Locking Arrangement:
Travelling to Portishead
For those travelling from Cardiff to Portishead, locking times for Portishead Marina can be found on the Marina website, or by visiting the boatfolk.co.uk website
For vessels arriving in Portishead on either tide on Friday, please make sure that the marina is aware and that you have reserved a berth. They can be contacted by email on danielle@boatfolk.co.uk, or on 01275 841941
For vessels arriving Saturday, please confirm with the Marina that you require a berth for Saturday evening. To receive the 50% of Shanghai Cup offer your berth needs to be pre-booked.
Accomodation
Some yachts aren’t blessed in the accommodation side of things, so accommodation is available at the local go2 hotel (formally Ibis Budget) as its reasonably close to the Marina, close to Weatherspoon’s and leaves some money in the kitty to donate next door in the pub. Joyride has booked some AirBnB’s this year, but intend to then visit the neighbours (The Posset Cup Weatherspoon’s) for a Horlicks and low calorie sweet treat.
Other accommodation options are available from Hotels, Airbnbs and local B&B’s but we have found since the last edition of the Shanghai Cup prices have increased and availability decreased.
Saturday 9 May 2026
For locking out of Portishead marina, please monitor the marina on VHF 80.
Locking out on Saturday and Sunday Lock out times have been arranged to ensure all vessels will have time to lock out and make their way to the race area. Please ensure you monitor VHF CH80 as soon as you arrive on the boat in case of a change of lock time.
Lock positions have been pre-arranged, so please make sure you only occupy the space allocated. These can be found in the links above. The timetable is in the pdf of this page above.
The committee boat is a blue motor vessel named Alibi and will be locking out on the first lock of the day.
For vessels not familiar with racing in Portishead it is a good idea to have a thorough read through of the sailing instructions. In addition, it may be prudent to print them for reference on the day and pay notice to Appendix 1 prior to receiving the first course from the race management team.
Due to commercial shipping movements in and around the race area, start times may have to be delayed. Please always keep a VHF radio listening watch for updates and ensure that shipping movements are not impeded.
Once racing has finished for the day it is the responsibility of each skipper to call the marina to arrange an inbound lock. Due to some minor gate issues locking may take slightly longer than normal. Please be patient with lock staff and remain polite at all times and enjoy a beer or a coffee in the sunshine.
The marina provides general refuse and recycling facilities, please ensure that they are used responsibility and under no circumstances should any rubbish or recycling be left on the berth.
There will be a dock party for all Shanghai Cup participants soon after racing on Saturday. This will be at the hoist dock near H&M and is a great way to meet fellow competitors talk about the days racing and ask the locals for the best drinking spots for the evening and best tidal tips for Sunday.
Drinks at the hoist party will be provided free to crews and consist of a keg of some kind of ale, gin and tonic and rum and coke (I’ve heard rumours that it may even be running to a dark and stormy this year too). Please bring a re-usable glass or cup as we will not be providing any kind of disposable cups. Also feel free to bring along any snacks you may like to share.
There is a co-op a couple of minutes’ walk from the hoist dock that sells pre-chilled drinks if we run out, or you aren’t keen on the choice. There are several options to eat and drink around the marina including H&W close to the hoist and the Posset Cup Wetherspoons a five-minute walk from the hoist. There is also a Lidl at this location.
Sunday 10 May 2026
Racing on Sunday will take the same format as Saturday.
Following the end of racing on Sunday there may be a passage race back to Cardiff. This would start as soon as possible after Shanghai Cup racing has been completed.
If required, there will be an opportunity for vessels to transfer crews to anyone locking back into the marina for a lift, or to use the access ladders on the wall outside the lock.
The CBYC clubhouse will be open on Sunday evening for any vessels locking into the Bay.
Any skippers or crew organisers not on the Shanghai and Nimrod 2026 WhatsApp group who would like to be added please contact me and I can add you.
Updates to anything important to do with the event will be published on the event official notice board at www.shanghaicup.co.uk
Updates on changes to shoreside social plans will be announced on the event Facebook page and relayed on the WhatsApp group.
There may then be a passage race back to Cardiff, which is an independent race and doesn’t count towards the Shanghai Cup itself, but will have first, second and third prizes.