Classic Channel Regatta 2019 on Contessa 32 ‘Minstrel Boy’

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Kevin Ludbrook sails with a regular crew on a Contessa 32, ‘Minstrel Boy’ normally racing round the cans in the Solent or down to Poole and so forth but as she was built in 1972 she is eligible for the Classic Channel Regatta. This is his report on the Classic Channel Regatta in July 2019..

This series of races is normally reserved for venerable wooden craft with a proper sense of history but in fact many of these are no more than ten years older than the Contessa. The regatta has always been a mixed French and British event albeit with a smattering of Dutch, Belgian and German boats too and that helps to create a great atmosphere. Around seventy-five boats took part which also helps to make it a very sociable event.

The regatta lasts a week, starting with races in Dartmouth, a race to St Helier, then finally a race over to Paimpol followed by a day of races there.

Well Heeled – photocredit bananapancake

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Club Weekend aboard “Lutine”

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Slap in the middle of a much-welcome British heat wave, eight Oxted Offshore members boarded Lloyds Yacht Club’s X55 racing yacht – Lutine – for an almost perfect weekend’s sailing on 30 June and 1 July 2018. 

Lutine is built for speed. Whilst two foot longer than her predecessor – a Swan 53 – the current Lutine is 30% lighter. How? Modern yacht designs use a sandwich construction to save weight, with solid laminate used in areas requiring extra strength. In addition the X55 has a carbon fibre rig, with a strength to weight ratio far outperforming a conventional mast. It all adds up to be a real thoroughbred.

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‘Nick Nack’ sails around Britain

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Nick and Gail Leaver cast off on 11 May 2017 to sail their Dufour 325 ‘Nick Nack’ around Britain in leisurely style. They will be cruising up the east coast and then down the Caledonian Canal before meandering back to Port Solent later in the year.

Gail has been sending regular e-postcards logging their journey and their escapades on and off the water. Read on …. !

Postcard from Gail on Friday 24 August

Newlyn harbour was a good shelter from the worst of the stormy weather, rain and high winds and we ended up we staying for 4 days. The harbour wall at low water has an arrow marking cut into the stone indicating the Ordnance Survey (Newlyn Datum), used as the Zero level on all OS maps.

Newlyn Harbour

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Would you like to go sailing?

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Have you ever thought you’d like to try offshore sailing but don’t know where to start? You’re in the right place!

To give you a real, hands-on feel of what sailing is all about – and maybe set you off on a whole new adventure – Oxted Offshore Sailing Club will be hosting a small number of Sailing Experience Days in the Solent during the autumn of this year and Spring 2018.

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Jan 2019 Flotilla to Grenadines and Tobago Cays

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The 2015 trip to the British Virgin Islands was a great success and many of the 21 members who went on the trip have asked about visiting the Caribbean again. 

After some discussion we have now finalised a ten day flotilla to the Grenadines starting in Saint Vincent on January 12th 2019 and ending in Grenada on January 22nd.   

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From gale force gusts to becalmed – a typical autumn rally!

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We only mustered enough interest in the autumn rally weekend to charter one boat, so the planned ‘Points Makes Prizes’ challenge was postposed until next year. But the nine on board were up for a last sail of the season and we met up at Hamble Point marina on the evening of Friday 6 October and boarded Reunion, a very spacious 46ft Bavaria cruiser. Our crew comprised Jeremy and Catherine, Stuart and Mags, Richard Aust, Kevin Ludbrook, Jeanne Frazer plus Fran and myself.

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Protecting our oceans – something you can do NOW!

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Accept the Trash Isles as an official country and help protect our oceans

Every year eight million tonnes of plastics are being poured into our oceans. It affects over 600 different species of sealife with at least 1 million seabirds dying each year. There is now so much of it that an area the size of France has formed in the Pacific Ocean. And by 2050, there’ll be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

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