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[The Belgian]

Hi all,
It's that time of year to start thinking about next year's opens. As said and I have heard no disagreement, we should only hold opens at clubs where we have more competitors than volunteers, so minimum 10.
As Phil said a couple of days ago March is bloody freezing. Wimbleball usually has a low turnout and Island Barn only had one visitor this year. So I propose we drop both and start the season in April at Bowmoor unless we have a commitment of 10 boats for one of them. ( I like both clubs, not personal !! )
At the AGM it was widely agreed to use already established  regattas for opens so POSH and Weymouth as both are quite popular.
Downs ( again I like, so not personal !! ) usually a low turn out and as brought up before could do better in the Eastern region. I see no point going there with just 5 boats on the start line so we need 10 to commit...
Shoreham is border line and a few travel a long way to sail at my home club. I would love to entertain you all on and off the water, but will drop it if little interest from the fleet. I sail there every week so makes no odds to me and happy to go elsewhere.
Personally a change would be nice Weston SC, Maidenhead SC
Broardwater SC where we have had travellers from for example and never been.

Draft  so far
April 13th Bowmoor
May 11th -12th  POSH
June ??
July 13th -14th Weymouth Regatta ( at Castle Cove )
August ??
Sept Nationals
Oct 19th - 20th Salcombe
Nov Burghfield ??

I hope this all makes sense and as our chairman said it's not easy. All I'm trying to do get numbers up on the start line and promote our class.
As I said last year if anyone else is keen to takeover as rep I'm happy to stand down before I lose all my friends !!
Comments and ideas please
Ivan

[Cabbage]

Lyme Regis regatta is normally 1st weekend in August?

[The Belgian]

Lyme Regis is probably the best venue going in my opinion Rich. Works for the Natioals always a very high turnout. I went there for a Phantom open in 2015 in the August reggatt and was the only visitor with 2 home boats. That's why I have never put it on the calendar.
If your up for it with me then we need 8 more to commit.  Should be an easy sell to wives and partners !!
Ivan

[Cabbage]

From other comments it just seemed to fit the bill of a pre-organised event, in our region, in the right month.

If you like Ivan, I can post your provisional Calendar on the SW Area Phantom FB page and gauge interest in Lyme for August? And if there are no takers, we'll just have to go somewhere else.

But what a cracking list of venues for a travellers series - Paignton, Weymouth, Salcombe etc.

[gordon Kingston]

Hi Ivan
I still think Shoreham should be June and with less events and no double booking we should get better turnouts. Last years conflict with Island Barn and Wimbleball was also not helped by the freezing (the beast from the east)and very windy forecast which was why Wimbleball cancelled and island barn had such a low turnout.

[The Belgian]

From other comments that sounds like some may like to attend lyme and anything you can do Rich to encourage that would be good.
If we lose March and have one a month thats 7 excluding the Nationals and I don't think we should have less than that Gordon, what we need is to get more new Phantom owners out racing each other. I'm getting slower and need the competition !!
Ivan

[Olly]

Lyme sounds amazing unfortunately it always falls on the weekend when I’m on my way back from abersoch so I can never attend

[The Belgian]

So I'm not the only one putting on unavoidable clashes, the regatta organisers do it to. Have a word with LRSC Olly and get them to put it on a week later.  I wonder how many others have the same problem. Don't they know how important you are, you are the competitors after all...
Ivan

[Olly]

Not very Ivan haha

[Phil_1193]

Just as a heads up, depending on tides, Creeksea will be around the first weekend in June.

There are a few east that do South and South that do that Eastern event along with some of the midlanders

Ivan - guess it would be good for you to have a chat with Bob Portway to hopefully avoid a clash?

[Cabbage]

Next year Abersoch Week is 21st - 26th July.
If Lyme follows the same calendar as previous years it will be 3 & 4 th August.
So it doesn't clash, but it is the weekend after. Would that still be too close for people?

Other pre-arranged events that spring to mind in the South in August are Poole Regatta, Falmouth Regatta and Chichester Fed regatta. I think they may all be week long affairs though.

[The Belgian]

Will try and avoid any clashes with the eastern region Phil. Could you please PM Bobs contact details.
Thanks
Ivan

[The Belgian]

As you say Rich all a week long, I think Salcombe have a week in August too. I remember a couple of years ago Olly suggested a Phantom holiday week in Abersoch, I think I was the only one to reply to his post, so a non starter.
Maybe it would be best have no Phantom open in August especially if it clashes with Salcombe regatta. 7 Phantoms there now and they travel...
Ivan

[gordon Kingston]

Hi All
 POSH may be a problem anybody recognise the slip on this link.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/pictures-show-how-storm..

[Jim 1400]

2019 Salcombe Yacht Club regatta is 11th to 17th August. I have my accommodation booked...