A busy Spring for Blackwater Sailing Club
by Oliver Southgate 16 Jun 2015 10:03 BST
16 June 2015
Osea Challenge start at Blackwater SC © Oliver Southgate / OJSPhotography
Racing is in full swing with the dinghy fleets enjoying a couple all in trophy races outside of their usual club fleet series schedules.
The Diamond Jubilee Chalice had 27 entries with Blazes making a clean sweep of the podium with Andy McIvor fresh from Solo class and back in a Blaze claiming victory over Terry Crook and Ben Fullalove in second and third respectively. The race officers managed to get in 3 races out of the 4 scheduled in predominately light conditions for this average lap event.
Full results here...
The light conditions continued for the next Trophy race, the Osea Challenge Cup, after a flying start by Julian Wild sailing his Musto Skiff the shifty conditions which saw at times boats on opposite tacks on the same heading! Eventual winner by a large margin sailing a K6 were Phil Newman and Rich Evans. Out of their usual fireball and in a borrowed K6 was Maria Richards and Graham Hoy joined by Ted Coday, practising for the upcoming K6 Eurocup in Lake Garda, coming in second place. Third place belonged to Gareth Davies and Rob Appleby's 49er making sure that the fast handicap fleet took all the podium slots from the medium handicap fleets previous dominance in the Chalice Cup.
Full results here...
Sprite Week
The clubs own class, the Sprite, enjoyed a nine race regatta over the Whitsun week with seven competitors taking part. The winds proved light and variable apart from the last day when stronger winds and a last minute wind shift provided a fast reachy sort of race to complete a successful week. Sheena arranged a social in the sunroom to round it all off. Overall winners of the Heron Cup were Bevis and Tessa Wright – but it did cost them a whisker pole!
Upcoming events hosted by Blackwater Sailing Club:
- June 21st: RNLI Round the Islands
- July 4th/5th: Solo Open Meeting - Part of the Eastern Series and the National Sea Series
- July 18th/19th Fireball Open Meeting - Part of the East Coast Traveler Series
Outside of racing
We have the Tuesday evening lake sailing from 1800hrs, we're still awaiting some warmth and sensible wind for this introductory adult sailing group.
Our second Cadet training weekend was fully subscribed with over seventy keen youngsters using both lake and river to develop their sailing skills ready for Cadet Week. This weekend a new training group "The over the wall" Topper group started sailing over the seawall in the Ballast Hole, and graduated to the river on the second day. The lake sailors continued sailing (and swimming) their Oppies encouraged by Hattie, Hannah and others. Thanks to Steve, Don and everyone who helped organise and run the weekend. Hope you can all make Cadet Week!
Wednesday night sailing
The first Wednesday night sailing took place yesterday with 7 boats (3 Toppers and 4 Oppies) out on the lake and about a dozen kids on (and in some cases in!) the water - good turnout for the 1st evening session of the year.
Wayfarer Cruise 8-10 May 2015
How mad can you get? 6 Wayfarers set off from Marconi SC including MNA and Jack Sprat from the BSC on an epic voyage to explore the wind farm on the Gunfleet Sands with force 5-6 winds forecast.
The first night was spent on the pontoon at Brightlingsea but the next morning it was blowing a hooley so the Colne was explored and a lively sail up to Rowhenge to the Anchor for lunch and on to the out skirts of Colchester before returning to Brightlingsea.
The next day was more peaceful so a sail out to the wind farm and anchoring in the middle of those enormous monsters. The water was only 3 ft deep so several people went for a wade in the middle of the ocean! A pleasant 20 mile sail back to the BSC then followed.
Dinghy cruising is a challenge as sailing up a narrow river at low water particularly tacking through the sea lock at Wivenhoe against a strong headwind taxes all the sailing skills. It also enables one to get to those places larger cruisers can't reach.
Many thanks to John Eardley from Marconi SC for organising a superb trip.
Open Day
The club open day attracted around seventy visitors, ten already signing up for membership, if you're interested in joining a family friendly club in Essex with RYA training, top facilities and a competitive racing schedule for dinghies and cruisers come check out the Blackwater Sailing Club.
www.blackwatersailingclub.org.uk