Accidental presence at the RTI.

[NickRobinson]

Doing my circumnavigation, been on the boat since June 1st, I have missed the fact that I'm heading towards the Solent this Saturday.....

I've just locked into Eastbourne for two nights and can stop at Brighton but I'd quite like to experience the RTI as a spectator. A friend suggests creek crawling in Langstone, any other ideas?

 

[GrahamD]

If you want to spectate, and it's well worth seeing, you'll be hard pushed if you intend to spend two nights in Eastbourne. The race starts early on Saturday, going west initially.

To see it from the water at a distance you'll need to be off Portsmouth or well off the eastern coast of the IoW by mid afternoon on Saturday. If you want to get closer in, a fairly safe place to get a view of the race from the water would be about a half mile NE of Bembridge Ledge Cardinal, where the boats will bunch up round the mark as they then go on the wind up the Solent. As a rule, bigger boats will be seen until about 4pm, smaller ones after that, with the last ones still coming round Bembridge at 8 or 9pm, depending on the wind.

But as it is about 40nm from Eastbourne to Bembridge Ledge, you might have to get to get a wriggle on.

 

[sarabande]

Quite a bit longer than 40 miles; nearer 55 IIRC.

 

[GrahamD]

Yes, you are right. That means an even earlier start!

 

[jac]

Bear in mind that leaders will be coming round Bembridge Cardinal from maybe 10 - 11 in the morning depending on wind so if you want to see the flash boats with professional crew rather than us amateurs in family cruisers then get there early!

There's a no entry section off sea view to protect the boats moored there. Could maybe tuck in there. Or Osbourne bay and anchor but bear in mind that boats will be tacking through there to keep out of the tide so may not be good for the nerves.

 

[NickRobinson]

Good thoughts all- I should have been more organised, factoring in special events into my itinerary. The trip is very much 'go when the weather allows, kettle on otherwise'.

I've been offered an overnight mooring in Langstone but more likely to be Sunday or Monday.

IIRC, I missed the 2005 Trafalgar bicentenary Fleet Review too, despite having just bought a little boat in Haslar...