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Re: This Years Hayling Island Marathon 2012.

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:48 pm
by Hugz
Marvellous!

Re: This Years Hayling Island Marathon 2012.

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:25 pm
by Taspiper
Looks great! I don't know if my bum could sit in a boat for so long, I'd need an armchair for comfort I think.

Re: This Years Hayling Island Marathon 2012.

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:38 pm
by Charles uk
You old Aussies must remember "inner tubes", us poms use mini ones for most males, English females often use the same, though I've seen a few of your sheilas that needed tractor tubes but most of you should get away with Holden HQ tubes, that also work as flotation if your boat sinks, due to overloading!

Not such a problem for us Poms, as so few of us can afford to eat meat!

Re: This Years Hayling Island Marathon 2012.

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 2:06 pm
by John@sos
A big thankyou to Charles and HA for organising it and especially to Barry and Diane in the safety boat.

Was a true test of the motors. Our unmodified model 75 used 1.5 gallons to do the full course, which measured through the water was near 25 Nautical miles (allowing for tidal stream etc.). Approx 22 over the ground. However our motor was never at much more than half throttle, partly to keep alongside the intrepid Dutchmen, and partly because I forgot to seal the centreboad case top and above that speed, water came in!

The most exciting part of the course was leaving Chichester harbour, against a 3 knot tide and in very confused and at times exceedingly choppy water, due to the hundreds of large powerful boats all making waves, it got very tricky there for the smaller boats.... Fine for our 16 footer, but even that got the odd rougue dollop on board!

The rest of the course was straightforward enough, with a gentle tidal stream of 0.7 knot with us to Langstone entrance, but at the top of Langstone, just after HW, the Hayling Island bridge current was suprising, again 3 knots against us and it made huge bow waves by the remains of the old railway bridge buttresses!

Treated by a visit from a seal here!

With a falling tide and a heavy boat (0.5m draft), we opted for a longer course round the Chichester mud flats, (they dried 3.8 metres in places and the 4.5 metre high tide was well away) However sticking to the deeper water we met the Dutch lads when they got off the sand/mud, from their short cut, as the tide carried us faster.

We stayed together for the rest of the trip, meeting HA (who had probably gone round twice), in his go faster Rana with modified Seagull, he popped back to see where we had all got too!

Darian and I will be back next year, so long as I can sort out the onboard loo! (5 hours is a long time for some on water!)

The facilities at Itchenor were ideal, good rooms and food, perfect location, launching and car parking cheap enough. Next year I will try to have the web site editing sorted and get a better notice on the Events page, so anyone with sturdy 12ft minimum length boats, capable of taking to the sea, come and join the fun!

Special thankyou to the weather gods who gave us all red faces!

John
SOS

Re: This Years Hayling Island Marathon 2012.

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:17 am
by John@sos
Hello all,
Thanks to those who sent pics and to Peter for sorting editing problems, so I have added loads of pics and info to the web site Events page for this event and posted notice of the Essex Event there too.

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/se ... racing.htm

Anyone got a good picture of the fantastic trophies being awarded?
john
SOS