Plymouth Summer Rally 2023
The 2023 XYOA rally is to Queen Anne’s Battery, Plymouth, Devon, UK. Plymouth has a rich maritime history with many interesting sights including The Barbican, National Marine Aquarium, Mayflower Steps and its famous lighthouse, Smeaton’s Tower.
This year the committee have organised a dinner on Saturday evening, 01 July 2023 at The Royal Western Yacht Club of England. This allows members to adapt their own sailing schedule without the restrictions of being in a particular harbour on a given night and also taking into account the weather and tides. As many members keep their yachts in or around the Solent, those wishing to sail in company can join a small informal flotilla, which is intending to leave the Solent on or around Sunday 25/Monday 26 June and stopping at various harbours en route, all subject to weather conditions. Participants can either sail alongside others, or just meet up in the evenings to gossip, and have a drink or two, or even dine together.
The Royal Western Yacht club was founded in 1827 for those who wanted to go to sea for fun rather than out of necessity, which at that time was considered unusual, if not eccentric. The World’s first ocean race, the Fastnet, was sailed under the burgee of the Club in 1925. In 1960 the Club organised the first Single-Handed-TransAtlantic Race (OSTAR) with Francis Chichester coming first in Gipsy Moth 111. The Club house has moved at various times in the past, but today it is in Queen Anne’s Battery, opened in 1989 by HRH The Princess Royal.
Very conveniently, MDL has a marina at Queen Anne’s Battery and the Visitors’ Pontoon (immediately to starboard on entering the harbour - see photo above) has been reserved for members’ yachts on Friday (some space), Saturday (plenty of space) and Sunday nights (limited space), 30 June, 1 & 2 July 2023. Each yacht will be responsible for paying their berthing fees, but existing MDL berth holders can discuss concessions directly with the marina. QAB marina, Commercial Place, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 0LP. Tel 01752 671142. Call on VHF Ch 80 for berthing. Due to limited berthing space an early response is requested. There are other close-by marinas e.g Plymouth Yacht Haven, Sutton Harbour Marina, King Point Marina etc.
Please see the members section for booking form.
