Cardiff Bay Yacht Club

The Clubhouse, Ferry Road, Grangetown, Cardiff. CF11 0JL. Tel: 029 2066 6627.

OPEN SUMMER Competition. SATURDAY, 28th June 2025

 COMPETITION RULES

Starting Time 0800hrs -to- Close of Competition at 1900. Score sheets MUST be handed in to ‘weighmaster team’ by 1915hrs.

1/. All skippers or delegated crew member MUST REPORT to the Registration Marshal at the Clubhouse at least one hour before the Start Fishing Time. Measure mats, score sheet and boat Identification number will be issued upon registration. Any Competitor failing to register will be DISQUALIFIED from the Competition.

2/. A minimum boat length has been set at 16ft/4.8m for safety reasons due to risk assessment if weather conditions deteriorate during the competition and difficulties boats may face in navigating around Lavernock Point (the Ranny) in such conditions.

3/. All participating boats will be subject to Boarding and Inspection by Competition Marshals or Scrutineers, prior to the Start Fishing Time, on the day of the Competition.

4/. All participating boats MUST remain within the confines of the WAITING AREA as indicated on the attached chart. Please, do not start fishing whilst waiting for the Start Time. Anyone leaving the waiting area before 8.00am will be disqualified.

5/. The Start Time will be signaled by a Blast on an air horn at 8.00am & announcement on Channel 16 VHF. EXACTLY.

6/. CANCELLATION. In the event of extreme weather conditions prevailing on the day, the decision to cancel the Competition, taking into consideration the sizes of the smallest boats entered, will be made by the C.B.Y.C. Angling Section Committee. This decision will be made on the Saturday by 6am. Therefore, any Pre-Registered Competitors should ring either of the 2 numbers listed below  at any time after 0600hrs. Mobile number 07710529719 (Harvey), Paul (07790 928268

7. We may have to designate a RESTRICTED FISHING AREA. if the weather forecast for the day deems it necessary, in such a case a map of the restricted area will be issued at registration. All participating boats will be required to remain and fish in this area as described and highlighted on the map for the duration of the Competition. This decision will be taken on the morning of the competition and advised appropiately.

8/. Gill nets, Trawl Nets, or any other form of Commercial Net, Longlines, Deadlines, or handlines are forbidden. Any boat found carrying any such equipment will be automatically disqualified, together with all competitors aboard that boat.

9/. All persons carried upon a participating boat MUST HAVE ENTERED THE Competition.

10/. The competition format is Catch and Release, with the fish to be photographed on the measuring mat you MUST collect on the morning of the competition at registration. The fish MUST BE photographed with number of the mat  clearly visible in the photograph and the fish nose or in the case of a ray wing touching the 0cm line on the mat. Photographs have to be clear, the whole fish visible and a defined length visible in the photo on the measuring mat.

This competition is for 3 defined species Conger, Blonde Ray and Smoothound. The minimum lengths to score MUST BE achieved for the fish to score and be included in the final length tally. Blonde Rays must be measured wing tip to wing tip and achieve min. length of 55cm. Conger measured nose to tail, minimum length 100cm and smoothound (common or starry)  measured nose to tail 85cm.

If all 3 fish the  Blonde Ray, Conger and Smoothound have been caught to the minimum length then a 4^th fish will be eligible to be added to your tally for length as long as it is greater the 20cm in length (rays & skate must be measured wing to wing) all other fish nose to tail  – this will be known as a WildCard Fish in this competition.

The winning boat will be based on the combined total length of the eligible fish as described in the previous paragraph.

Example

Boat 1 catches 2 eligible fish – Blonde Ray 57cm wing to wing,smoothound  90cm, no conger caught longer than 100cm and therefore a  Wildcard fish cannot be entered – total length would be 147cm.

Boat 2 – catches 3 eligible fish – Smoothound 112cm, Blonde ray 60cm, and a conger 120cm, then a wildcard fish can be added as an example Bull Huss 55cm – total length be 347cm

11/. The Competition, having started at 8.00am, will finish when the competiiton closes at 7.00pm (19.00). Any score sheets brought to the club house after 1915 the final Weigh-in Time shall be disqualified.

12/. The minimum size of fish to be eligible will be 100cm conger, 85cm smoothound, blonde ray 55cm (rays measured wing to wing) and the wildcard fish >20cm ( A WILD CARD FISH CAN ONLY BE SUBMITTED IF ALL 3 SPECIES MEET THE MIN LENGTHS FOR THIS COMPETITION).

13/. The Weigh-in Marshal’s report, as to the Winner(s), will be recorded on the TV screens displayed around the club for the presentation evening, as the boat score sheets are uploaded alongside the individual longest conger, smoothound blonde ray and wildcard fish.

The winning boats will need to evidence photographs on their phone for verification to the weighmaster team before the final results are validated. Any query regarding the Weigh Marshal’s report, must be taken up personally with the Weigh Marshal within fifteen minutes of his report having been announced. Thereafter, the Weigh Marshal’s decision shall be final and irrevocable, bearing in mind that there will be an Independent Adjudicator present, overseeing the scorecard checking and photo validation. This Adjudicator will also have the power to disqualify any fish he feels to be ineligible, for whatever reason! You must be available between 1915 and 1945 by mobile to present your photos for verification if called. If you dont respond by 1945 then your entry will be disqualified.

14/. (I)  In the unlikely event of two boats submitting a total fish length being exactly the same length, the following shall apply: – 1st Prize: If two boats submit exactly the same total length, the boat with the longest Smoothound will win outright. If both smoothounds are the identical then the tie will be won by the longest conger, and so on the blonde ray. In the event of all 3 listed fish being the same then, the money for 1st & 2nd prize monies will be added together and each winner will receive half of that total amount, i.e. £875 each. Any fishing equipment prizes that cant be split will be won on the toss of a coin. Same rational will be applied to 2^nd and 3^rd places if identical scores are achieved.

15/. In the event of any Competitor wishing to lodge a protest against the conduct of any other Competitor, the protestor must: (i) Inform the Competitor who is the subject of the protest, that a protest is being lodged against him / her, as soon as is practically possible. (ii) Give details of the matter(s) forming the basis of the protest IN WRITING, together with a Protest Fee of £10.00 in cash, to an officer of the C.B.Y.C. Angling Section no later than 1930 on the day of the competition.

16. No two boats shall come together, other than in the case of an emergency.

17/.A) In the event of bad weather causing the Competition to be cancelled then 50% of the entry fee will be returned. B)The pool money will be split 50% to lottery to one boat drawn by entry number and 50% to the RNLI.

18/. The Angling Section Committee of Cardiff Bay Yacht Club reserve the right to reject any application for entry into this Competition.

19/. Following the recent club refurbishment, a clean clothing policy is in operation in the Clubhouse where the evening presentation will take place. Please respect the policy of no fishing clothing or outdoor wet wear permitted in the Clubhouse Bar (upstairs). Thanks in advance.

Cardiff Bay Yacht Club

Boat Angling Section.

SUMMER OPEN Competition. SATURDAY 28^th June 2025

GENERAL INFORMATION

1/. FEE. The Entrance Fee for this Competition shall be £20.00 per angler. We are also running a pool of £5 per angler on the registration on-line system. (all entrants on a boat must be in the pool, otherwise you cannot enter the pool).

ONCE BOOKED, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, WILL THERE BE ANY REFUNDS AVAILABLE, UNLESS THE COMPETITION IS CANCELLED ON THE DAY DUE TO POOR WEATHER, WHEREBY 50% of the entry fee will be returned – this decision will be made by the Angling Section Committee by 0600 on 28^th June 2025. The Pool money will be  drawn by lottery based on your booking number for the boat for the skipper to allocate. Pool money will be split 50:50, with payment to one boat drawn and 50% to the RNLI.

THE COMMITTEE HAS CAPPED THE NUMBER OF BOATS IN THE COMPETITION AT 60 boats.

2/. INSURANCE. Competitors are required to make their own individual arrangements regarding insurance against personal loss, damage or injury. The latter being for a minimum of £3 million.

3/. LIABILITY. Neither to the Club, (C.B.Y.C.), the Angling Section, nor within the boundaries of the Club, shall we accept liability for any loss, damage or injury occurring during the course of the Competition.

4/. BAIT. Competitors are required to make their own arrangements regarding the supply of Bait.

5/. PONTOON. Competitors are quested to clear the face of A or D Pontoon as soon as possible after boarding, loading or landing there, in order that the Pontoon shall be available for use by Club Members and other Competitors.

6/. TIDES. Tide details for this Competition are 28th June 2025- High Tide, 09:42, Height:11.5m. Low tide16.03, 1.5m (info from TIDES app)

7/. ANCHOR. Competitors are advised to ensure that they are equipped with an anchor suitable for the individual boat, together with appropriate ground tackle to prevent dragging. Small “Grapple” type anchors are considered inadequate in this area of the Bristol Channel.

8/. SAFETY. Competitors are warned against overloading small boats and are advised to carry and use, the recommended safety equipment – i.e. compass, life jackets and flares etc.

9/. RADIO. Now that we are no longer tidal, communication with the Barrage is necessary prior to locking in or out. A VHF radio is an advantage for communication with the Barrage on Channel 18. Alternatively, the Barrage can be contacted, by Mobile Phone, 029 2070 0234. Competitors using Marine VHF are reminded that in order to avoid interfering with HM Coastguards’ Traffic, THE USE OF CHANNEL 16 SHOULD BE KEPT TO THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, but in the event of an emergency situation, you should follow the RECOMMENDED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES with HM Coastguards, via Channel 16.

10/. REGISTRATION. A Registration Marshal will be on duty in the clubhouse  until 9.00am on the day of the Competition. (See Rule 1.)

11/. DANGER AREAS. THE WOLVES. A ridge of rock pinnacles extending from the Northern Shore of Flat Holm to the Wolves marker Buoy. THIS AREA SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. THE RANNIE. This is an area of turbulence caused by converging currents, which extends from Lavernock Point toward Flat Holm and should be treated with extreme caution / respect since surface water conditions can be very rough when certain winds prevail.

12/. Early entry is advisable, as entrants may have to be restricted due to the volume of vessels requiring locking through the Barrage, at the start and finish of the Competition.

13/. Barrage Control tell us that locking out for the start of the Competition can be achieved in a reasonable length of time, approx. 60 boats locked out in 45 minutes. That is the three locks, locking out 10 boats each, at a time. The most delay is likely to be caused by boats sorting themselves out ready for the lock. NB. You cannot book a lock. You must call the Barrage when you are ready and then they will tell you which lock to use and when to enter it.

14/. The Competition is held in an area adjacent to the main shipping channel to and from the Port of Cardiff. Please do not anchor or wait in the approach channel. If it is necessary to cross the approach channel, particularly the buoyed channel (known as the Wrach Channel), Please do so as quickly as possible and at a right angle.

WAITING AREA 28^th June 2025