RYA sail cruise 2007

[Richard_Peevor]

Just wondering if anyone here has applied to do this..? I have and have been looking forward to it after reading accounts of the 2006 cruise in YM.

I am just a little dismayed by the tardiness of the applications, the forms were published about two months late and now they have been returned I am waiting to hear if our application is successful. The cruise is in June and its now march and we don't know if we are included.

Holidays have had to be booked with work and if we aren't in then we will sail somewhere else! But as a planner I wish I knew..

Was anyone invloved in last year's cruise? was it oversubscribed? or did most get in?

People may comment on the price c.£420 but for the reassurance of a channel crossing with others and the benefit of skippering your own boat we feel it is a price we are willing to pay.

It would be good to hear from others in the same predicament or who were involved with last year's cruise..

Richard

 

[Seven Spades]

I applied for details online about four weeks ago and on Thursday they arrived by post with a typed note attached saying that as of Wednesday they already had enough applications to fill the cruise unless some applications were not sucessful. I wonder if they only chech their email every three weeks!

 

[snooks]

The cruise is usually oversubscribed by varying amounts. This is usually to keep the cruise down to a safe number of yachts and experience. Obviously taking 20 inexperienced yachts across the channel, is a lot different if there are some of those can happily look after themselves and are experienced enough to help others out if anything untoward did happen.

But it's also to keep the number of ppl to a size where pubs and yacht clubs can still be booked and entertained well...It's also good to keep the numbers down to a level that won't totally sink the pontoons in Cherbourg /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif although last year it was close! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

The RYA (well Carol) does a really good job of organising it (with all berthing paid for, all boats berthed together where poss, people on hand to help park boats, skippers briefings, notes on the ports, and who could forget the news letters?) but their main proirity is making sure everyone is safe and has a good time.

ps. Glad you liked my account, it's almost the only bit of sailing I get...it's hard work getting round all the boats (with all the crew onboard) during the stop overs, but it's good to meet everyone and have a chat about their reasons for doing it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[claymore]

There's a team of us fae farther north wid gladly accompany you across the channel. Wid it be ok if ye paid the £400 in cash?

 

[dnickj]

well we have put an application in to go on the reserve list - lets hope for a few drop outs

if we dont get on it does anyone else fancy getting together to do our own thing

 

[Richard_Peevor]

I think my application got in quite early so uless we are deemed "dodgy" I hope we get in. If we dont we are planning to cruise down to Weymouth, Dartmouth etc for the week or we may just head across the channel ourselves. We have the full safety kit etc so I presume if we dont get in it will be because of boat size or experience.

I would consider cruising in company but our boat is a bit too small to sail in company with a 40 footer..

Rich

 

[Richard_Peevor]

Just heard from Carol at the RYA.. we are in!! Now just hoping for some good weather. Good luck to other applicants. Apparently the letter is in the post.