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Additional Event Archived Event Reports | Summer Soiree Weekend
Friday 6thJune: Harvester Pub Night Friday evening saw the start of our Soiree Weekend, with the Pub night in the Harvester, where between the usual chatter, the weather forecasts were checked hoping the predicted rain and wind would not ruin the planned events for the weekend Saturday 7thJune: A Cuban Latino Fiesta
Sunday 8thJune: ‘POP UP’ Tender Rally  Well it turned out to be a tail of three halves for our Summer Soirée weekend from a weather point of view! The last event of our three event weekend being the Pop Up Tender Rally to The Crate seemed to nicely evade both the previous two days weather and the forecast being a bit rubbish for the Sunday. The wind was not anything like as strong as forecast and during the afternoon out came a pleasant sun to warm the heart. With the call of the PSYC Moose being heard around the marina, the first wave of tenders gathered near the lock at 13:00 or so to await the next lock out. Five intrepid boats proceeded through in fine style and perfect seamanship. Following the rally leader via the designated marked channel further Moose calls were made to passing yachts, which after some serious looks of surprise, if not shock to hear a Moose on the water, hats were doffed as we proceeded to The Crate at Trafalgar Wharf, now part of the Premiere family of marinas. After safely mooring up we joined a very substantial contingent who had either walked or driven ahead. 24 merry and fine sailors and one fabulous dog Alonzo, gathered around our PSYC reserved tables to take in much needed refreshments of many kinds served by the lovely bar team. With terrific views down to Portsmouth and across to Port Solent, and the sun making frequent appearances, the hungry bunch took advantage of the very generous discount offered to us for The Crates food offer including their jolly good pizzas. A fine singer guitarist gave us two hours of just super music, not too loud and not too head banging ( which I believe to be a phrase the young ones use ) playing some great classic hits with a modicum of “the modern” thrown in. A fresh contingent of two ribs and another tender joined us to bring our total number to 36. And excellent turnout considering the forecast was pants.
Your author was happy to lend a tow line to one of our group (no one ever gets left behind) who after getting his engine running and leaving the pontoon then had it play up! With the tide state being only just after low, the muddy banks were rapidly approaching to ground us but the tow was successful, and half way back to Port Solent lock the engine decided to spring back to life. As always those involved are to remain nameless. Anyway, once Dave of Sea Dream had exited the lock and steamed merrily up the fairway your author returned to his mother ship and made the fabulous discovery that one of our club had posted a super video on YouTube of our rally. That’s a first and a most welcome one. My thanks to the crew of Moonshine for taking the time and trouble. The more the merrier. YouTube Video Link - please note this is a link outside of the PSYC website My thanks to all the 36 attendees for another most enjoyable tender rally. More to come in the season and any member who would like to help out and run one I’d be delighted to help. They are really very simple and easy to run. Hugh’s Round the Island Rally - Astrid 31st May - 1st June
Oh the irony!! This rally was billed as an opportunity for a longer sail whilst staying in sight of land - if only we had had some wind to sail with, and good visibility to spot the land!! Our Friday voyage to Yarmouth was without hitch, although the wind was on the nose and we were wind over tide so it wasn’t the most comfortable trip, but all yachts and one power boat - Aeolus, Astrid, Hai Kuo, Jango, Mia Mara, Mouse Too, NickNack, PB North Landing, Pikorua and Ventus - duly arrived in Yarmouth in good time for evening drinks and nibbles, beside Astrid for the men while the ladies squeezed happily into the cockpit for a sit down in the evening sunshine. Nothing further was planned for the evening as we were all due a fairly early start on Saturday morning to continue our circumnavigation out of Hurst and down past the Needles before turning East around the South side of the Isle of Wight.
As Astrid sailed up from Bembridge ledge towards No Mans Land fort, we could not see the fort at all until it suddenly appeared out of the gloom, towering immediately in front of us. Sailing completely blind into busy Portsmouth Harbour was very disconcerting surrounded by so many ferries and shipping and fog horns which we could hear but could not see! Extreme vigilance had been required by all, Astrid had one crew on bows lookout with walkie talkie, one on the radar and one on the helm, and I am happy to report that all yachts made it safely into Gosport Marina without mishap (with Emma and Ian on Ventus sadly by-passing us to return directly to Port Solent due to work commitments the following day).
The Lightship was something of a disappointment and did not really live up to its’ good reputation, suffice to say, for several reasons, I wouldn’t recommend it for a rally meal. That said, I think everyone did enjoy the evening and the atmosphere was convivial so hopefully a good time was had by all.
From berth back to berth Astrid recorded 56.36 nautical miles on her circumnavigation (Assisted overall with around 16 knots of fair tide) First Mate Julie Lymington Dan Bran Rally - Spree Spree took a mooring on Dan Bran pontoon on Thursday 22 May, as part of the preparations. It was clear that the weather was deteriorating after the wonderful weather in early May, but fortunately the worst held off until Monday.
Rafting on Dan Bran was only two abreast, and shorelines were rigged due to increasing wind. Most of the crews attended the welcome drinks and nibbles on the Green, including Warren and Judy who were leaving Pleasure in the Marina whilst they flew back to the States for a few days. On Saturday eight people enjoyed a guided walk around Lymington, and one (moi) enjoyed the organ recital. We had lunch in the Mayflower pub, where Jenefer and Charles Bugge came in for a drink having curtailed their beat to windward on the way to the Scillies. Quiz sheets were handed out.
On Sunday morning eight of us, and Marian, walked across the bridge over the river and along to the golf club where we had coffee. This was followed by a game of Crazy Golf which caused much hilarity, with Nikki, Sue and Dave actually scoring a hole in one! We then crossed over the road to McDonald Elmers Spa Hotel for a pleasant lunch. During lunch we compared scores for the golf and Sue Leaman won the prize, another bottle of Prosecco which had become rather warm and too shaken up to think about opening! Would probably have been OK after a couple of hours in a bucket of seawater. Sadly Monday morning brought a significantly worsening weather forecast and it was decided that sailing home would be a good move, which proved to be correct. In the event Bramblemet showed 45 knots. By Monday evening all boats were safely on their moorings, escaping Tuesday’s truly foul weather. |
Soiree Weekend Event Report 
Much
great conversation amongst old and new members alike made, as always,
the afternoon go along merrily. Eventually folks started to return back
to home base. 
This rally was named in honour of Hugh Nightingale, a long time PSYC member who had done a lot of work for the club over the years, had many club friends, and who had wanted this rally re-introduced into our programme after a number of years of omission. We were happy that his wife Marian and son Andrew were able to join us on Astrid for the weekend for the occasion.
We awoke on Saturday morning to mist and fog - but happily no-one was deterred and everyone (except PB North Landing who was able to set off later) had set off in the gloom on the west going tide by 7.00 a.m. expecting the fog to lift as the morning progressed. Sadly the fog didn’t lift and the wind didn’t pick up until well into the afternoon and, after leaving Yarmouth the majority of us never did see the Isle of Wight. Pikorua had left Yarmouth at 2.00 am to continue on her journey south to France and experienced fog all the way but happily arrived safely.
We were joined in Gosport by Pompey Lass for evening drinks and Nibbles on Astrid once again. This time, Captain Derek declared that it was the men’s turn to sit in the cockpit. As it had turned chilly and windy the ladies were happy to demur so we squeezed into Astrid’s saloon for drinks before heading to the Lightship for dinner where we were joined by Thomas Hardy’s Richard and Carole, Cathy and Dave Riley and Carolyn and Peter Selley .
The majority of the 16 boats arrived on Friday, but Riptide was delayed until Saturday and No Faffing had to withdraw.
The
evening meal at the Lymington Town Sailing Club was a success despite a
completely revised menu at short notice. A whip-round was held for the
friendly and helpful staff. The quiz sheets were marked and the
resulting tie was resolved by a supplementary question. The prize of a
bottle of Prosecco went to Aeolus.