NW Norfolk Sailing Association Diamond Jubilee Regatta

In the summer of 1949, the seven sailing clubs in North West Norfolk banded together to provide a week of sailing for their members, one day at each club. Thus was formed the North West Norfolk Sailing Association. Sixty years later, five of the original founder members played host to the sixtieth regatta (known colloquially as Norfolk Week) in August 2009 and welcomed seventy boats from Somerset to Yorkshire and Suffolk to the Welsh Borders.

The week started at Hunstanton Sailing Club, the only sea venue in East Anglia that faces due west, where having beaten the holiday traffic, sixty-five boats arrived to compete in the two afternoon races. Sunshine and a good breeze made the journey worth while and two good races were sailed. The next day’s racing was also at Hunstanton with another two races sailed in similar conditions.

On Monday the fleet went inland to the Ouse Amateur Sailing Club in King’s Lynn where the race was sailed on the tidal River Great Ouse. Because of the times of the tide, the race was sailed in the late afternoon. Fortunately, the good breeze that had been blowing all day did not abate in the afternoon as is so often the case, and fifty five boats enjoyed an excellent race where the main tactics were using the strong tide to advantage and choosing the correct bank.

Tuesday afternoon saw the fleet assembling at Wells-next-the-Sea S.C. for a harbour race. What on shore appeared to be no wind at all translated into a pleasant breeze for the harbour race, with very few boats requiring a tow to reach the start line, though more needed one to return home. Twelve hours after finishing the evening race at 18.00 hrs, the fleet was racing again in Wells Harbour on Wednesday morning. Morning sun and a good breeze made the effort worth while.

Thursday saw the fleet at Blakeney S.C. for another early start at 07.00 hrs. Though the fleet managed to sail out to the start line in the harbour the wind was very much lighter. It held up until all five fleets were away, but then dropped, and the first and only lap took over an hour, by which time the water was on its way back into the North Sea. All boats were finished, and then the breeze set in again, so at least every one was able to sail back.

The fleets then headed west to Snettisham Beach S. C. on the Wash for the early start on Friday of the last two races in the points series. Sunshine, a pleasant breeze and a slight swell gave two good races. Unfortunately after the race, the computer programme being used to calculate the all-comers results decided to throw a tantrum. This left the Acting Commodore of the NWNSA tearing out what was left of his hair and muttering about calculators, or better still, slide rules and even log (-arithm) tables for next year.

The last event of the Diamond Jubilee Week was the race for the Audi Cup, two races held early on Saturday morning. Twenty three boats managed to make the start line, despite the celebration party and fireworks held to celebrate the sixty continuous years of the regatta on Friday evening, which in true sailing tradition went on into the early hours. Two gentle races on a flat blue sea concluded the week.

Thoughts from the fleets

National 12

Twenty-five N12 competed making it the largest fleet in the Week. With nine out of the top ten from the 2008 Nationals competing it was a top quality fleet. There were six different race winners during the week with Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne securing the overall winner’s place in the very last race from Tom Stewart and Pip Jefferis. Juliet Brown, competing in her first Norfolk Week with husband John finished in a very creditable fourth place overall, sailing a consistent series but never quite claiming a trophy. The first Admirals Cup place was won by Patrick Elcombe and Carol Shaw and the first vintage boat was sailed by Paul Turner in 2487, crewed by Christine Marshall.

Laser

Five boats were entered for the week. Ashley Deakin (Burnham Overy Staithe SC) and Andrew Bassett (Chew Valley Lake SC) had a ding dong battle throughout the week, culminating in Ashley’s superior reaching over waves winning him the first place for the week in the final Friday race. Michael Ettershank of Up River S.C. made his mark in the challenging conditions of light wind and strong tide at Blakeney, where he choose to sail on the only side of the harbour to have any wind. Nigel Blake defended the honour of veteran Norfolk Week competitors achieving good placing at the start of the week. The only lady member of the Laser fleet, Nina Plumbe improved steadily, gaining the third overall place by the end of the week, despite the occasional use of a radial rig. This year, however, she surrendered her usual post of best lady helm to Kirsty Riches in an RS 200.

Supernova

On the first day of racing at Hunstanton, Tim Harris from Up River Y.C. showed the four boats from Haversham S.C. a clean transom as he made a welcome return to the fleet. The second day saw the week’s most bizarre insurance claim as Jeff Tucker broke his windscreen when putting his sail back into his car after racing. Tail-ender Eric Hine achieved his best placing of the week and Ash Farmer his only win of the week in a consistent series of good results. Local sailor Jason Sheldrick of the Ouse Amateur SC sailed well on home waters before being overtaken by the usual suspects. Wells saw Jeff Tucker taking line honours by 5 secs from Ash Farmer whilst Tim Harris sat on the beach with a broken halyard. A fickle dying wind at Blakeney where bugs in life jackets got in the way saw the last boat off the line at the start go the correct way down the run and take an unlikely victory. Jeff puts it all down to luck. Stewart Moore (Hunstanton SC) found his form when he was ‘Havershammed’ at Wells and DNF Swain scored a personal best by finishing every race in a variety of conditions. He will henceforth be known as SOS Swain. Tim Harris put in a consistent week, counting seven bullets. Second place for the week was decided between Jeff and Ash by twelve inches (or about 490mm) at the last mark. Fellow competitors thought they heard the words “you’re only getting by on the beach” being uttered, but it could have been the breeze in the rigging. Patrick Rohart from Welwyn Garden City SC, a newcomer to Norfolk Week, put in a steady performance throughout the week and was sufficiently inspired to consider changing his sailing venue to Haversham. Prize of the week goes to Tim Harris for his award of a half full bottle of tomato ketchup and an Elgoods Brewery beer mat at the OASC, a prize he will treasure.

Enterprise

Six boats competed for the whole week. Racing between the top three was very close the whole week and between them they won all the races. Richard Wood and Carol Sallis and Peter Baylis and Kate Devlin winning four each with Tim and Jo Coleman winning two. The overall winner was decided at the finishing line of the last race at Snettisham as Peter Baylis pipped Tim Coleman at the line to take the race and the week. Newcomers Paul Carr and Howard Tollington from SBSC acquitted themselves well in this their first open event against such strong opposition. Richard Wood was awarded the Health and Safety prize of the week for being capsizing at Wells whilst being towed to the start line.

Allcomers

With everything from a Miracle to a B14, the handicap fleet was split into three fleets this year. To avoid the normal stigma of fast, slow and something else it was decided to call the fleets Trafalgar, Copenhagen and Nile after Nelson’s victories, a split which left boats of similar PY racing against each other and there was also to be an overall prize for the best handicap performance.

Large triangular courses at Hunstanton would normally be expected to favour the faster handicap boats, but being late to the line for the first race led to unexpected results such as Sam Mason’s Albacore being beaten to the finish line by a much slower Streaker – a fact he will not be allowed to forget for some time! Overall winner of race 1 was Ian Bradley from Ouse Amateur SC in the offending Streaker. Race two saw a more normal result, with overall honours going to Marcus Ingram in his Phantom, followed by Jonti Mason in a Blaze who tied on handicap with Jonny Pakes and Danny Stewardson in their ISO.

The second day at Hunstanton saw Hugh and Alison Ambery prove Graduates to be competitive securing the weekly bullet, followed by Guy and Sarah Humphrey in their laser 2000, while Andy Turner kept the pressure on in his OK. Race three showed the limits of carbon masts as Marcus Ingram pulled on his kicker and snapped his mast above the gooseneck, putting him out for the day. Race four was tied for first place between Jonti Mason and Kirsty and Bruce Riches in their RS200.

Monday at the Ouse saw a different type of course, upwind/downwind with tide added for effect. Matthew and Andrew Jones in their B14 found the restricted water a challenge when filled with N12s and were alleged to mutter ‘never again’, but some of the smaller boats found conditions much more to their liking. Overall honours went to Marcus Ingram followed by Ian Bradley from the home club. Tuesday at Wells started as an excellent wind which sadly dropped off as the race progressed, leaving a number of boats heading backwards out to sea on the ebb in the harbour entrance. Ingram once again beating Bradley into second. Wednesday morning saw a bright and early start – except for those lightweights who preferred the comfort of their beds – but they were rewarded with a pleasant sail which saw the same overall result as the day before.

Thursday morning at Blakeney was another bleary-eyed one, with the usual politenesses being observed as 60+ boats ran down a narrow channel against the stream to get to the start. A shifting wind caused the race officer to post three different courses before the fleets got away, and all looked to be reasonably straightforward until the wind failed after the third mark. Suddenly the fourth mark looked a long way away up tide, which it proved to be. The handicap fleet split between the two sides of the harbour to get out of the tide, with those following Marcus Ingram to port cursing the luck of the others who followed Hugh and Alison Ambery to the only side of the harbour to have any breeze at all. This allowed Ian Bradley to take line and overall honours in his Streaker, followed by Hugh and Alison.

Friday offered a return to large triangles on the sea, so the faster boats were out for blood. The first race however was breezy enough to overpower some of them allowing Bradley to ‘cruise’ round in his Streaker to take 1st overall. With Marcus in second this kept the battle for the handicap trophy very much alive. The second race saw Ingram and Bradley neck and neck up the first beat, but rounding the windward mark Ingram took off and never looked threatened again, gradually stretching his lead in the slightly lighter conditions. The pair concluded the day and the week only two points apart after sailwave had worked the figures over a few times.

Mention must be given to the Haversham contingent, who made sure that competitors never lost sight of the true aims of the week, namely to have a good sail and drink as much beer as possible. In both of these they were most successful!

Overall Results:

N12
1st 3492, Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne (Burghfield S.C.)
2nd 3513, Tom Stewart & Pip Jefferis (Northampton S.C.)
3rd 3514, Anthony Gifford & Joe Gifford (Aldeburgh S.C.)
4th 3483, Jon Brown & Juliet Brown (Upper Thames S.C.)
5th 3494, Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart (O.C.S.S.)

Laser
1st 174547, Ashley Deakin (Burnham Overy Staithe S.C.)
2nd 180274, Andrew Bassett (Chew Valley Lake S.C.)
3rd 162837, Nina Plumbe (Burnham Overy Staithe S.C.)
4th 86703, Michael Ettershank (Up River Y.C.)
5th 177818, Nigel Blake (North Herts. & East Beds. S.C.)

Enterprise
1st 22816, Peter Baylis & Kate Devlin (Hykeham S.C.)
2nd 21314, Richard Wood & Carole Baylis (Hykeham S.C.)
3rd 20202, Tim Coleman & Joanne Coleman (Snettisham Beach S.C.)
4th 16696, Hugh Jones & Anna Jones (Wells S.C.)
5th 22153, Greg Williams & Jordan Williams (Ely S.C.)

All-Comers
1st Phantom 1256, Marcus Ingram (Up River Y.C.)
2nd Streaker 1619, Ian Bradley (Ouse Amateur Sailing Club)
3rd Blaze 747, Jonti Mason (Hykeham S.C.)
4th Laser 2000, Guy Humphrey & Sarah Humphrey (Grafham Water S.C.)
5th Graduate 2361, Hugh Ambery & Alison Ambery (Blakeney S.C.)

Fleet winners
Trafalgar, Guy & Sarah Humphrey
Copenhagen, Marcus Ingram
Nile, Ian Bradley

Supernova
1st 691, Tim Harris (Up River Y.C.)
2nd 516, Ash Farmer (Haversham S.C.)
3rd 704, Jeffrey Tucker (Haversham S.C.)
4th 639, Patrick Rohart (Welwyn Garden City S.C.)
5th 648, Stewart Moore (Hunstanton S.C.)

Best overall
N12 3492, Graham Camm Zoe Ballantyne (Burghfield S.C.)

Best U18 Helm & Crew
ISO 801, Jonny Pakes & Danny Stewardson (Haversham S.C.)

Best Lady Helm
RS200, Kirsty Riches (Ouse Amateur Sailing Club)

Three Harbours Prize for N12
3494, Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart (O.C.S.S.)

Topper Racing
44644, Fergus Barnham (Snettisham Beach S.C.)