Catapult returned to Bewl Water in 2019, in the lovely Weald of Kent near Tunbridge Wells. Bewl was a previously-popular venue for several years, interrupted by the demise of Bewl Valley SC unitil Bewl Sailing Association arose phoenix-like from the ashes.

 Racing We shall be racing alongside the visiting Wanderer and club fleets. (Amendments to the SIs specific to the Catapult fleet are covered in the NoR).

Following a 1015 briefing, there will be five races in total: three races on Saturday (first start 11.00) and two on  Sunday. The Sunday morning race will be the club’s Bart’s Bash race, but will still count towards our event. The last race will not start after 15.30 on the Sunday.

 One discard will apply when 4 or more races have been sailed.

 The entry fee will be 10 pounds, plus the usual CCA event levy. Please pay the CCA fee to Alastair Forrest who has kindly agreed to be the CCA liaison person for the event. If you need to contact Alastair in advance, his contact details are 01306 252321, 07514 525903 and alastairforrest@hotmail.com.

  Sailing at Bewl

 The Club has been very welcoming to the Catapults, and there is usually plenty of space to rig and launch photo below (although the grassy slopes up from the road can be very muddy.) There are excellent club facilities.

  Bewl dam has flooded three valleys to make a three-fingered "glove" extending south and west from the dam. The low hills around make a very attractive setting, and winds are still largely steady away from the wind-shadows near shore, with a little funnelling and swirling. With the shore usefully nearby in September conditions, and small wave size, it is a comfortable site to sail.

 Starts are usually on a line from the starting box on-shore to a nearby fixed mark, and hence may be reaching starts, usually putting two or three fleets away at 5-minute intervals. (The flag and sound signals may be indistinct, so keep a close watch at the advertised time.)

 The "glove" shape makes marks easy to find up the "fingers", so the club can set complicated and interesting courses (e.g a "W") without too much risk of confusion.

 

         
Click for more Bewl photos

Accommodation  Bewl Water, the commercial outfit that owns the lake and surrounding land, do operate a campsite, but unfortunately according to their website it closes the week before our event. The best option is Cedar Gables Camping, Cedar Gables, Hastings Road, Flimwell, East Sussex, TN5 7QA ( www.cedargables.org). Other accommodation can be found at www.visittunbridgewells.com. Other accommodation can be found through the Tunbridge Wells tourist information centre (01892 515675, touristinformationcentre@tunbridgewells.gov.uk). BVSC also recommends www.visittunbridgewells.com and www.sevenwonders.org.uk. Also recommended is The Bell, High Street, Ticehurst, East Sussex, TN5 7AS  (www.thebellinticehurst.com). Getting there: The Club is located at Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JH, just off the A21 London to Hastings Road, one mile south of Lamberhurst village (see the Google Maps reference in the NoR). Turn off the A21 at the traffic islands marked with a brown tourist sign and follow the road to the entrance gate. Upon arrival follow the signs to the sailing club.

 Make the most of the surrounding area Bewl is set in the picturesque Weald of Kent near the border with East Sussex. It is surrounded by pretty thatched villages set among wooded hills and orchards, so you can build an excellent long weekend around the event. There are lots of stately homes and gardens in the area, like Scotney Castle, Hever Castle, Penshurst Place, Knole, Bateman's, Sissinghurst Castle, Emmett’s Garden, Hole Park and many more. This is a lovely part of the world, so do be sure to come to the 'Garden of England'.