The International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC) - 2012 Solent Cruise — 27 August '12

27 August –10 September

Jointly hosted by the Royal Southern & Royal Thames Yacht Clubs.

The ICOYC is the rather grand name for an association created to enable the people who are running the leading yacht clubs in the world, to meet at an annual forum and consider matters of common interest. The RTYC is a member, and our recent Vice Commodore John Stork is the current President of the ICOYC.

Forums are held each year in a different country. A spin-off has been the idea of the host club organising a cruise or rally around the same time. Open to all members of clubs that in turn are members of the ICOYC.

The first forum was in Vancouver, the second in New Zealand (piggy-backing onto our RNZYS/RTYC rally), and the third was in Seattle in September 2011. All three forums have been most enjoyable, in fine locations - combining an entertaining mix of nationalities.

In 2012, the forum will be in the UK, hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club - the only other UK member of the ICOYC, who will be celebrating their 175th anniversary (62 years after the RTYC). We have agreed with the Royal Southern to jointly host a Solent-based rally for all members of ICOYC clubs. Sandwiched between the London 2012 Olympics in August, and the Southampton International Boat Show, our objective is to show off to our visitors some of the best aspects of sailing in and around the Solent. We also need to demonstrate that the British can, on occasion, be excellent hosts!

The 2012 cruise will consist of two very different halves:

COASTAL WEEK - 27th August to the 2nd September 2012

INSHORE WEEK - 2nd to the 10th September 2012

A detailed plan of each week is available to download, just click on the above links.

The Coastal Week, has been created in response to a request from some Australians, who wanted to sail across the Channel. We do not need to do that, but we will venture out of the Solent to Poole, and then onto Weymouth. The Paralympics will be just starting at Portland, so there should be lots of buzz. However, berthing restrictions do apply, please see below for further details [*]. This week will be mostly informal, and only loosely structured.

The Inshore Week is more structured, with organised stops at most harbours in the Solent, and dinners at both the Squadron and the Southern. There will also be at least one white sail cruiser race, and plenty of short day sailing. Whilst this will be familar ground to those who sail regularly in the Solent, it will be new to most of the members of foreign clubs. On the social side, the emphasis is on easy informality for cocktails, leaving participants free to choose whether to dine in a restaurant, or sup in a pub (or even on board).

Participants may choose to do either the Coastal Week (27th August - 2nd September), or the Inshore Week (2nd - 10th September), or both.

Berthing restrictions at Weymouth [*]

Special restrictions are in place for the Olympics and Paralympics. The Weymouth HM is requiring any yacht that wishes to visit Weymouth next summer to pre-register NOW, and to pay by February 2012. See www.harbour.weymouth.gov.uk/harbour2012 for further details.

HOSTING

One of the successes of the previous ICOYC cruises, and indeed of our recent rally in Chesapeake Bay (USA), has been the mixing of locals and visitors particularly through locals hosting selected visitors on their own yachts. We are really keen to encourage Royal Thames YC members, with suitable yachts to offer a cabin to ICOYC guests. For anyone contemplating this, but not knowing whom to invite, please contact Peter Innes-Ker by email to discuss your requirements, (or restrictions). Mr Innes-Ker will endeavour to match you up with some decent guests from the incoming enquires. 

LIMITS ON NUMBERS

The Inshore Week is limited to a MAXIMUM OF THIRTY (30) YACHTS, split to ten (10) each from the ICOYC members, the Southern and ourselves. We have five firm Royal Thames entries already, so there are only five places left. These will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis......(sorry no bribes allowed on this occasion).

This promises to be a strongly sociable event, a golden opportunity for us to show off to our overseas friends the very best of British yachting. I am looking to you to support the Royal Thames.

Peter Innes-Ker (Dec 2011)