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

There is an option to travel up on Friday morning, or Friday evening, and also travelling up on Saturday morning to get to Portishead ready to start racing at 1230. All skippers should contact Danielle at the Marina by email on danielle@boatfolk.co.uk, or on 01275 841941 as soon as possible to confirm when they intend to arrive so that a suitable berth can be allocated and to prepare for potential busy locks. In order to get the 50% mooring discount you need to pre-book and inform them at the time that you are entered in the cup.

The marina are aware of the event (and have been for some time) and are prepared to be as flexible as possible.

Accomodation

Some yachts aren’t blessed in the accommodation side of things, so accommodation is available at the local 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 15th June 2024

For locking out of Portishead marina, please monitor the marina on VHF 80.

At other events, a Whatsapp group with a boat mobile (doesn’t have to be the skipper can be the crew organiser or similar) has worked well to pass on last minute information on racing or where crews are having a beer once ashore. If people would like to be added to this group please email us at info@shanghaicup.co.uk with the number and vessel name and we’ll set up a group. Any information published here and missed by crews not signed up will not be an opportunity to protest the race committee. All official communications will be on the official noticeboard of the website.

Following on from a fantastic day out on the water there will be a complimentary drinks and snack reception under the boat hoist at the Marina. This will include some free draft beers and gin and tonic. We will not be providing any kind of cups or glasses so in the spirit of reducing plastic waste please bring your own reusable drinking receptacles. It would be great if everyone could pop over for a free beer or two and introduce themselves to the other crews. If the weather is inclement, please bring a jacket!

We have taken the decision as organisers that we won’t be booking or planning an evening dinner this year. Due to difficulties booking and previous experience, we have decided the early get together on the pontoon straight after racing is the best opportunity for sailors to get together, have a chat and socialise. The thoughts of several of the crews I’ve spoken to are that they will be either heading home for an evening meal, or heading to the Royal, H and W, or the most popular choice seems to be once again the Posset Cup.

Sunday 16th June 2024

On Sunday a locking timetable will be available. Depending on the number of competitors requiring a lock out (this could be different from Saturday) please don’t assume you are in the same lock as Saturday. This information will be available on the website after racing on Saturday. If some reason it isn’t, please keep a listening watch on VHF 80.

Once racing has finished on Sunday, crews wishing to get off in Portishead rather than return to Cardiff have the following options.

  • Arrange with a local boat to do a boat to boat transfer if they are returning to the Marina
  • Use the breakwater ladders (at own risk to vessel and users of the ladder)

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.