Isle of Sheppey Race

 Anybody here done this Race?? There will be half a dozen or so dinghies/cats going from our club so some tips would be greatly appreciated (best tip could be stay at home), like where are the really dodgey bits of water?? etc.....low water at 10 am, race start at 10.30,

  Thanks.

http://www.iossc.org.uk/islandrace/index.php?photo=/2003/pho tos/bridge2.jpg

...looks like fun .   Look forward to seeing you there. Anyone know how the tide behaves up the swale, apart from going in and out that is??

Indeed; you would not get a Tornado under by the look of things; Bit tight for an F18 (8 foot 6 wide) / F16 (8 foot 2); probably OK for Dart 18 (7 foot 6) / A class (7 foot 6) etc.

Sheppey Race is great fun but a dagger board is a bit of a liability.  I've done it many years in the past in Scorpions and Lasers.  Fastest was 4½ hours in a Laser - planed all the way round as the wind went round with us.  There's a dodgy spit of rocks and sand at the entrance to the Swale which goes out for miles - so be careful if you are in a high performance boat.  Not so bad in a Laser since you can always just get out and push - which is considered legit.  And here's a bit of local knowledge - if you emerged from Garison Point with the tide against you, head for the beach there's a strong back eddy that takes you towards the club for about ½ a mile.

Thoroughly recomended as a memorable sail.