South Coast Autumn Rally
September 2, 2023 - September 3, 2023
Hardway SC in Portsmouth Harbour
On the weekend of 2nd – 3rd September we shall be holding our autumn rally and laying-up supper at Hardway Sailing Club, located on the Gosport side of Portsmouth Harbour.
As usual, new members will get a particularly good opportunity to inspect other Sabres and compare notes.
Portsmouth High Water on the Saturday is at 13.50.
The HSC pontoon is restricted and does dry at low tide Springs , access for fin keelers will be from 11.00 to about 17.30.
Hardway Sailing Club is situated on the west side of the harbour, having a long 500m pontoon with a “T”.
We do not have to pre-book moorings at the club. The HSC pontoon fee per night is £20 payable by card or cash at bar. The bar will be open from Midday Saturday. The HSC pontoon and sailing club have electronic locks, we will be available to let you in to the club to pay your pontoon fees.
NOTE – when you pay at the bar, ask for a guest electronic entry card for access to the pontoon and Hardway Sailing club facilities. The cards at the end of your stay are to be returned at the bar or the honesty box, located under the balcony.
Car-borne arrivals
Hardway Sailing Club
103 Priory Rd
Gosport
PO12 4LF.
You can either park in the Hardway car park on Priory Road, adjacent to the sailing club or at the Green Lane free long stay. To gain entry to the club compound, either use the entry bell at the pedestrian gate, attract the attention of someone in the compound or give me (John Rohde) a ring on 07831 496597 or Jenny Rohde on 07767 205969. On the day I will have my radio open on VHF Channel 80.
Catering
Hardway is fortunate to have a pretty flexible caterer, willing to cater for special dietary needs. The galley opens on both on Saturday and Sunday. They are well priced and we are looking to obtain attendee numbers and any dietary needs.
We can then look at options for menus.
Pilotage
For those who have not been into Portsmouth, please take some time to look at the Kings Harbour Master (KHM) notice and be reminded that the entrance can be extremely busy with both commercial and military traffic.
KHM Portsmouth Small Boat Channel Rules
Mariners are advised that the King’s Harbour Master has made the following General Direction under the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005; that the Portsmouth Harbour entrance and main approach channel is considered a narrow channel in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and as such, all mariners are reminded that in accordance with:
Rule 9(b) “a vessel of less than 20 metres in length or a sailing vessel shall not impede the passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway”.
- A Small Boat Channel for vessels less than 20m in length including Personal Watercraft (PWC) has been created on the western side of the harbour entrance. The 50m wide Channel is shown on Admiralty charts. Its N and S extremities are at Ballast Pile and Red No 4 Bar Buoy.
- All vessels under 20m must enter and leave the harbour through the Small Boat Channel
- Use engine if fitted
- Avoid overtaking
- Keep out of main channel
- Do not loiter
- Leave Ballast Pile and 4 Bar Buoy to port inbound and outbound.
- BC Outer Beacon shall be left to port when using the Inner Swashway, inbound and outbound.
- Call KHM on VHF Channel 11 to cross north of Ballast pile to Town Camber/Gunwharf Quays or vice versa.
- Remember the 10 knot speed limit and to create minimum wash
Organiser: John Rohde