This exchange between a previous competitor and a prospective skipper for TR2019

Question:
Immediately after finishing the race my understanding is we tie up at Trinity Landing. Afterwards I was informed that people typically move to Cowes Yacht Haven. After staying at Cowes for a few days I was then going to move the boat to Hamble Yacht Services until the start of Fastnet Race (which this year starts 8/3 earlier than previous years). Is this a reasonable plan to move the boat to the mainland? I plan to set off from the Hamble for the Fastnet Race

Answer:
We tied up near the RYS and then went to Cowes Yacht Haven

Sarah Marshal (011 44 1983 291369 )was the real estate contact in Cowes and Paula (0775540021) in Hamble

Question:
Did you get a separate . to c over the Trans Atlantic Race? If so who did you use as an insurance?

Answer:
Yes you will need separate insurance My Insurance would not cover a transatlantic crossing. I went with Pantaenius Andrea Giacomazza 914-381-2066. Some of the boats used Gowrie.

Question:
Any logistical consideration for the Fastnet Race? I am planning to fly home for the two weeks between the end of the TA Race and the start of the Fastnet.

Answer:
Book your rooms early as a number of boats will be doing the Fastnet Race. There is a couple of good shops in Hamble that will make up tasty casseroles for the Fastnet Race. Taxi to get to the supermarket for other provisions.

Question:
Any comments or thoughts regarding UK accommodations after the finish and before the start of the Fastnet Race?

Answer:
see above

Question:
I recall asking you for the 2015 TA Race about provisioning. Was there anything you would do differently? My plan is to have a combination of frozen meals and fresh made meals aboard. Have been trying out different meal test recipes and have found bread making in particular to be a real time consuming task. Any suggestions? Any other foods that worked well or didn't?

Answer:
We had a combination of pre-prepared, Casseroles and freeze dried in a 6 day rotation.. My daughter was in charge of this and spent time researching and testing a number of combinations. She is a professional chef. We had a six day rotation as I determined via simulation that it would take us about 18 days to do the race.

Question:
How did you deal with sending over delivery sails and equipment for the return or did you ship the boat back?

Answer:
I shipped JIV home so delivery sails were not a problem. We sent our walk around clothes via FedEx. addressed to the B&B we were going to stay at. Suggest that you send the sails via FedEx to Hamble Yacht Services

Question:
I am currently considering leaving the boat on the hard this coming fall and re-launching in the spring of 2020 to possibly cruise the British Isles for 2020. In particular the CORK Yacht Club is celebrating their 300th anniversary and I was planning to participate in their celebratory cruise. Any comments or suggestions?

Answer:
Leave your boat at HYS and cruise the south coast of England on your way to Cork. Plan to stop at Dartmouth on the south coast of England (Prettiest and most friendly harbor ever).

Question:
Any VAT related charges to be aware of? My understanding foreign yachts have a 6 month grace period (in water) and I think the clock re-starts to an 11 month grace period once the boat is out of water.

Answer:
No problem for me as I was not staying for an extended period