Sunday 15 March 2015

Toucando 2015

Ahoy! After a long absence the blog is back.  Following "Round Britain Challenge" in 2013 two things happened.  First my professional skills suddenly became in very high demand and I made a return to the world of work.  Second, I looked at Toucando's varnish and saw that it was shabby.  Fortunately the work enabled me to pay for lots of varnish, although deprived me of as much time as I would like to put it on.  However with the help of friends and crew quite a lot was done.

Toucando looking shabby


Toucando looking smart

After several years at Kemps Quay on the Itchen we relocated to the Elephant Boatyard on the Hamble, mainly in order to enable their people to undertake some of the more highly skilled maintenance tasks.  This had the added advantage of walk ashore pontoon mooring, and easy accessibility to "The Jolly Sailor".  I had hoped that the work would all get done quite quickly and Toucando would have some sailing last summer.  But it just didn't work out.  This year will be different.

There is still some work to be done, however it will not impede a sailing programme.  The ongoing varnishing can be done between voyages, or on a quiet day in harbour.  There are some tasks that will have to be done before we can set sail... mainly reattaching all the ironmongery that was removed to get access to the woodwork.  April will see this done, along with other necessary pre-season servicing, and in May Toucando will resume her true vocation as a sailing vessel.

The core of the programme will be the Solent Gaffers' events. For those that don't know, gaffers are traditionally rigged boats, with four cornered mainsails... and also the people who sail them.  A gaffers event usually involves sailing from the home port to an agreed destination, where there will be some form of communal event, such as a barbecue or meal ashore.  And then sailing back.  Gaffers tend to like real ale and folk music, especially sea shanties... so think CAMRA, folk festival and sailing boats and you will have a good idea what to expect.

We will also do occasional weekend sails around the Solent and nearby as and when it seems like a good idea to do so.  The great thing about the area is that there are so many destinations available, rivers, harbours, cities, anchorages, marinas.  It is possible to go somewhere different pretty much every weekend in the summer months.

Toucando is privately owned and definitely not a commercial vessel.  I go sailing with friends with the objective of having a pleasant voyage and visiting interesting places.  I worked my way through the RYA training scheme, culminating in becoming a commercially endorsed yachtmaster and cruising instructor.  I am happy to take complete novices, as well as experienced sailors.  And I have all the kit you will require, including oilskins and lifejackets. All that I expect of crew is a willingness to share in the life of the boat.  You will get to helm, do sail handling, make cups of tea, share your life story (if you wish), contribute to the navigation and passage planning, etc..  I am always keen to welcome those new to sailing, or to the gaff rig.

Toucando has a fore cabin with a double berth, a small single quarter berth, and two pilot berths in the main saloon.  In theory another two people could sleep on the lower saloon berths.  I tend to sail with me plus one, two or three others.

So what do we hope to do?

The first event will be the Chichester Rally. We will set sail on Friday 1st May from The Elephant Boatyard at Old Bursledon on the River Hamble heading towards Chichester Harbour.  On Saturday there will be an event in Chichester Yacht Club, on Sunday we will return to Bursledon. http://www.oga.org.uk/solent/events/chichester.

The highlight of the year for many traditional sailors in the Solent is the Yarmouth Old Gaffers' Festival, also known as YOGAFF.  I will be sailing there on Thursday 28th May (half term week), and back to Bursledon on Sunday 31st.  I may do some day sailing on Friday and Saturday, but will not be racing. http://www.oga.org.uk/solent/events/yarmouth-old-gaffers-festival-2015


On Saturday June 13th we will be taking part in the Solent Gaffel Race.  This is a completely new event for us, inspired by our Dutch friends.  You can start the race when you want, you choose your own course, and time your finish.  The whole thing takes place out of the Hamble, and we are pleased to welcome young gaffers to take part.


The Poole Rally take place on the weekend of 10th-12th July.  We sail from Bursledon to Pool Harbour, anchoring in Black Deep.  Barbecues and a meal ashore are features.  We return to Bursledon on Sunday.  Currently I have a full crew for this event, but I might be able to squeeze in one more, or start a reserve list.

The big one this year will be the St Malo cruise:


Proposed cruise schedule (Subject to weather, of course!)

Saturday 25th July: A nice sail from Bursledon to Yarmouth.
Sunday 26th July Depart Yarmouth, IOW
Sunday 26th - Monday 27 July Cherbourg or Alderney, to be decided by consensus
Wednesday 29th July St Peter Port, Guernsey
Friday 31th July St Helier, Jersey
Monday 3rd August OGA fleet arrives St Malo
Tuesday 4th August British & French parade of sail following 'la Recouvrance' (perhaps)
Thence back to England so we are safely on the right side of the Channel for the weekend of 8th/9th August
I have one crew member confirmed.  For this event I will require experienced crew as long passages are inevitable in sailing grounds with huge and fast tides.
The Bursledon Regatta takes place from Friday 21st August to Sunday 23rd, at the Elephant Boatyard, Toucando's current home port.  It is really a village fete combined with a lot of watery activities.  The only sailing we would do might be to go out on Saturday and watch the racing on the Solent while having a bit of a sail round.  There is lots of entertainment in the boatyard: fancy dress, fireworks, hog roast, etc. etc.. Visitors are very welcome to come and sit aboard Toucando and drink grog.
The Solent Gaffers Annual Race and Rally takes place the first weekend in September.  On Friday 4th we would sail to Cowes Yacht Haven.  A quick hop over the Solent. On Saturday there is a race to Portsmouth Harbour.  We will be stopping at Haslar Marina in the evening.  I am not committed to racing, and would only do so with a very experienced crew.  However it would be a nice sail anyway.  On Sunday we return to Bursledon.
The final scheduled event of the summer is the Centenary Chase.  This takes places at Yarmouth and involves sailing from Bursledon on Friday 18th September, sailing about in the western Solent on Saturday and returning to Bursledon on Sunday.  I would only race with a very experienced crew... otherwise, we would just have an enjoyable day sail at a safe distance.
Other nearby destinations for occasional weekends could include: Bembridge - a recently improved harbour at the west end of the Isle of Wight; the Beaulieu River and Buckler's Hard; Lymington; New Town Creek, and indeed Southampton.
Anybody interested in varnishing and boat maintenance, will be handsomely rewarded with tea, biscuits, lunch, beer, etc.. Especially in April as we get Toucando into sailing condition.
Things that you need to know.  The Elephant Boatyard is near Bursledon railway station and bus routes between Southampton and Portsmouth.  There is a large free car park at the station.  If you are interested in any of these events... or just generally in the possibility of sailing with Toucando please get in touch: toucando[at]citybeat.org.uk.

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