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As much a cruise in company as a maritime festival, Seafair Haven in Pembrokeshire is held in alternate years so that it does not clash with la Semaine du Golfe in France, the event held every two years in France which provides so much of Seafair’s inspiration. Though Milford Haven has some industry, the entrance to the estuary and the backwaters are delightful. There are castles and pretty villages like Langham to discover and at Seafair, you do it together with fleets of sail and oar boats and OGA trailer sailers. Larger craft – pilot cutters, tall ships, classic motorboats and yachts – are also invited, so there will be plenty to see as you set off to explore over 22 miles (35km) of undiscovered waterways. Seafair Haven is partnered with la Semaine du Golfe in southern Brittany, and that means there will be both Welsh and French music, food, entertainment and hospitality. I went to the first Seafair and particularly enjoyed the Atlantic Challenge gig racing between the Welsh boat John Kerr and the French Tolérance, the cruise up to Pembroke Castle when the tides allowed, some spontaneous Breton dancing at the Milford Haven SC and best of all, the wide variety of interesting boats. This year’s Seafair festival opens on Saturday 3 July with vessels on show at a Public Day at Milford Docks and the week of racing, cruising and conviviality culminates with a Parade of Sail for all craft on Saturday 10 July, Boat owners interested in taking part are being urged to register their vessel no later than 31 March 2010 at the website: www.seafairhaven.org.uk Set fair for SEA FAIR Kathy Mansfield looks forward to Wales’ Semaine du Milford
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CA L E NDAR 2 0 1 0 Are affordable boats beginning to get a look-in again at London? After a long and arid period at ExCeL when bankers’ bonus boats seemed to dominate much of the space and all of the press attention, perhaps the recession is starting to change the kind of craft and products we might hope to find at this year’s Tullett Prebon London Boat Show, 8-17 January. For those of us who have to get by on less than a 5-figure salary, boats well worth a look are – above, left to right – on Cornish Crabbers' stand NO11: the 22’ (6.7m) Crabber, 19’ (5.8m) Shrimper and 17’ (5.2m) Crabber 17; on Honnor Marine's stand NO47A, the 19’ (5.8m) Cape Cutter, 15’6” (4.7m) Devon Dabber and 14’9” (4.5m) Devon Scaffie; and on stand NO41 Swallow Boats’ 20’ (6m ) – or maybe 23’ (7m) – BayCruiser. Also look out for Nestaway’s ingenious14’ (4.3m) sectional sail and oar dayboat on Stand NO58J. Owners of smaller boats, old and new, have been taking electric propulsion much more seriously since Torqeedo came on the scene and they are promising something new and rather special on Stand NO33J. New for boatbuilders at the show, Robbins Timber will have their neat 't & g' effect plywood for trad-looking bulkheads and deckheads on Stand NO19A and Wessex Resins & Adhesives will be launching a trio of versatile WEST System G/Flex toughened epoxy adhesives on Marine & Industrial's Stand NO18E. See listing below for advance ticket information. JANUARY 2010 8-17 January LONDON BOAT SHOW ExCeL Centre, Docklands, London Tickets: 0844 209 0333 www.londonboatshow.com FEBRUARY 23-28 February NATIONAL BOAT, CARAVAN OUTDOOR &SHOW NEC, Birmingham Tickets: 0844 581 3000 www.boatandcaravan.co.uk MARCH 2-7 March HISWA – AMSTERDAM BOAT SHOW RAI building, Amsterdam, Netherlands www.hiswa.nl/english 6-7 March RYA VOLVO DINGHY SHOW Alexandra Palace, London Tickets: 0845 345 0424 www.dinghyshow.org.uk www.watercraft-magazine.com 17-21 March BRITISH LEISURE SHOW Royal Windsor Racecourse, Windsor Tel: +44 (0)1590 679338 www.britishleisureshow.com APRIL 10-13 April OGA EASTER RALLY Royal Harwich YC, Woolverstone Brian Hammett Tel: +44 (0)1473 231066 25 April BEAULIEU BOAT JUMBLE Montagu Motor Museum, Beaulieu Tickets: +44 (0)1590 612888 www.beaulieu.co.uk 30 April-4 May WORLD PILOT GIG CHAMPIONSHIPS Gigs from over 50 clubs compete Isles of Scilly, Cornwall Barbara Moulson Tel: +44 (0)1720 422670 www.worldgigs.co.uk MAY 7-9 May OGA TRAILER SECTION RALLY Clywedog SC, Llandiloes, Mid Wales Mike Stevens Tel: +44 (0)1792 297445 21-23 May 'THE TROUT' GATHERING FOR SMALL TRADITIONAL BOATS Lechlade, River Thames Mike Stevens Tel: +44 (0)1792 297445 JUNE 4-6 June BEALE PARK THAMES BOAT SHOW Beale Park, Pangbourne Tel: +44 (0)118 976 7498 www.bealeparkboatshow.co.uk 11-13 June OGA TS ULLSWATER RALLY Glenridding Sailing Centre, Cumbria Barry Healas Tel: +44 (0)1524 276258 65

As much a cruise in company as a maritime festival, Seafair Haven in Pembrokeshire is held in alternate years so that it does not clash with la Semaine du Golfe in France, the event held every two years in France which provides so much of Seafair’s inspiration. Though Milford Haven has some industry, the entrance to the estuary and the backwaters are delightful. There are castles and pretty villages like Langham to discover and at Seafair, you do it together with fleets of sail and oar boats and OGA trailer sailers. Larger craft – pilot cutters, tall ships, classic motorboats and yachts – are also invited, so there will be plenty to see as you set off to explore over 22 miles (35km) of undiscovered waterways.

Seafair Haven is partnered with la Semaine du Golfe in southern Brittany, and that means there will be both Welsh and French music, food, entertainment and hospitality. I went to the first Seafair and particularly enjoyed the Atlantic Challenge gig racing between the Welsh boat John Kerr and the French Tolérance, the cruise up to Pembroke Castle when the tides allowed, some spontaneous Breton dancing at the Milford Haven SC and best of all, the wide variety of interesting boats.

This year’s Seafair festival opens on Saturday 3 July with vessels on show at a Public Day at Milford Docks and the week of racing, cruising and conviviality culminates with a Parade of Sail for all craft on Saturday 10 July, Boat owners interested in taking part are being urged to register their vessel no later than 31 March 2010 at the website: www.seafairhaven.org.uk

Set fair for

SEA

FAIR Kathy Mansfield looks forward to

Wales’ Semaine du Milford

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