News

The office is currently experiencing technical difficulties with the telephone system at CA House. The problem seems to be when a person calls the office, the phone rings and no one answers, however the phone in the office does not ring at all leaving staff unaware that you're trying to get through.

We are monitoring the problem and have been in contact with British Telecom to establish a solution. In the meantime, there are other ways to contact us: 

Skype: Our contact name is cruisingassociation 

facebook: The Cruising Association Page

E-mail: use the contact us link at the top of this page. 

Phone: hang up and try again, it doesn't happen to every call. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Crossing the channel by ferry this summer?

Ferry company LD Lines are to terminate the Dover Bouloagne ferry service from the 5th September. If you have a booking with the company after this date they will contact you to arrange an alternative. 

HELSINKI 2010

From 5-9 July CA's Baltic Section met in Helsinki.  The venue was the home harbour of Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK) at Lauttassaari.    HSK with whom CA formed an affiliation a few years ago welcomed our rally and gave the opportunity for many HSK members to meet with the Baltic Section members 

12 CA boats took part in the rally with a total of 32 skippers and crew members. 

Kalevi Westersund, Vice Commodore II of HSK, who is our main contact and who has done so much to promote friendship between our two organisations, helped to plan the rally and joined us for some of the events.  Here is Kalevi sailing his boat Nitouche II.

During our time in Helsinki, members took part in a number of sightseeing activities, a Helsinki City Tour, a visit to the charming old city of Porvoo (aboard a traditional archipelago boat), visits to the fortress island of Suomenlinna and the open air museum at Seurasaari.  Social evening events were the welcoming BBQ on the first evening when we were joined by many HSK members including their Commodore, Finnish HLRs Eric von Troil and Pertti Korttila as well as Kalevi Westersund and a dinner held in the HSK Restaurant on the last evening.  A great deal of socialising took place as can be seen from the photo taken at the BBQ on the rocks! 

Baltic Section Rallies have become famous for two other things - a heatwave and an obligatory thunderstorm!  We experienced both at Helsinki 2010.

Thanks to Kalevi Westersund and the members of HSK who made us feel very much at home.

Graham and Fay Cattell 

Since they (in line with most of the EEC) prohibited the use of red diesel fuel to power pleasure craft several years ago, there are concerns that the Belgian Excise Authorities are taking a keen interest in where and when you bought your fuel. 

If you are planning to visit Belgium, ensure that you have detailed receipts for the purchase of any red diesel in your tanks, showing date, name & address & VAT registration of supplier, quantity, price and an explicit statement that it is supplied in the UK Duty Paid. Do not carry any red diesel in cans. 

We already have one report of a UK yachtsman being fined 500 euros in Namur because he had tanks containing UK supplied Duty Paid red. 

The fact that the UK authorities and the yachting industry reached the agreement to allow yachts to use red in 2009 does not seem to have been communicated to each and every excise officer in the rest of the EEC, who have been enforcing its prohibition for several years. 

There is a useful explanatory document on the RYA website showing correspondence between the EEC and the RYA which sets out the legal position as seen by the RYA, with good translations into French & German, and well worth downloading and carrying with you.

Best of all, if you can fill up with white rather than red, do so.

If you do experience any difficulties on this issue whilst cruising in Belgium, please let the CA know at office @cruising.org.uk

• Stock Checking
• Volunteering
• Book Reviews
• Recent Acquisitions 

Stock Checking:                                                                                                                                               

Over recent weeks, the kind help of volunteers has enabled the library stock check to progress at a steady pace. The following members have made notable contributions to this process:

Vic  Stephens

Martin Woolacott

Sandy Duker

Mark Grimwade

Chris Moss

Since the move from the top floor of CA house, stock checking has been ongoing to establish the exact status of the collection. If you would like to become involved in volunteering, read on below!

 Volunteering

There are many opportunities for volunteers throughout the Association and the Library and Information Centre has ongoing projects of which you can be a part. Wherever your interests lie, there will be something to suit you. Help preserve our collection for the future, any time spared can make all the difference. You will gain unique access to a world class cruising library.

Book Reviews

We acquire many books from nautical publishers as we publish reviews of the books. If you are an avid reader, why not become involved. This is your chance to gain a sneak preview of upcoming nautical titles!

Recent Acquisitions & Donations 

The Association would like to thank all members who have made donations to the Cruising Association's library. We recently acquired a published collection of member Antony Graham's logs as well as the following titles:

Barbarossa's American Dream (DVD) from members Bob & Su Hart

Working Traditional Sail

Clive Garner also donated a selection of old magazines and yachting world annuals, for which we are most grateful.

"Pouncer", a Twister 28 skippered and owned by CA Member Charlotte Wilkinson is the first foreign yacht to use the newly permitted passage to St. Petersburg.  

Taking advantage of the recently announced relaxation in the Russian rules, "Pouncer" sailed direct from Santio in Finland to Vyborg across the border in Russia where her skipper was able to clear Immigration and Customs.  Charlotte was expected as the authorities had been contacted by the CA's local representative, Vladimir Ivankiv.  Charlotte reports a warm welcome with no problems - they were even permitted to stay on the Immigration Quay overnight.  Next morning "Pouncer" sailed through the sheltered waters of the Bjorke Channel to join the main shipping lane prior to arrival at St. Petersburg. 

On the return journey Charlotte chose to check out in St. Petersburg rather than return to Vyborg so as to avoid a passage against a strong headwind.  She again sailed through the Bjorke Channel.  There were no problems although "Pouncer" was escorted past Primorsk's oil terminal by two ribs.

After checking into Finland at Santio on 21st July, "Pouncer" sailed to Haapasaari and thence to Tallinn, Estonia where she was met by the Baltic Section Secretaries.  She has since crossed back to Sweden and  is currently making her way through the Gota Canal. 

Picture shows "Pouncer" arriving in Tallinn.

Photo by Graham Cattell, Joint Secretary, CA Baltic Section

A reminder to those sailing in French west coast waters covered by CROSS Etel and the Mediterranean covered by CROSSMED area Provence. 

There are continuous broadcasts in French on Ch 63 for these areas. For those whose French is limited this is a good opportunity to get used to the terminology and the names of places that are referred to.

For French weather terms, see http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/French-Marine-Weather-Terms .  Any additions or corrections will be welcome.

Those who like to know what weather is being reported might like to see my revised and updated page  http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Latest-Weather-Actuals-Near-Uk-Waters.

 This deals mainly with the British isles and NW Europe but also has a link to ship observations worldwide.