Clyde Raid V2

Dates: Monday 22 – Saturday 27 July 2019

The Raid will be based at the Blairvadach Outdoor Centre on Gare Loch just outside Rhu, Helensburgh  in Scotland.  Postcode is G84 8NN.

I have booked bedrooms at the Centre as accommodation for the Raid.

Cars and trailers can be parked at the Centre in a secure car park.

Hook-up facilities for up to 2 camper vans (max. 4 persons per van) are available but these will be on a first-booked, first-served basis. All Camper Van users will have access to the Centre for showers, WC, drying and storage included within their charge. There are plenty of B&Bs and rental properties available in the area.

The boats will be launched and recovered at Blairvadach Centre (BC) but will be moored at Rhu Marina on their pontoons, thus giving walk-ashore access for all crews.

The Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club (http://rncyc.com/) have kindly agreed that we may use their bar facilities in the evenings as visiting guest sailors on the Tuesday and Wednesday evening (they are closed on other days).

The exact programme needs to remain as flexible as possible and will depend on tidal and weather conditions.  The programme below is highly speculative and aspirational at this stage.

Thus, apart from Monday and Friday evening/Saturday am and the evening eating arrangements, everything is fluid.

MONDAY 22nd July

Day:

Arrival and registration

Launch boats

Move boats to Rhu Marina

Evening:

19.00 Welcome reception

19:30 Supper at Blairvadach Centre

DAY A

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail to Loch Long

Lunch at Cove SC (bar available)

Return to Rhu Marina

TUESDAY 23rd July EVENING

Supper 7 for 7:30 Supper at La Barca Tapas Bar in Helnesburgh

DAY B

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail to Kip Marina, Inverkip

Lunch at Kip Marina

Return Rhu Marina

WEDNESDAY 24th July EVENING

Supper 7 p.m. for 7:30p.m. Supper at Commodore Inn, Helensburgh

Day C

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail to James Watt Marina, Greenock/Port Glasgow

Lunch at James Watt Marina

Return Rhu Marina

THURSDAY 26th JULY EVENING

Supper 7 p.m. for 7:30p.m. Supper at Rosslea Hall Hotel, Rhu

DAY D

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Briefing 09.00

Sail to Holy Loch Marina

Lunch at Marina

Return Blairvadach for recovery otherwise Return Rhu Marina

FRIDAY 26th July EVENING

Some recovery of boats

Supper 7:00 p.m. for 7:30 p.m. at Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club

SATURDAY 27th  July

Breakfast 07.30- 08.30

Recover boats/free sailing

Go home unless other arrangements made

ACCOMMODATION:

I have booked bedrooms at the Centre as accommodation for the Raid. Much of the accommodation is in 4 person (2 bunks) rooms, although we will try to ensure that couples are not sharing with others.

Sheets, pillows, pillowcases and blankets are provided.  Please bring your own towels.

Cars and trailers can be parked at the Centre.

Hook-up facilities for up to 2 camper vans are available but these will be on a first-booked, first-served basis.  All Camper Van users will have access to the Centre for showers, WC, drying and storage included within their charge. There are plenty of B&Bs and rental properties.

There are no pontoons at the Centre and thus it is not possible to walk-ashore if you are planning to be a live-aboard.

We have made arrangements to base the fleet at Rhu Marina (http://www.quaymarinas.com/our-marinas/rhu-marina) and raft up on their pontoons.  This will give walk-ashore access for the whole fleet, together with WiFi. showers and lavatories.  There is also an excellent cafe situated there.

FOOD:

Breakfast for those with beds in the Blairvadach Centre is included. Camper Van residents and live-aboards can buy breakfasts at the Centre for  £4.50 per head per day.

Packed lunches will be provided on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for all Raiders.

Supper will be provided on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings for all Raiders.

COST:

The cost of the raid is £210 per person (this includes 4 packed lunches, 5 dinners, mooring fees, car and trailer parking).

In addition, the cost of room-based accommodation in the Blairvadach Centre (including breakfast) is £195 per bed (Monday evening to Friday morning).  Please note that you may end up sharing a room with crew from another boat as there are only 23 rooms in the Centre.

If you wish to stay in a camper van on the premises the cost is £75 per van (max 4 people per van). Those in camper vans (or live-aboards) may purchase breakfast from the Centre at £4.50 per head per day.  These breakfasts can be booked in advance or on the day (although notice for each day is preferred).

There is no charge for children under 5, but please note that the Centre is not geared up to cater for such young children.  There are no high chairs, for example.

To book your place on the Raid please go to Register 2019, complete the form and send it to me.

A booking deposit of £75 will secure your place.  If a booking is cancelled after the initial deposit is received it may be possible to refund it after the Raid once all bills are settled if funds permit.  However this is not guaranteed.

402410, 61420933 and Raid England are the details you will need if making a BACS transfer. If you are making an overseas transfer you will need to know that HSBC is the bank, Market Place, Henley-on-Thames, UK is the address together with some or all of the below.  Please can you “pay” the transfer fees as well because UK banks charge us a lot for accepting money from outside the UK ( although I believe it is free for you if within the EC), but contact me first to discuss the best way of paying.

I now believe that one of the new transfer agents like Transferwise (https://transferwise.com) offer a very good service and great exchange rates.  I have used them for sending Euros when registering for various events in Europe (Morbihan, Venice, Douarnenez) and various ski trips. and they can obviously send sterling to the UK.

Anyone planning a trip to Morbihan this year may also care to use them to pay your Euro camping fees there.

If you use this link (https://transferwise.com/u/geoffreyp23) apparently I will get some money which I will use to buy drinks (for the group, not me) at one of the Raid evenings.

IBAN:GB21MIDL40241061420933

BIC:MIDLGB2113V

otherwise please send an old-fashioned cheque made payable to:

Raid England

to
Geoff Probert

60 St. Marks Rd.

Henley-on-Thames,

Oxon

RG9 1LW

Geoff Probert

01491 577220

geoffprobertatgmaildotcom

(substitute at & dot with the usual symbols in order to defeat the automated spammers)