Continuing the theme started in 2024, and in response to member requests, we’ve included a number of dates where there are no races but the tides are favourable for crews to go out for a practice, training or just a fun sail. You’ll see these dates on the calendar as Sail Training. You’ll also see some new races such as the Rum Cup and the Portishead Regatta; more details nearer the time!
The 2025 Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and other key documents will be added to the racing page in time for the start of the new season.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact the club sailing secretary, Matt Bundell.
With member’s boats coming out of the water for winter maintenance and the temperature dropping, there’s never been a better time for a pint in a warm pub and a discussion about the sailing exploits of the season just passed, the planned maintenance ahead and all the things you’re going to do next season that there wasn’t time for this year!
From Wednesday 4th December 2024, the club’s Wednesday social venue will change to the Siren’s Calling in Portishead Marina. Providing a wide range of craft and Belgian beers together with some fine local ciders, it provides the perfect waterside watering hole for club members to socialise.
While on the subject of socials, the club will also be co-hosting a social with Portishead Yacht and Sailing Club (PYSC) on 8th March 2025. If you have any other social ideas, let us know what you’re thinking. Even better, come and do it over a pint at the Siren’s!
With the sailing season coming to an end, many members are now ashore on the Parish Wharf. With a large demand this year, it’s thanks to the space planning skills of our Parish Wharf team that has ensured everyone who required a spot has been successful.
The one thing we didn’t see coming this year was that due to Health and Safety requirements, our cradles needed to be inspected prior to any boats being stored and this is something that will need to happen on an annual basis. While this came slightly out of the blue this year, the club is already busy working to secure a discounted option for next year. In the meantime, for those already ashore, cradle inspection fees should be paid directly to the club. Contact Pete Bundell with any questions.
If you haven’t yet lifted out, please note that there is a new padlock on the Parish Wharf gate with a combination code. If you don’t have it, please contact Pete in the first instance.
It was a very early start for this year’s Holms Race with 36 boats locking out from 06h30 before waiting for the right time to start their approach to the line. Wind conditions were predicted to be light and while the outbound upwind leg towards the islands had some stretches of solid breeze, as the fleet approached Flat Holm, the wind began to drop making for some testing conditions on the far side of the islands as spinnaker’s were hoisted to complete the rounding of Steep Holm.
On the spinnaker run back, the breeze filled in and the powered up fleet were fast approaching North West Elbow before once again a wind hole developed and bunched the fleet. With the wind absent and the new tide starting to run, crew skills were tested to ensure that when the breeze filled back in, they were in the right place (and facing the right direction!) from which to resume racing.
Approaching the line generated some more fluky conditions and of the 36 boats that started the race, 21 completed the full course. The skill of the Holms Race is to be between the islands at low water and for some of the fleet that had not factored in a dropping breeze, this meant that they could not round the islands before the tide turned.
After the usual lock scramble to get back into the marina (thanks to our friends at Boatfolk for once again perfecting the art of ‘lock Tetris’, it was off to Advance Marine who once again kindly hosted the post event BBQ and prize giving. This year, for the first time, a special award was made for the overall winner of the IRC boats and the BCYA rose bowl was once again awarded to the best placed club overall.
The winners were as follows:
Holms Race Winner Overall – Barefoot, CBYC
Holms Race IRC Winner – Just in Time, CBYC
BCYA Rose Bowl for Top Club, PCC
Click on the links to access all the detail from the overall, IRC and PY fleets.
A big thanks to the Race Control team who were based at Battery Point from the early hours, everyone that competed from clubs across the Bristol Channel and to our sponsors Boatfolk and Advance Marine. We’ll see everyone next year!
The club are pleased to support the RNLI Water Safety Day that will be held by the boat lift/ in front of Hall & Woodhouse on Saturday 5th October. See the RNLI undertake sea safety exercises with a life raft, understand more about the ‘Float to Live’ campaign and bring along your lifejacket to be checked. This must-attend starts at 11h00 so why not pop along and say hi?
The club will have a small stall where those looking to find out more about the club can meet with committee members and learn more about how to get on the water.
Can’t make it but want to know about how to get involved with PCC? Just contact us or pop down to one of the club evenings at The Old Mill on Wednesday nights from 20h30.
Lydney Yacht Club have invited members to attend their annual rally. The event will be on Saturday 7th September 2024. High Water is at 11:06 with a 7.5m tide and as an added incentive, the EA are allowing boats to stay in the harbour free of charge for the event.
Vessels can arrive on the Friday tide should they prefer – if so Will Gissing is planning a pre-Rally get together on Isis Tres. All vessels will need to leave on Sunday’s tide.
The Yacht Club will be holding a BBQ on Saturday evening and they invite any musicians to bring along their instruments for some live music. The bar will be open and camping is available to anyone that wises.
The EA are stating a maximum of 12 boats or so in the harbour so apply early to guarantee the space as LYC will apply a first-come first-served basis.
Please note that the EA require LYC to notify them 7 days in advance and then 24 hours before arrival (you’ll get an email to remind you!)
If you’d like to attend, please email Will Gissing (Will.Gissing@portishead.net) ASAP and let him know the following. An email confirmation will then be provided.
Details of the boat – name, LOA, draft, name of skipper & number of persons on board
Insurance certificates (EA requirement!)
EA Requirements
Please see below the conditions the EA require to be observed for visiting boats. In order to meet point 6 we need to ask you to provide insurance documents. You will note point 1 refers to the risk assessment which can be found here.
1) LYC will ensure full compliance with all Safety Parameters as discussed with the EA and as outlined in the attached Risk Assessment.
2) The overall responsibility for compliance with Lydney Harbour Safety regulations will remain with Lydney Yacht Club – so please behave or we’ll be in trouble!!
3) It will be necessary for all participants’ boat owners to sign a “Letter of Consent,” which the EA will provide to the club later.
4) The EA need details of incoming boats no later than 7 days prior to the event and then confirmation 24 hours before arrival. Will will do this and furnish EA & LYC with the final list including details of the visiting boats.
5) As a gesture of goodwill, this year there will be no mooring fee for the participants; however, please be aware that this may change in the future.
6) Please ensure that all invited boats are fully insured and compliant with local and national marine laws, including River Severn byelaws 1974.
Following on from the previous RNLI Safety At Sea Evening and ahead of this year’s Holms race, we’re giving members another opportunity to get their lifejackets checked and hear advice from the RNLI about how to stay safe when on the water.
On Thursday 19th September, the RNLI clubhouse will be open to PCC members from 18h30 with the presentation starting at 19h00. The evening will also include a tour of the RNLI boathouse after the presentations.
If you missed the last RNLI evening, why not pop along? As a club evening, the RNLI are also happy for you to take along a beer or two to further create a very convivial evening.
The last time members attended, we learnt a lot about the types of callout the volunteers receive and of the lifejackets checked by their water safety team, a staggering 66% failed for very basic reasons – 2 for example didn’t even have the gas canister screwed into the holder within the lifejacket!
Back in July, four PCC boats headed for the bi-annnual International Cork Week. Promising an exhilarating weeks sailing alongside the buzz of an international regatta, PCC crews enjoyed some great time on the water. Of course, this was after they’d made the delivery run from Portishead to Cork which itself can take up to 36 hours of non-stop sailing.
Assembling for a club party at one of the crew houses, conversations focussed on the variable conditions that the teams had this year – from heavy fog to large Atlantic swells through all variations in-between – it certainly was an action packed few days!
Despite the international crowd, PCC boats also held their own in the regatta leaderboard. Ctrl-J and Hero scored 4th and 5th overall in IRC 1, while Scrumpy-J, in their first trip to Cork, secured 5th overall in IRC 2. Assassin, this year racing in the Coastal Fleet, came in 9th overall. With this years total fleet in excess of 110 boats, these are great results for PCC. Congratulations to all the crews that participated!
Turning attention more locally, the club’s major Bristol Channel regatta is rapidly approaching. The Holms Race, where boats from all the local clubs compete, will take place this year on 28th September. Find out more here.
Amongst the racing calendar this year, the sailing committee have introduced Sail Practice Events. These are favourable tides where members can practice sailing manoeuvres such as spinnaker hoist and drops, tacking, gybing, sail trimming and helming outside of race conditions.
The remaining sail practice events for 2024 are as shown below. If your boat hasn’t been beyond the lock for a while and you’d like to practice your sailing manoeuvres in the company of other boats, these may be the events for you! Non-racing members and other Portishead Marina users are all welcome. If you are planning to go out, please let our Sailing Secretary, Matt Bundell know so he can let you know how many other boats will be joining you.
The remaining Sail Practice Events for 2024 are:
1st September, HW 19h21, HT12.1m
14th September, HW 16h57, HT 10.2m
Ordinarily we leave the marina approximately an hour or so before high water and return to the marina an hour or so after high water. This is then typically followed by a pint or two at the sirens to debrief on what was seen from fellow vessels on the water!
Given the recent weather, a club social around Bristol Harbour may not have been a wise choice! However, for our summer social, the sun shone and everyone enjoyed a couple of hours cruising around the harbour, stopping off at the Grain Barge and chatting about the passing view or recent sailing adventures.
Boarding the Bristol Ferry Matilda at the Nova Scotia boarding stage and after dodging the many sailing dinghies, paddle boards and other craft enjoying the good weather, our cruise took in many of Bristol Harbour’s familiar sights.
From a glimpse of the MV Balmoral ensconced in dry dock as she undergoes an extensive refit to the passing of the impressively restored SS Great Britain through to sights of Bristol’s waterfront of yesteryear, it was the perfect venue for this year’s summer social.
If you’d like to join a club that has social events, cruising and racing but don’t know where to start, contact us to find out more! We have our weekly club night from 20h30 at the Old Mill pub at the seaward end of Portishead High Street on Wednesdays and new or prospective members can always be assured of a warm welcome.
