psalms but I have actually taken the name from the hamlet I live in (forgive me if I don't give the full name in an open website, for obvious reasons). I researched the name and was told by a local historian that there was a Cistercian monastery on the site of a farmhouse opposite me and the name arose from the monks who would wander abroad singing psalms, however that appears not to be the case - although there certainly was a monastery.
The name comes  from a corruption of the Old English word 'Sulter' which apparently, is a deer leap, or enclosure where deer were kept and bred for hunting. I'm not sure how the 'P' got added but presume the locals added it to glamorise the name!
Anyway, I just liked it!


Cheers

Andy and 'Psalter'

[Tony]

Hi, Andy.

I've been a member of Carsington SC for a few years, usually sailing mid week to avoid the racing at the weekend. (I don't like crowds.)  It's a friendly sort of place with good facilities. Food (home cooking) is laid on at the weekends and on Wednesday lunch times. Annoyingly closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Bank Holidays excepted ( to give the staff a well earned break) and for an hour at lunchtime  ....and also closed for all of January.
I've often wondered why there don't seem to be many visitor mid week and at £20 per launch now I know!
There IS an authorise Swallow boat – its my CBL - which appears on the list as a "Cardigan Lugger". I shouldn't think there would be a problem adding BayRaiders to the list. It exists, or so I've been told, to give a legal reason for excluding owners of large trailers needing somewhere to park in winter. Sail and oar (or electric motor) only as it's a Water board reservoir and a nature reserve in part, too.
If you want to try the place out (without paying £20!) I'll sign you in as my guest and you can have a sail on "Four Sisters".  (Note: after Nov 1st you need to wear a wet or dry suit for the club's Insurance reasons – and your own comfort. Its cold in them thar hills.) Photo shows a fairly typical day in October. The rain came later!

[Andy Dingle]

Thanks for that info Tony and for the offer of a sail in 'Four Sisters' would love to take you up on that. Nice photograph too
The £20 fee is for launching from the water authority centre (according to their website) who say they will launch 'when the sailing club is closed'
Apologies due, when I looked down their list of 'authorised' boats - I never thought to look for the CBL!
I've been sailing in my dry suit all this month so far so that's not a problem. Mid weeks are generally OK for me, but fairly restricted in November because of work commitments.

You must come down to Rutland one week. Peter Cockerton and I usually manage to get a good days sailing in most weeks, you can get cold and wet in a Bayraider, no nice warm cosy cuddy to hide away in!

Many thanks and will be in touch. Email address is ketchpsalter AT gmail.com


Andy

[Tony]

Apologies due, when I looked down their list of 'authorised' boats - I never thought to look for the CBL!

Andy

No one thinks to look for the CBL these days. If you want to find one, look behind you!  (See Lake Bala video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGwDhhMAp-M )

That's the trouble with being an "early adopter". Claus commissioned the Sea Raider 'Craic' and I, being a cheapskate, went for the  lid-on-a- Storm 19 option ( aka Cardigan Bay Lugger) more or less at the same time.  Realizing his mistake, Mat went off and designed the BR20  and the rest, as they say, is history! ( I also have a BBC model A computer, an Instamatic camera and a Psion PDA. The Motorola Mobile Phone I will not mention as it still plays a useful role in my life. It stops the shed door blowing open in a gale. )
Let me know when you are free and I'll have the kettle on under the spray hood. I'll gmail you later.

[Jonathan Stuart]

I'm hoping Jonathon Stuart hasn't slammed shut the lid of his laptop in a fit of pique over things said in this forum and will, when he has time, start the directory of sailing locations that was proposed and we can update all these places for the information and benefit of us all.

No, I'm still here and this is on my list of things to do. There are a number of things I need to sort out to make this work, not least the need to be able to allow members to add and edit web site content without my handing over full access. We need more fine grained control than what comes as standard with Wordpress so this isn't a quick change.

[Matthew P]

Has anyone recent experience of sailing at Carsington? 

I notice that Bayraider Expeditions (without spinnaker)  are on the approved list as well as Swallow Bay Cruisers (are you still there Tony?) so I presume my BR20 will be permitted.  I've sent an application form just in case.

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[Wave Sweeper]

I went there once with my Brother in Law and tried to hire a dinghy. They said to him "Do you have an RYA Dinghy Sailing L2 certificate?" "No" he replied, adding something to the effect of  "but I do have an RYA Yachtmaster with Ocean Endorsements.". "Sorry then" they said, "We can't help you."