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NL70 Weekly Update

Final Numbers
Please let us know. Now urgent. Advice about non attendance is as important, if not more so at this late stage so we
can get final numbers. Our caterers and suppliers are waiting for our best estimates. You will see from the
Commitment and Invoice form we have built in the possibility of reducing bookings and allowing us to make refunds.
Let me know as soon as you know your plans have changed please. Cruising Reps, Nominal Rolls soonest to me so we
can tally the individual event totals for food & drink orders.

Extras
We may be able to accommodate additional boats, but time is short to get the Port Security information to Caen. Let
us know and we will see what we can do.

AIS Transceivers
If you have an AIS transceiver please let me know the boats identity so that we can track the progress of the various
groups. Nothing worse standing on the waiting pontoon at Ouistreham on the 4
th
wondering where everyone is.

Berthing
Please let us know as you pass the Ouistreham East Cardinal buoy as you approach. Call Julie Marie on VHF Channel
72,. We will supply any update on berthing and hopefully a boat name to associate with. In that way we are starting
to gather you into similar sized groups which will help berthing in the Marina. The mobile 00 44 771 157 6843 and
0771 157 6843 in UK will be switched on throughout.
It is not our intention to greet every lock opening. Sorry but the am locks on Tuesday 3
rd
, am until 06:30 on
Wednesday 4
th
and 05:30 on 5
th
will not be attended. Find a space on Walkway D, west side and be prepared to
move to your allocated spot soon after 12:00 so that the afternoon openings can slot straight in. If arriving out of
hours, particularly at night the waiting pontoon in the outer harbour is a suitable holding area. The lock has vertical
wires and very rough concrete walls.
It is the Marinas responsibility to safety berth you. Both from a H&S perspective and Insurance point of view.
However we will be influencing them for the benefit of the participants. They will have their own routine. When
coming out of the lock try to stay with similar sized boats. If progress into the Marina is held up wait out in the canal
where there is more space. Dont however impede any other canal users. Vessels will have to be rafted together,
with similar LOA sized vessels. I know most of us dont like to be rafted but it is the only way to accommodate the
numbers. The present six groups are (1) less than 9 metres, (2) 9 & over towards 10 metres. (3) 10m, (4) 10.5+, (5)
11&12 and (6) 13&14 metre. Plus the Services Offshore Regatta group. The idea is to have a 2 metre gap between
each raft to facilitate shore lines. Apologies if this is teaching you to suck eggs. I know of the great reluctance by
leisure boaters to consider shore lines. The inshore boats to have bow and stern lines with fore and aft springs. Boat
2 ditto. Boat 3 and 5 to have shore lines as well. It is likely that the angle from Boat 5 onwards to the shore line will
be ineffective. In that case a head and stern line to the next raft please. This helps keep the raft straight and
minimises the strain on the inside, alongside boat. The under 9 metre boats may well go inside the D walkway (east
side) two abreast. The rest will raft out board (west side) of the D walkway. The 9 metre boats will be at the north
(lock end), increasing in size so the 13/14 metre boats will be at the south opposite the Marina Facility Block (Caen
end). There may be a delay in getting headlines from the 13&14 meter yachts as these could foul the under 9 metre
boats going inside the walkway. Once all small vessels are in the headlines for 13/14 metre vessels can be rigged. I
am envisaging all boats face outwards towards Caen, to allow quick exit in an emergency and to minimise eventual
departure time. That is opposite to the Google map we included in last weeks briefing. On arrival a quick turn round

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to face out and secure alongside will be the order of the day. Remember there is likely to be a queue of fellow RNSA
and RNVR yachts behind you. No BBQs on boats in the Marina. Picnic area provided.
We will have a small berthing party. The best plan (A) seeks to have someone on the waiting pontoon outside the
lock, maintaining the VHF inter ship contact, Call Julie Marie to give you a clue about the berthing arrangement
inside. Unlikely we will be able to verbally communicate with you whilst in the lock because of health and safety
issues. (Large vertical drop). We may have someone at the entrance, adjacent to the fuel berth and more likely on
the end on walkway B giving directions. There is a set of numbers which the D walkway team will hold up to guide
each boat to its respective raft along with Gallic gestures. . Good humour please throughout the berthing activity.
Stick to the plan otherwise I might develop my Mr Grumpy persona. Like you I am there to enjoy myself.
Event Attendance
Tickets will be handed to your Branch/Club Cruising Representative at the Early Bird Ice Breaker networking session
on Wednesday 4
th
June 2014. All four events are on the same ticket. If not booked the inappropriate function will be
deleted. We do not expect you to cut the card into four but to retain for all four events as evidence of entitlement.
We have arranged a supply of Town Plans which we will distribute at the same time as tickets.

Cruising Representatives
Each Branch and Club has a Cruising Representative. Please keep them advised of your progress, difficulties change
of plans etc. They in turn will supply bulk info to the organisers. The detail is at Branch and Club level. The rest of us
deal in numbers. 66 boats and 249 people is Whoops todays total 59 boats and 231 people but changing daily.

Thanks
The organisation has benefitted tremendously from the Contributions of the seven Cruising Representatives, aided
by Gale Bryans RNSA East Coast Secretary who has fielded all our contact with the French and Rear Commodore
Cruising, Tim Clark keeping us in order. We have had a lot of assistance from the French, in the Town, the Marina
and the Yacht Club. We will thank them at the Evening Cocktail Reception on 6
th
June 2014. It is expected that we
will have our own veteran, Mr Donald Rhodes present at the Evening Cocktail Reception on the 6
th
. An honour.

Further Updates
Will try to supply another update later in the month to pick up any twists and turns in our plans. Otherwise each
evening event has briefing slot so we can tell you of the opportunities for the following days and what might have
changed.

From Rear Commodore (Cruising)
The cut off date has passed, and we still have quite a number of skippers who are undecided for various reasons, but
most often to do with crewing and readiness for the passage. Just remember this, WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US IN
OUISTREHAM. It will be the experience of a lifetime and something that none of us is likely to see again. Apart from
that, we have put together a tremendous package of activities and events FOR YOU. So when you read this, dispel
your misgivings, commit and join us, or crew with someone else so that they can go too. Cruising Secretaries please
help by using your legendary persuasive powers! You wont regret it!!

Terry Corner
Event Facilitator
0771 157 6843
12 May 2014