I was rather hoping to catch something a bit bigger too Grahambut the point Adam is making is that if I catch a 40LB Tope and a 12LB Turbot on the other side of the channel, it wont come close to beating a 3 1/2 Bream just outside the harbour (which I did about 4 or 5 weeks ago).
Bang on.
I go to Alderney 'cos I love the location and the fishing is "different" from our side of the channel. Not because I am going to bag up on 100% specimens as I know that is unlikely.
There is a chance that a Tope of 60lb will be caught and could win. But in all the time all of us have been fishing for Tope in Alderney none of us have done it.
Likewise with Turbot or Bass, but the BIG specimens are very few and far between.
It just so happens that the 48 hour comp is booked over this set of tides, the same ones chosen for some of us to head to the islands again. It certainly isn't planned that way.
If I was determined to win I would choose Bream or Conger as my target species.
I am fishing the comp simply because I am fishing that weekend anyway, no other reason.
Big and fast can produce a winner, but that is more likely down to good skippering and angling skills than simply being big and fast.
The same good skipepring and angling skills can be just as likely to land a leviathon for it's species a mile or so offshore.
I don't care where anyone goes to fish the comp as long as they are safe doing it but i can not seen why theses across the channel trips are now being treated as mundane fishing because when i do go their to fish myself i hope to catch fish that i rarely get out of poole and of a good size by the way i am raceing hamlton next week in a gocart i think he's worried
graham
i can not seen why theses across the channel trips are now being treated as mundane fishing
Definitely not mundane at all Graham.
The guys that go, go because they have the capability to do so for what is a beautiful change of venue.
The fishing is good, but it isn't necessarily spectacular and you do have to work hard for each one most of the time. It's about much more than the fishing alone though and that is why i personally love to go.
...The clubs constitution relates to small boats in club waters - this is boats under 30' from St Cats to Portland and as far South as you wish ...
Not being a "competition" type (rubbish angler and boat mostly out of club waters at present) I will not be entering the competition, however, some pertinent points raised by Mike.
On joining the club I was surprised to learn that the fishing area extended across to France and felt this was a bit at odds with a "local" fishing club for "small" boats. On consideration it does provide a finite southern limit which avoids any "misunderstanding" over mileage offshore or latitude definitions, also to date it does not seem to have provided any significant competition benefit or safety issues. Should this change then some classification/division of catch area and boat may be necessary. For the record, I have only fished the C.I.s once and with more dismal results than usual.
Perhaps a club night "session" covering fishing areas v. expected catch v. boat/skipper capability.
BTW I assume the club definition of a small boat has not changed, otherwise what little I do catch from my boat will not qualify:
3.0 Definition
3.1 For the purpose of P.B.S.B.A.C. a small boat shall not exceed 35 foot in length.
Alan.
I have not been on the site for a couple of days, due to family commitments and was interested to read how this thread has gone in that period.
IMHO this is one of the best comps of the year, but then again the boys and I have always liked specimen fishing more than scratching.
We book this one into the family diary early and Wendy knows how much we enjoy it so accepts it as a fishing weekend. I then look to ensure I do not have to work as well.
We have not always had the boat to chase miles offshore but have always felt that with planning and preperation we could compete, even when the boys were small we tried our hardest and enjoyed ourselves.
Their first ever night trip coincided with small tides and the 48 hr comp.
In a nutshell I do not believe that smaller boats can not compete any more than I think that the winning fish can only be caught offshore. Maybe it is the thought that some of us will be putting the hours and effort in that puts others off.
We hope to go accross channel this year because we have good tides , a fishing pass and Sam has some time off from the Navy.
Because of that I wanted to have a look at french waters.
I would encourage all that are fishing that weekend to enter, but if you do not want too because of various reasons I respect that it is your choice.
Mike
Your boat has the distance capability, comfort and size to not really be classed as a small boat, so I presume that it is your speed or the fact that you fish from a yacht that holds you back.
I would have thought that an overnight at a shelltered anchorage would give you all a chance to be very competitive if you wished to be.
Trailered boats also could plan around the weather to fish productive areas and target species if they wished too. By trailing the boats to the extremes of Club Waters they can fish in areas that are a long steam away by sea.
As I say I try to respect the choices of others, I just wanted to put over my thoughts on this one, for the sake of newer Members.
Who may not know that this comp has been won several times by fish caught on inshore reefs.
You have a 48 hr period, pick the best tides times, weather windows etc and give it a go.
Be safe and make the most of an extended fishing pass like we do 
.
Why should we now change the rules for one comp after 18 years of club history?
Why should any of the members activities that are in line with the clubs long standing rules be restricted as and when others feel (incorrectly) at a disadvantage?
Since the club was formed it's club waters have been from St Catherines in the east to The Bill of Portland to the west and as far south as you care to go. All it's competitions are and have always been based on these limits. The only real limit is each and every skippers personal ability or that of his craft.
If your fish are caught within the defined area above they count for all our comps.
I believe that most if not all our 48 hour comps have been won by boats this side of the channel with the large majority of fish being caught close enough inshore for most if not all the club boats having the opportunity to win.
I can remember when I first joined this club owning a Hardy fishing 17. Even then club boats went to Alderney fairly regularly and fished mid channel frequently. I entered all the comps including the 48 hour and can remember at the time thinking I wish I could go over to Alderney or fish mid channel but it wasn't to win the comps it was just to take part in the adventures.
Inshore offshore fish it or don't fish it's your choice. Either way is fine so long as we all have regard for the rules that have been in place for 18+ years
Martin
I believe Dave and I were the first to fish the 48hr 'over there' (well in the time I've been in the club) but then, as now, it was about the trip and nothing to do with winning.
If the conditions suit such a trip then the species options for winning certainly don't - mid-channel wreck congers, spur dogs, tope, bull huss, undulate and spotted rays, most wrasse and bream ....from Poole. Proabably a lucky brill being the best (only) chance over there.
I've fished it there 3 times (I think) and the reason has been the same as Charlie - it's a date booked into the diary (at home) in advance, with tide and timing to suit.
The only reason I have entered and paid my dosh in the past was to support the prize fund for those fishing 'seriously'.
It is, of course, everyone's right to decide what and when they want to do things; what I don't understand is why people seem to think there is anything worthy of making an issue about here.
It's a club of generally like minded individuals who enjoy angling from boats and it's based in Poole
Out of interest Ive just looked back through the records (to 2004) and every year either a Conger or Bream has won, and with only one execption they have all been this side of the Channel - mostly within range of a 16' boat.
Also interesting is that in 2005 we had 38 anglers fish the event, the numbers have declined since then each year, however this is a common theme of most club comps.
Perhaps a club night "session" covering fishing areas v. expected catch v. boat/skipper capability.
BTW I assume the club definition of a small boat has not changed, otherwise what little I do catch from my boat will not qualify:
3.0 Definition
3.1 For the purpose of P.B.S.B.A.C. a small boat shall not exceed 35 foot in length.
Alan.
Perhaps a club night "session" covering fishing areas v. expected catch v. boat/skipper capability.
That's a good idea and would certainly help those less experienced members and may even broaden their horizons.
BTW I assume the club definition of a small boat has not changed, otherwise what little I do catch from my boat will not qualify:3.0 Definition
3.1 For the purpose of P.B.S.B.A.C. a small boat shall not exceed 35 foot in length.
Unfortunately for you that is still the rule Alan
Martin
I remember this comp being won within the first few hours of the start on Friday night, 3 miles offshore . I think he spent about a fiver on fuel and could only fish that evening the whole weekend.
PJ
I remember this comp being won within the first few hours of the start on Friday night, 3 miles offshore . I think he spent about a fiver on fuel and could only fish that evening the whole weekend.
PJ
I remember that too Paul
especially as he was texting pictures from the slipway. 
when we were building the boat in my Garden, Dan and I were generously loaned a boat by a Member on the day that the engine was craned in.
We only had half a day, on a new boat with no secret marks in the plotter, but we happily took the opportunity to get afloat. We eagerly entered the comp to support the event and even got amongst the prizes
Just goes to show that you do not need to fish for 48 hrs or go out of the sight of land.
If we can not go offshore, we will adjust our aim, change tactics and try to fish as well as we can locally.
Looking forward to it as usual.
Charlie
1) Adam F - JV
2) Alun J - JV
3) Paul F - JV
4) Tom B - Mrs Sea
5) Greg C - Mrs Sea
6) Terry B - Mrs Sea
7) Martin - AWOL
8) Dean - AWOL
9) Dave- Wight Magic
10) John W - Rosie One
11) Allan Green- Kind of Magic
12} Charlie Alfresco
13) Sam Alfresco
14) Graham Alfresco
15] Will TBC Alfresco
16, Alfie, Dream Drifter
17, Sally, Dream Drifter
1) Adam F - JV
2) Alun J - JV
3) Paul F - JV
4) Tom B - Mrs Sea
5) Greg C - Mrs Sea
6) Terry B - Mrs Sea
7) Martin - AWOL
8) Dean - AWOL
9) Dave- Wight Magic
10) John W - Rosie One
11) Allan Green- Kind of Magic
12} Charlie Alfresco
13) Sam Alfresco
14) Graham Alfresco
15] Will TBC Alfresco
16, Alfie, Dream Drifter
17, Sally, Dream Drifter
18)Nigel,Wishin(inshore)
BTW I assume the club definition of a small boat has not changed, otherwise what little I do catch from my boat will not qualify:3.0 Definition
3.1 For the purpose of P.B.S.B.A.C. a small boat shall not exceed 35 foot in length.
Unfortunately for you that is still the rule Alan
Martin
Got me confudled now Martin 
Does that mean I am unfortunate because my boat is too long so any catches from onboard don't qualify, or is it because my boat is below the length limit therefore I have no excuse and need to catch/record some fish
For the record Navy Blues is comfortably below the limit at 9.5m (31 ft) 
(A bit smaller than the other club galleon)
Getting tempted to enter the comp now if I can be certain of being in club waters long enough to get a line over the side ...
1) Adam F - JV
2) Alun J - JV
3) Paul F - JV
4) Tom B - Mrs Sea
5) Greg C - Mrs Sea
6) Terry B - Mrs Sea
7) Martin - AWOL
8) Dean - AWOL
9) Dave- Wight Magic
10) John W - Rosie One
11) Allan Green- Kind of Magic
12} Charlie Alfresco
13) Sam Alfresco
14) Graham Alfresco
15] Will TBC Alfresco
16, Alfie, Dream Drifter
17, Sally, Dream Drifter
18)Nigel,Wishin(inshore)
19) Simon, Island Girl