Cowes Harbour Commission
Harbour Authority & Marine Service Provider
Newsletter 28th June 2017
A summer's celebration of sailing!
The countdown is on for Saturday’s Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay, with entries having reached 1,343 boats so there will be some crowded start lines. With this in mind, may I draw your attention to our  Notice to Mariners No. 14(T), which contains RTIR safety and navigation information.

Looking ahead to later in the summer and ‘Lendy Cowes Week’, we welcome the recent news that Portsmouth-based peer-to-peer lending platform Lendy Ltd has been announced as the regatta’s new title sponsor . This is excellent news for the event, as is the confirmation that the regatta’s fireworks finale will definitely take place.

We continue to assist the Isle of Wight Council with the commissioning of the new Chain Ferry. I recommend harbour users to check the latest navigational safety information that has just been published in Notice to Mariners No. 15(T) of 2017 .

Finally, I would also like to highlight the fundraising efforts of our Kingston Port Operative, Shaun Turner, who is taking part in the July 16th cycle randonnee on the Island, along with other CHC staff, to raise money for Brain Tumour Research. This is a charity that is immensely important to Shaun following his own diagnosis and treatment three years ago for a large brain tumour. CHC, our Commissioners and staff are pleased to support this worthy cause, and we hope that the randonnee is a fundraising success. If you would like to find out more, please visit Justgiving.com .

Captain Stuart McIntosh Cowes Harbour Master

RTIR photos: Round the Island Race 2016 © Paul Wyeth
Round the Island Race preview
The Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay takes place this coming Saturday, on 1st July. Whether you are an old-timer or a newcomer to the race, there is something very special about taking part in this iconic event.

As is the norm with this much loved yacht race, there is a fabulous array of competitors spanning the generations, representing all levels of ability and racing on a huge variety of yachts. The flurry on the start line with its 11 separate starts, will include the MOD 70 Concise 10 with Ned Collier Wakefield on the helm and a number of the highly competitive Fast 40+ fleet, including Invictus owned by Sir Keith Mills and helmed by Sir Keith and his son Alex .

Read more online plus get links to the RTIR Onboard Race Pack, Safety Book, and Spectator Guide
On-the-go with CHC's responsive website
Cowes Harbour Commission has just launched an upgraded responsive designed website to meet on-the-go demand for informative content about the harbour and its services.

The website at cowesharbourcommission.co.uk has been developed to feature a fully responsive design, adapting its display for optimal viewing on mobile devices and desktops alike without loss of function or information.

Read the full story online
Introducing Assistant Harbour Master for Cowes Ed Walker
Ed Walker from Pembrokeshire in southwest Wales was appointed as Assistant Harbour Master at Cowes in May of this year, joining CHC after a seagoing career spanning 15 years throughout various sectors of the marine industry

As Assistant Harbour Master (AHM), Ed is providing support to Harbour Master Capt. Stuart McIntosh and his Deputy Jon Kidd. Currently, Ed is assisting with an array of statutory responsibilities and after completing a comprehensive training programme will become our fifth licenced Pilot for the Cowes Pilotage Area.

Read the full article on the CHC website
International fleet gathers for Dragon Edinburgh Cup
With 38 teams from as far afield as Russia and Turkey and across the UK and Europe already entered, and 40 boats expected on the start line, the 2017 edition of the Dragon Edinburgh Cup is lining up to be a bumper edition. The Edinburgh Cup will be preceded by the Dragon South Coast Championship, with the two events running from 8th to 14th July.

The entry list includes some of the biggest names in the sport including Denmark’s Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, whose sailing CV includes two Olympic Gold and one Olympic Silver medal as well as multiple World, Continental and National Championship wins, and who will be hoping to claim his sixth Edinburgh Cup title. Julia and Graham Bailey were Edinburgh Cup champions in 2016 and 2015 respectively and are returning to the fray equally keen to engrave one of their names on the trophy for a second time.

Read the full event preview online
Celebrating classics in Cowes
Panerai British Classic Week , the annual regatta of the British Classic Yacht Club, will see the 16th edition being held from 8th to 15th July. The racing is once again being organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron with a seven race series including an Around the Island Race on 10th July. This year will also see the introduction of an exciting new category of awards for the regatta.

Meanwhile, it is now less than three weeks to go before the start of the 10th Charles Stanley Direct Cowes Classics Week and entries have been rolling in fast with over 130 boats registered so far. The regatta, organised by the Royal London YC, takes place from 17th to 21st July and is all about racing traditional yachts on the water and enjoying fabulous social events ashore. The event is proving once again to be a magnet for some beautiful newcomers as new faces and defending champions prepare for the 2017 event.

Read the full story on the CHC website
Keep the Solent waters safe
With the sailing season in Cowes well under way, and several major events of the year just around the corner, we feel it is the right time to remind harbour users and visiting yachtsmen to dispose of black water from their boats responsibly.

All boaters are encouraged to make use of the pump out at Shepards Wharf Marina, which is available and free to use year round. The pump out berth is located on the south pontoon at Shepards; please call the marina on VHF Ch 80 and our Berthing Masters will be glad to help you.

Get involved with the CHAC
Did you know? The Cowes Harbour Advisory Committee (CHAC) represents the different stakeholder groups within Cowes Harbour and plays a key role in maintaining successful two-way communications between harbour users and the Harbour Commission. Our harbour users vary from leisure sailors to commercial shipping operators, training schools to local traders and more.

Annual port security exercise
CHC will be conducting its annual port security exercise at the end of June in compliance with the International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS Code). The exercise will be hosted by Isle of Wight Fuels and will involve CHC’s trained Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) as well as PFSOs from other commercial port facilities in Cowes and the Island’s Emergency Services.

The ISPS Code is a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats to ships and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States. Each port facility in Cowes has their own approved Security Plan, which is subject to audit and verification by the Department for Transport’s Maritime Division. 


Cowes Harbour Commission | 01983 293952 | chc@cowes.co.uk | cowesharbourcommission.co.uk