Forecast looking good for the weekend, Heaven Sent presently still in wintering berth behind my mother's garage in Chichester, so will pull the cover off this Sunday and go for a sail.  Anyone else coming?

Andrew

We will be there. Looking forward to it.

For the first time in a while I'm dusting off the wetsuit and making a appearance.

usual question from me, is a fixed rudder ok?

ta

I'm taking mine so I hope it still is.  From memory can be a bit shallow getting in and out if the tide is not at the top, but it will be OK going out, should still be OK but less water returning.  Otherwise, keep to the marked channel

Brill

Results

with care I can get my result on the same page as tricky

If memory does not alude me? Sailed there at Surrey schools sailing regatta in 1984 and I and crew, Karl and his helm - Zeb Elliot found a sandbank and cracked opened a beer or 2 which we had previously stashed under the foredeck? Rescue boat turned up to check our situation MM Fine Thanks Just Resting??

I remember doing the Sussex School's champs at Chichester in my Enterprise in 1971 and then a bigger event at Hayling Island. Everything was going well until we hit a sandbank at speed and lost the mast, ripping the king post out in the process. Still we got selected for Owen Aisher week and had a splendid week racing Wayfarers at Cowes; even had a tour round the Royal Yacht Squadron wine cellar. Memories eh! 
We're in Bahrain these days and the summer heat is fast approaching.

It was a lovely sail in the best conditions I can remember for mid-March, sunny most of the time, decent breeze that built a bit through the afternoon.  Unfortunately the forecast didn't seem to tempt most of the fleet except the usual suspects!  Not a sandbank in sight.

I do think it's cheating to carry on practising your sailing all through the winter, that was a shakedown sail for me, and we forgot the better spinny which didn't help as some of the reaches were pretty tight.

I have some pictures of the lovely flat and balmy sailing conditions and lack of sandbanks on the Merlin Facebook page...if you're interested! 
 Tim B

Link to Merlin Facebook page?

Here you go Andrew. Quite a nice one of you enjoying the conditions. R

Thank you