Cymraeg 
Welcome to the Autumn Edition of the CHPSC e-newsletter in 2026.
Annwyl Aelodau / Dear Members and Friends
A long-overdue hello!
Firstly, an apology: our last newsletter was in April 2025, and we’re sorry to have left such a long gap. There has certainly been plenty happening, even if our newsletters haven’t kept pace! From friendly racing in Tremadog Bay to adventures across the Atlantic and beyond, our members have been busy flying the Pwllheli flag. With new faces joining in, plenty of work behind the scenes and a Christmas celebration to look forward to, it’s time for a catch-up.
Crossing the Bar — Remembering Dave Hulse
It is with great sadness that we marked the passing of our former Commodore, Dave Hulse in September. The club flags were set at half-mast in his honour.
Our thoughts are with Mair and the family at this difficult time. Our Commodore has written to Mair to convey the condolences of all members of the club.
A busy year on the water
Closer to home, our spring and summer racing has brought members together for competition and good company. It has been particularly lovely to see some of our youngest sailors joining the summer fleet — their smiles say plenty about why we do it! Stephen Tudor and Mark Thompson’s Sgrech Bach led the Summer Series after its third weekend, with younger crews providing some enthusiastic opposition.
A new highlight was our inaugural Pwllheli 10 Hour Race in June. Boats sailed laps around Tremadog Bay, with results based on the distance covered and adjusted for handicap. After a blustery start, competitors enjoyed sunshine, friendly waves between boats and plenty of opportunities for spectators to follow the action. Trackers and leaderboards ashore helped everyone stay involved, before sailors and supporters gathered for the results and a hog roast. A promising start for an event we hope to build on!
September brought the IRC Welsh National Championships, welcoming visiting boats for another major event in our home waters. The Autumn Challenge Series has since kept the fleet active, with both IRC and YTC scoring encouraging more boats to join in.
Cruising adventures — Serenity returns home
July saw Stephen and Jacinta Walmsley return to Pwllheli aboard Serenity, following an epic 51-day cruise to the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Their 775nm adventure took them to Ireland and Northern Ireland, through the Crinan Canal and to Tobermory, among other Scottish destinations, before returning via the Isle of Man. The final stretch brought them home from Holyhead, rounding South Stack and passing through Bardsey Sound — two passages that command every sailor’s respect.
By all accounts, it was a fantastic few weeks exploring some wonderful cruising grounds. Well done both, and welcome home!
We’re sure there have been plenty of other cruises and adventures among our members. Why not come along to the club, tell us your stories and share your photographs? Whether you’ve ventured far afield or discovered somewhere special closer to home, we’d love to hear about it.
Small club, mighty achievements
Our sailors continue to show that a small club can make a big impression on the international stage.
Andrew and Sam Hall’s Jackknife delivered a superb result in the 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race, winning her class and finishing third overall. After more than eleven days at sea, that was an achievement for the whole crew to be proud of.
In the Caribbean, Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox’s Mojito secured third in IRC Two in the RORC Caribbean 600, bringing another podium result back to Pwllheli.
There was further success for Pata Negra, with Sam and Andrew Hall and their predominantly young crew winning IRC One in the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race — a demanding challenge requiring patience, determination and teamwork.
Nearer home, the Kingstown to Queenstown race also produced excellent results: Pata Negra took line honours, while Mojito won overall on handicap. Credit also goes to Crackajack, whose crew persevered through challenging conditions to finish and secure valuable series points.
Chris and Gareth fly the burgee in Italy
Congratulations to Chris Jones and Gareth Jones-Davis, whose Italian racing adventures have brought fantastic results and plenty of pride for Pwllheli.
In July, they finished third on the 224-nautical-mile Naples–Portoferraio leg of the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour, racing a Figaro 3 double-handed. Although sailing for a German team, they made sure our Pwllheli burgee was proudly displayed on the stern.
Their adventure didn’t stop there. Chris and Gareth went on to qualify for Il Veloce, returning to Italy to compete as Team Red Dragon in the demanding 1,500-nautical-mile non-stop race from Genoa, around Italy and Sicily, to Trieste.
They finished an outstanding third overall — a tremendous achievement in a race testing endurance, sailing skill and teamwork.
Well done both — flying the flag for Pwllheli and showing what our sailors can achieve on the international stage!
Thank you to those behind the scenes
Our activities depend on members who give their time, skills and enthusiasm.
Work has continued on our racing bridge following the loss of the old hut in Storm Darragh. Gimblet Rock Holiday Park funded the replacement shed, and volunteers have worked hard to rebuild and improve the facilities. Further developments include equipment to support automated race management when required.
A particular thank you goes to Robin, who gives so much time to running our racing, and to everyone who has helped with the work.
We also thank Stephen Tudor, who is stepping down from the UK IRC Committee, for his work representing the club and supporting accessible racing, including the introduction of YTC.
Welcome, Debbie!
We’re delighted to welcome Debbie Twelves as our new Social Secretary.
As someone who is usually among the first onto the dance floor and always ready to join in the karaoke, Debbie certainly brings the right enthusiasm to the role!
We look forward to supporting her and enjoying more opportunities for members to get together. Please give Debbie a warm welcome — and bring along your ideas, enthusiasm and dancing shoes.
Christmas Ball and prize giving - a new venue!
Join us for our 2026 Black Tie Christmas Ball and Prize Giving, celebrating the season’s achievements and enjoying an evening together.
This year we’re heading across the marina to The Rock restaurant at Gimblet Rock, one of our kind sponsors, with catering by Dougherty & Allen.
Saturday 5 December 2026
7pm for 7.30pm, until late
Dress code: Black tie
Tickets: £45 for members / £50 for guests
Whether you’ve been racing, cruising, volunteering or simply enjoying club life, we’d love you to join us. Members’ guests are very welcome but this is the perfect time to introduce them to the club so they get discounts on our social events. (Link to memberships at the bottom of this email).
Please have your party’s menu choices and dietary requirements ready when booking as we need to inform our caterers in advance. If friends are booking separately, use the same table name so we can arrange seating together wherever possible.
Looking ahead to racing in 2027
Our draft 2027 racing programme is taking shape, and we plan to publish it soon after the ISORA AGM, once the offshore racing dates are confirmed.
In the meantime, there are two dates to put in your diary:
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Saturday 1 May — Pwllheli 10 Hour Race. Following the success of our inaugural event, we’re looking forward to another day of racing and friendly competition.
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3–5 September — IRC Welsh National Championships. Our flagship event returns on the first weekend in September.
Coordinating our club and offshore programmes helps members make the most of both. Pwllheli has a proud record in ISORA, retaining the Team Trophy in 2025 and continuing a run of success stretching back many years — a reflection of the commitment of boats and crews throughout our fleet.
Entry forms will open soon, and we encourage members to enter early and support our events. Your participation helps build strong fleets and keeps Pwllheli firmly on the sailing calendar.
We may be a small club, but our sailors continue to prove that we are mighty on the world stage!
Stay involved
Thank you to our members, volunteers and sponsors for everything you contribute to the club.
We’d love to hear your cruising adventures, racing stories and suggestions for future activities — and see your photographs too. Whether your next adventure takes you across an ocean or simply out into Tremadog Bay, please share it with us.
We look forward to seeing you on the water, around the club and at The Rock in December.
Hwyl — and thank you for being part of Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club.
Vicky Cox
Is Morlywydd
