Bembridge Illusion Spring Plate

Light winds for the Bembridge Illusion Spring Plate © Mike Samuelson

Light winds for the Bembridge Illusion Spring Plate © Mike Samuelson

After strong winds almost every weekend since Christmas, it was somewhat surreal that the first race on Saturday for this year's Spring Plate was more of a drift than a race! That said, after a twenty minute postponement to allow the small fleet of seven boats to reach the start area outside the harbour, it came as no surprise to see light wind expert James Meaning reach the windward mark in front of the rest of the fleet. With little sign of the breeze filling in, it was decided to finish the race after just one round and having rounded different sides of the leeward gate almost together it was James who made it back to the finish line well ahead of Mark Downer who found himself stuck in a hole and was overtaken by Philip Bown & Guy Mattinson.

Fortunately, the earlier zephyrs developed into a much more sailable 4 knot breeze in time for the start of the second race. With James going off to the right side of the course and Mark going left, there was no question of which paid off; at the windward mark James was at least 30 metres in front and despite best efforts by the chasing fleet, there was never any doubt of the outcome of the two round race. Veteran Philip Bown again demonstrated his preference for the lighter conditions and kept Mark at bay to pick up another second.

With the breeze holding at just under 5 knots, the results of the third race were an exact replica of the second one. James, Jo Downer and Philip kept to the right up the first leg, while Mark, his son George & Robin Ebsworth went left. Although James was first round the windward mark, it was by only a smidgen ahead of Jo, with Mark & Philip not far behind. At the leeward gate, there was still not a lot separating them, however by the finish, James had yet again managed to build a substantial lead ahead of Philip & Mark.

Sunday's forecast was for a considerably stronger easterly breeze, so initial thoughts were to race in the harbour, but as boats were launching, conditions outside looked fine so it was decided that the slightly larger fleet of eleven boats would get better racing off Silver Beach. After a short postponement to allow the last couple of Illusions to reach the starting area, the first race got away to a clean start in the 6.5 knot easterly breeze. The fleet was almost evenly split either side of the first leg to the windward marks with the previously day's winner James Meaning going inshore and reaching the first mark just in front of Bruce Huber, Steve Warren-Smith & Mark Downer. On the second round James extended his lead and crossed the finish line well ahead of Mark who had overtaken Bruce on the second beat and followed James inshore. Steve was fourth. In the middle of the fleet, Philip Bown & Guy Mattinson traded positions and it could not be split at the finish line so tied in 6th place.

With the breeze looking as if it was holding, the course for the second race was extended slightly; silly move as just after the start it started to weaken! Steve Warren-Smith was a bit over enthusiastic and had to return after being OCS, and Robin Ebsworth had to take a penalty after an altercation with David Peerless as they approached the Committee Boat! At the windward mark, it was again James Meaning's green & white boat that rounded first just ahead of Bruce Huber's green one. On the slow run down to the leeward gate, Philip Bown found a few extra puffs and caught up to second, however he was unable to keep it going on the beat back to the windward mark and had to make do with a fourth place. In the meantime Guy Mattinson chose the right way to go and although unable to catch James he rounded the windward mark in second place ahead of Bruce and managed to hold on for the rest of the two round race.

In the final couple of minutes before the start of the final race, the breeze disappeared almost completely so although the sequence was completed, it was not long afterwards that the Race Officers decided to abandon the race rather than leave everyone going no where in the increasingly lumpy easterly swell.

With five first places, there was no question as to who the winner of the Spring Plate was! Well done James Meaning. Although not quite so successful in Sunday's races, Philip Bown's three seconds on Saturday secured him a well deserved second place overall ahead of Mark Downer. Guy Mattinson was fourth.

Light winds for the Bembridge Illusion Spring Plate - photo © Mike Samuelson

Although there is racing programmed for Good Friday, the next Regatta (Vernon's Easter Egg Cup) is on Easter Saturday & Easter Sunday.

Overall Results:

YouTube Clips:

Start of Race 2 on Saturday

Start of the first race (Race 4) on Sunday

Start of the second race (Race 5) on Sunday