0.1 Square Metre Championship at Emsworth Sailing Club
by Simon O’Hea 5 Jan 2009 08:32 GMT
2 January 2009
A North-Easterly zephyr for the Emsworth 0.1 Square Metre championship © Simon O'Hea
Titanic conditions on Emsworth millpond
The 2009 Emsworth 0.1 Square Metre championship (otherwise known as the Bottle Race) enjoyed 19 entries on Friday 2nd January in a barely detectable North-East zephyr.
The rules for the event are that the model yacht should be mainly fabricated from plastic drinks bottles with a maximum aggregate volume of 3 litres, an overall maximum length of 600 mm including all sprits, maximum beam of 350 mm, maximum mast height of 600 mm and a maximum draft of 300 mm. However the task of the Measurer is always unenviable as he is of course keen to allow all craft to sail.
The race was started by Matt Townsend, the race officer, from the Slipper Sailing Club hopefully in a southerly direction towards an arbitrary line. Eager spectators almost sunk their pontoon as they awaited the start toot.
The Morley family showed great ingenuity with launching sticks (a reaction to the new “no lobbing” rule?) and vessels fitted out with impressive self steering gear.
The boats had to avoid a large slab of ice to the West, but unfortunately many of the craft headed straight for it. Pippa White’s “Maximus” lived up to its name in achieving a new speed record across water of several knots before hitting it. Unfortunately it was disqualified due to excessive buoyancy.
Another record was achieved, with Willum Greaves’ "HoHoHo" being the first sailing bottle to break the speed barrier across ice as it mounted and then skated across the ice to the far pond wall.
When Edward Bowman realised that the race was becoming something of a lottery, he retrieved his craft from the pack ice, ran round the mill pond with it and neatly dropped it just in front of the finishing post. Unfortunately not only the race officer but every other contestant also spotted him.
Only two boats completed the course. Leo Pattison’s “Credit Cruncher” was looking good for a moment but was hampered by its over-efficient water ballasting system bringing it into second place behind Andrew Mason’s “M for Magic” (sponsored by Morrisons) which cleverly was able to alternate between being a Square Rigger and a Bermudan rig.
Prizes were handed out by Mark Rushall who complimented all contestants and showed satisfaction that designs had not advanced over the 14 years since he founded the Race.
As usual, a good time was had by all entrants, and £100 was raised for the Lavender Trust for Breast Cancer Care.