Brass Monkey Marblehead Open at Guildford Model Yacht Club

Brass Monkey Marblehead Open at Guildford © Roger Stollery

Brass Monkey Marblehead Open at Guildford © Roger Stollery

Brass Monkey Marblehead Open at Guildford © Roger Stollery

At the Brass Monkey at Guildford MYC's Abbey Meads lake near Chertsey, the sailing was not very exciting! However despite the fickle light wind the racing was very close and exciting at times.

There was a good and very encouraging entry, with a competitor returning to Marblehead sailing after 20 years and 2 new recruits who had never sailed Marbleheads before.

Adding to the publicity about old boats still being competitive, Roger Stollery lent his latest UPROAR to a potential new Marblehead sailor and sailed his 1992 ROAR EDGE, which has not been upgraded except for a beautiful suit of sails from Brad Gibson and was delighted to finish 2nd after a count back tie with Rob Vice and his 2012 CRAZY TUBE FREE.

Fourteen Marblehead and three BOTTLE boat skippers made the first starts on a damp morning and a very light mainly easterly but variable breeze. After shifting a few marks PRO Hugh McAdoo got the first races away shortly after the advised 1000hrs start. The course was two laps with a windward spreader mark and gate at the leeward end and a final beat parallel to the south bank.

Local Skipper Martin Crysell got a good start in Race 1 and won from Rob Vice in second with Alex Cory from Gosport with a STARKERS ready to pounce should any mistakes be made by the leaders. Boats were very spread out over the course and after a short break for tweaking of both boats and course, Race 2 soon got under way with Roger's original ROAR EDGE winning from Alan Veal with an updated ROAR EDGE in second place. During this race there were many ladders, but also snakes with a lot of position changes throughout the fleet.

As the second race was a slow spread out affair, Hugh shortened Race 3 to one lap with Roger claiming his second win from Alan Viney's PRIME NUMBER and Rob third. The fourth race was won by Rob sailing his CRAZY TUBE FREE with Roger second and Alex in third place

Lunch was then taken, much to the competitors' joy, whether this was relief or the expectation of warming mulled wine and mince pies was difficult to say. The lunch break became somewhat extended as Hugh waited for a wind to come and steady down in direction. What little breeze there was, shifted more than 90 degrees at times.

However with no obvious improvement the fifth race was started with Peter Dunne the BOTTLE boat event winner, sailing CJ Vice's CRAZY TUBE TOO, which Rob had lent him. Over the same one lap course was the race took more than 30 minutes to complete and at times the legs became more a reach rather than a beat and run. Rob eventually won with Martin making a late bid for a win following on from his first race win. Third was Roger and fourth was Alex who had been chasing the leaders all day. After this endurance test of concentration Hugh offered the fleet an early finish, which under the circumstances was welcomed.

As the entry fee was not money, but a prize in Christmas wrapping paper every competitor away happy with an unseen prize, including Hugh with his special prize for running the event.

Overall Results:

1st Rob Vice Clapham CRAZY TUBE FREE 7pts
2nd Roger Stollery Guildford ROAR EDGE 7pts
3rd Martin Crysell Guildford PRIME NUMBER 13pts
4th Alex Cory Gosport STARKERS 14pts
5th Alan Viney Guildford PRIME NUMBER 17pts
6th Alan Veal Guildford ROAR EDGE 26pts
7th Les Thorn Guildford PARADOX 27pts
8th John Bennett Eastleigh 30pts
9th David Wilkinson Cotswold ROAR EDGE 36pts
10th Nick Royse Frensham CRAZY TUBE FREE 37pts
11th Janet Veal CRAZY TUBE TOO 38pts
12th Phil Hillyard Gosport GOTHIC 40pts
13th Keith Parrott Frensham UPROAR 45pts
14th Phil Udall Eastleigh CRAZY TUBE FREE 47pts