How are things at Watchet after the rally - mud wise?

[PCUK]

How is the dredging going. Must be greatly improved to hold a big rally there. Hoping to get back next year if the old new boat is ready.

 

[tatali0n]

We were there this Saturday / Sunday just gone. The dredging situation is much improved on last year. There were lots of visiting boats on the left hand pontoon; I guess because we're a relatively shallow draft bilge keel, they put us on the right hand pontoon, close in and on the edge of the dredged area. We still bottomed out at low water, but found ourselves listing slightly, which was a little uncomfortable but survivable for the couple of tides we were there for.

As always, the marina staff were very friendly and welcoming. And we had a cracking sail over to Cardiff the next day, albeit after motor-sailing for the first half of the trip waiting for the wind to fill in. But it was lovely once it did, a broad reach at near enough hull speed across wind-smoothed water in warm, bright sunshine

 

[bitbaltic]

We were there this Saturday / Sunday just gone. The dredging situation is much improved on last year. There were lots of visiting boats on the left hand pontoon; I guess because we're a relatively shallow draft bilge keel, they put us on the right hand pontoon, close in and on the edge of the dredged area. We still bottomed out at low water, but found ourselves listing slightly, which was a little uncomfortable but survivable for the couple of tides we were there for.

As always, the marina staff were very friendly and welcoming. And we had a cracking sail over to Cardiff the next day, albeit after motor-sailing for the first half of the trip waiting for the wind to fill in. But it was lovely once it did, a broad reach at near enough hull speed across wind-smoothed water in warm, bright sunshine

Are you chaps back in Portishead now? We left Swansea for Cardiff today, didn't spot Calstar on the way out so figured you might have headed home?

Re. The dredging I had a chat with the marina lads in the early summer and I take their word it is much improved. Hoping for a good September and a trip over there either before or after the Holms race....

 

[pondfish]

We went over on the tue night and left on the mon night we moved three times and each time we had water under us,
The guy's are working hard trying to get the rest of the mud out but each time the gate is open they have to stop so not an easy job,
But a great time was had by all Fireworks were great.

 

[tatali0n]

Are you chaps back in Portishead now? We left Swansea for Cardiff today, didn't spot Calstar on the way out so figured you might have headed home?

Brought her back to Portishead this weekend, via Watchet Saturday night and Penarth on Sunday. We were paid up till next weekend, but complications of work and the convenience of the three day weekend just gone along with the weather window suggested it was time to go.

We've had a great time down in Swansea. Didn't get as far away as we'd wanted; I'd perhaps unreasonably had hopes and ambitions for Lundy, Covelley, Padstow and/or Milford Haven, however, the constraints of work, weather and a frequently newbie crew meant we got no further than Ilfracombe or Tenby.

Then again, I think I've managed to properly hook my wife on the whole sailing thing (courtesy of dolphins in Carmarthen Bay and then a mostly warm, fast and sunny sail home via Watchet this last weekend) and even got my youngest lad snared following a trip over to Ilfracombe through lively seas but blue skies, and then back to Swansea on a pre-dawn tide. Unlike his elder brother, he's been vehemently disinterested in sailing over the last half dozen years on the quite unreasonable grounds of not wanting to be cold and wet.

So all in all, an overall success I think.