Polypipe Regatta

The Polypipe Regatta – Portsmouth Harbour Yacht Club

Yesterday I was lucky enough to sail in the Polypipe Regatta.  This is a sailing day for novice and experienced sailors to have a fun day racing around Port Solent.

With around 70 boats taking part, the day started around 8 am with tea, coffee and bacon sandwiches at Portsmouth Harbour Yacht Club.  Then we found our allocated boats, chartered from Sunsail, and after a quick safety briefing, we were off.

We motored out of the Harbour and once out we practised putting up and taking down the spinnaker.  We motored off to the starting point and waited…and waited….and waited!  The wind had dropped and all was dead calm.  We strained at the radio to hear starters orders, but nothing.  Lunch came and went as did the sandwiches and finally at around 1.30 we were given the course instructions and the countdown began.  We tacked around the starting line and were in a good position when the race began.  No sooner had we started then the wind dropped again and we just sat dead in the water. We inched forward to try and catch the wind and eventually we were lucky and were off.  The course was short and once we had rounded the first marker and were on the homeward stretch the wind dropped again and we finally limped over the line in 8th position.  As soon as we crossed the line, the wind picked up and we were off.  The Yacht Club called it a day and we all made for home, some under sail, some under motor, for tea and cake back at base.

Sailors stayed on the prize-giving later in the day which much merriment and stories to be told.

Despite the calm conditions much fun was had by all the crews and much money was raised during the Polypipe Regatta for The British Heart Foundation and John Merrick’s Sailing Trust

If you would like more information or would like to charter a boat for your company then go to Polypipe Regatta. The regatta is held every year and is a very popular event on the Solent sailing calendar so I would advise applying sooner rather than later.

The 2 Pauls!

Me at the helm!

A Lost Gaffer?

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