Round the Island Race

HURST POINT YACHT CHARTERS LTD

Lymington based yacht charter at the spectacular western end of the Solent

Tel 01590 623765 mob 07932 140878
or email info@hurstpointyachts.co.uk

ANOTHER NEAR RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRANTS IN 2009'

Friday 18th to Sunday 20th JUNE 2010
£245 PER PERSON.

This is a race experience weekend for 7 crew plus skipper on our 40ft Bavaria 'Dotty Dot'. We have no spinnaker but generally give a good account of ourselves under our IRC handicap entry. In 2009 we finished around 2030 hrs as winds were light throughout the race. Eventually tide turned against us off Ryde Pier so slow progress. With winds of 15 knots it is possible to finish by mid afternoon. If you are a novice wanting to experience the big day but not seriously expecting to win this could be the trip for you. In 2009 our class was IRC 3 blue flag with a start time of 0700hrs.

Welcome to the Round the Island Race web page.

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE

In 2008 the race took place on Saturday 28th June. Organised by the Island Sailing Club, this is the worlds largest yacht race with around 1800 yachts participating. Olympic sailor Shirley Robertson was competing against the mere mortals for the Gold Roman Bowl which was won by Madeleine, a Folkboat. The skipper decided to hug the coast throughout the race which turned out to be a good tactic on the day. Other notable contestants were Robin Knox Johnston, Di Cafri and Ellen McArthur who crossed the finishing line first at around 0930hrs, albeit in the fastest yacht.

The race was started from the Royal Yacht Squadron starting line at Cowes by Alan Titchmarsh at 0500hrs. The course follows a 53 nautical miles trajectory anti clockwise around the Isle of Wight. Average time is approximately 9 hours although the record held by a multihull is just over 3 hours. Entrants come from all over the world and the race is one of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) series of events which include the Cowes to Cherbourg trophy and the Fastnet race. There are many hazards to negotiate starting with rounding the Needles lighthouse where Goose Rock and the wreck of the Varvassi await the unwary. The fleet tack across each other at this point to change course sometimes in strong currents and rough seas. The direct course from here can take you close to Irex rock in Scratchells Bay, contact with which could ruin your day. Strong currents and rough seas are encountered for a short while off St Catherines Point. Rounding the bouys off Bembridge Ledge and the Solent Forts is a serious risk of collision with other yachts. The

finish line off Cowes was very challenging this year as strong head winds gusting at 25knots and an adverse current together with the constricted space just off the headland called for 4 or 5 tacks before the finishing line could be crossed. Crossing the line gives a huge sense of achievement and no doubt the memory of the race will last long.Our Bavaria 38 'Dotty Dot' entered for the fourth consequtive year and crossed the line around 1530hrs. We would probably have benefitted from less canvas on the beat home. We were surrounded by a pod of dolphins off Ryde as can be seen in the picture below.

The 3 day yacht race charter package consisted of a warm up sail from Lymington to Cowes on the Friday afternoon with evening ashore Cowes and overnight on board in the Medina river. This allows an early departure around 0530hrs for the start soon afterwards, and the finish is crossed mid afternoon. Evening ashore Cowes where there is a competitor village and live music. Sunday morning sail back to Lymington. Price includes all mooring and race fees and breakfast on board.

HOW TO BOOK

To make a booking you first need to check on availability so please email us or telephone using the contact details above. We will then send by return email the booking forms and grant you an option for the dates you are interested in. Please check here that you have the bareboat experience/qualificationsrequired for bareboat race charter.

That is all you need to do for the moment but if you wish to learn more about our operation including other types of uk yacht charter than the one you enquired about then please read on. Thank you for your time and patience in considering the above Solent yacht charter offers.

'Hi Clive, That is a great result! (3rd out of 21 Bavaria 38s entered) I will not take any credit, however as you and the boys deserve every bit of it. I enjoyed the race weekend so much that I am now planning to do my competent crew course. Once I have got that under my belt, I know there are a number of clients of my firm (solicitors) who are keen sailors so I will endeavour to get some events booked in next year. Kind regards, Dianne' (June 2008)

You are invited to make a no obligation enquiry and please take a few seconds to read what other people have said about us recently TESTIMONIALS

OUR PROMISES TO YOU

Payments We will look after your deposits and advance payments for your yacht charter. We are a limited liability company with all the reporting commitments that entails such as Annual Accounts and Companies House returns so we intend to be around for a while, in fact we have been operating since 2003. We are also VAT registered which is of benefit to Corporate organisations booking with us.

Safety. We promise to ensure that we offer only charter yachts which we have the greatest confidence in. Regarding our flagship Dotty Dot, we go family sailing in her ourselves including cross channel so we are as keen as you to ensure that everything is in order. We promise to keep all the life jackets serviced, the life raft contents renewed every year, the engine well maintained and all the other things that need to be done.

Value for Money. Charter yachts are incredibly expensive to run and maintain. However we promise to charge fees that give only a moderate return and to ensure that ours are amongst the lowest prices if not THE lowest.
This involves not only keeping an eye on what our competitors are charging but also including things in the price that would normally be extra such as wet weather gear, cleaning of the yacht on return and diesel fuel. Other items such as marina parking, gas, mooring fees at the marina and shore supply electricity are also included.

Hand over We promise to hand the yacht over to you in a first class condition. This means that the deck holding tank will be empty (you would soon know about it on a port tack if not - phew!), that water and diesel tanks will be full and the yacht clean inside and out.

General It is not our style to attempt to make you responsible for defects that have arisen during a charter that we should take on board ourselves and never have we done so. In fact we are extremely loathe to ask you to put your hands in your pocket for things such as fenders and boat hooks that have gone overboard because we do not want to finish on a sour note and want you to come back as many do!

SKIPPER CERTIFICATION

The skipper must be commercially endorsed by the MCA. He should be able to show you his license which contains name, date of birth, photograph and expiry date (licence lasts for 5 years). To qualify for a commercial endorsement a skipper must obtain:
a RYA sailing qualification appropriate to the range of voyages planned
a First Aid certificate
a Practical sea survival course certificate
a VHF radio operators licence
a Seafarers Medical Report Certificate (ML5) issued by the MCA

VESSEL CERTIFICATION

A vessel to be used for sailing yacht rental should carry the following certification, originals of which should be held in a file (or sometimes attached on the inside of a port light) kept on board the yacht. When booking seek confirmation that these are held and will be available for inspection when joining the yacht.

1) Certificate of Coding.
This is a Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)/Department of Transport(DoT) requirement for charter vessels in commercial use. Certificates are renewed annually and additionaly there is a disc (similar to a car tax disc) which must be attached to the inside of a port light. The coding category is shown on the certificate and disc. Make sure that the yacht which you are intending to charter has the Certificate of Coding relevant to the voyage you are planning as this will have a bearing on the safety features and equipment carried. The coding categories are:
Category 6 - Up to 3 nautical miles(nm) from a nominated departure point or land in favourable weather and in daylight
Category 5 - Up to 20 nm from a nominated departure point in favourable weather and in daylight
Category 4 - Up to 20 nm from a safe haven in favourable weather and in daylight
Category 3 - Up to 20 nm from a safe haven
Category 2 - Up to 60 nm from a safe haven (ie across channel)
Category 1 - Up to 150 nm from a safe haven.

2) Life raft Certificate of Servicing and Testing.
Charter yachts should carry life rafts conforming to SOLAS B requirements. This stipulates a greater degree of equipment and capability than a life raft for private pleasure yacht use. SOLAS B life rafts have to be serviced annually and a new certificate issued.

3) Ships Radio Licence
This is authority to use the VHF equipment on board, usually a fixed installation and a hand held. The licence is issued by OFCOM and must be renewed annually. The licence is a car tax disc style which must be attached to the inside of a port light.

4) Certificate of Insurance
Issued annually, this must be endorsed for bareboat and skippered yacht charter with a 3rd party liability minimum of £3,000,000.

5) Certificate of British Registry
Issued every 5 years, this is the ships ownership document with details of the registered owners.Essential to carry on board if crossing the Channel as failure to produce if boarded by officials can result in the impounding of the vessel. The registration number is required to be shown on the coach roof port and starboard and on the stern.

6) Gas Installation Certificate
Gas being one of the biggest risks on board a yacht, an annual inspection should be carried out by a CORGI approved technician and a certificate issued.

7) Engine Service Record
A marine diesel engine requires regular service. One hours running equates approximately to 50 miles of a car engine, so 200 running hours are equivalent to 10,000 miles on the road. The oil needs to be changed every 100 hours approximately. Other important items are annual change of the coolant, sea water impeller and fan belt. The service record should be up to date.

8) Sea Start membership.
No statutory requirement for this for Solent yacht charter but a must nevertheless. Covers engine/transmission failure and fouling of the propeller up to 3 nautical miles offshore. Permit attaches to inside of port light.

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