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Noticeboard
The Noticeboard informs BoatDistrict visitors of forthcoming events and further information.
It achieves this by offering businesses free advertisement of information they submit to BoatDistrict.
If you are a business and you wish to post your event/newsletter information for 2012 on this page, you can:-

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Scudamores Punting Company
www.punting.co.uk
Valentines' Punts 2012
From Friday 10th to Saturday 18th February, we are offering couples a special rate for a private chauffeured punt to celebrate Valentine's Day. Tours last 30 minutes and include a long-stemmed red rose.
This tour must be pre-booked no less than 48 hours in advance. Booking slots are available on demand, from 10:00 until 19:00 each day. Tours after dusk are lit by the soft glow of Chinese lanterns.
Bookings can be made by phone, email or online. This tour can only be taken from our Mill Lane station.
Rates:
The price below is for a private chauffeured punt for two along the College Backs, with blankets, hot water bottles and a complimentary red rose.
Weekdays before 17:00: £65.00.
Weekdays 17:00 onwards and weekends: £75.00.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Please note: this service must be pre-booked in advance and is not available on-station.

Appledore Sails
www.appledoresails.co.uk
Newsletter Jan 2012
Happy New Year to Everyone.
Despite the bad weather of last summer, and the cancelling of our planned trip to ‘Obby Orse Day in Padstow for May Day, a Scilly Isles trip, and the Lundy Race, we ended up with a reasonable season.
In May I had a ten day trip helping to move a friend’s boat from Corfu, up through Albania and Montenegro to Dubrovnik in Croatia. Despite all the warnings, sailing in Albania was delightful; the people very hospitable, and the several hour long thunderstorm was breath-taking. An evening in Montenegro was particularly interesting when no one in the small harbour spoke any English, but we were fed and watered and somehow ended up with a spare chicken! Another night we were moored by several Montenegro war ships with the gun barrels aimed directly at us.
In July an eight day leisurely trip took in Ilfracombe, Penarth, Bristol, Cardiff and Watermouth. It is always a lovely trip up the Avon, through Clifton Gorge and into the floating harbour where we found our favourite mooring right in the town centre was vacant and waiting just for us! An extra day off in Cardiff allowed us to visit the castle at last and was well worth the wait.
September saw a rather elongated trip to Tenby and South Wales hiding out as consistent storms blew a good force 10. It did mean we had a bird’s eye view of the Wales Iron Man competition from Tenby Harbour which was a wonderful day and we will return for the next one. However much of our coastal exploring was done by bus in torrential wind and rain rather than by sea!
Many day sails saw trips to Clovelly for pub lunches, or mooring and anchoring practice, and there were several training and pleasure days spent out in the bay. Several people were introduced to sailing on short half day trips, and ashes were scattered for those who loved the sea.
Jez-y-belle was not to be left out with many sailing and motor trips around the estuary including those for wedding anniversaries and birthdays. She was well pleased with her starring appearance in the BBC Coast Programme.
Both boats are now out of the water, scrubbed, cleaned, and getting ship shape for next year when bookings already include the Lundy Race and a trip to the Scillies, with another pending.
We look forward to the new season; we hope you will come sailing with us. Remember the boats will be back in the water around the 1st April. Please book early to avoid disappointment. Anyone with sailing experience is welcome to come down to ‘Obby ‘Orse on May 1st. We will go down the day before and back to day after but tide times will mean some night time sailing. Patron is also available for the Clovelly Folk Festival 4th-6th May where you will be guaranteed a ‘birds-eye’ view.
If you have any ideas or times when you would like to go out, just let me know and I will see how I can help.

Scottish Seabird Centre
www.seabird.org
The Harbour, North Berwick, EH39 4SS. 01620 890202.
All events are FREE for members, or included in the entry price to the Discovery Centre for non- members, unless otherwise stated. Entry to the Discovery Centre is £7.95 for adults, £4.50 for children and £5.95 for concessions. Book tickets online in advance at www.seabird.org.
January
Puffin Club - Weekends and holidays, 14:00-15:00, FREE - Fun 'make and do' sessions for kids age 4 to 8.
Nature Photography Awards exhibition. To Feb 2012, opening hours, FREE. Vote for your favourite out of our shortlist for the sixth annual Photography Awards.
Russell Childs exhibition. To 31 Jan, opening hours, FREE. Beautiful wildlife by a local photographer, with all framed photographs for sale.
Storytime by the Sea. 6 Jan, 14:00, FREE. Kids can snuggle down for stories by the sea - ideal for age 2 to 5.
Wild About Art: Feed the Birds. 15 Jan, 14:00-16:00, FREE. Use natural and recycled materials to make some tasty garden decorations, ideal for hungry winter birds. Drop-in kids session with Alchemy Arts.
February
Nature Photography Awards exhibition. To 4 March 2012, opening hours, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Until early February see the shortlisted entries for the sixth annual Nature Photography Awards. From 10 February, the winners will be unveiled!
Mini Makers. Weekends, 14:00-15:00, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Fun ‘make and do’ sessions for kids age 4 to 8.
Walking with Birds with the RSPB. 8 February - Linlithgow. Contact Eppie Sweeney on 0131 445 4379.
Stories of the Sea. 16 February, 19:00-21:00. Tickets £7/£6 (kids & concessions) to be purchased in advance from the Centre or by calling 01620 890202. Suitable for age 8+. Treasures of stories and songs from Scotland's seashores. Learn about the real Selkie of Sule Skerrie from the hearthside of Marion MacRae, based on traditional music, song and story as told by Singer Storyteller Lea Taylor. Hear haunting songs and stories of the sea accompanied by renowned clarsach player and storyteller Heather Yule. An innovative performance guaranteed to delight, enthral and entrance - not to be missed.
Walking with Birds with the RSPB. 18 February - Musselburgh. Contact Margaret Harrison on 01506 844 580.
Scottish Seabird Centre Walking with Birds. 22 February - Musselburgh. Contact Tony and Ann Elger on 01620 842 525.
March
Mini Makers. Weekends, 14:00-15:00, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Fun ‘make and do’ sessions for kids age 4 to 8.
Nature Photography Awards exhibition. To 4 March 2012, opening hours, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. See the winners, and the shortlist, from the sixth annual Nature Photography Awards.
The Smallest Kingdom - flora and fauna of the Cape of Good Hope. 5 March, 19:30, tickets £4/£3. Many years ago, RSPB Conservation Officer Mike Fraser took a trip to the inaccessible, uninhabited island in Tristan da Cunha group in the South Atlantic which is home to approx. three million seabirds. On the way home he called in at Cape Town and was offered a research post at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town. Based initially at a field station in the Cape of Good of Good Hope Nature Reserve at the tip of the Cape Peninsula, Mike soon became captivated by the region’s unique wildlife and lived at the Cape for the next 12 years. Mike has written three books on the natural history of the Cape, all illustrated by his wife, Liz, a botanical and wildlife artist. Their latest book, The Smallest Kingdom, describes the history of plant collecting at the Cape and the many flowers that it has given to the gardens of the world. The Smallest Kingdom is published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and was recently a finalist in the Inspirational Book of the Year category of the Garden Media Guild Awards, the ‘Oscars’ of garden writing. Information about the book can be found at www.thesmallestkingdom.co.uk. Mike’s illustrated talk at the Centre will describe the extraordinary diversity of wildlife found at the Cape and some of the pioneering explorers who first discovered it. Most remarkable is its floral richness - the region supports over 9,000 species of plant, with Table Mountain alone being home to more species than the British Isles.
Coastal Power exhibition. 10 March - 7 May, opening hours, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. COASTAL POWER is a new exhibition which explores both the science and environmental issues associated with the construction of wave energy, tidal energy and offshore wind farms around the coastline of Scotland. Video and poster displays examine the role of Scottish companies such as Pelamis and Aquamarine in some of the exciting new developments in wave energy and discuss the future of renewable energy around the coastline. The exhibition includes paintings by Glasgow artist Marianne Greated and visitors can also generate their own waves with an interactive model wave tank.
Walking with Birds with the RSPB. 18 March - Tyninghame. Contact Margaret Harrison on 01506 844 580.
Scottish Seabird Centre Walking with Birds. 21 March - Aberlady Bay. Contact Gordon Spiers on 01675 820 971 or 07763467790.
Walking with Birds with the RSPB. 28 March - Gosford Estate/Longniddry Bents. Contact Eppie Sweeney on 0131 445 4379.
Professor Egghead’s Aqua Adventures. 31 March to 15 April, 14:00-15:00 daily, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. We have travelled the world with Tommy the Tern, battled the elements to save Puffin Planet and now it is time to dive deep under the sea in Professor Egghead Aqua-Adventures. Take a closer look at what weird, wonderful and dangerous things live beneath the waves! Part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
April
Mini Makers. Weekends, 14:00-15:00, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Fun ‘make and do’ sessions for kids age 4 to 8.
Wild About Art. 4 April, 14:00-16:00, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Join in the Wild About Art fun with Alchemy Arts and get stuck in to create something amazing from recycled, scrap and natural material.
Coastal Power exhibition. To 7 May, opening hours, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. COASTAL POWER is a new exhibition which explores both the science and environmental issues associated with the construction of wave energy, tidal energy and offshore wind farms around the coastline of Scotland. Video and poster displays examine the role of Scottish companies such as Pelamis and Aquamarine in some of the exciting new developments in wave energy and discuss the future of renewable energy around the coastline. The exhibition includes paintings by Glasgow artist Marianne Greated and visitors can also generate their own waves with an interactive model wave tank.
Wild About Art. 4 April, 14:00-16:00, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. Join in the Wild About Art fun with Alchemy Arts and get stuck in to create something amazing from recycled, scrap and natural material.
Shearwater. 5 April, 19:00-21:00. Tickets £7/£6 (kids & concessions) to be purchased in advance from the Centre or 01620 890202. Suitable for age 8+. Shearwater explores a world of beauty, loss, longing and timeless truth through personal and mythic stories and songs. It gracefully balances the heartfelt and the humorous, and was created not simply as a piece of entertainment but to help raise awareness of the very real threats to the survival of seabirds.
Scottish Seabird Centre Walking with Birds. 11 April - Longniddry Railway Walk. Contact Judy Greenwood on 01368 863 296.
Professor Egghead’s Aqua Adventures. To 15 April, 14:00-15:00 daily, included with entry into the Discovery Centre. We have travelled the world with Tommy the Tern, battled the elements to save Puffin Planet and now it is time to dive deep under the sea in Professor Egghead Aqua-Adventures. Take a closer look at what weird, wonderful and dangerous things live beneath the waves! Part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Walking with Birds with the RSPB. 25 April - Penicuik Estate. Contact Eppie Sweeney on 0131 445 4379.

Poole Sailing Ltd
www.poolesailing.co.uk
We have published a winter programme which includes our popular Boat Handling and Sail Trim courses, based on Rob Gibson's books, as well as RYA shore based courses through to March 2012.
If you have any preference for any training events or extended cruises next year perhaps you could let us have some dates which best suit you and we will try to accommodate them in our 2012 programme, which is currently being compiled. A 10% discount will be given for any event booked before the end of November this year.
Finally, don't forget that discounts are available for families of four or more and gift vouchers can be purchased as presents for special occasions.

Sea Searcher Boat Trips
www.seasearcher.co.uk
New programme for the start of the 2012 season now available below. We will be starting the season on March 17th and 18th with the Kent Big Day Out, running Harbour sightseeing trips from 1200 (weather permitting). We will also be using a new larger boat with better facilities by Easter. All prices held again.
Dates and times for open seal and wildlife watching trips.
A one and a half hour trip to a local seal colony in a National Nature Reserve, cost £20 per person. APRIL
Friday 6 0930, Saturday 7 1000, Thursday 12 1530, Saturday 21 1000, Sunday 22 1030.
We are running open 3 hour trips, especially suitable as a taster of sea angling. Rod hire and bait included in the price of £25.00 per person.
0900 to 1200.
MARCH
Saturday 24, Sunday 25, Saturday 31.
APRIL
Sunday 8, Monday 9, Wednesday 11, Friday 14, Saturday 15, Saturday 28, Sunday 29.
Open full day fishing trips 0900 to 1630 £45 per person, rod and bait included.
APRIL
Sunday 1.

Hobbs of Henley
www.hobbsofhenley.com
Special Offer on our Mother's Day Cruise
Special offer on our Mother's Day Cruise ...
Early Bird Offer on our Mother's Day Cruise.
Why not treat your Mother to a unique Mothers Day Lunch aboard our mostluxurious vessel on the River Thames, The New Orleans, on Sunday 18th March from 12.30pm-3.30pm.
Book before 29th February 2012 and you will receive 10% off each ticket booked!
A wonderful three course meal and drink on arrival is included in the price of £35.00 per person (children's menu available),ensuring that no-one has to cook on Mum's special day!
Competition!
Coming soon - Mother's Day Cruise competition in The Henley Standard! A chance to win two tickets for the cruise worth £70!

Gerrards Cross Sailing Association (GXSA)
www.gxsa.org.uk
Wednesday January 11th, Jeremy Batch, From Galileo to Galileo – A History of Navigation
Regular attendees will recall Jeremy’s previous excellent talks on the Lee Valley and the History of Docklands which not only had compelling well researched historical content, but also made stunning use of PowerPoint.
This time Jeremy will tell us about the history of navigation from the time of Galileo (1564-1642) "The founder of modern Astronomy" to today's Galileo - the new European Satellite navigation system.
This will be a most interesting, informative and enjoyable talk and a perfect introduction to our Spring 2012 programme. We look forward to seeing you there.
19:45 for 20:15 at the Memorial Centre. Visitors welcome.
Wednesday January 18th, Charles Sandison, The Sydney Hobart Race – Father and Sons
Charles will describe some of the background to the race, its preparation and build up before the start as well as the event itself.
He sailed with four friends and four sons in a chartered Beneteau First 47.7 down the east coast of Australia across the Bass Strait to Hobart in Tasmania.
In 2006 the weather was inclement. Large number of yachts retired.
Charles has sailed all his life, is a long time member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and has raced extensively offshore He now cruises his 43 ft catamaran, sailing round Britain in 2006 and later to the Mediterranean.
Gerrards Cross memorial centre bar opens 19:45 for 20:00 talk.
Wednesday January 25th, James and Carol Littlewood, Arcticulating Bear – Paddington to the Arctic
Members will recall James’s excellent talk two years ago on his two year cruise to the Baltic. The following year he was to attempt a return voyage from Suffolk to the Norwegian Fiords and promised to come and tell us about his experiences if he made it to the Arctic Circle.
He did – and here is the talk.
Stories of wonderful scenery, clear light, empty moorings and lots of encounters normally denied to most south and east coast yachtsmen.
As ever James’ and Carol’s presentation will be superb showing their Moody Eclipse 38 “Paddington IV” at her best. If you don’t make it to this talk, you will be missing a dream.
19:45 for 20:15 at the Memorial Centre. Visitors welcome.
GXSA Spring Programme 2012
The committee of GXSA is pleased to announce the weekly programme of talks for the Spring of 2012.
You will see that our first speaker on January 11th is Jeremy Batch. Jeremy has addressed GXSA twice before and on each occasion gave an excellent well researched and prepared presentation. This time he will be talking on the history of navigation to the present day. We do hope that you will be able to find time to join us.
The remainder of the programme has talks covering a wide range of nautical topics. When you have a moment, please review it and select those talks of particular interest. Even as a non member of the Association, you will be given a warm welcome should you decide to visit us.
Meantime, may we wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and good sailing in 2012.

Beaufort Charters Limited
www.aquavitesse.co.uk
Aquacast - ISSUE 18 / 2012
2012 has got to be better than 2011!!
We spent more time last year cancelling because of high winds and returning deposits than fishing. Unfortunately over 50 trips were cancelled because of the bad weather and when we could go to sea, the fishing was not the best. Some days were great but too often we were chasing the fish for very little result.
We anglers are nothing if not optimistic and 2012 promises to be one of the best years for Pollack, with reports of Pollack already on the mid Channel wrecks.
LURES FOR POLLACK
Drift fishing for Pollack is one of the Skippers favourite types of fishing and you need to be fit as well as skilled to really achieve the best. The difference between having an average day and landing the fish of a lifetime is to listen to the Skipper!
The Skipper knows what lure is working well, ask him, not the Tackle Shop. It’s not always the most expensive lure that is catching. Listen to the skipper when he says where the boat is in relation to the wreck, not only will you have a better chance of catching fish but you could really save yourself pounds by not losing gear to the wreck.
Watch other anglers who are catching and take note of their speed of retrieve and number of turns up that are working, all very important information!
OUR PREFERRED SET UP FOR DRIFT FISHING
The French boom should be placed as near to the bottom snap swivel as possible to prevent tangles and it is always good to attach the lead with a rubber band, so it acts as a weak link. If you happen to get the lead caught in the wreck it is better to lose the lead rather than all your tackle. Trace line length is always up for debate but best to start with 8 – 10 feet and lengthen once you can handle the tackle without tangles, some good anglers go up to 25 feet! A swivel is sometimes attached half way down the trace length, to prevent tangles. However this always seems to have the opposite effect, keep it simple, and finally make sure your tackle is not tangled before it disappears under the water. If it is tangled on the way down it will be tangled on the way up, a piece of logic that seems to escape half the anglers who come on board!
WEEKENDS
Sorry, but this year weekends are off the availability checker, only the occasional Saturday will we be working. Remember we also do not work on adverse tides, simply, strong tides means fishing becomes very much harder and on some tides is a waste of time.
TRAINING FOR OUR NEW 2012 CREW
To see the type of rigorous training we put all potential recruits through please look at this link: www.aquavitesse.co.uk/latestsea-fishing-news
FLORIDA
At the end of last year we managed to get away from the high winds and cold weather on a 7 day trip to Key West in Florida, great fishing as always, an amazing variety and every fish from the smallest Pin Fish really puts up a fight. Skippers best was a Lemon Shark of 150 lbs and 5 foot long, but no photos as it was released by the side of the boat, it seems to grow in size every time the story is told!
BRIGHTON POLLACK COMPETITION
The famous Pollack competition is this year set for Monday 19th March with a fall back date of Tuesday 3rd April. You need to be in it to win it!

Arrow Yacht Enterprises
www.sail-help.co.uk
Sticky's MailSplat for Christmas 2011 - TRANS ATLANTIC, FIRST AID, & THEORY
I said my November mailsplat would be the last this year, but I have a little more news which may be of interest.
Trans Atlantic:
This trip is now scheduled to start during the autumn of 2012 and the destination is still Colombia. I am off to chat to the organisers on 10th January and will report in my next newsletter. The boat is a bit larger than St Jean de la Lune and has 30 berths . The outline passage plan with legs has yet to be firmed up.
First Aid:
I am running a first aid course on Saturday 28th January either here in Cheltenham or close to South Cerney. Cost is £65 a head which includes an up to date first aid manual. If I fail to get the requisite six for a course, the charge will have to be increased.
Theory Courses:
I am planning on running theory courses over the winter months as follows:
Day Skipper 21/22 Jan 2012, 25/6 Feb, 24/5 March only one taker at the moment.
Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore 7/8 Jan, 11/12 Feb, 10/11 March.
Courses will be run here in Cheltenham or if there is sufficient need, at a venue near you.
I shall be running, on demand, VHF radio courses (short range certificate) and also the Yachtmaster Ocean theory course. Please email me if interested.
Trip to Iceland:
A potential Yachtmaster Ocean has asked me if any of you may be planning a trip to Iceland or know of one. He is a volunteer crew either as skipper, mate or whatever. Please email me if you can help.
A very happy Christmas to you all, and let us hope that things improve in 2012.
Nov 2011 Mailsplat
Had an interesting delivery of a Dufour 45 to Malta, forestay broke just off Ushant. I supported the mast with two spinnaker halyards as well as the foresail halyard. Spare part failed to arrive in Gibraltar so we ended up motoring nearly 3000 miles all the way to Valetta. It is a long saga.
The delivery of the square rigged ketch to Colombia is on a bit of "hold" at the moment, 30 of you have expressed an interest, so I will update you separately as and when I have any news. If the passage does take place, it will not be until autumn 2012.
I am running theory courses over the winter and the programme looks something like this:
Day Skipper (DST).
Yachtmaster Coastal (YMT).
Yachtmaster Offshore (YMT).
Yachtmaster Ocean (YMO).
Short Range Certificate for VHF radio (SRC).
DST and YMT taught over three weekends, one a month over three months.
YMO taught either over five days or one weekend of three days and one of two days.
SRC taught and assessed during one day.
YMT 7th - 8th January, 11th - 12th February, 10th - 11th March.
DST 21st- 22nd January, 25th - 26th February, 24th - 25th March.
Astro Navigation Course, on demand.
SRC 18th February and 17th March.
If you need a course and have a quorum of four, I am happy to run any course near your home. At the moment I have lecture rooms in Wiltshire and Gloucester.
If you need a practical course over the next four months or so, email me and I will see what I can do. The sailing schools are not keen to run a course unless there are at least five students on board.
Remember the J Class race takes place in the Solent on 21st July 2012, details for watching the round the island race are on my website.
I will not be sending out another mailsplat until the new year, unless a course falls one or two short, so I wish you all a very happy Christmas and let us hope that 2012 is a better year than 2011, I do not mean just for sailing!
Sticky's MailSplat for September 2011
Trans-Atlantic
I have been asked to help in the delivery of a 72' ketch to Cartagena in Colombia. 12 berths are available and the outline plan is:
Leg 1 Plymouth to La Coruna 530M
Leg 2 La Coruna to Canary Islands 1140M
Leg 3 Canaries to St Vincent 3010
Leg 4 St Vincent to Cartagena 1032M
All distances are approximate, departure late 2011 or early 2012. I will be putting out full details after my return from Malta next month, but if you are interested please send me a missile!
Theory Courses
I am running theory courses over the winter months as follows:
Day Skipper 26/27 Nov, 17/18 Dec, 21/22 Jan 2012
Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore 3/4 Dec, 7/8 Jan, 11/12 Feb 2012
Courses will be run either here in Cheltenham, or in the Solent area or where you wish if you can produce a quorum of four.
I shall be running, on demand, VHF radio courses (short range certificate) and also the Yachtmaster Ocean theory course. Please email me if interested.