Proposed Seagull Marathon early next summer 2011 May/June

[Charles uk]

I've been talking with HA about organising a marathon jaunt, so far the best idea, that's been put forward is once round Hayling Island.

Starting at the ferry terminal an hour before high tide, then turn left, out through the channel, turn left keeping the foreshore on your left, then turn left into the channel that leads towards Emsworth, keeping the island on your left all the way back to the ferry terminal.
It's 22 miles ish, & the first proposal is that the minimum hull size would be about 12 foot carrying 2 persons with full safety gear using Century’s & 102's, should be less than 4 hours as the last leg will be with the tide.

One of our members has volunteered the use of his 25 foot, 10 knot, work boat & son as a safety boat to follow the fleet & tow home the unfortunates.

The open sea leg will be the first leg, so as to keep the wolf pack fairly tightly grouped, assisting the safety boat to make sure that everyone reaches sheltered waters in one piece.

Obviously this will be weather & tide dependant so there will be a limited number of Sundays that are suitable in May or June.

Please feel free to pass comment or put your name down to participate, could be a fun Sunday!

Check it out on google earth, the ferry runs from the bottom left hand corner I'm told.

[Horsley-Anarak]

I found this on the boat launch site.



“Slipway information:

Ramp Description: Steep and wide concrete ramp into the harbour entrance, east side. This was an old ferry ramp, can be step off the end at low spring tide, tide race at half tide can make launch and recovery difficult. Possible to launch off the beach to the seaward side with a 4 x 4 vehicle. Difficult for car at low water, ramp get covered in pebbles after storm and even 4x4 have trouble, Take a tow rope.. Can get crowded in the summer.
Directions: Situated on the south western tip of Hayling Island. Follow road onto western tip of Hayling Island next to Ferryboat Inn. 15-20 minutes from A3M but it can take a lot longer to get of the Island on busy weekends.
Ramp Type: Car ferry ramp.
Upper Area: Harbour
Lower Area: Shingle
Suitability: Large trailer needs a car
Ramp Length: All of tidal range
Facilities: Parking in The Ferry Boat car park and Public Car Park. Both charge and get very busy. A recovery vehicle is available. Ask Chandlers nearby. If you park in the Ferry Road you are likely to get a ticket. Harbour Office and compound, Public Loo`s, Shower (cold) attached to Harbour office.
Charges: Jet ski: £14.50/day, £90/year. Boat: £8.40/day, £59.44/year.
Cruising Area: Langstone Harbour and Solent
Navigational Hazards: Speed restriction in the harbour. Areas is very popular with PWC and there can be a lot of traffic. When the tide is running the entrance to Langstone Harbour has a strong current and can get very rough.”


Sounds like a good venue, perhaps Charles we can do a recce in the new year.

You might need your survival suit


H-A

[Jan]

Are non UK residents welcome?

[Charles uk]

As your English is better than most ours.
We think of you & Martin as English ex pats which means bring as many Dutchmen as their wives will permit.

[Charles uk]

Can anyone help with the loan of a 12 foot + seagoing dingy for the use of the above dutchmen?

It's a bit much to expect them to pay the car ferry fares on a boat & trailer, as well as all the effort of getting here.

I'm going to need a crewman so should I pencil in a Cloggie (Clompen) in mine.

[blue]

hi charles---i would like to come but with my 15 hp yamaha----i don t trust my seagulls----do you want another guard boat?----regards blue

[Charles uk]

You can't have too many of them, Blue
It will be good to see you.

[Charles uk]

We seem to be getting quite a response

That's HA, Charles uk & Markkhld as definates, & RBT, 40tpi & Jan as good possibles, & Blue & one other as safety boats.

HA & I are planning on trying it out sometime in Febuary to find out all the details, parking launching & refreshments & to measure the total distance to see if we can match it up to a "Marathon" 26 miles 385 yards, or 42.195 Kilometers.
If we're going to call it a marathon we might as well make it the same distance.

This could be a good day out, if we get everything right!

[markhld]

Charles uk if you need me to tag along in febuary as i know the area just give me a shout (you will need ya long john as it will probably be a bit nippy in Feb)
Markhld

[Rex NZ]

Just had a look at Google Earth.

This will be a fantastic event. A real adventure

I think UK has been waiting for something of this calibre.

[Charles uk]

Spoke to a man from Cornwall today who was expressing some interest 1/1/11.
& a Swede yesterday who looking for a seat if there's one spare, if we keep on like this we will have more boats in our fleet than the Royal Navy!

[tim1920_1]

Looks like fun,i don't mind competing or help supplying you with a another safety boat if required,not too sure about the wolf pack bit tho,always thought that was better suited to a pack of killer German u-boats Hunting the British navy etc,how about flock?

[Charles uk]

Do you have any knowledge of the area Tim?

[tim1920_1]

Hi Charles,i'm afraid not,well not Hayling island anyway,the furthest east i've been out of Poole is Cowes,in a Westerly.

[Robin Anderson]

Have spoken to Pleiades and she is quite keen to be a mother ship to all those wee birds fluttering about. I have done part of the sea passage - in an Avon Redcrest with my 40 Featherweight. Started at Chi Marina, went south out of Chi Harbour, west along to Langstone then up to Langstone Marina. The sea passage is quite ambitious due to the possibility of big seas off the beach between Langstone and Chi. The bar at Chi has a well deserved reputation but have found Langstone to be scary at times in little boats. Have not been up to the top of the harbours where they join for years so can't say how easy that passage is now. Will have a look when next passing (by car - Pleiades would end up aground.)
I think it might be wise to plan for a fall back option of staying inside either of the harbours if it is rough outside. Chi may be a better bet - more room, no commercial shipping/water skiers unlike Langstone. If Pleiades is not taking me to foreign parts May/June she will certainly offer mother ship facilities to the flock. Would have a go but my wee Avon and Tinker Tramp would not pass the stringent elf n safety.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5