La Semaine du Golfe Morbihan 2013

[duchess]

Ahoy there all Swallow Boat Owners!

The event 'La semaine du Golfe Morbihan' 2013 is from 6th May - 12th May. We are keen to take our BC23 to this event, and wondered if there was anyone else who would like to join us (with their vessel) for any part of this week.
The area is a beautiful part of Brittany, and the event will be a whole lot of fun!

Check out the site www.semainedugolfe.com

Anyone keen please email me on sellyatt@hotmail.co.uk

Regards,

Steve Ellyatt

[Peter Cockerton]

Steve

I have emailed you privately on an accomodation consideration whilst you are there, as far as joining you, i guess we will all be joining each other over there, the boat will probably be allocated flotilla 3 or 7 i guess and you will have company to sail with.

You would be most welcome to travel in convoy down with us, i have booked the overnight ferrry from Plymouth to Roscoff on the 4/5/13 and return Roscoff to Plymouth on 11/5/13.

I'm in the midlands by the way, is your boat at Rutland by any chance.

Peter

[Andy Dingle]

Steve.

Many congratulations on getting your Baycruiser 23. Certainly a boat to lust over!

Welcome to the forum of the Swallow Boats Association and we hope you will join in with observations on your boat in due course, as far as I know there has been very little input from other BC23 owners which is a shame, as has oft been mentioned here 'not all Swallow Boats are Bayraiders!'
Am keen on getting one myself in due course too, so have a vested interest in how you get on with her.

Re Morbihan, you will probably have learned by now that I am registered with my Bayraider and going with Peter Cockerton and Jonathon Stuart, there are a number of other Swallow Boats going - maybe enough to form our own flotilla?! I, for one, am really looking forward to it, as you say it looks like being a whole lot of fun.

If you have any queries that I can help with or you just want to travel and sail with us then stay in touch.

Looking forward to seeing you and your BC23.

Andy and BR12 'Psalter'

[jonno]

Dear All

We too would like to attend this year's Semaine du Golfe.  We haven't been before so any advice would be welcome.  I've had a look at the Semaine du Golfe website but this confuses as much as it reveals.  How does one apply?  Is one automatically allocated to a class or should I apply for one?  What days are you arriving/departing?

With thanks

John

[Peter Cockerton]

John

If you look on the main site under Boats  you will see Registration, this is where you express your interest to participate and advise them of the type of boat you wish to enter. If accepted you will be allocated a flotilla number, it appears the Bayraider can be allocated one of a couple of flotillas not sure why this is but i guess they have reasons.

Myself, Andy Dingle and Jonathon Stuart are travelling as follows
Plymouth to Roscoff on the 4/5/13 and return Roscoff to Plymouth on 11/5/13.
We have booked a large cottage and still have some space if you want to consider sharing, let me know ASAP if interested. petercsailing at virginmedia.com just put the @ in the right place.

We havn't been before so only know what we have gleaned from the site, decided to book our own accomodation and travel to and from the overnight ports under our own steam, they can arrange camping sites and mini buses to pick you up and take you where the boat was left on the previous night. The sail plan is determined by the flotilla number and you can also see this on the site once you know the flotilla number.

Peter Cockerton

[gerald turner]

Being a 'Morbihan' Veteran of 3 rallies so far, I can say it is great fun! You find that the first rally day is the 'Ile D'arz' meet, generally this held on a Tuesday, boats gather at a stone jetty on the east of the island,be prepared to dice with close on a 1000 other boats , get there early if you can ,the queues for the welcoming party stretch for some while, be certain to take some utensils with you .(always handy in France)

This will set the pattern for the rest of the week, at every port you visit, the townsfolk lay on some form of refreshments , sometimes you have to pay for it,but wine is literally free flowing!!

the event is well served by safety boats, is as well, as there are some fearsome tidal rips around some of the islands, if you don't make the tidal gate ,you most likely not get through to the next meet point.

Launch & recovery can be a nightmare, especially if you got your designated flotilla launch site, last time I went ,we launched at another flotillas home port,Our boat was in the sail & oar fleet ,we launched at the small cruiser fleet.

The Semaine du golfe is a tremendous experience, the like of which you never see in our home waters, that said I am unlikely to go this year it has become a bit of an uncontrollable monster, every Frenchman with the most humble of boats tries to get in on the festival.

[duchess]

Steve.

Many congratulations on getting your Baycruiser 23. Certainly a boat to lust over!

Welcome to the forum of the Swallow Boats Association and we hope you will join in with observations on your boat in due course, as far as I know there has been very little input from other BC23 owners which is a shame, as has oft been mentioned here 'not all Swallow Boats are Bayraiders!'
Am keen on getting one myself in due course too, so have a vested interest in how you get on with her.

Re Morbihan, you will probably have learned by now that I am registered with my Bayraider and going with Peter Cockerton and Jonathon Stuart, there are a number of other Swallow Boats going - maybe enough to form our own flotilla?! I, for one, am really looking forward to it, as you say it looks like being a whole lot of fun.

If you have any queries that I can help with or you just want to travel and sail with us then stay in touch.

Looking forward to seeing you and your BC23.

Andy and BR12 'Psalter'

Hi Andy
I registered  Duchess (and was accepted) for the Morbihan event a while ago now, and I think I'm in flotilla 3bis. I'm travelling on the 0800 ferry from Plymouth on 3rd May, and returning on the 1410 ferry on 13th May, to allow plenty of time for launch and recovery etc without too much of a crowd!
I hope we can co-ordinate a meeting point. I'm planning to launch Duchess at a place close to a friends house, where I can leave my trailer. The lat and long of this location is 47 deg 33'40N  2deg 57'18W.
It dries here at low tide, but it's a quiet shingle beach without any hazards, so it's fine for us.

All the best for now

Steve

[Tony]

Hi.

It seems that there are a fair few Swallow Boats going to the Morbihan this year.  First timers will find most of their questions answered when the next press release comes out from the organisers.
Around March they send out a crew pack with more details of events, campsites, hotels and gites..... and where each flotilla will go to register, collect their passes, tide tables, sketch maps and pennants, etc on launch day.
You could also invest in "Admiralty Standard Chart 2371 Golfe Du Morbihan"
Price: : £23.30 (I might well risk it with my old AC 2358!)

[Tony]

More on the Morbihan:
(or more accurately, how it was when I was there in 2009 - I had to miss the last lot.)

The SduG really is a big deal with French yachtsmen. Even non-sailors bring their families to the Morbihan for the week, just to join in the festivities and watch the boats go by from any vantage point possible . Eg trees, roof tops  and (especially) waterside restaurants, so things get booked up. Stay-at-homes can watch it all on National TV so on arrival at hotspots like Vannes don't be surprised  to hear your boat's name and origins read out over the public address systems while press helicopters swoop around overhead.  Reporters with microphones and cameramen roam around switching languages effortlessly as they interview any skipper who takes their fancy. It's the people's festival of sail and they are NOT impressed by posh yachts  (Think of the way the British media present Cowes Week or the Boat Show and then imagine the opposite!) Everyone is friendly and helpful  (If you have been brought up on "Daily Mail" type attitudes and prejudices towards the French  you are in for a shock)  and knowledgeable about small boats and the needs of the crews.
There are plenty of places to eat, cheaply or extravagantly, depending on your mood and you will not get ripped off by the local trades people. They want you to come again!
To give you more of an idea I've added a Gallery of snaps  to my blog (see link at bottom of page) but you will find Kathy Mansfield's pictures rather better!

http://www.pbase.com/kathymansfield/morbihan&page=all

The three links below are worth a look but bear in mind they have been shot to make it all seem as "exciting" as possible. I.e. Everyone crammed together for the Grande Parade.  (and the HP ads are a pain)
Despite appearances the Morbihan can actually swallow 1000 boats effortlessly, leaving the crowd-phobic  to find secluded water, peace and tranquillity whenever they want. Just keep an eye on the tides!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9jyvh_semaine-du-golfe-du-morbihan-episod_sport?ralg=meta2-only#from=playrelon-5

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9k180_semaine-du-golfe-du-morbihan-episod_sport#.UP-_cSftS8A

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9k9zx_semaine-du-golfe-du-morbihan-episod_sport#.UP_AWSftS8A

Tips:
If you need accommodation or want to hire a "cabin" at one of the recommended campsites, I suggest you get on the SduG website and book early....like NOW!

The weather WILL be variable. You need everything from survival suits to suncream.
You know your boat and your comfort zone best.  Don't be pressured into sailing if you don't fancy the conditions.   

Bear in mind that not all of the dozens of safety boat crews have local knowledge.  If you want to deviate from planned routes make sure you ask the organisers at the morning briefings about your plans  first.

When sailing down tide races make sure you have steerage way through the water. Start your engine or deploy the oars if necessary in light winds. You don't want to swirl around like a cork! Going with the flow is not good policy!

If self-catering, take a shopping bag or two with you. French supermarkets do not supply them as a rule.  You can only get so much in your pockets!

Be prepared to have a seriously good time! 

[Andy Dingle]

FAO - Steve and 'Duchess'

Nice to hear from you and really glad that you are booked in..

If you would like to email me on 'ketchpsalter at gmail dot com' I will give you my mobile phone number so we can stay in contact and liaise when we get out there - indeed if any one else who reads this and is going and wants to meet up with us to sail and have a quiet beer in company (Swallow Boat owner or any other boat owner), also please feel free to send me an email.
I sort of feel a party coming on!
Are you able to make it to Rutland Water for the 6/7th April so we can all get to know each other? Great if you could.



FAO - Tony and Gerald, as veteran Morbihan combatants.

It occurred to me whilst trying to think through everything I need to do and take. Is an 'ICC' - International Certificate of Competence - required for sailing in France and in particular this event?
I know I need one for taking a boat across the channel and for entering the French Inland Waterways.. Knowing how pedantic the French authorities can be I would be surprised if it were not required.
However, I haven't seen any mention of it in any of the forum posts?
Did your insurance companies ask for it as a pre requisite to them covering you out there. Did the organisers ask to see your insurance documents when/before you arrived?

Grateful if you would publish your views on this for all to pick up.
Thanks.


Regards

Andy

[gerald turner]

I have been 3 times in another brand of daysailer, registered in the sail & oar flotilla,and no I do not have a ICC ticket, nor was I asked about one ,I believe if You hold RYA dazed Kipper practical ,that exceeds the ICC ticket anyway,that should suffice, but then I only sailed on the MorBihan and not out to seaward ( I did take a precaution of taking a yachtmaster with me as Crew!)

Insurance is required, but I was not asked to show this, I think when the  crunch comes,and it will!,you would be asked for it, flotillas 3 and above , you will need documents such as you would if you crossed the channel,but I feel that there are so many taking part ,that proof of what ever is a mere familiarity could be wrong on that , but it previously it had been so relaxed as to be unbelieviable.

Enjoy!

[Tony]

The usual protocol with international events is that the host country accepts the standards of the participants' countries. i.e. if you are appropriately qualified in the --UK that's good enough for them.
As far as insurance is concerned, let your insurer know what you are doing and, as long as you are not racing, there should be no problem. Your company will give you chapter and verse.

[Jonathan Stuart]

I have just returned from the Semaine du Golfe and enjoyed a fantastic week out there on Andy Dingle's boat. When I have time I will write a blog entry or library article. In the meantime, I have uploaded my photos to a new area on the Gallery:

http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/?page_id=449&album=1&gallery=11

I thoroughly recommend this event to anyone considering it for 2015!

[jonno]

The attached photograph, taken at the Semaine du Golfe, of Ella together with one or two other vessels appeared in the 10th May edition of Ouest France.

It was a brilliant week both afloat and ashore.

John

[Julian Swindell]

Wonderful photo. I have just set it as my desktop background.