Broom Owners Club

In 2006 we hosted a Cruise in Company to the Channel Islands and Brittany, with six member boats taking part.

Following discussions at the Cruise Planning event, leader Frank Hawkins, Mike Cunningham and I applied ourselves to planning a timetable for the cruise through Channel Islands waters. Frank held a planning lunch in April where some of those attending had a great day working out how to survive the rigours of the Alderney Race and with a few glasses of wine inside decided that no race would beat them!

The departure point for the group to meet was eventually determined as Lymington where most of the intrepid voyagers met as planned! The trip itself was designed to include cheap wine and fuel destinations, so Cherbourg, Guernsey and St Vaast were very important. The exciting and challenging trip up the River Rance to Dinan was also included, to test the water levels in France further! The additional destination of Dinan involved careful planning to ensure sufficient water between the lock through St Malo's hydroelectric barrage and the lock at Chatelier, at the head of the tidal Rance estuary. This was complicated by the local tidal rise & fall of up to 40' and the anticipated need for three lockings to get the fleet through. In the event the unfortunate absence of Jerry Arnold's 530 meant we could squeeze through in two. Jerry just could not make it this year but we celebrated his birthday anyway (bill on its way to Jerry for huge quantities of Champagne - thanks Jerry!).