Hampton Court

ASC Annual Rally Thames Sailing Club Sunday, 13th September 2009

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ASC Annual Rally Not all our members enjoy the frenetic adrenaline rush of racing. For our cruising members we’re running a rally to Thames Sailing Club near Hampton Court. The Rally will be an opportunity to meet our new members, all of whom are desparate to, in the words of Mark Twain, “Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” and have fun on a leisurely cruise along the Thames. This booklet should, hopefully, contain all the information required to enjoy your rally, whether novice or a budding Eleen MacArthur. Stuffed full of useful information like what to do and see en route, how to moor up in a raft and what to bring. Like all good sailing excursions, details of a backup, badweather plan are included.

Date, Time etc. • Date: Sunday, September 13th 2009 • Time: 10:30 BST for an 11:00 BST start • Cost: Share of mooring fees and BBQ food • Boats: Suitable for all sloop rigged dinghies with steppable masts Please Email [email protected] to book your boat.

Hampton Court A Royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London; it has not been lived in by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located 11.7 miles

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(18.8 km) south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames. It was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, a favourite of King Henry VIII, circa 1514; in 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the palace was passed to the King, who enlarged it. The following century, William III’s massive rebuilding and expansion project intended to rival Versailles was begun. Work halted in 1694, leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque. While the palace’s styles are an accident of fate, a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and an, albeit vague, symmetrical balancing of successive low wings. Today, the palace is open to the public, and is a major tourist attraction. The palace’s Home Park is the site of the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival and Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Along with St. James’s Palace, it is one of only two surviving palaces out of the many owned by Henry VIII.

Thames Sailing Club Thames Sailing Club, the UKs oldest river sailing club. Located between Surbiton and Kingston on the Surrey bank of the River, the Victorian clubhouse overlooks one of Londons most beautiful stretches of the river, bordered as it is by Hampton Court Grounds on the Middlesex bank. Home to a large fleet of Thames A Raters.

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Getting There 1: To the bridges

Section 1 takes the fleet from the ASC clubhouse south towards Stephen’s Ait (the island). Stephen’s Ait is home to the Small Boat Club. For safety reasons, dinghies should stay between Stephen’s Ait and the Middlesex Bank. On the left, as you pass the island is the (in-)famous Boater’s Inn and a park which, during summer time often hosts Sunday Concerts. Wait near the bridges for the safety baot to ferry you through. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS YOURSELF!

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2: Rounding the Horn

The next section takes us down through the relatively short Kingston section and out into the open countryside, with Hampton Court Palace being off to the right. The First island of consequence is Raven’s Ait. Thames Sailing Club is located on the left just after we pass the island.

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3: The Final Stretch aka Channel Fever

Following the bend of the river around to the right, we come across the final stretch to Hampton Court. Exploring this stretch is dependant on time.

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Reference Mooring

Mooring in a “raft” is easy. Each boat ties itself to the next one in using bow and stern breast lines and to the shore to spread the load. See the diagram!

Life on a long(-ish) trip Taken from the Island Sailing Club Round the Island Race nutrition guide: If a crew members store of glycogen is low, they will experience fatigue, light headedness, heavy muscles and a decrease in exercise intensity. Crew grab bags - small packets of dried fruit or nuts which can be kept in a pocket - are a good idea. Quick and easy items can be cereal bars, bananas, raisins, meal replacement shakes, sandwiches or bread (with honey, jam, banana), oatmeal biscuits, rice cakes, yoghurt drinks. Fluids are essential. Do not rely on feeling thirsty as a trigger to replace fluids, as that time may already be too late. Dehydration leads to impaired performance, fatigue, irritability and finally to delirium. During the race the requirement becomes en-

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ergy plus hydration so isotonic drinks are a solution as they provide the maximum. Ordinary soft drinks are not recommended as they need to be diluted with fluid from the body which therefore exacerbates dehydration. Carbonated drinks can cause heartburn and stomach discomfort. Caffeine, cola, tea, coffee and sports drinks containing Guarana (Red Bull) are stimulants which increase alertness but also act as diuretics. For anyone feeling seasick, bland foods are best: bread, rolls, unfilled pittas. Keep any sufferers well hydrated. Anyone being sick will lose nutrients and salts and needs to replace these. Ginger biscuits, ginger capsules or active ingredient oils (not to be taken if on blood thinning tablets or cancer treatment) might also help.

Alternative Bad Weather Plans No BBQ, No Sailing. Movie night comes to ASC. Disney’s Morning Light screening with a takeaway from the Bombay Bicycle Club or similar.