Interested.

As far as I know, a Mac Event has never included any areas East of Chichester e.g. as you say "go around the Bill , exploring up to Arundel and perhaps even to Brighton and back".
I gather there is a slipway at Arundel so a one way cruise from Chichester with a trailer shuttle might be possible.

Stephen
"Duette"

Hi Matt, sorry , I have been away.
The rally would be from the Friday night at start of bank holiday weekend...24th , planning to launch and overnight at Chichester marina. Then for a short rally ending on Monday followed by an extension covering the following week up to Sat/Sun. exact timings and passage plans to be determined following a further appraisal of tide times and interest of participants.
I shall try to get something more concrete up for the next mag . issue.

Hope that is helpful and that you can come. Remind me where you are based and what experience you might have of the area.
Roly Simpson

Thanks John, hope you are ging to be available. Ill perhaps give you a call at the weekend.

Roly

I hope to be there but not sure yet on which boat.
For years I have wanted to take a MacGregor East out of Chichester Harbour (see my post of 24th February). I hope others will also want to stay on after the weekend. We will be relying on yours & John Denman's local knowledge Roly.
Did you think anymore about recovering on the Arun with a trailer shuttle on the way back?
I will "watch this space".
Stephen

Re the extended event :-
Further enquiry at Chichester Marina reveals that they think there would be enough water in their channel for us to get out from approx 8.30 am on Tuesday 28th , so allowing 30 mins to motor to the entrance of Chichester harbour we could then have 2 hours to sail with some tide , and probably wind , with us towards Selsey Bill, to reach the Looe Channel with slight favourable tide between 11 and 12.00 , going into slack water . We would likely have up to 3 hr sail to Littlehampton with some tide against in last 1.5 hrs but keeping inshore this would be minimiised. There would be an option to anchor just off Bognor Regis (small anchorage marked ) for a break and sit out the strongest of tide. Depending on arrival time the options are to either explore up river sraight away and then retun back home the next day or to take a more leisurely day of it the next day, exploring up the Arun either with Macs or in tenders.
Should we prefer or weather dictate I understand there is a Mac suitable slip at Littlehampton sailing club where John Denham is a member. The club will have a dinghy week on but have said they will be happy to welcome us.
Assuming we sail back, my plan would be to try and go to Southsea Marina in Langstone Harbour on 30th , then sail all down the Solent to Yarmouth via newtown Creek on the Friday . Back to explore the full depths of Beaulieu on Saturday and finlly home to Chichester with rising tide , on Sunday (or whichever direction is home port).

Re the Bank Holiday weekend,
I am still hoping to have confirmations from more boats. Just a few of the experienced lot so far.
This event has been planned for fun and versatility, with plenty of poor weatjher options and even the possibilty or non-boaties joining in/meeting up. Chichester harbour offers good safe sailing and cycle routes especially along Hayling Island and along Langstone Harbour. Great views of the Isle of Wight along the beach and a high speed ferry from Southsea to Ryde could enable linkage with boats at Bemmbridge or Ryde. Portsmouth has lots of spectacular visitor attractions for those who want to spend more time there . At Bembridge we can beach our boats at low cost and either BBQ or visit the pub and at Portsmouth we can either more where have done before , next to the old Lighship in view of the Spinnaker tower , or go on up to Port Solent where there are a mass of restaurants and designer shops along the boardwalk....the first has a great view nd good food while that has good food choice etc but could be busy with weekend Sunsail racers.
From Bembridge, there is an possibility of a lunchtime stop at Ryde since highwater Portsmouth will be at 12.50

Provided weather is reasonable , all this sailing should be quite easy and safe and passages of max 2 hours.

Please can all interested boats now confirm to this webbsite re their intentions.

Roly Simpson

Since this event is now less than 2 weeks away I would like to have final confirmation from all those planning to attend , with names of boat , skipper and crew and inteded duration of attendance. Any that hope to attend without boat ie to join another boat as crew , also please let me know either through this event posting or by personal message.
I will send/email further info to all attendees.

So far I have had indication from just a few so if there are others that would attend given a different program please let us know so that we can reconsider.

I know the weather is foul this week but it was similarly poor last year and then we had a great 12 days (till the last !).

Roly Simpson

Well, we were blessed with an amazing break in the weather for the bank holiday weekend. The rally of two boats looked in jeopardy as bad weather for Friday warned us Matt and I not to set out to meet John and Bob on Sonny who were in Cowes . However , fortunartely I read the clouds rather than the forcast and decided we could motor over to the island. We even had a patch of sunshine following us across the Solent while it was raining in Cowes . No sooner had we docked the gale began with waves breaking over the outer pontoons at Cowes Yacht Haven. Next day the sun apperaed and we had a great time at Bembridge and Chichester .
Read more in the magazine !
Roly

PS...it is amazing how things work out. While we were away my mother fell and broke her arm so it is really useful that I am off work but no longer sailing so I can help her sort things out.

Looking ahead now to Plymouth.