March 2014 – Medway and Swale Boating Association

National Handicap for Cruisers (NHC), Medway YC 4 April

NHC replaces PY racing for Cruisers. NHC aims to promote a single National Handicap scheme for Cruisers, giving clubs a uniform scheme that can be easily adopted for their racing. NHC hopes to promote participation in the sport and works alongside IRC.

The RYA holds regional talks and presentations for its affiliated clubs to explain in depth the ins and outs of NHC along with giving specific examples of how the scheme should work for clubs in that region. This also gives club officers and members the chance to get their questions answered face to face.

Friday 4^th April, 8pm (2-course supper 7pm, cost approx. £10)
Medway Yacht Club, Lower Upnor, Kent, ME2 4XB
Booking via MYC office 01634 718399

Both supper and the talk are open to members of MYC and other yacht clubs interested in cruiser racing. If you cannot make supper come for the talk anyway.

Hulks return to Medway?

Is this a prison ship? This unprepossessing floating accommodation block is in Limehouse Reach just upstream of Sun Pier. You can see Rochester cathedral in the background.

Mystery solved, sort of: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/mystery-of-huge-floating-hotel-8351/

Going to Dover?

The Cruising Association Kent Section inform us that the Port of Dover is hosting a seminar this Friday 28 March at the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club. If you a user, visitor, berth holder or just sailing by you are very welcome to attend this seminar by the VTS team updating us on the changes that are being introduced by VTS and Port Traffic Control/

The Port of Dover is the only port in the UK where it is mandatory to request permission to enter or leave the port

Venue: RCPYC, 4-5 Waterloo Crescent, Dover, CT16 1LA

Details of Dover Port Control seminar

“Cruising the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Caspian” at Strood YC, 27 March

On Thursday 27 March we are invited to Strood Yacht Club to hear a talk on “Cruising the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Caspian” organised by the Inland Waterways Association.

Medway to lose harbour master

We have been advised that Peel Ports do not intend to replace the current harbour master, Cathryn Spain, when she steps down at the end of March. It is unclear how a “group harbour master” based in Liverpool will be able to fulfil the port’s statutory responsibilities.

Your comments are invited (click Reply)

“Baltic and Back” at Medway Cruising Club, 28 March

Medway Cruising Club invites us to their Strand Clubhouse for a talk on 28 March, at 7.30 pm:

“In 2013 Santy, a Victoria 34 from Chatham sailed to the German Baltic Coast through both through the Dutch and Kiel Canals as well as along the North German Coast. The illustrated presentation will cover where they went and who they met over 16 weeks of cruising. The Baltic is becoming an increasingly significant cruising ground for British Yachts and this is your opportunity to find out why.”

There will also be a talk on Ultrasonic Works electronic antifouling.

Kent Police vessel for sale: going, going, gone!

After a review by Kent Police the 54ft Tamar class lifeboat, Princess Alexandra III, which previously belonged to the RNLI and can travel up to 27 knots, has been sold at auction for £100,000. http://www.brightwellslive.com/ids/lot_detail_test.asp?l=1&lotid=222742&pageno=1

Kent Police purchased the boat eight years ago for £150,000 and spent £200,000 refitting her to the force’s specifications. Now the marine unit will be relocated back to Maidstone sharing other duties such as search and rescue. They will have to launch their RIB from a trailer.