America's Cup racing 23-26 July

[Chris Partridge]

America's Cup heats will be raced off Southsea in a couple of weeks. There will be a parade of sail including the contestants on Thursday 23 and I suggest we take a boat or two to watch.
The parade takes place from about 12.30 to 14.30, a couple of hours after low water at 10.00. This means we will have to tow and row. Details of navigation restrictions during the parade of sail are sparse, but the preliminary plan is to launch at the Ferryboat slipway at about noon, row round to Southsea Castle and watch the event from there.
If this proves not to be possible we might be able to trailer to Gosport and launch in Stokes Bay, rowing round to the viewing area that will be set up for the racing later on in the day.
The water is likely to be crowded and at least some of the spectator boats will probably be driven by idiots so we will need an experienced skipper in each boat please. Lifejackets will be worn. Flags will be flown. Rowing caps will be worn at suitably jaunty angles. Picnics will be eaten. Bubbly will be sipped.
Interested? post here!

[Andy Mac]

Great idea
Yes please Chris
Andy

[Rachel]

Oooo yes please sounds brilliant.
Rachel

[Andrew B]

I assume the committee will have has an inquiry into Sunday's near miss by then, and as a bare minimum provided proper VHF marine radios for each boat going outside the confines of our two harbours, and put a few coxes through the VHF radio course to get a licence to use them ? Not only can you call for help properly, but you can also monitor QHM Portsmouth or VTS Southampton as appropriate and get warning of what the big ships are intending to do.

[Chris Partridge]

I'm not sure what the relevance of Sunday's incident is. We will be staying at all times either within a few hundred yards of Southsea beach or in the designated small boat viewing area and will not be crossing any shipping lanes, so big ships will not be a concern. The clearest danger is being T-boned by a powerboat, in which event we will dial 999.
And, of course, the weather is going to be FABULOUS. If it is anything less than fabulous, we will be staying at home.

[Andrew B]

Chris - I know you weren't there, and neither was I, although I was coxing another boat with a radio and so could hear the efforts the coastguards were making to try and contact the galley as were visitors from many other rowing clubs.
 
I understand from the cox that one of the key difficulties was trying to use a mobile phone in totally unsuitable conditions.  When you are swamped a phone turns out not to be waterproof, and you cannot hear what is being said. There are also numerous buttons to press, a VHF has one.

I hope the club is not going to gloss over this very serious incident , but instead is going to extract lessons for the future - which has huge implications for our members planning sea rowing, as well as being extremely bad publicity. Its sure to be in the Islander, on the RNLI web page etc.

The conditions of entry of the race stated a VHF radio was to be carried,so its difficult to justify not having one in the boat - especially when push actually came to shove.

[Chris Partridge]

This isn't the place for a post mortem. Mike is preparing a report. if you want to discuss it, could you start a separate thread?

[ron and cheryl]

Ron and Cheryl for this please Chris, can we borrow life jackets?  ~ Best Ron and Cheryl

[Chris Partridge]

Lifejackets or buoyancy aids will be available for all participants, Ron.

[Marilyn Rogers]

If there is room I would like to go,the picnic swayed me ( photo opportunity Ron ) Marilyn .

[Sadie snowdon]

I have a copy of the course and the layout for the viewing areas if you want it 

Sadie

Sent from my iPhone

On 7 Jul 2015, at 18:27, Chris Partridge [via Langstone Cutters RC] <[hidden email]> wrote:

America's Cup heats will be raced off Southsea in a couple of weeks. There will be a parade of sail including the contestants on Thursday 23 and I suggest we take a boat or two to watch.
The parade takes place from about 12.30 to 14.30, a couple of hours after low water at 10.00. This means we will have to tow and row. Details of navigation restrictions during the parade of sail are sparse, but the preliminary plan is to launch at the Ferryboat slipway at about noon, row round to Southsea Castle and watch the event from there.
If this proves not to be possible we might be able to trailer to Gosport and launch in Stokes Bay, rowing round to the viewing area that will be set up for the racing later on in the day.
The water is likely to be crowded and at least some of the spectator boats will probably be driven by idiots so we will need an experienced skipper in each boat please. Lifejackets will be worn. Flags will be flown. Rowing caps will be worn at suitably jaunty angles. Picnics will be eaten. Bubbly will be sipped.
Interested? post here!

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[Steve Woods]

Chris, yes please

[nigel]

I presume you have all looked at
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/qhm/portsmouth/local-notices/lntm/2015/3/1533-americas-cup-world-series-racing-southsea-23-26-july-2015

which gives a diagram of restricted areas and race layout, amongst other info. In predicted SW winds the only legal place to be will be fairly rough and isolated. ...but I'm still interested.

The Thursday itinerary  is:-
planned activities for the day and evening:

0900 – 1100: The race teams and boats get ready in the Naval Base – come and view in the Historic Dockyard
1000: Race Village opens on Southsea Common and the day
1100: The America’s Cup ‘trophy’ arrives in style
1115 – 1230: Moth racing and kitesurfing displays
1230: The Official Parade of Sail leaves the Royal Navy base  and escorts the race fleet out to the race course area in front of the race village on Southsea Common
1245 – 1430 Official Parade of Sail and exhibition sailing by the race  teams
1500: Skippers come ashore
1515: Official press conference & presentation of skippers in Fanzone Arena
1700: Day programme ends
1830: Evening programme opens
1900 – 1945: Official Opening Ceremony
2000 – 2200: South Coast Proms concert featuring The Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines

[Chris Partridge]

Thanks for that Nigel. I had seen it, but it seems to relate only to the racing programme rather than the parade of sail. I am going to ask QHM if the rules for the parade of sail are different.

[Mike Gilbert]

Sounds like a good idea..

On 7 July 2015 at 18:27, Chris Partridge [via Langstone Cutters RC] <[hidden email]> wrote:

America's Cup heats will be raced off Southsea in a couple of weeks. There will be a parade of sail including the contestants on Thursday 23 and I suggest we take a boat or two to watch.
The parade takes place from about 12.30 to 14.30, a couple of hours after low water at 10.00. This means we will have to tow and row. Details of navigation restrictions during the parade of sail are sparse, but the preliminary plan is to launch at the Ferryboat slipway at about noon, row round to Southsea Castle and watch the event from there.
If this proves not to be possible we might be able to trailer to Gosport and launch in Stokes Bay, rowing round to the viewing area that will be set up for the racing later on in the day.
The water is likely to be crowded and at least some of the spectator boats will probably be driven by idiots so we will need an experienced skipper in each boat please. Lifejackets will be worn. Flags will be flown. Rowing caps will be worn at suitably jaunty angles. Picnics will be eaten. Bubbly will be sipped.
Interested? post here!

---

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[Chris Partridge]

Sadly, the organisers have said they don't want us rowing along the seafront. And the more I think about sharing the small boat area with a bunch of powerboaters and mad yachties the less I like it. Watching from the beach is probably the best option and will give the best view as well. Anyone for an awayday on the train? With a hamper (still fancy the idea of bubbly)?

[Rachel]

Yes please count me in anyway ... I love any kind of beach and bubbly always goes down well  :-)
Rachel

[Frances]

Yes please to the beach picnic, what a great idea!

[ron and cheryl]

Beach picnic! good company, something to watch absolutely for Ron and Cheryl please.

[ron and cheryl]

Cheryl just had an idea?????? At the pub we frequent, we have cake Thursday. Last Thursday Cheryl made a carrot cake that went down tremendously so she has volunteered to make another for the picnic. Yahooo!