This article appeared in the December 2003 edition of the Lloyds Yacht Club newsletter “The Bell”.
On a weekend in mid September members of the Oxted Offshore yacht club took part in the inaugural running of a new Lloyds Yacht Club challenge event. The objective is to post the fastest time during the season sailing Lutine either way between the “Forts” on the approaches to Portsmouth and the outer breakwater at Cherbourg. For the Oxted crew the weekend started off quietly on Friday afternoon with very little wind. However despite this the decision was made to sail to France and Lutine left Haslar about 1830. Although the wind did pick up just before midnight the run to Cherbourg was relatively slow and the time was also effected by adverse tide some 10 miles from the destination. Upon arrival on Saturday morning the crew took a stroll around Cherbourg in very sunny conditions and had a leisurely lunch, sailing back was not much in people’s minds. However on getting back to the boat the conditions looked better for the return trip and during the early evening on 13 September, Lutine left the French port. The sailing on the return trip was really great. The wind was on the beam and Lutine was purring through the relatively calm seas. At one point it looked like the crossing would be made in less than eight hours. In the end it took 9 hours 50 minutes to reach the forts and the inaugural time for the challenge was posted. Other potential challenges to this time later in the year were effected by bad weather keeping Lutine in the Solent, so the time posted by Oxted Offshore was good enough to win the event for 2003.
To mark this at the dinner dance on 14 November Pete Goss presented the Ghotenberg trophy to Lawrence Nicholls, who is Commodore of Oxted Offshore as well as being Lloyds Yacht Club’s new Honorary Secretary.
Back to Press Articles