Swallow Boat Rally Ullswater 2014

[Steve Joyce]

Hi Tony,
I am on my own (for the sailing) if you wanted to come and didn't mind slumming it in a Storm 15.

Steve

[Steve Joyce]

Tony forgot to ask about the crack in the hull.  Hope is isn't too serious.  Is Four Sisters in ply or grp?

[Matthew P]

Thanks Graham, no jokes about age please, but its amazing how few major features have changed since 1893. 

Attached is a much less attractive modern map but with important info such as isolated rocks, rights of way, car parking and public loos.

Sorry you have a sick boat Tony but glad you are not similarly afflicted.  Hopefully we will see you and Four Sisters at Bala.

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[Matthew P]

Weather forecast at 15:00 Thurs 8th for Penrith on Sat and Sun is roughly Wind SW 15mph gusting 23mph, broken cloud and showers  11Degrees C according to.

www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/pooley_bridge

www.windfinder.com/weatherforecast/penrith_cumbria

and

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2640416

According to the Daily Express headline this morning it is 60mph gales! I glanced at this on a  Newsagent shelf but I have a policy of not looking too closely at unpleasant publications on newsagents' shelves.

I will be there with a drysuit and towel but I fully understand if people prefer sailing in good weather so no disgrace if you choose not to come but please let me know if you are not coming or especially arriving after 10.30am Sat morning, so that we can look out for you. My phone is 0785 606 3284. 

Please note:

This is an informal event and safety, legal and financial risks are entirely the participants'.

There is no rescue boat organised

The wind on Ullswater can be very gusty and variable in direction

There are shallow places and even nasty off-shore rocks (not all easily seen) - see map attached

Lake Steamers go faster than they look and should be allowed right of way, particularly at landing stages at Pooley Bridge, Howtown and Glen Ridding.

Other lake users, swimmers, wind surfers, sailboats and canoes may not be familiar with the rules of the road.
 
I will not be holding a formal briefing meeting (unless someone else more qualified would like to preside) so please pass the word.

But apart from having a safe two days the main objective is enjoyment.

I shall arrive at Waterside late Friday afternoon and look forward to meeting fellow hardy Swallow-boaters.

Matthew
BR20 Gladys

[Terry Cross]

Hi Steve & Mathew
I shall be coming as we have paid for three nights B&B. As I am single handed and due to the forecast I would not mind doubling with Steve in IONA or in ROBIN. It will be safer!
Terry "IONA"

[Steve Joyce]

Hi Terry,  I will go along with that.  We could give both boats a spin for comparison.  If the weather is really as horrible as forecast,  a shorter program may be needed for those in really open boats (or am I just being wimpy?)

Look forward to it anyway.

[Tony]

Hi Tony,
I am on my own (for the sailing) if you wanted to come and didn't mind slumming it in a Storm 15.

Steve

Thanks for the very kind offer, Steve but resigned to chainsawing the (literal) log jam on the back drive this weekend.
Hope the weather isnt too vile in the Lakes.
I would have liked a ride on a S15 to see what they are like. Looking for a smaller boat to let the grandchildren run riot in. There's a little lake in the middle of Sherwood Forest not 5 mins from my house (Four Sisters is too big for it, apparently) ideal for an hour or two on a summer evening rather than the full trek out to Carsington. A S15, Trouper or something similar would be my choice but probably end up with anything cheap I can get locally.
Thanks again.

[Steve Joyce]

Hi Tony,  the weather was pretty bad but did get some sailing in.  There were half a dozen BRs, Michael in his Trouper,  and Terry and I in our Storm 15s.  I found the conditions just beyond my skills for singlehanded sailing and after an hour or so headed for home.  Terry concurred and we both went out after lunch in Iona,  and had a good couple of hours,  with Terry using me as an improvised spray shield!

The rest faired better and have posted some pictures of the fleet returning in the Gallery.

[Michael Rogers]

Sorry you didn't have more fun, Steve.Thanks for the pictures. The one of Cavatina with full sail and wind aft records her having been chased downwind by the entire BR/BC/BRe fleet from Glen Ridding 7 miles away, and only two of them managed to overtake her. I'm no-end chuffed, but perhaps an account should come from someone else. (And I do know that downwind is not a BRs strong point.)

It was a shame the two Storms found the squally wind conditions on Saturday too much - entirely understandable when I think back to my Storm Petrel days. Sailing conditions were VERY variable on both days, and different on different parts of the very long lake. We had everything from zephyrs to F5-6, and variable wind direction too. The sail to Glen Ridding (or is it Glenridding?) on Sat was quite hairy at times. Add to that rain, from spatters to driving downpours, over both days, typical stunning Lake District atmospherics (not been to the LD for about 2 years, and had forgotten how extremely beautiful it is), and even some sunshine, and .....well, whoever wasn't there missed a treat!

The food and company on Saturday evening were both enjoyable, especially the company.

It rained a bit miserably first thingish next day, but I have to say I was a bit mystified when nearly everyone took off home on Sunday morning....?? Which left Rory, with his beeootiful brand-new boat (maiden voyage on Saturday!) with a beautiful-but-unpronounceable-Gaelic-name (sorry, Rory, can't even attempt it, but it sounds as lovely as your boat looks) and Cavatina plus muggins. We met up for lunch at ******, and had some really good sailing before and after that. Mustn't go on about Cavatina but had some brief fun with a Laser Stratos with three up: friendly smiles and 'lovely boat!' in my direction, until they realised we were planing alongside and gaining on them, when frantic sail adjustment and really surprised looks took over. Then they saved face by altering course.

It absolutely tipped down while I was packing up on Sunday evening.

BIG thanks to Matthew for organising, and to everyone there for being such good company.

Michael

[Michael Rogers]

The ****** in the previous post is Howtown. Brief senior moment about the name, and then I forgot (in a second senior moment) to go back and fill it in when I had remembered.

[Graham W]

BIG thanks to Matthew for organising, and to everyone there for being such good company.

Seconded!

[Steve Joyce]

Thanks Michael, glad you enjoyed sunday as well. I didn't say that it wasn't fun.  It was a lot better 2 up in the Storm though (especially with Terry driving).  Terry seemed quite chuffed to exceed 6mph as shown on the gps both up and downwind.
Having a bucket load of water straight in the face every time we ploughed into a wave was very invigorating!

Nice to meet everyone

Steve

[jonno]

Thanks from this single hander to so many for an excellent meet at Ullswater - for organising the event, for the photos, for launching and recovery, fending me off, etc., etc.  Some exhilarating sailing.

John

[Paul Wearing]

Thanks especially to Matthew for organising the weekend.

It was so good to sail with other Raiders. I was considering selling the boat but after such a great weekend (yes the strong winds were fun, and the rain did not matter) we're keeping it. What was really great, apart from the company, was that we could sail in conditions where most dingy sailors do not go out, so we sailed where if I has gone to Bala we would have stayed onshore (again).

Thanks again.

[Rory C]

My thanks to all for a great weekend. I've added a few photos mostly taken on Sunday some of which may be of interest to Michael R.