HITCH HIKER'S GUIDE
Details about the Haven Combined Clubs Series and how to get in touch with us
Chairman's Welcome
Haven Combined Clubs Series came into being over the winter of 2018 and the spring of 2019. It was the result of an amalgamation between the mainly river based Combined Clubs Series and the Haven Series that raced mainly out of Harwich Harbour. The resulting fleet was very diverse, family cruisers through to boats with no creature comforts at all, and good turnouts gave validity to the decision to join up.
Since that first season of course there was a pandemic so 2020 did not happen. Since then, numbers have been good although more are always welcome. Anyone wishing to dip their toe into racing for the first time can try it for free and a suitable provisional handicap will be given. The series uses a Portsmouth Yardstick style system (Haven Handicap) although there are results produced for the IRC rated boats as well. The mix of river, bay and offshore racing has proved popular but the committee are always open to suggestions of change.
The series is self-funding via modest entry fees to cover organisation and trophies. For the 2024 season we are fortunate to have two sponsors, Jackson-Stops Estate Agency and Fox’s Yacht Sales, to help with costs and we thank them. Apart from a great sport and pastime yacht racing develops skipper and crew’s skills, provides comradery within the boat and fleet and can even give confidence to less experienced skippers to venture further afield.
My name is Des Cowan and I am your chairman for two years. Some may know me as I have been sailing my Contessa 33 “Eclipse” out of Harwich for 39 years so this is the big four Oh! for me. The committee for the series is made up from members of each of the Clubs involved and your views and ideas are always welcome as to survive, the series must develop.
The entry is simple using the on-line system or downloading a paper form. You should read the Notice of Race (NOR) to see the terms under which the racing will take place, safety requirements etc. That just leaves the General Sailing Instructions to digest, if in doubt ask.
Wishing you good sailing in 2024 and I look forward to crossing tacks with you.
Des
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Below is the Constitution of the series and more information can be found by following the menu at the top of the page or by contacting myself, the secretary or your club rep on the committee.
Constitution
ONE
The haven combined clubs series (called ‘the series’) is an independent series of yacht races organised by the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, Waldringfield Sailing Club, Walton and Frinton Yacht Club, The Orwell Yacht Club, Shotley Sailing Club, The Stour Sailing Club, Harwich and Dovercourt Sailing Club and Haven Ports Yacht Club (called ‘the organising clubs’).
TWO
The series is run using "Haven Handicap" system. A subset of results are produced for yachts with an IRC rating.
THREE
The series is open to any single hull sailing yacht having a minimum water line length of 17 feet and meeting the series entry criteria, entered by a member of a sailing club situation between Lowestoft and Burnham and skippered by the same or another such member.
FOUR
The series shall act by a committee comprising (a) up to two representatives from each of the organising clubs appointed in such manner as each club thinks fit and (b) such further members as the above representatives may think fit to co-opt from any yacht club who’s members are eligible to compete in the series. A co-opted member shall act for a period of one year only though he or she may be co-opted for further periods of one year without limit.
FIVE
The committee may appoint such officers and such sub-committees as it thinks fit.
SIX
The committee shall have a chairman who shall be chosen from the representatives from each organising club in rotation: he shall serve for two years ending normally in the autumn after the Prize Giving Dinner.
SEVEN
Yachts competing under haven handicap shall be handicapped according to the speed potential of the yacht. A Sub Committee (called the ‘Handicapping Sub-Committee’). Handicaps shall be fixed at the commencement of each season (or late entry of yacht) and will stand for that season, adjustments being made only in exceptional circumstances or change in yacht materially affecting a factor taken into account when fixing the yachts handicap. A yacht that has not previously been handicapped by the Handicapping Sub-Committee will receive a provisional handicap that will be reviewed during the season as the Handicapping Sub-Committee decides.
EIGHT
This constitution shall only be changed by a quorum of at least five representatives, each from a different club and only representatives from the organising clubs shall vote.
NINE
In the event of the series being discounted, the surplus funds and assets shall be donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
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Revised: March 2024