Dart 15 Forums

Bob ( yes, the same one) wrote:

Your committee were talking today at the Grafham TT meeting what we should organize for the fun sailing days (26-29 August)just prior to the Nationals at Whitstable.
It will be mostly the normal sort of fun stuff.
One option is worth finding out your views.
There is the opportunity to do a long sail to Thorpe Bay in Essex (4-5 hours sailing, maybe) across the Thames Estuary to bunk down at Thorpe Bay and then return the following day. This may appeal to the hardy sailors but splits up the families and spends two days of the 4 available. My view is it is better to spend the days sailing in the Whitstable area (up to 90 mins sailing distance maximum) and do journies which are more suitable for children and that the rest of the family can drive and meet up. The Polkerris trip last year was a perfect example. Others should be off the shore at Whitstable and the families can meet for lunch on the beach.
Please let us have your views on this chat page - particularly those that plan to come. We want to do what YOU want.
Cheers
Bob (who)

Tim Benton. 1944 Shanklin IoW. replied:

Both get my vote, although I think sailing in the Whitstable are may go down better with family members.

Sean replied:

I think you should all go to Thorpe bay. That way if you get stranded I would do better in the Nationals!. It is a very long drive to recover the boats by trailer.

Also the crossing may be a little daunting for some of us less experience, very rusty sailors. I would prefer to stay near the coast.

I agree with Tim, 'I think sailing in the Whitstable are may go down better with family members.'

George Stephen replied:

While Thorpe Bay is a bit further from Whitstable than is Southend from Sheerness, a cruise across the Thames estuary for CatClub members is something we've always done on odd occasions in the past. We even have races to Southend and back (evidence of going ashore required in the form of a stick of Southend rock).

Indeed, when cats were really unpopular just about everywhere else in the UK, (before the Dartford tunnels were constructed and the motorways) keen catamaran sailors living in Essex had little option but to sail across in order to sail at Cat Club, and then back again after raconmg was over, with rescue cover often limited to fellow cat sailors around them. Someone called White might well have been among them....

So cruising over to Thorpe Bay from Whitstable with the sort of rescue cover that has to around these days should not be a cause for any concern, save Sean's point about being far from kin for a whole day.

The last time I sailed over from Cat Club there were 2 D18s and my D15, with a potential new member aboard each. My guest got a bit worried when one of the big bulk container carriers went by, generating a double bow wave, each of about 6 feet (we were fairly close, but not too close to have been hooted!). He was impressed by the way even a 2-up D15 rode them.

If that's not enough, look up your D15 magazines for an article on cruising D15s in the Thames estuary, which if I recall involved some D15ers so disenchanted with the north side of the estuary that they prefer to go visit the south side and the Medway!

There's also a Hobie 15 sailor who often crosses singlehanded on his own, but we all know you have to be a bit mad to prefer a Hobie 15 to a Dart 15.

George

Steve Willis replied:

As a mere Dart 18 sailor at Seasalter Sailing Club next to Whitstable may I humbly suggest a fun sail from Whitstable to Faversham Creek where lies the Shipwrights Arms - a pub with no mains power but space to pull Cats up the bank and enjoy a few pints of the local real ales in the garden - family can drive there in about 15 mintues from Whitstable. Let me know if you want directions ( road and water!)

This is a place we go for summer late afternoon cruises and last time we went there were about 12 boats. The creek makes for interesting sailing amongst the moored cruisers!

Having just bought Dart 15 756 my helm (Joan) and I hope you enjoy the sailing at the nationals - we may see some of you as our boat park is possibly going to be open for camping for the event.

Happy sailing! - easter weekend was superb with 15-30 knots most of the time and me hanging out on that wire!!!!!