Introduction

A chance for gaff rigged and other traditional sailing boats to sail in the estuary in Arnside. The estuary is overlooked by the Lakeland Fells and offers a scenic location for sailing..

The event is being organised jointly by Arnside Sailing Club and the OGA (North West), the association for gaff rig sailing.

In 2024 the event takes place on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th June.

Arnside

Arnside has a long sailing history. Historically the estuary was the port for Kendal. Crossfields built Morecambe Bay Prawners and yachts in the village from the 1840s to the 1940s. Both Arthur Ransome's Swallow and Coch-y-bonndhu were built in Arnside.

The area is good for walking. Arnside Knott, one of the best viewpoints in the country overlooks the village and there is an excellent path along the coast.

Sailing at Arnside

We hope to organise either racing or a cruise in company towards New Barns, White Creek, Holme Island or Grange. At high tide there is a very large sailing area at Arnside, though shallow in places. The tide comes in with a bore. Winds tend to be more constant than in a lake. The estuary faces south west and benefits from sea breezes. Tide against wind can make for exciting sailing conditions.

Entry Fee and Booking

The event is free to Arnside Sailing Club members, £10 to OGA members but otherwise £15 (This includes temporary membership of Arnside Sailing Club). Part of the entry fees will go towards the restoration of Severn which was built in Arnside in 1912. Price is per boat. (In making the booking just fill in your own details not your crews). We also use the online system for water sports lesson

The price is the same if you are coming for just one day or two days. Once you have registered you should get a questionnaire which asks you how many days you are coming for and crew details.

Launching Times are roughly

Friday 7th June HW 1145

Saturday 8th June HW 1230

We advise arriving at least one to two hours earlier to set up.

Launching will be from the slipway on the Promenade by Ashmeadow. You can either launch at high tide or leave your boat on the beach at low tide and wait for the tide to come in.

Overnight Boat Parking - We hope to arrange overnight parking for a handful of boats in the upper car park in Ashmeadow. When Ashmeadow was formerly Earnseat School. Arthur Ransome's Coch-y-bonndhu was used to teach sailing there. If needed we might be able to arrange further overnight parking elsewhere in the village. Cars can left on the Promenade

Social Activities

After sailing there should be a chance to meet up in our Clubhouse in the Old Custom Houses on the Promenade or in a pub. and time to go for walk up Arnside Knott.

There is a concert by "Those Folks", a magical Australian - American folk duo on Friday evening in the Sailing Club Tickets £12 https://ascclubhouse.co.uk/event/those-folk/ 

We are also looking putting on a regatta ball on Saturday evening.

Our Clubhouse in the Old Custom Houses on the Promenade will be open for refreshments afterwards for 1 to 2 hours.

Overnight Accommodation

There is overnight accommodation in the area in pubs, guest houses, AirBnB, caravan and camp sites. Camper vans are not allowed to park overnight on the Promenade.

Donate to Severn's Restoration

If you would like to make a further donation to Severn's restoration and future maintenance, you can do so via https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/severn-restoration

Conditions

1-Legal Liability

a) By registering to take part, participants accept that they are responsible for themselves, their crew and their boats whether ashore or afloat. The responsibility to participate or continue in the event is theirs alone.

b) Nothing done by the organisers (Arnside Sailing Club or the OGA when applicable), event management team, patrol craft and anyone helping to run the event) will relieve participants of their responsibilities.

c) By sailing in the estuary participants imply the suitability of their boat and the competence of the helm / skipper and crew for the expected or forecast conditions.

d)The provision of safety boats does not relieve participants of their responsibility.

e) Each helm or skipper is responsible for ensuring that their boat is equipped and seaworthy and that the crew and boat have adequate safety equipment.

2.Risk Statement

The person registering for this event accepts and agrees to the following

a) The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in an event or to continue is theirs alone.

b) Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk. By taking part in the event, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that:

c). They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such inherent risk whilst taking part in the event;

d) They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their property whether afloat or ashore;

e) They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omission;

f) Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate;

g) The provision of a race management team, patrol boat if supplied and other officials and volunteers by the event organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities;

h) The provision of patrol boat cover, if supplied, is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances;

i) They are responsible for ensuring that their boat is equipped and seaworthy.

Insurance

a) By registering to take part, you certify that your vessel has adequate third-party insurance cover of at least £2 million and that this insurance is valid whilst racing

We advise arriving at least one to two hours earlier to set up, as the tide will not wait for you. Our clubhouse on the Promenade will be open for refreshments afterwards.