CRUISING - INTRODUCTION

From ANTHONY BURDALL - CLASS CRUISING REPRESENTATIVE.

At the AGM in 2006, I found myself Cruising Representative with a remit to organise cruising events for the Class.  So, at the beginning of each year, I start dreaming of warm winds and adventures to come, maybe with some racing successes thrown in on a personal level!

The ability of the wind to propel your Contessa along without having a blue haze from the stern and a steady thump under your feet, are one of the delights of owning such a beautiful craft.   While the racers growl at each other trying to keep a paint thickness clearance from a rusty can dancing around on a 3 knot tide, the cruising folk will be exploring new anchorages or revisiting old favourites... and maybe getting together to share a bottle of wine and yarns of voyages past.  All of which leads to the thought that it is more fun to sail in company with other like minded sailors.

Each year a full programme of cruising events is planned for the Contessa Association with, typically, four main events, each with a distinct theme or focus. They are normally:

• Spring Rally providing sail in company
• Race Weekend for passage race before getting together with the race fleet
• Class Captains Rally for family fun
• End-of-Season meet concerned with Boat maintenance and fitting out.

Details of these and other events are on the Cruising Programme page.

Additionally, via the web site, Cruising Link Up will again operate and also cruiser meets will be arranged both during the week and at weekends.

If like me, you are able to sail during the week you will know how different the Solent when it’s quiet.  You get to choose where to anchor in Newtown Creek.  Alcyone (my Contessa) is regularly out during the week with the Geriatric Cruising Crew (as an alternative to the Alcy 1 race team!) – if you would like to join up please let me know. 

Are you cruising further a field?  If you let me know where and when you are going, I will put you in touch with other boats that may be heading in the same direction.

I look forward to seeing you at some of our events and wish you all a good sailing.

Anthony

A C Burdall

Cruising Captain

Longacre

2 Fernham Road

Faringdon

Oxon SN7 7JY

Tel: 01367 240713

Mob: 0784 135 2938

Email: anthony.burdall@burdall.net