Next year is the 150th regatta at Gorey castle on the East coast of Jersey.(see www.goreyregatta.org).This will be a huge celebration with handicap dinghy racing and offshore racing and class racing for one dinghy class of about 30 boats.We should be able to get a deal on the fast ferry(4hrs)on Friday 22nd June,the tides are neaps so we can keep the boats on the beach in the picture and I will try to do a deal on accomodation and back Sunday pm.They have agreed to my suggestion that the one class should be the Merlin Rocket!

If they won''t go to Scotland? See other posts what chance the CI's? They'll bullshit about greeeeaaaat ideeeeea but then they'll opt out! It twas ever thus!

Hmm, interesting point of view except.....

Jersey in June will be warm, Scotland in April will be freezing.  Jersey in June will have warmish seas, Scotland in April will be freezing.  Jersey in June will be wall to wall sunshine, Scotland in April will probably be p*****g it down.

Lovely continental food, yum yum.........

But both will be a really good bash!

Anyone who winter sails cannot possibly use the excuse that it'll be too cold! There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!!

Won't it take too long to sail to the starting area? What about the shipping lanes?

It's not the shipping lanes it the tides and rocks throwing up wakes like a Destroyer at full chat. the rise and fall (Of tides) approaches 35 feet! It's also a very expensive ferry ride away - unless one goes via France.A good place to keep your money, Kentish men - or -Men of Kent or Mr Mills! But not really a good regatta venue! Though Jersey royal Potatoe's & Those odd clams they eat provide a very good reason to get fog bound at the airport!

i would like to point out that Scotland in April can be trmendous for weather, especially on the east coast. As for food there is a distinct cross culture between French and Scottish cuisene (auld alliance may have something to do with it).
anyway if you can afford a Merlin you can afford a dry suit!

And a larger entrance fee!

An entry fee of £12 for the whole regatta seems very cheap to me. It looks like we would have to get entries in early so knowing numbers shouldn't be a problem. When we went to St Malo and had the most fabulous weekend we were able to get a deal on the ferry prices I think we could probably do this again.
And to sail in one of the oldest regattas in the world would be superb.
The regatta is also covered by the BBC and ITV not bad publicity for the class.
I think there are already a fair few Hampton travellers interested Lets do it as a class and continue the Merlin invasion!!

Jersey sounds a good idea,  But let's get this year's Scottish Jolly off the ground first.  If Col B, Judith and Chairman GGGGGGG and others can make the trip from London, perhaps a few more of us who are lucky enough to live further north could make it too!

gets my vote!

We're in.

Sounds great to me...

We'll be going, wont we Pat

So am i but dont tell the tribe

Don't forget Scotland!!!! is first. at least there are already local merlin sailors there.

Guys judging by your comments I would say that is the five boats I need. I you havenet already signed up the please do so. I need to convince Dalgety Bay that I can give them 20 Merlins.
20 boat is the minimun the DBSC need for a single class regatta and i found out why - the RS200 fleet let them down badly last year. Let not get the Rocket class tarnished in the same manner.

Come on guys and gals sign up for Dalgety Bay this Easter.  We don't want to be classed with the RS 200s (400s, etc., etc.)

You take horses to water but you cannot repeal the law of gravity any more than as Dorothy parker said, "You can take a whore to water but you can't make her think.) But I'm sure one way and another the Scottiche even will happen.