Having extricated ourselves from the Med at the end of last summer, the plan for this year is to get ourselves back to Bristol – after 10 years away. Rather ambitiously, given our previous experience of slogging northwards against the wind up the coast of Portugal, we decided to make the return trip home via the Azores - a last exotic fling, and probably our last big sailing adventure before settling into a quieter form of cruising in the shorter distances of the west of Scotland. The Azores is an iconic destination for ocean yachtsmen and we were keen to add this adventure to our experience and to explore these little known islands set right out in the Atlantic.

The passage from the south western corner of Portugal to the closest island of the Azores is about 800 miles, and the passage back to landfall in the UK – the Isles of Scilly we hope – is about 1200 miles, so we have called on the friends who accompanied us on the longer passages last year to come again – and they have eagerly agreed. Trudy and Geoff will be with us from Faro to San Miguel in the Azores, and Chris will join us in Horta for the return trip home.

The advice is that both these passages should be made between May and August when, typically, the Azores High is in its summer position giving us steady winds and good angles for both passages. To keep well within these guidelines, we plan to leave Portugal early in June and to leave the Azores in the second half of July - well before the autumn gales set in. This should give us a period of 5-6 weeks to cruise the islands. Jean will also be joining us there for a week’s cruising.

In order to be in a position to leave Faro early in June, we’re making a trip to Aremiti in April to get her ship-shape and ready for the summer.

BRISTOL SAILING ASSOCIATION

Newsletter November 2018

Contacts:Kath Liddiard (Commodore)01443 227928

Jock Playle (Secretary)0117 973 8855

Becky Goddard (Treasurer) 01749 346818

Future Trips

1.1Trips for Next Year

Ian Collins and Alan Howells are suggesting a couple of significant trips to get arranged for next year before diaries fill up. The other reason is to get yachts booked before circumstances change especially given uncertainty with chartering from Richard Brown who will also be chartering to the Sailing School.  Looking for expressions of interest at this stage.

April 26 – May 5. One week: Plymouth / Channel Isles/ St Malo / Treguier and back (might not get to all!) This probably fully booked, with two yachts.

Late May / early June Three weeks (crew changes possible during trip for anyone who can’t manage three weeks). Plymouth / various ports and islands South and West Brittany and back.

We don’t know next year’s prices, other than having been told they will be going up. With a comfortable five aboard probably best to assume £50 each per day charter cost if we can charter from Richard – hence the need to start thinking now,

Expressions of interest please to Alan (alanhowellsandco@gmail.com). Both Alan and Ian will be available to answer questions at BSA meetings.

News

2.1Membership renewal.

Membership renewal for 2018/19 is now overdue – about 20 members have still to renew. A renewal form was sent to all members last month. If you haven’t yet renewed please bring this to the meeting on December 10th. Payment by bank transfer is preferred, to the account of Bristol Sailing Association at Barclays Bank, account number 40853062, sort code 20-13-34, using reference BSAsub and your surname, and please email the Treasurer beckygeesilkmill@gmail.com to advise her and give any change of contact details. . If you do pay by cheque, send it payable to Bristol Sailing Association to the Treasurer, Mrs R A Goddard, 29 The Old Silk Mill, Coombe Lane, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5XA, or bring it to the meeting.

If you have decided not to rejoin BSA it would be very helpful if you would inform the secretary (either email or phone, details on the cover letter of this newsletter).

2.2Christmas Dinner. This will be at Aqua on Welsh Back, Bristol, on Tuesday December 18th at 7.00 pm for 7.30. This has been arranged by Jill Hunter, who has now completed the arrangements, including menu choices, with the restaurant.

2.3January meeting Social Evening. As usual, our January meeting on the 14th will be a social evening with a buffet and raffle, all free. Alan Howells has again offered to organise the buffet and asks for anyone who can help with providing food (of the ‘finger buffet’ variety) to contact him during December if possible. BSA will refund all costs. Please contact Alan on 0117 944 2618, email alanhowellsandco@gmail.com, or see him at the meeting on December 10th.

2.4Theory Courses

A reminder of the offer from Alan Howells.

Traditionally this is the time of year when sailors study their theory. There used to be courses run locally and at times they were even subsidised by HM Government. No longer - they are now expensive and probably inconvenient. Online is of course always an option but that is also expensive.

If anyone is put off by the expense or inconvenience it is possible to acquire the knowledge by home study. The course materials are not particularly expensive and you may be able to buy or borrow them from another member. However, it can help to have access to someone who will help if you are having difficulties at certain points. If anyone wants to pursue that option I am happy to try to help by being that person who will work through any difficulties with you. This is entirely informal as I am not an instructor but with a bit of mutual effort we can get there.

Alan

2.5Oscarline update. Jeff Birkin had met members of the Portuguese Pilots’ Association at an exhibition in the UK where he learned that one their pilots had drowned after falling off a boarding ladder. Jeff was later asked to demonstrate Oscarline in Porto, where he found he was in competition with two other safety equipment providers. Instead of a dummy, the Portuguese Association’s president was the casualty. One of the other systems failed completely, the second took a long time, and Jeff recovered the man almost immediately. Jeff has now been asked to quote for 32 units. Jeff said Oscarline was just a few days away from going into production.

Jeff asks if anyone has an instruction manual for a pre-2014 lifejacket would they please get in touch, tel. 01275 879024, email jeffbirkin@hotmail.com (or at UltraMarine Safety Ltd. 01275 217878, info@oscarline.com )

Recent trips

Trip reports A reminder that Chris Wallace has asked for all members who provide trip reports to include the type and name of the boat, and the names of all crew, so that the reports can be completely listed and referenced on the website. Photographs sent to webmaster@bristolsailing.org.uk would also be very welcome.

At the October meeting we had reports from Chris Watts, on Julia and Chris Wallace’s sail from Sardinia to Almeria, from Jerzy Wieczorek on sailing with PYC members in the Hebrides, and from Alan Howells and Bob Buchanan on weekends from Plymouth to Fowey.

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Trip on Aremiti, skippered by Chris

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Trip on Westerley Oceanlord 41 ‘Ocean Lord’, skippered by Chris Galloway

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Trip on Cleo, skippered by Alan Howells

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Trip on Bertie of Tamar, skippered by R Buchanan

Bsa November 2018 6