Following last weekends Channel Race, all of our crews have completed the qualification for the Fastnet Race, CONGRATULATIONS to all involved.
Thoughts can now turn on preparation for the race itself and the small intervening distraction of Cowes Week of course!
Alex and I will be relocating to Cowes for the duration providing support for our boats which this year will all be based in East Cowes Marina. Amongst our clients are the current British Police Offshore sailing champions who are hoping to make their mark in the J109 Class (top 10 at least Pete 
).
Good luck to everyone.
David
Posted by karine
With events coming thick and fast over the past few weeks there has barely been time to catch our breath let alone write a blog! Nevertheless after much cajoling I have finally got around to doing it.
The Round The Island race presented it’s normal set of challenges in terms of assembling all of the boats at Port Hamble and getting them ready for our clients. This process was not helped by the somewhat unsettled weather that we had to contend with in the run up to the event. The race itself presented another set of challenges with winds gusting upwards of 30 knots and some pretty lively seas, particularly off St Catherines. Despite this all bar one boat completed the race and apart from a couple of cases of sea sickness everyone survived unscathed.
The Sunday after the race saw the kind of conditions that we all dream of and it seemed that fate was quietly sticking two fingers up at all those who had battled around the Island on the previous day! Uunfortunately we had little time to enjoy the sun as three boats needed to be turned around to join Blind Sailing Week, a cruising event for visually impaired sailors. Jellyfish Charters have supported this event, which is sponsored by Coutts, for the past three years. Over the course of the week those taking part enjoyed fantastic sailing in some of the best conditions that we have seen since April.
Hard on the heals of Blind Sailing Week we hosted the annual Bayer Crop Science sailing regatta. Again we have worked with them for the past three seasons and during that time have encountered some particularly unseasonable weather. It was therefore a huge relief to all when this years event coincided with two days of moderate winds and mostly sunshine! After a practice sail on the first day the crews enjoyed some competitive but fun racing on day two with both windward leeward courses and a round the cans race to finish the day.
Finally this weekend saw three of our boats on the start line for the RORC Cowes-Dinnard-St Malo Race. Again challenging conditions on Friday threatened to turn the whole race into a bit of an endurance test. However, as forecast, conditions improved fairly quickly and the Channel crossing turned into a fairly pleasant overnight sail. By the time much of the fleet was south of Jersey however the weather had the last laugh with the wind dwindling to such an extent that many boats were forced to retire. For those that persevered the last few miles were agonisingly slow and for many the much anticipated prospect of a nice meal in St Malo was cruelly dashed as the need to get back for work on Monday necessitated turning around at the finish and heading straight home.
David
Posted by karine
Firstly a big well done to Kevin and the crew of Jazzy Jellyfish who battled with high winds and big seas to complete the Morgan Cup race to Cherbourg. As one of only two J109s to finish and with only 35 of the original 100 plus entries making it to the finish line this was an achievement to be proud of.
Meanwhile preparations are in full swing for the 80th Round the Island Race on Saturday. With all of our boats taking part and a couple of corporate events between now and then Alex and I are set for a busy week.
Looking slightly further ahead, we still have an option on a J109 for Cowes Week. If you are interested in either bare boat or skippered charter please get in touch.
David
Posted by karine
Well I can safely say that the last two weeks have been some of the busiest and the most eventful since we started the business! It all began with the J109 Nationals which turned out to be our ‘regatta horriblus’. When our first race ended with a crew member being winched into a coastguard helicopter I knew we should have retired gracefully! Things didn’t really improve (apart from for the crew member who was evacuated who got to spend 24 hours in bed being looked after by some very friendly nurses) and two collisions and a bent mast later we finally gave up and limped back to Hamble. After that experience I don’t think any of us will be rushing back to Portland.
What a difference a week makes. The following Friday saw us back out on the water with seven boats for the annual Clerkenwell Cup regatta. This is the first time that Jellyfish Charters has been involved in this event and it was the biggest one design regatta that we have organised so far. Working with Nicki from NCC and the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club we were able to provide a fantastic weekends racing for the guests. With five closely fought windward/ leeward races over the two days, guests and skippers alike had a fantastic time and the last race provided some of the best J109 racing I have been involved in for a long time.
David
Posted by karine
It’s been a busy and exciting week for Jellyfish Charters! After a lot of hard work by the whole team in preparation for our inspection, we were awarded Training Centre status by the RYA. As a result, Jellyfish Charters Training can now offer a full range of RYA practical sailing courses. We are currently in the process of putting together a programme for the remainder of 2011. However if you are interested in booking a course, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to match your requirements.
Meanwhile the charter business continues to be busy with the host of new clients booking events with us. As a result of the growing demand we have reached agreement with two more J109 owners so that we can augment our fleet at peak times.
We currently have limited places available for the RTI aboard a J109 and Cowes Week aboard a J122. If you are interested in either please get in touch!
David
Posted by karine
The RORC off-shore season well and truly got under way with the Cervantes Trophy Race to Le Havre last weekend.
Both Jolly and Jazzy took part in an interesting race that saw the fleet racing out to the West and around the island to Nab Tower before heading for France.
Jolly ended up in a creditable 21st place overall, and both crews learned a lot as they look forward to the rest of the season and the Fastnet Race in particular.
Bookings are coming in thick and fast but we still have a few places available on a J109 for the RTI.
We also have some individual places available on our J122 for Cowes Week, so don’t miss out, get in touch now!
David
Posted by karine
Well I never thought I would be worried about getting sun burnt whilst working on the boats in April! We haven’t seen a cloud in Hamble since I don’t know when!
Not surprisingly we are very busy with many of our clients taking advantage of the fantastic conditions even so we still have some availability over the next few weeks for late comers!
Give us a call, you might well be lucky!!
Posted by karine
With Christmas fast approaching, yachting may not be uppermost in your mind, but what better way to while away those long winter evenings than planning your sailing programme for 2011. With preferential rates for early bookings, Jellyfish Charters can help you get as much time out on the water as possible.
For next year we are offering a complete range of bare-boat and skippered options across a whole range of racing events. With 2011 being a Fastnet year, there will undoubtedly be much interest in this and the rest of the RORC and JOG programme. We currently still have a J109 available for the Fastnet Race itself as well availability throughout the rest of the offshore programme. In addition we will be offering berths on Jolly Jellyfish, our J122, for a Fastnet Campaign including training and qualification races.
As always there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy one design racing on one of our J109s with events from January to December including Cowes Week and of course the J109 nationals that will take place this year at the National Sailing Centre in Portland. Please see the attached list for more details of regattas and races throughout the season.
In addition our boats are of course available for cruising charters throughout the year with some highly competitive rates for low season weekends and mid week bookings right through the season.
So whilst you are deciding on your sailing options for the new year, spare a thought for Alex and I who will be busy (in the wet and cold!) making sure that the boats are in tip top condition inside and out. With a full schedule of winter works we will be working hard to ensure that we can continue to offer the fleet of fully prepared and properly maintained boats that our reputation is built on.
Remember, just like Christmas, the new season will sneak up on you and before you know it the sun will be twinkling of the water as a gentle breeze ruffles the surface and you will be standing on the shore looking wistfully at the yachts sailing past kicking yourself for not contacting Jellyfish Charters sooner!
Posted by karine
It has been another busy week for jellyfish Charters in what is set to be our best season so far.
Two of our J109s have been enjoying fantastic conditions down in the west country as they take part in the annual Blind Sailing wee. Working with Coutts bank this is the second season that we have provided boats for this event and the J109s have proved to be very popular with the visually impaired sailors taking part.
Meanwhile our J122 Jolly Jellyfish has been made ready for this weekends Cowes , Dinard, St Malo race. We are looking forward to setting off later today with a full crew keen to gain experience of RORC racing. If you would like to join us for future off shore races please get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the packages that we have available.
Posted by karine
Jellyfish Charters were out in force for this year’s RTI. The early start was more than made up for by the spectacle of the sun rising over the fleet as it made its way down the Western Solent. All of our guests enjoyed a fantastic days sailing with all of the crew members fully participating in the running of the boats. Of particular note was the performance of Jumping Jellyfish which came a creditable third in class and won the trophy for the first sailing school boat to finish.
The day was rounded off with a very welcome beer (or three!) and some interesting target practice involving some large catapults and water bombs!
Posted by karine
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