When we went we took the simple route through the Mont Blanc tunnel, using motorways all the way to Torbole. There are other quicker and shorter routes but this way you don't have to worry about navigation as it's a breeze. Left southern England @ 4pm and drove in one hit with two drivers arrived at lunchtime the following day. Vehicle was slow as we had a 49er on the roof of the van and a double behind. Double with somone to reduce your costs unless you're rich. Tyre pressures on the trailer are critical, don't be tempted to over inflate them. We took two spare wheels for ours just in case. You have to sail there once before you die.

im hopeing to go this year if we can get enof vareos to go

i have not been yet

Once isn't enough...

As well as having easier launching than Riva, Torbole is a much nicer venue to be shoreside.  It gets the sun in the afternoon and evening for starters, and more of the town is on the waterfront.  Doesn't get quite the same extreme wind along the cliff edge as Riva though.

Agreed Torbole is the better place, but they are choosy as to which regattas they take. Mind you like most things in Italy if you greased a few palms. I think the RS Fleets would be tightly packed if they sailed from there. Also agree sail there more than once if you can afford it. But perhaps not every year as you'd take it for granted. I'm sure after Carnac some of the RS fleet grew to appreciate Garda even more.

its the feva worlds there.

does lake garda get waves? realy big waves? 1m frm trough to head?

im not going to feva worlds  family wont do a 2 day drive there and back.

you could always get it delivered and get a cheap flight?

I've been there once.  We used the shortest ferry route to keep costs down - Dover Calais - and then went Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, Austria and Italy to avoid French tolls and Swiss toll (which is very expensive.  Excellent route, no bother and we drove 2 handed in about 18 hours.  Refuel in Luxemburg - its way cheaper than elsewhere.

Garda is a great palce to sail the thermal wind is squeezed between the mountains and is particulaly smooth making force 6 sailing a relative dodle.  I wouldn't want to sail a hiking boat there but a 4000 just loves bashing upwind in the chop and downwind it covers a kilometre or 2 in a few minutes.  There is quite a chop I guess because a thermal layer in the water makes the surface behave as if the water is only a metre deep.  There's more wind against the cliffs on the western shore so you have to tack as soon as you can off the line and gybe as soon as you can at the windward mark - so its not tactical sailing.

Launching at Riva is fought with danger - so too is coming back - but if you do it their way it does work (I'll explain if anybody is interested).  If there's a storm brewing get ashore ASAP, we didn't at at one point I thought we never would.

Riva is a lovely town and the local camping is of the highest quality.  I'd recommend the trip - but it needs to be a trapeze boat.

These should give you a good idea.

There is a guy who takes a mega trailer out there and back - contact RS association for names or PM me if you can't get it and I'll dig out details.

I've been twice and going again this year. My advice is :

Agree its best to avoid Switzerland

Camping is 'quality' at Monte Brione but site nearer lake is rough with little grass due to cramped spaces.

Launching isn't that bad as its generally done in lightest wind - agree retreival can be iffy - especially when all fleets converge on narrow ramp.

Garda is fantastic but not 100% reliable - Contender worlds a week after us last time had at least two light days. But when its good its B**d@ good!

And don't listen to the 'you must have a trapeze' point. I admit it would be my preference, and I've done one of each, but I'll be hiking again this time and as you can see from the photo below, it isn't sooo bad

The RS fleets are sailing from Fraglia del Riva - this is the ramp. There's also another  launching spot around the back into a sort of harbour/pool.

Below are some of the Cliffs that cause the wind effect - but the Fleets are split so last time, the 200s and 400s beat up the cliffs side but then went across the lake and had two windward leeward loops away from the cliffs - so a bit more tactical.

I'm interested! I don't want to wreck my boat on day one after driving 800 miles!

The issue is the ramp is slippery, and once off it you're out of your depth. You have to be fully comitted to getting it right the first time, as the surrounding shore is rock. The wind direction is nearly dead on to the ramp.The problems come when it's really honking and even with bare poles your shifting down wind. That said if everyone behaves themselves and helps each other there's rarely an issue. Don't let this factor put you off going.

Me at Garda

That bloke (and the one behind) needs to get out on the wire ... (unless he's about to drop the kite ...)

or he is comeing out of a jibe or going in to one

i think the next Q has to be dose anyone need a crew for it

feva worlds? what countries are expected to be represented at that event?

Yeah I want to go to the worlds! Sadly my money is limiting me to go to the nationals, will you be there Sam?

i won't be at the worlds either, sounds like it'll be a good event- chose Minorca instead, so my dad can have a sail too (faster boats). Will be at all the major topper events up to and including the nats.- say hello if you see my sail no.

Hey guys
I'll be there in my 600, YAY!!  need some info though
any recommendations on accomodation?  and has anyone (taken the france, belgium, lux, germany, austria route) done it over a period of 2 days (only one driver), if so anyone know of any good places to stop over for the night??

Thanks all
Doug

apparently fevas are a big class in sweeden or switzerland cant remember which.

Launching at Riva.  The problem is the wind is straight onto the end of a ramp with only a couple of boat legths to leeward on the right is the harbour wall made from 2m diameter rocks and to the left is a bay but a wall all the way round.  So there is nowhere to go and if you get it wrong you are going to be on a lee shore made of very hard stuff.

Having said that we managed every time OK in a Laser 4000.  Oh I forgot to mention the ramp is 2 boat lengths in width and goes about ankle deep into the water and then it drops away to 30m. 

For a 4000 the technique is this.  You need at least 2 helpers.  You tie a rope to the trolly axles because you are going to sail off the trolley and the trolley has to be retrieved by a helper - without the rope it will sink to 30m.  You point the boat down the ramp, head to wind and with sails and rudder rigged and poke the dagger into the slot.  The crew gets onto the boat.  The helm stands beside the boat on what will be the windward side (often port side).  You push the boat - with help into the water - off the end of the slip - on its trolley.  The trolley sinks under the boat as the helm jumps aboard and kicks the rudder down a bit with his foot as the crew shoves the board down a bit and sheets the jib.  The helm grabs the fall of the mainsheet to apply a bit of power and you make some progress away from the rocky harbour wall.  When you are far enough to windward to feel safe you can luff and get the rudder and board properly down and the sails sheeted in and off you go.  Meanwhile your helpers are retrieving your trolley with the help of the rope.  Remember it can be blowing quite a bit during all these manuovers.  If you get it wrong you are washed up against the harbour wall and no chance of sailing off.  I helped a couple of 5000s who got it wrong and they were surprisingly lightly damaged by the experience.  Everybody knows its difficult so everybody helps everbody else a great deal.

Coming back is equally daunting because be then the wind can be very strong and there's quite a chop.  You round up in a bay to the west about 800m away which is a little sheltered and drop the mainsail.  You need to tidy it up well and get the balance of the boat nicely under control (a 4000 is a tippy boat with no main and later no board).  Release the rudder and head for the ramp - you are going to sail dead downwind straight up it.  It is covered with carpet.  Make sure you don't get too close to the boat in front, stay upright at all cost and just at the last minute whip out the board and jump over the side.  There'll be loads of people to help you grab the boat and get it up the ramp onto a trolley before the next boat arrives.  There is no turning back and don't jump out to early - its 30m deep.

All part of the fun.

"Camping is 'quality' at Monte Brione", I'd second that.  Fabulously clean and tidy and convenient facilities and if you've got a small tent you can camp in the olive groves on the terrace.  You do need to drive to Riva, although you could walk it if you're not carrying your kit.  Parking was never a problem when I was there - the sailing club has its own parking.

http://www.laser4000.lasersailing.com - http://www.laser4000.lasersailing.com   get onto this website and you'll find a very well written article about Riva with photos.

Looks fabulous  - Early in the morning by any chance?

To anyone who's worrying about the Ramp, the Tolls, the long drive, how good the campsite is, etc etc - mailto:DON@T - Don't - Just get there and you will not regret it.