Port of Felixstowe Regatta

[Bathfanjim]

Does anyone of the regulars (or otherwise) on here visit the Port of Felixstowe Regatta at the end of May? Great event and would of course make a change to racing in the Solent! Or does anyone on here actually race regularly in this neck of the woods?!

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[Mirelle]

Bathside bay enquiry?

Should anyone wonder why the local yottin' interest have been remarkably silent about Hutchinson Ports UK's proposal to turn Bathside Bay into another container terminal, thereby ruining the town of Harwich and effectively turning the whole of the Haven Ports area into a bleak landscape of container yards and giant cranes, wonder no more, they have been bought off with this bit of race sponsorship.

No, we won't be turning up.

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[Bathfanjim]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

I don't like the tone of your mail, which suggests that 'we' (and I use the term loosely) have been 'bought off' and 'don't care' - please retract it, or go and throw the toys out of your pram elsewhere.

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[Mirelle]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

Have you read Richard Pearson's introduction to the programme?

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[Bathfanjim]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

I have now read it and I take your point Mirelle, but to suggest that we are 'in the pockets' of the port authority is just plain stupid. I am keen to sail in the largest regatta in the region (not saying much I know), and having read these boards I am under the impression that no-one who sails in this area reads them, and those that do are typically east Anglian and have a very insular outlook and NOT friendly! I'm sorry if this offends but I speak from 10 years of experience of living here.

Now where can I find a job on the south coast.......

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[Mirelle]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

Well, I am a native of these parts, hence naturally churlish, but anyway:

1. I do race actively, but with the OGA - the East Coast Classics race programme, which lasts a fortnight, is well known to be extremely friendly, but of course you do have to have an odd sort of boat!

2. I also have friends who race in the Haven Series in regular racing boats and who have done so for many years; they seem friendly enough people!

3. The Port of Felixstowe is not the Port Authority; they are a commercial organisation which is part of the Hutchinson Group, and they operate the Felixstowe terminal. The Harwich Haven Authority is the Port Authority (and are very yacht-friendly, all things considered!) I work for one of the customers of the Port of Felixstowe and as such I am in unavoidable contact, from time to time, with their PR department whose purpose in sponsoring the Regatta is clear enough! No reason not to drink their beer, so long as one is aware of what their Cunning Plan is!

4. You are probably right - YM is not known as a racing magazine and probably few of the people who read it or post on this board are interested in racing - YW used to have a board but few people posted to it and of course outside the IPC stable Y&Y have an active board. But my impression is that racing people make less use of bulletin boards - maybe because opportunities for post-race socialising make BBs redundant?

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Mirelle on 21/04/2004 09:57 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[paulrossall]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

Bathfanjim, I see you only joined the forum last month so welcome. I think you have got the wrong impression about forum users.
I live in the Midlands and know a number of users who do not live in East Anglia but sail the East Coast, and use this forum. It is very useful to hear the contributions from sailors who do live locally as they do have a great deal of information about what is happening locally and I have found them to be very friendly and helpful.
I would encourage as many as possible to sail in this regatta, as I encourage people to play golf, as it will leave the other waters quieter and more peaceful for sailors like me, and other locally based contributors who like the more tranquil backwaters. Hope you enjoy the regatta.Paul

<hr width=100% size=1>" there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".

 

[squidge]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

welcome to the forum , you will find quite a few east coast sailors on here who bar none are amiable chaps who are keen to help and offer advice.
I have always found that to get a friendly reply one needs to start off in a friendly way. I am disheartened that after 10 years of living hear you feel the way you do.I can only speak from my own experience but i have sailed on this coast for a number of years (racing and cruising)and regularly visit Harwich and Ipswich.In time i have established lasting relationships with other like minded sailors, most oftern from rafting along side and sharing a beer and a tall tale or two.

I hope that something happens to change your view of the east coast people so that you to can enjoy meeting the characters that sail these muddy waters.

Best regards
Squidge
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[Bathfanjim]

Re: Bathside bay enquiry?

My apologies if I've upset anyone, my first post was merely a friendly post to try and get to know some local sailors competing locally. To be greeted with distinctly 'off' reply from Mirelle was not quite what was expected and was not indeed even necessary, despite the obvious sentiment behind it. I'm not sure if Pauls message was particularly friendly either ie 'go and sail in the regatta so I can have some peace!'

Mirelle - I am more than aware of their cunning plan although do you really believe that sponsoring a regatta is a way to get the racers on side? I certainly don't! Not to say I agree with or support their actions, but if we vetoed everything every commercial organisation sponsored then we would never leave the house. As you can bet your bottom dollar they ALL have vested interests that we don't agree with. O2 sponsoring England rugby while putting all their nasty masts all over? B&Q sponsoring Ellen McArthur while blotting our landscape with their large orange DIY sheds?

Anyway I'm rambling now - catch you later.







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