Swanwick Rally & Dinghy Dash August 26

Published 17:42 on 19 Sep 2026

Unfortunately the weather gods were against us this weekend , and many of the fleet wisely decided not to leave their home marinas.   A small fleet did make the trip and others joined by car.  The dinghy dash to the Horse & Jockey went ahead as planned.  Here is Stewart's report:

Dinghy Dash Rally Swanwick to The Horse & Jockey

 The Dinghy Dash Rally from Swanwick to the Horse & Jockey at Curbridge got off to a slightly unconventional start. Like many others, we decided to withdraw from the sailing part of the rally after studying the weather forecast, apparently there was some wind and rain involved, and discretion seemed the better part of valour!

Instead, we took the easy option and motored round to the pub, where we joined the rest of the group for Sunday lunch.

 As we arrived, a small flotilla of dinghies, paddleboards and kayaks was making its way in, accompanied by a rather excited group of club members keen to regale anyone who would listen with tales of their voyage. 

 To be fair, for those doing the paddling, it wasn't actually too strenuous, the tide was doing most of the work!

 Getting out of the boats and onto terra firma proved to be a rather greater challenge. The riverbank was muddy, slippery and seemingly designed to test both balance and dignity. Thankfully, everyone managed to get ashore without anyone taking an unexpected bath!

 We took over a section of the pub and enjoyed some decent pub grub and a pint or two before the intrepid adventurers headed back to the water for the return leg on the falling tide.

 This has to be one of the most fun rallies of the year and I'm sure it will make its way onto the programme again next year. It was a great combination of boats, paddling, good company, food and just enough adventure, without anyone having to take the weather forecast too seriously!

 Well done, Brian, for organising such a successful rally around a less-than-desirable forecast. Sometimes the best sailing rallies involve surprisingly little sailing!

Last updated 18:58 on 19 September 2026