Hey all,

After the disappointment of the understandable decision to cancel Salcombe and the Champs we have been working on re-opening the club in an appropriate way. 

With Cowes Week now cancelled as well we are looking to hold a club race week over the w/c 8 August. This is a club racing event but there will be a merlin start, and visiting Merlins will be welcome to join for £25 a day (we have a pay-as-you-play scheme if you are unaware from the Winter Warmers). 

We will expect that this will be a 4 day event (starting Sat 8th) with 2 days of racing in Hayling Bay and 2 days of salcombe style river racing around the harbour. 

The club will be strictly following the government guidelines and RYA advice. So far this has worked well with people coming changed from their cars and changing rooms available for the loos only and cleaned regularly, with hand sanitisers available by all water sources. 

At this point we are keen to make it work, and therefore this post is both an advert and also checking interest levels. So please let me know if you are keen!

George 
07772464163
[email protected]

NB THIS IS ALL DEPENDENT ON THE GOV’T GUIDELINES!

Its in my plans (govt guidelines depending)!

Hey all,

The plan is for this to still go ahead. 
You can register interest here:

https://new.itchenorsc.co.uk/event/isc-not-cowes-week

George 

Hey again,
 
The prospective plan is that;
 
Sat/Sun - AM & PM Harbour tour races in different directions each time if possible.
Mon/Tues - Out of harbour racing (as lower tide in the harbour)
 
The clubs guidance on sailing together currently is to match the government and RYA, so households and social bubbles.
 
George
 

Sounds great George, all being well we plan to come and play!

Right then team, we have done some organising this week and my dad has done the checks so here is the plan.

Saturday: harbour tour 1. 
3 hour race from the club line going to places you will not know existed. Start time 1100

Sunday: harbour tour 2.
3 hour race from the club line showing the area of outstanding natural beauty even further. Start at 1300

Monday: out of harbour 1
3 back to back races in Hayling bay, with a race out from the club line. Triangle-sausage. Start at club line 1000

Tuesday: out of harbour 2
3 back to back races in Hayling bay, with a race out from the club line. Triangle-sausage. Start at club line 1000

Send me a WhatsApp if you want to be added on the group. 07772464163. Or search for “Itchenor Merlin Rockets” on Facebook. 

Hey all,
 
GOOD NEWS!!!!
 
Following the RYA guidance Itchenor are open to non-household teams.
For the event there could be a cap on entries in order to ensure there is appropriate infrastructure so if you are planning on attending register now:
 
https://www.itchenorsc.co.uk/event/473673 
 
There are 11 boats currently entered, and there is accomodation available at the club!
Look forward to seeing a few of you in a week or so!
 
George
 

Hi all,
The Itchenor event is only just around the corner.
For COVID purposes, if you plan to come, please make sure you enter on the link above or call the club to let them know.
 
 
In the meantime a note from the house:
 
pastingDear All,
The Club are looking forward to seeing us all next weekend and the following Mon/Tuesday. Sadly catering arrangements are complicated by circumstances and limited, so I thought I would outline what is available.

There will be no catering in the morning. This means that you will need to organise your own packed lunches.

A casual beer and something to eat will be available on Saturday afternoon/evening through Monday. Sandwiches only will be available on Tuesday afternoon.

We're sorry this can't be more comprehensive, but I am sure you will all understand.

PLEASE BOOK ANY REQUIREMENTS ON LINE ON THE CLUB WEBSITE. Failing this, please at least see the office before you go afloat on a given day. 

NOR and SIs to follow later this week. Fingers crossed for half decent weather.

SIs for this week:

https://www.itchenorsc.co.uk/afloat/racing-documents

Itchenor Sailing Club Sailing Instructions March 2017 edition Amendment No 6 dated 5th August 2020 XOD and Merlin Rocket August Race Week Saturday to Tuesday 8 to 11 August 2020

Final results for the Itchenor Intergalactic week, sponsored by Corona:

https://www.itchenorsc.co.uk/merlin/untitled-26

Stu and Tom take the win!
It was great getting racing with everyone again, good luck team Lymo in a few weeks. 

Really great to be back out racing! Thanks George, Roger, Peter Taylor & all at Itchenor for a brilliant long weekend of racing & making the most of the wind we did get!
 
Well done Stu & Pygall 

pasting On 8-11 August, Itchenor SC ran the inaugural Itchenor Intergalactics.  The aim was to merge the best of Salcombe Merlin Week and the Nationals in one 4 day extravaganza!
 
Itchenor have been working hard with the RYA and the local Harbour Conservancy to ensure that sailing can be run safely as the lockdown started to lift.  It was with great joy that the club were able to run the event, and as such the report starts with the thanks for the key people who have made it possible.  All the flag officers have played their part in driving this forward, meeting regularly to appropriately manage the return to sailing, but the support of Commodore, Neil Hart, has given us the freedom to make the event a success.  Also, to Ryan Breach who worked tirelessly to support Mike Wigmore in helping the dinghy sailing return as well as it has. Roger Yeoman was key behind the scenes to make sure that the event had the right people in the right places, as well as bringing his experience in running events enabling the right decisions to be made.  And then to our race officer, Peter Taylor, and his wife Anne, who ran the most impressive race series we could have imagined given the current environment and the weather conditions we were presented with.  Finally, to all those who gave up their time to be part of the support boat team.  Itchenor runs with fully voluntary race and support crews which is one of the things which makes the club so personable.
 
In the sailing, 13 boats fought it out over the 9 race, 0 discard series.  With previous and current national champions making up the line up there was little room for error.
 
This proved very difficult in races 1 & 2 which were “harbour tour” Salcombe style races….difficult for all except Stu Bithell & Tom Pygall and Ian Dobson & Lottie Fildes who were comfortably in the leading group in both races.  There were multiple transitions as we sailed through the land breeze, in to the sea breeze and back again.  Arthur Henderson & Livvy Bell were unlucky to be reeled back in by the group in race 1.  In race 2, James Goss & Chris White also escaped with the leading pack in the Sunday race, which considering they were sailing with a fixed rudder showed how fast they must’ve been going as they couldn’t quite make the same tidal relief as the others.
 
On Monday, we had a passage race out in to the bay which was won by the Saxton brothers, showing that even the heavy teams can hold their own downwind.  Out in the bay we had a sunny, shifty force 2-3 dying off throughout the day.  Simon Potts & Holly McArthur made the most of their renewed partnership winning two races on the trot and finishing the day with another podium.  George & Sophie Yeoman were next most consistent with a 2-3-2 chasing Simon & Holly in the old Potts machine.  Stu & Tom came back to their winning ways in the last race to take an overnight lead in to the last day with a challenging forecast.
 
The final Tuesday offered up a postponement as the teams waited to see if the sea breeze would appear, and at 1 o’clock a 6-7 knot south easterly appear and the fleet managed to get in 3 more races.  The first 2 races were windward-leeward courses across the tide with teams having to make an early decision to which side to break away from the incoming tide.  Christian Birrell & Sam Breary found their form with a comfortable bullet in race 7, and Stu & Tom took race 8, both being hunted down by Ian & Lottie who really had the bit between their teeth with two 2nds.  The final race was a passage race back to the club line in a dying breeze and at the top mark Pete Ballentine & Rob Allen were leading, just, from Dobbo & Lottie, and they sailed away in to a huge lead.  But at 5 boat lengths from the club line the wind shut down, and the tide started to turn. Local knowledge of the line bias came in to hand with Tim & Ben sniggling through to the lead followed by Christian & Sam and George & Soph, unfairly robbing Pete & Rob of their race win.
 
The final results showed Stu & Tom’s dominance across the 4 days, winning with an 8 point margin from George & Soph.  Simon & Holly finished 3rd (having not sailed race 1) beating Christian & Sam on countback.
Stu thanked the Club on behalf of the sailors for putting on a socially distanced bar as well as food each night.  Itchenor were happy hosts to the event, and many members commented on the high quality of racing in the Merlins, as well as their friendly, inclusive sailors.
 
Itchenor SC will be hosting the Silver Tiller Dinner in 2021, as well as looking to run the 2021 Itchenor Intergalactics.  We look forward to welcoming you all again soon!

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