Passage races and the like......

Javelin

Javelin

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www.southwoldboatyard.co.uk
Looking to buy an oldish 32 to 34 footer which as I live in Southwold will moor here in the harbour (river)

Been racing dinghies on the National and Euro circuit for 20 years so not really in touch with big boat stuff.

However from my searches it appears that there's quite a lot of action in the Harwich-ish area.
I was wondering if any of the annual passage races or events would welcome boats from just up the coast and if so would they welcome a Contessa 32, UFO34 type or is this a bit old in the tooth now?
 
contact HPYC ( haven ports YC at levington)
RHYC ( Royal Harwich YC Woolverstone)
i am sure they can help with info


Javelin said:
Looking to buy an oldish 32 to 34 footer which as I live in Southwold will moor here in the harbour (river)

Been racing dinghies on the National and Euro circuit for 20 years so not really in touch with big boat stuff.

However from my searches it appears that there's quite a lot of action in the Harwich-ish area.
I was wondering if any of the annual passage races or events would welcome boats from just up the coast and if so would they welcome a Contessa 32, UFO34 type or is this a bit old in the tooth now?
Click to expand...
 
You can race what you like, but will the beer and sausage rolls have run out by the time you get back to the bar?

Trouble with handicapping is that the majority of the fleet will get the majority of the course decisions as decided by the race hut. Have suffered that in Burnham before many times.

Go look at the fleet, and have a chat with them - they don't bite!
 
Yes seen the website but the photo's all seem to be of newish, go-faster expensive yachts.
Not too many Contessa 32 / UFO34 or even the good old Sadler 32 to be seen.

Bit worried that it would be like turning up to a track day where the others are all in Ferraris, Porche and Lambo's and I arrive in a Moggy minor....
 
When i did the Haven Series in a 26footer i would have given my right arm for a Co32 or UFO 31/34. how times change.



Javelin said:
Yes seen the website but the photo's all seem to be of newish, go-faster expensive yachts.
Not too many Contessa 32 / UFO34 or even the good old Sadler 32 to be see.

Bit worried that it would be like turning up to a track day where the others are all in Ferraris, Porche and Lambo's and I arrive in a Moggy minor....
Click to expand...
 
Javelin said:
Yes seen the website but the photo's all seem to be of newish, go-faster expensive yachts.
Not too many Contessa 32 / UFO34 or even the good old Sadler 32 to be seen.

Bit worried that it would be like turning up to a track day where the others are all in Ferraris, Porche and Lambo's and I arrive in a Moggy minor....
Click to expand...

If either of them have their race results published on line then that should give you an idea of what type of boats are competing and/or doing well.
 
Hi Javelin,

There's alot of choice - & dont be put off by the racy racers as there is generally a mixed fleet and/or classes grouped together.

The Haven Series run round the cans racing and some great passage races to Lowestoft, Ramsgate, Burnham and Oostende.

EAORA has already been mentioned in a previous post and all the details can be found on the website.

HPYC at Levington also run loads of exellent IRC and Handicap races

All of them are very welcoming and very helpful.

Also, The classes you mention often do very well indeed.
 
Hi Javelin,

Sail East in fact run a series of round the cans races in regattas at West Mersea, Felixstowe and Burnham.

http://saileast.org/updates/2013-dates/

There was also a regatta at Medway Yacht Club in the series, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside. You will need an IRC rating certificate for this, but that certainly doesn't exclude the kind of boats you are considering. The series includes an interclub competition which includes yachts from all the classes. That's usually won by either Haven Ports Yacht Club at Levington or the Crouch Yacht Club at Burnham, so a visit for a chat with the racrers at either of those clubs will point you in the right direction.

http://www.eaora.org.uk/

For longer distance passage races, EAORA is your organisation. They organise around 10 races per year, and used to offer a week of racing in Holland, but I didn't hear of that last year. You will also require an IRC certificate for this and you must self certify that you meet ISAF safety requirements, category 3 for offshore events and category 4 for the coastal ones. There are 23 clubs supporting the association, including the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk, which is not too far from you. However, HPYC and CYC seem to provide more participants than most, so the same source of info will help you.

Over the past decade, or perhaps a bit more, participation in offshore racing has diminished dramatically as the economic situation has deteriorated and people find it more difficult to put consistent crews together. Both Sail East and EAORA will welcome with open arms any new participants. As a start, you could call Tony Merewether at the Burnham office of Clarke & Carter. He and his good lady are great participants in Amazon.

Hope this helps,

Peter Wright
 
Many thanks for the replies.
It's a great shame numbers are down but I can quite understand it, especially trying to find a regular crew.
I fully expect to be short handed most of the time but to me this has more appeal than stuffing the boat with 6 or 7 folk and feeling guilty at making them sit on the rail for hours.
Sitting to windward in the cockpit with a cuppa in hand, tweaking sheets and control lines I think will be more my style.

Yup looks like I'll need IRC but having looked at what I need to do it doesn't seem that onerous.

Hmm given the issues with diesel I'm not sure about the Ostend race but that's another story.....
 
Dont worry about Oostende, we still go, had a great time in May last year

http://www.oostendevooranker.be/

http://www.oostendevooranker.be/nl/visit/muziek

http://www.oostendevooranker.be/nl/visit/photosvideos/zapping-music-1-2012

Javelin said:
Many thanks for the replies.
It's a great shame numbers are down but I can quite understand it, especially trying to find a regular crew.
I fully expect to be short handed most of the time but to me this has more appeal than stuffing the boat with 6 or 7 folk and feeling guilty at making them sit on the rail for hours.
Sitting to windward in the cockpit with a cuppa in hand, tweaking sheets and control lines I think will be more my style.

Yup looks like I'll need IRC but having looked at what I need to do it doesn't seem that onerous.

Hmm given the issues with diesel I'm not sure about the Ostend race but that's another story.....
Click to expand...
 
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Really annoying - reading through the various results and there are boat names and sail numbers but no indication of what type/class they are, grrrrrr.

Looked at some of the photos and there is the odd little boat like a Sonata but the vast majority are of dark laminated sails with folk a plenty getting their feet wet.
Not going to be easy to sell this to the mrs....
 
Hi Javelin, I have a well equipped UFO 31 which I may sell if you are interested.
You wouldnt have to add much to go racing straight away .
Let me know if you want any more details.

Regards, Ted.
 
Hi Javelin

EAORA are running an Offshore Regatta this year which includes 3 x passage races 1. Harwich - Ramsgate 27 June 2. Ramsgate - Ostend 28th June 3. Ostend - Harwich 30th June.

You don't need an IRC as this event will have Local Handicap and IRC Dual Scoring. You can also use the Spinlock IRC Limited Validity TCC's if you'd like to try IRC racing for the first time. See more here http://www.rorcrating.com/lv-tcc/46...s/207-limited-validity-tcc-clubs-introduction

What's more EAORA will also have a 2 handed class in the Offshore Regatta so it sounds just like what you're after. See more about the Regatta here http://eaora.2dservers.net or contact me direct.

As you say, obtaining an IRC cert is quite simple and to the less informed reading this thread, the boat does not have to be weighed any data requested on the IRC application form can all be self measured, unless of course you want an endorsed cert but that's not essential.

Boats racing regularly in EAORA last year included Sigma 33, Baltic 37, Sigma 38, MG38, and Erotic Bear, all of which are of an affordable era and some of them win regularly.

If you'd like to get involved you'll be made to feel welcome. Contact the current chairman Tony Merewether, his details are on thw website www.eaora.org.uk
 
Many thanks, looks like that will be spot on. Just need to buy a boat now. The ufo31 is nice but I really need the extra space that the 34 has. The contessa32 has dropped down the list for that reason. Do like the look of the contention33 from Swansea, but all will have to wait for anther couple of weeks before I can get round to looking in person.
 
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