Did anyone witness the dinghy racing incident through Easthead

[joliette]

I think this issue needs looking into by the HM.

On numerous visits to Chichester I've found dinghy racing in the Harbour (and even out at the Bar Beacon!) to be both a difficulty and potential hazard to safety. The reach up to Itchenor is a real black spot when navigating the channel under power and observing the required speed restrictions. On many occasions I have been confronted by what can only be described as the arrogance (and sometimes abuse!) from dinghy sailors tacking back and forth across the channel at high speed.

I appreciate that no one wants to get off the racing line when the adrenalin is pumping and I don't want to spoil anyone's fun, but this issue does need looking into before someone's props are unwittingly turned into food processors for fish!

 

[fireball]

Thanks for reiterating, I hadnt realized The Chichester Federation Code of Conduct were higher in authority/more appropriate than the HM, I will look them up and send them an account.

More appropriate may be - as if a FLEET was racing through the anchorage then the RO may not have set an appropriate course or the clubs sailing instructions need modifying to incorporate the agreements made by Chi Fed.
It may not get the Rollocking you're after - but it should help push some clubs in the right direction.

It's a pita having to avoid the EH anchorage - and I don't quite see why we need to during an evening race - especially as many times the whole place is deserted and it's just us out in the harbour ... but there have obviously been too many incidents reported to HM to allow racing to continue like that - hence the restriction has been put in place.
It is new to the CoC this season - so not all RO's may be aware of it - especially when they only RO once or twice a season ... not an excuse though.

 

[fireball]

On many occasions I have been confronted by what can only be described as the arrogance (and sometimes abuse!) from dinghy sailors tacking back and forth across the channel at high speed.

Oh - don't worry - I sometimes get that too - when dinghy racing ... it's not just the cruisers they pick on ...

 

[gjgm]

I think this issue needs looking into by the HM.

On numerous visits to Chichester I've found dinghy racing in the Harbour (and even out at the Bar Beacon!) to be both a difficulty and potential hazard to safety. The reach up to Itchenor is a real black spot when navigating the channel under power and observing the required speed restrictions. On many occasions I have been confronted by what can only be described as the arrogance (and sometimes abuse!) from dinghy sailors tacking back and forth across the channel at high speed.

I appreciate that no one wants to get off the racing line when the adrenalin is pumping and I don't want to spoil anyone's fun, but this issue does need looking into before someone's props are unwittingly turned into food processors for fish!

I am not a regular there, but I used to berth at Northney. One reason we gave up and moved was I got so sick and tired of the sh*te from dinghy sailors. These days it seems even worse. Yea, I've read the HM guide and I understand you can search out the racing markers and guess who is going where. Its the attitude I find so distasteful.

 

[benjenbav]

Pete, I've been trying to work out exactly where you were anchored. I think you've got E Head Spit (Green) at 1 o'clock and Copyhold (Red) at 2 o'clock. There's quite a bit of foreshortening going on and so I think you were east of the drying mound. In which case the swimmers would be approximately over the drying mound and the one who leapt like a salmon may have been able to do so because his or her feet were on the bottom.

 

[DAKA]

Pete, I've been trying to work out exactly where you were anchored. I think you've got E Head Spit (Green) at 1 o'clock and Copyhold (Red) at 2 o'clock. There's quite a bit of foreshortening going on and so I think you were east of the drying mound. In which case the swimmers would be approximately over the drying mound and the one who leapt like a salmon may have been able to do so because his or her feet were on the bottom.

Your fairly accurate and to be honest I cant be 100% certain as I expect the mound moves , I dropped anchor on the SW corner of the drying mound (neaps) and let about 20 m of chain out on a rising tide however there is an eddy current there producing an unpredictable swing.

That puts the kids in deep water and divine intervention is still being considered in the absence of any other explanation (he could have used the RS hull to push himself off causing the huge splash) I just do not know.

 

[Ripster]

I am not a regular there, but I used to berth at Northney. One reason we gave up and moved was I got so sick and tired of the sh*te from dinghy sailors. These days it seems even worse. Yea, I've read the HM guide and I understand you can search out the racing markers and guess who is going where. Its the attitude I find so distasteful.

+1

Yep, same here. Not the only reason we went West again, but one of the key ones. In the end SWMBO used not to want to go out on a WE due to the boat traffic and constant near misses.