We invite all club members to attend our cruiser rallies whether you are a cruiser sailor ,dinghy sailor ,or a crew member stranded ashore because your skipper has been given detention, it is however up to you to make friends with the right person and arrange passage with a cruiser. Alternatively you can meet us at our destination and enjoy the ensuing experiences ranging from bbq’s on a beach somewhere or a night in a tavern or socialising on board.
Usually we have a BBQ on Hurst castle beach (Solent side) when the weather conditions permit and a great time has been had. Anchor just off the beach. Ferry your essentials ashore, and start cooking. Oh and a drop for those who really can’t stay teetotal for one night (that will be most of us then).
Another place we usually visit is the beautiful town of Lymington which as you may well know has a delightful town quay, recently expanded to privide more walk ashore pontoon berths in favour of the awkward fore/aft pile moorings.
Just across the Solent at the westward end and only a short sail away is Yarmouth harbour on the Isle of Wight now has many walk ashore finger pontoons,
Next up the coast is Cowes, another favourite for many club members. However due to the fees we tend not to organise rallies here. This is not something set in concrete and one day given enough interest it may well be on the list, in contrast a little way up the river Medina is the Folly, an area in the river adjacent to, you’ve guessed it a pub called the Folly. Which came first I couldn’t tell you but this a very popular rally on our agenda and is usually well attended.
Staying on the river you can travel a little further and arrive at the central Island town of Newport, the capital of our most southerly island in the UK, excluding the channel islands of course, another delightful place to visit but make sure you get the tides right.
Leaving the Island we now sail across the Solent to Southampton water and a rally at the Warsash sailing club, a fantastic sail if you manage to get the conditions in your favour. Due to the distance and limitations of our vessels this is probably and sensibly the furthest we would sail east for a weekend rally, so now we look at nearer to home, where Christchurch offers a good weekend hideaway, assuming you have a draft that can clear the bar at the entrance.
There are rallies in the westward direction, Weymouth being the furthest and offers some nice walks and many bars to sample the local ales(oh sorry have we got back to booze again). Well you can have a glass of milk if you want to.
Closer to home and a favourite of a few is Swanage, another popular spot which only offers anchorage but nevertheless a very good run ashore, close enough for hardy dinghy sailors to sail around from Poole.
Back around Old Harry Rocks, the closest of our rallies is Studland. Anchor off the beach closest to the footpath leading to the Banks Arms, yes I know another pub but realistically why wouldn’t you want to have a drink in this great pub, eat in the garden and lookout over the cliffs at your boat gently lying at anchor? There are also walks to be had, a gentle stroll up to the top of the cliffs giving a wonderful vista of the area.
To end this little draft for those sailors who are not faint hearted there have been rallies across the channel to Cherbourg.