The April Rally to Itchenor was a very windy NNE F5/F6 and that among other factors led to several boats pulling out of our fast cruise in company.   In the end only three boats took part in the fast cruise: 

• Jumunu – Lesley Brooman,
• Magus Tao – Peter Puttock,
• Tres Jolie – Jeremy Taylor

Many thanks to our Vice Commodore John Taylor who helped setting the course and provided two options, the second being a shorter course should the conditions worsen. Although challenging I made a decision to go with the longer course (Alpha).

The routes were as follows:

Route Alpha. 21.8NM.
Start at line between 5F North Sturbridge (North Cardinal, 50 ˚45’33N 01˚08’23W) and motorboat Rip Tide. First start at 1000 BST, take your GPS time as you cross the line. If Rip Tide is not on station take your time as you pass due North of North Sturbridge within 200m.

• Mark 1 6A No Man’s Land Fort (bloody big round thing, 50˚44’40N 01˚05’70W), leave to Starboard
• Mark 2 6K Horse Tail (Green channel marker, 50˚43’23N 01˚00’23W), leave to Port
• Mark 3 6L Winner (South Cardinal, 50˚45’45N 00˚56’59W), leave to Starboard
• Mark 4 Pullar (West Cardinal, 50˚40’47N 00˚50’90W), leave to Port

Finish Between West Pole (Red tripod, 50˚45’45N 00˚56’59W) and motorboat Rip Tide; if Rip Tide is not on Station take your GPS time as you pass within 200m due West of West Pole.

Route Bravo. 15.4NM
Start at line between 5F North Sturbridge (North Cardinal, 50 ˚45’33N 01˚08’23W) and motorboat Rip Tide. First start at 1000 BST, take your GPS time as you cross the line.

• Mark 1 6A No Man’s Land Fort (bloody big round thing, 50˚44’40N 01˚05’70W), leave to Starboard
• Mark 2 6K Horse Tail (Green channel marker, 50˚43’23N 01˚00’23W), leave to Port
• Mark 3 6L Winner (South Cardinal, 50˚45’45N 00˚56’59W), leave to Starboard
• Mark 4 6P New Grounds (West Cardinal, 50˚41’84N 00˚58’49W), leave to Port

Finish Between West Pole (Red tripod, 50˚45’45N 00˚56’59W) and motorboat Rip Tide if Rip Tide is not on Station take your GPS time as you pass within 200m due West of West Pole.

Arriving in Itchenor
Our berth for the night was a river pontoon to the East of Itechnor which due to the direction of the wind was a struggle to tie up to. After expending a lot of energy getting onto the pontoon we were then instructed by the ISC Commodore that we were on the wrong pontoon and we had to move to the 2nd pontoon further East!

Commodore’s Cocktails
After another struggle we finally settled down on the correct pontoon where we were joined by Graham Blake on his boat Boomerang and a few others from shore who had managed to convince the ISC boat man to give them a lift.

Results
Jumunu took line honours and was 10 minutes faster than the competition on corrected time, I have therefore invited Lesley and her crew to join us at the Annual Dinner on Saturday 19th of November to award them the coveted Rose Bowl trophy.

Many thanks to the 29 members who joined us at Itchenor Sailing Club where we had a hearty meal, great conversation and enjoyed the amazing vista that their clubhouse has of the river. 

I’m also pleased to announce we managed to raise £100 from members towards the http://www.ntc.org.uk/