Bembridge Breeze www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk Bembridge Harbour Authority biannual newsletter

Issue 4 – September 2013

BEMBRIDGE HARBOUR AUTHORITY Harbour Office, The Duver, St Helens, Isle of Wight PO33 1YB

Telephone: 01983 872828 E-mail: office@bembridgeharbour.co.uk Website: www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk

Celebration Weekend Report

Lay your boat up withBembridge Boat Storage

Editorial

Rallies to Bembridge Harbour A MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HARBOUR OFFER AND SERVICES.

For a number of years, rallies from 5-40 yachts and/or powerboats have been encouraged to come and make use of the Harbour. In response to this demand, we have extended our Visitors’ pontoon as well as adjacent dredging. For rallies of 5 and upwards, we will be offering this Autumn extra discounted rates and especially for those visiting mid-week (i.e. Sunday – Thursday inclusive). Our local restaurants and pubs are all keen to make your visit memorable and underwrite our own warm welcome.

PLEASE PHONE THE HARBOUR OFFICE FOR DETAILS.

What a different summer we are having this year compared to the last few years. All I can say is that I hope it turns into an ‘Indian summer’ so we can continue using our yachts and motorboats as much as possible.

I am well aware that such prized possessions do need using on a regular basis and are very expensive to maintain and keep; we all spend many hours of devotion, applying TLC to various degrees.

To my mind, it becomes all very well worthwhile for when in the forthcoming winter months, you sit in front of a warm fire at home, probably during poor weather and remember a particular occasion – whether it was an overnight anchorage in a deserted bay, a racing yacht being sailed on a beam reach with all sails flowing, or a motorboat sizzling over the waves.

This sport has such a huge diversification of ways in which to participate and enjoy – such dreams and memories seem endless.

At the Harbour we have just wrapped up following our Celebration Weekend; a truly wonderful few days of fun and enjoyment, meeting old friends and making new – a superb focal point in wonderful surroundings, it truly was a community effort and we are hugely grateful to the local businesses, organisations and individuals who made it happen. Many thanks to all.

We hope you enjoy the rest of the summer weather going on into the autumn and hope you will call by Bembridge Harbour in your travels,

Fair winds, Malcolm

From Malcolm Thorpe

2 BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013

WINTER HOURS

Our Winter Hours will run from 1st November onwards

Harbour Office: Monday – Friday 0900-1700 Tel: 01983 872828

Berthing Office: Monday – Friday 1000-1600Saturday – Sunday 3 hours +/– HW

Water Taxi: Available during daylight hours and at other times byprior arrangement. Tel: 07582 806017 or VHF Ch 80.

CONTENTS

P2 Editorial – Malcolm ThorpeP3 Bembridge Boat StorageP4-5 Celebration Weekend ReportP6 Bembridge Sailing Club P6 Brading Haven Yacht ClubP7 Bembridge Angling ClubP8 Bembridge RNLI

Edited by Fiona Thorpe Designed and produced by Solitaire Creation Tel: 01983 752232 Printed in England by Beacon Print Ltd Tel: 01983 524456

Bembridge Boat Storage News

BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013 3

We are now fully operational, with our new dock head, access channel and pontoons in place.

Clean up operations are under way to transform the remnants of the building site into a customer friendly location, and we hope to have this complete shortly.

We have cleaned up our foreshore and have discovered a nice sandy beach under all the industrial detritus, though our plans for a tropical beach bar have had to be put on hold!

Our customer base is growing by the week, and we recently welcomed a couple of classic 28’ Fairey Motor boats (a Huntsman and a Spearfish) to the fold.

We look forward to offering our ‘launch on demand’ and undercover dry stack service to customers with craft of up to 8 tonnes and 30’ overall.

If you are interested in keeping your cherished boat in pristine condition, feel free to pop in and have a chat.

In addition, our separate self-service facility for trade and private use to carry out work on boats is available for short and long term hire.

The spacious fully equipped shed at Bembridge Boat Storage

e-mail: office@bembridgeboatstorage.co.ukwebsite: www.bembridgeboatstorage.co.uk

The Duver, St Helens, Isle of Wight, PO33 1YB Tel: 01983 872828

Bembridge Harbour

4 BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013

Celebration Weekend26-28 July 2013

Saturday saw the Bembridge Village Regatta, run by BSC with assistance from BHYC - 3 races for Redwings & One Design keelboats, 5 for Optimists, Lasers, Scows & a Fast Handicap fleet. A variable breeze at the start forced course changes, then disappeared completely by 1545 - remaining races had to be abandoned, with cups and medals awarded to lead boats at the time of the abandonment. Top marks to everyone for perseverance!!

The 1887 ex-Bembridge pulling and sailing lifeboat Queen Victoria added historic style to the Harbour. Several teams of volunteer oarsmen manning the oldest surviving RNLI lifeboat in the country - including Guest of Honour for the weekend, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP, who “took an oar” after being transferred across from the present day Bembridge Tamar Class Lifeboat by their Inshore Lifeboat. The Isle of Wight Historic Lifeboat Trust thanks everyone who took part and Seafields and other local organisations for their support. Thanks in particular to Bill Mitchell at A.A.Coombes Boatyard, who kindly lifted, launched and recovered QV for the event.

Local companies Tackt-Isle Adventures and Isle of Wight SUP Rentals teamed up to provide thrills and spills, running time trial races on paddleboards and a kayak Tug-of-War, whilst the Isle of Wight Canoe Club, who now have a base at the Harbour, ran taster sessions which proved very popular.

The International Marblehead Class and Brookstone One Design fleets of Radio Controlled Model Yachts raced on Saturday off the Fisherman’s pontoon. This year’s abundance of weed made it more of an obstacle course than a sailing race, proving too much of a hindrance to race again on Sunday, but a lot of fun was had nonetheless - many thanks to the two clubs for giving it their best shot!!

A “Best Dressed Yacht”, judged by the Commodores of BSC and BHYC, was won by Cypsela of Keyhaven - the Smoker family, having dressed her to perfection, won a bottle of Wight Vodka.

Dance on the Duver, organised by Will Squibb Boatbuilders, Spyder UK Ltd and desktop studio in support of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice and RNLI Bembridge Lifeboat Station, was a sell out, with rain doing nothing to dampen the spirits of those there to enjoy

From a “then and now” of lifeboats in the Harbour with the Island’s

Lord-Lieutenant on board, to the children’s egg & spoon, paper boat races, paddleboards and kayaks, dancing the night away and spectacular fireworks, there was a lot going on over the

Celebration Weekend ….

The weekend saw many varied activities from face painting (above) to pirate fancy dress, (left) a Sail 4 Cancer cake stall at the Street Market (far left) and of course crabbing! (top left)

EWPG Harbour Photo Competition winners

BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013 5

fabulous live music from Under Cover and That’s Life. A great evening concluded with a spectacular Fireworks Display, provided by Jubilee Fireworks and sponsored by Bembridge Harbour Authority.

On Sunday the inaugural Great Bembridge Paper Boat Race at Brading Haven Yacht Club took place in a terrific atmosphere with parents and children thoroughly enjoying the event, as too did Harbour owner Malcolm Thorpe who gave the starting and finishing signals. The wind was a bit fickle and unfortunately curtailed the children’s race which was won by Oscar Wall, with his sister Jessica 2nd. Ella and Louis Brooks Pepper tied for 3rd.

Adrian Martiensson’s multihull established an enormous lead before capsizing but still managed to reach the finishing line to win the adult’s race. 2nd place went to John Margetson whose boat actually finished 4th after sailing a lot further than most of its competitors, but was awarded 2nd because the boats that beat him received outside assistance having been righted after capsizing. 3rd place tie was between John Carter and Spencer Clark. Prizes were presented by Sarah Noyes, BHYC Commodore, and Malcolm Thorpe.

The Street Market at Bembridge Point was a lively affair with stalls featuring Island produce, arts and crafts. Many thanks to Island Ales, Isle of Wight Bacon Co, Angel in the Kitchen, The Garlic Farm, Available Light, Clay Clay, Gillian Connor, Paul Newell Sails, Joules Sargent Design, Martin Williams, Pinks Foods, Sunny Days, Sail 4 Cancer and artist Marieke Tollenaere for supporting the event, which proved a great success. Huge thanks also to Garry Mcinniss who created a fantastic atmosphere with his non-stop music!

Throughout the weekend, members of the East Wight Photography Group manned an exhibition of their Harbour Competition entries at the Harbour Office. Members produced, printed and mounted their images, with impressive results. Over 100 entries were on display, all taken in the weeks leading up to the Celebration Weekend. Winners pictured below.

In addition, historic photos kindly lent by the St Helens Historical Society charted the passage of time in the Harbour since the early 1900s, Bembridge and St Helens Harbour Association’s display recorded their activities over many years, and art from St Helens Primary and Bembridge CE Primary schools for the Celebration Weekend poster was also displayed.

A Raffle and other donations raised over £1,300 for eventcharity Sail 4 Cancer - many thanks to those who donatedraffle prizes and to everyone who supported the charity, and to those who donated event prizes. Huge thanks also toeveryone who helped organise and run the various events - the weekend would not have been possible without you!

ABOVE: 1st Dave Ticehurst, Bembridge Tranquility

ABOVE RIGHT: 2nd Ruth Dixon“Hey me hearties welcome to Bembridge”

RIGHT: 3rd Anna Hardy, Tidy Sailors

1887 Bembridge Lifeboat, Queen Victoria.

(Left) HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White.

One of the Radio Controlled model yachts.

Sandcastle Competition.

Winner of the Best Dressed Yacht was (right) Cypsela of Keyhaven owned by the Smoker family, pictured with

BSC and BHYC commodores.

BHYC Great Bembridge Paper Boat Race

Angel in the Kitchen at the Street Market

Bembridge Clubs

6 BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013

boatbuilding . refitting . haul out & storagegrp laminating · wood repairs

paint, varnish & antifoul . rib tubes repairs & replacementelectrical & mechanical engineering rigging manufacture & alterations

yacht & small craft surveysyachts . motorboats . ribs · dinghies . sports craft

Refinishing Centre · Nanni Service Dealers

BOATBUILDERS & MARINE SURVEYORS

WILL SQUIBB

www.willsquibb.netTel: 01983 874629 Mob: 07855 017560

Attrills Yard The Duver St Helens Isle of Wight PO33 1YB

www.powerboat-training.comTel: +44 (0)1983 778077 · Fax +44 (0)1983 875912

Woodnutts · The Duver · St Helens · Isle of Wight · PO33 1YB

& CHARTER

Powerboat L1 & 2Intermediate & AdvancedVHF/SRC

On the Marina 13 – 17 September

See you there!

CHARTERPress · Spectator · Support Boat

or fabulous days out with friends and family

boatbuilding . refitting . haul out & storagegrp laminating · wood repairs

paint, varnish & antifoul . rib tubes repairs & replacementelectrical & mechanical engineering rigging manufacture & alterations

yacht & small craft surveysyachts . motorboats . ribs · dinghies . sports craft

Refinishing Centre · Nanni Service Dealers

BOATBUILDERS & MARINE SURVEYORS

WILL SQUIBB

www.willsquibb.netTel: 01983 874629 Mob: 07855 017560

Attrills Yard The Duver St Helens Isle of Wight PO33 1YB

www.powerboat-training.comTel: +44 (0)1983 778077 · Fax +44 (0)1983 875912

Woodnutts · The Duver · St Helens · Isle of Wight · PO33 1YB

& CHARTER

Powerboat L1 & 2Intermediate & AdvancedVHF/SRC

On the Marina 13 – 17 September

See you there!

CHARTERPress · Spectator · Support Boat

or fabulous days out with friends and family

BEMBRIDGE SAILING CLUB Embankment Road, Bembridge, Isle of Wight PO35 5NR Tel: 01983 872237 www.bembridgesailingclub.org

The Sailing Club has recently gained a new General Manager, Daniel Jehan. Daniel, who learnt to sail in Bembridge, has returned after 20 years after a love of sailing has lured him back to the Island.

Conditions were almost perfect for the first of our training weeks with Cadet Week & Oppy 1 courses and Scow Week enjoying the sunshine, perfect breezes and the kind tides. Well done to all the winners of the various cups & trophies, and of course to the organisers, the instructors & myriad of helpers who all made it work so well.

Cadet week 2 was more testing with difficult tides and somewhat breezy conditions. However the cadets had great fun and there were lots of smiley if slightly wet and bedraggled faces.We are now looking forward to seeing cadets taking part in our Coached Racing sessions and also our Let’s go Sailing programme where they will have the opportunity to enhance their skills and have fun on the water.

In addition to providing an elegant and welcoming venue for rally suppers, parties or dinners, BSC holds a Civil Marriage Licence. Our Dining Room enjoys panoramic views over the water with the rolling hills of Brading Downs providing a stunning backdrop in the distance. Up to 100 guests may be seated in comfort using round tables; the room has a westerly outlook and is flooded with natural daylight with access through glass doors to our balcony area.

From here, you will be perfectly placed to take in the views of the Harbour, soak up the maritime atmosphere and enjoy a first-class menu, which makes use of the best local produce available. For more detail about what we can offer please contact Jo Pascall (Social Secretary) on 01983 872237 or e-mail: jo@bembridgesailingclub.org

BRADING HAVEN YACHT CLUB Embankment Road, St Helens, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 1XQ Tel: 01983 872289 www.bhyc.org.uk

This year we have enjoyed the luxury of hot settled weather during late July which has added greatly to our summer and has been in welcome contrast to the rain and wind of recent years.

As you will have read elsewhere in this edition the last weekend in July saw the Bembridge Harbour Celebration Weekend in which we took a full part, open to the public for the whole of that period. We held our Summer Ball in early August and our Sail Training Week two weeks later.

September sees the turn of the year with thoughts turning to laying-up, shorter evenings and perhaps less activity afloat; however don’t discount the possibility of a late ‘Indian Summer’ and the opportunity to extend the season into the autumn months.

Many members here keep their boats afloat throughout the year, poised to take advantage of those glorious autumn and winter days that seem to appear from nowhere, to be grasped before they pass. Our boat park is hardly less full than in the summer; a programme of club racing is maintained during every month, shorts exchanged for dry-suits, sunny strolls for blustery challenges.

The club remains open all year, although the bar opening hours and the availability of catering are reduced in the low season.

More information is available on our website: www.bhyc.org.uk by email: office@bhyc.org.uk or by telephone 01983 873911/872289. If you are passing this way we look forward to welcoming you.

Bembridge Angling Club

PAUL NEWELL SAILSNo 6 Redwing Quay, Bembridge, Isle of Wight PO35 5PBe. paulnewellsails@gmail.com t. 01983 872834 m. 07954 895595

Bespoke sails for yachts anddinghies.

Exclusive collection of sailcloth bags and products, available from our website www.paulnewellsails.com

The Bembridge & St Helens Guide 2013 is a free publication packed with information about the local area and what to find where.

It is widely available in outlets throughout the area and in the Harbour Office.

BEMBRIDGE BREEZE SEPTEMBER 2013 7

A little fishinghistory.........

The Bembridge Angling Club’s current format dates from 1963. Early records

show that the first official competition was held that September from the beach in the Harbour - 19 men, 4 ladies & 10 juniors, caught only two small Flounders & two small Plaice with a combined total of 1 lb 10oz (0.74Kg). Even back in those days the record keeper was commenting about poor catches!

Club records show that there was considerable interest in beach competition fishing, with the first recorded boat event in May 1964 when membership had reached a total of 40. At the AGM that year it was reported that 2 members were having “Bass” boats built and that a Mr Ray Raymond had presented a 20’ motor boat to the Club.

June 6th 1965 saw the first of what was to become a long run of annual boat based open Bream competitions. This first running had a replica of Bembridge Ledge Buoy as a trophy plus the princely sum of £15 for first place. There was a very large entry from all over the south of England and it proved to be a great success.

At some point a group of members gained permission to lay 6 moorings within the Harbour and the Club gained permission to use an existing old tin hut on the then vacant North Quay (formalised by the signing of a 99 year lease in 1981). In 1982 the Club gained permission to build its own Clubhouse on the leased section of North Quay. It was built by members themselves and part funded by a loan from a benefactor in addition to a grant from the Sports Council.

Over the years, members have gradually lost interest in beach competitions and the Club now only holds them from boats, although trophies are still awarded for beach caught specimens. Membership averages around 150 and there are moorings for 40 member’s boats ranging in size from 16ft to 32 ft in length. The Club’s extensive list of record fish is very impressive and currently includes the British record Eagle Ray of 102lbs (46.26 Kg). Thresher Sharks in excess of the British record have also be captured but all have been returned in line with modern conservation practices.

1963 Inaugral Fishing Competition

Bembridge RNLI

BEMBRIDGE SAILING CLUB Visiting yachtsmen from RYA affiliated

clubs always welcome

Lunch available every weekend(Rallies by prior arrangement)

01983 872237email: sec@bembridgesailingclub.org

www.bembridgesailingclub.org

BRADING HAVENYACHT CLUBWelcomes new members,

visiting yachtsmen and club rallies.At the west end of the Harbour with easy access from the

visitors’ pontoon by tender, water taxi oron foot along the mill wall.

Bar snacks, lunches and evening meals.Sail training instruction for all ages.

Please telephone for information and bookings.

Embankment Road, St Helens, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 1XQwww.bhyc.org.uk e-mail: office@bhyc.org.uk Tel: 01983 872289

A relatively quiet spring and early part of the summer; probably due to poor weather in May & June - however, the operational count when going to print was 11 shouts and 24 people rescued so far this year. Unlike last year, the weather for the J P Morgan Round the Island Race was much kinder and allowed some very fast times to be recorded and a significantly reduced number of boats having to be rescued.

In late May we finally took over our refurbished Inshore Boathouse. The new Shop is doing a roaring trade and is a much nicer place for our Guild volunteers to work in. The Offshore Boathouse continues to be a great attraction with record numbers of school children visiting in June & July. We look forward to being able to show off our “Flagship” Station to even more over the next few months. It is open (as is the new Shop) from 11am to 4pm daily until 20th September and then from 2pm to 4pm. We hope to have a new High Definition Digital Display screen up and running before long so that we can improve our “Visitors Experience” by showing some excellent video of the launch & recovery sequence.

We have a new website (http://www.bembridgelifeboat.org.uk) providing a lot more useful information about the Station - including information on the operational shouts; and details about our Lifeboats and crew.

Steady progress is being made on the Sea Safety/Advice front and Alan Doe (Lifeboat Sea Safety Officer) is being kept busy giving general talks & Lifejacket clinics. For more information please visit the website, or contact Alan direct on 07775 900244 or e-mail alanrdoe@aol.com. Finally a reminder that for group visits to the Offshore Boathouse, please contact the Lifeboat Visits Officer - Deborah Meadows on 01983 874408 or e-mail deborah.meadows@sky.com .

Mike Samuelson, Lifeboats Operations Manager RNLI Bembridge mikesam06@googlemail.com - 07785 593254

The newly refurbished Inshore Lifeboat headquarters at Bembridge.