Royal Southampton Yacht Club Frostbite Series - Overall
by Mike Garvey 16 Mar 2011 08:41 GMT
16 January - 13 March 2011
2011 Frostbite Series sponsored by Doyle Sails
It was a blustery day with a warm SW gradient wind of circa 22 knots gusting up to 30 knots which greeted the racers for the inaugural race of the year and which would certainly blow away any cobwebs.
With 41 entries in 2 x IRC and 2 x RSYC classes the first race got under way with many putting reefs in. The first run was exciting with plenty of boats flying their kites however there were also plenty of broaches in the strong gusts and from early on Doyle Sails were going to be kept busy after the race!
An early casualty was Alice, last year’s series winner, who sadly broke their carbon fibre mast which went with a bang, fortunately no one was hurt. Jammin too had problems, their genaker wrapped around the forestay and given a good flogging in the breeze.
With 4 boats retiring and many with torn sails and the wind continuing to increase the 2nd race was abandoned.
The racing was close in all classes with Class 1 being won by J Dream – a J109. Class 2 by J’ronimo - a J92s. Class 3 by Vader – a Cork 1720 and Class 4 by Little Spirit - a Beneteau 375.
It was frosty for the early starters with wall to wall sunshine and a light Northerly breeze on the 2nd days racing in the aptly named Frostbite series.
In total contrast to last Sunday the breeze for race 1 was very light and fickle shifting back and forth as it ran down Southampton water with the fleet starting at Deans Lake beating to Hovercraft 1.
All 4 classes got away but with the shifty light wind is was debateable whether they would finish the race until the wind shifted 50 degrees to the east and increased to 10 knots.
Even though they started a minute late Njos, a Corby 35 managed to win Class1. Class 2 was won by Jammin a J92, Class 3 was won by Arabella, a new J111 and winning Class 4 was Ellie a Dehler 36 cws.
With a steady 10 knot NE established, as long as one had plenty of clothes on it was not too cold in the sun. Again all classes had clean starts, although with a little jostling in Class 2. After Barn was the windward mark then up the river before cascading back and forth to the finish at Deans Lake. All in all just enough before retiring to the warmth of the club which was very busy for lunch, a pint and the prize giving of bottles of wine and Doyle Sail bags.
The more stable wind changed the finishing order and it was J Dream a J109 who took the bullet in Class 1 and Glass Onion an Evolution 22 the smallest boat in Class 2 won. Arabella the J111 had their second win of the day in Class 3 and in Class 4 Fusion III a Gibsea 284 took the honours.
The committee boat ventured out for races 5 & 6 to see if there was any chance of racing but due to appalling weather racing were abandoned.
The penultimate race day was fresh bright and sunny with a moderate breeze from W to NW and a rapidly ebbing tide setting the challenge for the race management team this week.
With the committee boat near Hover 1 all 4 Classes were sent off to Royal Southampton buoy newly laid after its winter overhaul before continuing round laid marks before cascading back down to the finish at Netley. Class 1 saw NJOS a Corby 35 win with a good margin over Malice. a HOD 35 .In Class 2 Blazer a Laser28 took the honours by only 4 sec. on Jammin a J92. Class 3 – Jammy a J80 won with Vader a Cork 1720 runner up and Class 4 Fusion III a Gibsea 284 was first beating Escapade a First 305 into 2nd place.
The ebbing tide caught a couple of hapless skippers out who parked on the putty between races but both managed to escape and get started on a reconfigured course after the wind veered enabling a windward – leeward course to be set for the first time this series however as all those avid meteorologists know it was a front going through that caused the wind shift and with it came rain. Lots of it and heavy!
After timid starts in Race 7 Class 2 were all up for the start this time and there were 3 OCS unlike some starters who were a minute late.
It was J Dream a J109‘s turn to win Class 1 with NJOS 2nd. Class 2 saw J92’s take 1,2 and 3 J’ronimo, Blackjack then Wizard. Class 3 saw a reversal with Vader 1st and Jammy 2nd .Class 4 was again won by Fusion III this time 2nd was Ellie a Dheler 36cws.
It was a perfect day to conclude the Frostbite Series with a steady SE wind blowing at 10 – 15 knots and the sun shining, it could not have been a better day.
Taking advantage of the SE wind the race management set long windward - leeward courses as a contrast to the short cascading up and down Southampton Water. Hence from the start adjacent to NW Netley it was a beat down to Hamblecliff before a long run back to Moorhead with the tide and finally a long beat back to finish at a mark near Hover 1.
All classes got away cleanly but after 1hrs racing Class 1 was won by J Dream beating Malice by only 4sec. In Class 2 it was the J92’s J’eronimo and Jammin who took 1 and 2 respectively and in Class 3 Arabella beat Vader. Class 4 Escapade took the honours with Little Spirit runner up.
Having had some practice everyone was much keener in the final race of the series and in Class 1 J Dream were early and OCS but restarted well going on to win with Malice in 2nd. Class 2 were very close but got away with the J92‘s, again 1st and 2nd this time it was Jammin then Blackjack, however Class 3 had a boat OCS but it was a rerun of race 9 with Arabella then Vader and finally Class 4 who were a little line shy but it was Escapade who again won and Ellie taking 2nd place.
Series Results
Class 1
1st J Dream, Kirsty and Dave Apthorp’s J109
2nd Malice, Mike Moxly's HOD 35
Class 2
1st J’ronimo, David Greenhaulgh’s J 92
2nd Jammin, Pete, Andrew and Matt’s J 92
Class 3
1st Brizo Vader, Doug Innes’s Cork 1720
2nd Jammy, Jon Stevens and Louise Curtis’s J80
Class 4
1st Little Spirit, Brian Cooper’s Beneteau First 3755
2nd Ellie, Ka, Gill and Gin’s Dehler 36 cws