Bembridge Sailing Club Redwing & One-Design Racing
by Mike Samuelson 4 Jun 2018 06:10 BST
2-3 June 2018
Bembridge Redwings racing on the first Sunday of June © Mike Samuelson
Better than expected numbers of Redwings (eight) & One-Designs (eight) were out racing in almost perfect conditions on Saturday. Despite a rather odd 'no show' by the One-Design fleet on Sunday afternoon, the six Redwings that had moored overnight at Under Tyne however had an excellent race.
Saturday's F3-4 SW'erly breeze provided 'champagne' conditions for both fleets. Starting off a long line close to Janson, the first race had Garland as the windward mark; as usual the Redwings were first off with the fleet splitting as they tried to take best advantage of the breeze as it blew through the harbour entrance. The run to Ruthven brought boats back closer together but the beat back to the line again saw the fleet split. At the front, James Tate in Rosetta and John Raymond in Harlequin had a very close race with Rosetta crossing the line 7 seconds ahead. Andrew Eddy in Plover was third, 20 seconds later. In the second race, competition continued to be close at the front of the fleet. However, at the finish at Under Tyne, John Raymond in Harlequin crossed the line just under a minute ahead of Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II; James in Rosetta was third.
The eight One-Designs had the same courses as the Redwings. In the first race Robin & Charlotte Joy in No 10 finished first 15 seconds ahead of Jos Coad in No 8 with William Band in No 12 over a minute behind. In the second race, Jos Coad in No 8 lead at the windward mark and managed to extend his lead to finish just under two minutes ahead of Sarah Marshall in No 7; John Suffield was third in No 4. Although at the back of the fleet, Penny Stanley in No 9 and William Bland in No 12 almost came to blows on the finish line but Penny held her nerve and fortunately William just tacked onto starboard in time!
By Sunday afternoon the breeze had backed to the S/SEast and although slightly less than the previous day, there was certainly enough for some enjoyable racing which made it all the more strange that there were no One-Designs. Starting from a line between Under Tyne and Fitzwilliam with Cochrane as the first windward mark, the usual tactical decision had to made as to whether to stay out in the tide or head inshore in the hopes of less tide.
Redwing start on Sunday:
Today, four stayed out and two went in and although as one of the former, Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II rounded first, there was in fact little in it with Blue Jay II helmed by Chloe Crisp and Avocet helmed by Michael MacInnes close behind. On the long run to Britten, the fleet closed up and there was less than 30 seconds between the first and last boats.
Rounding Britten on the first round:
The next beat to Tara again saw split tacks and again it was Red Gauntlet II who picked up the best lift as the breeze came off the Lifeboat Station. Second was Rosetta and third, after a very good leg, was Tara. On the run back to Britten the front three played cat and mouse but on the final beat back to Under Tyne, Joe Robertson got Red Gauntlet II going fastest and he crossed the line 50 seconds ahead of James Tate in Rosetta; although Mike Toogood in Tara was looking safe in third, Chloe Crisp in Blue Jay II had the better boat speed on the final tack and finished a couple of seconds ahead.
Congratulations to James in Rosetta who won the weekend with a first, a second and a third; sadly for him though it was one of the few weekends without a specific trophy!
Next weekend is the annual trip to Itchenor and there is no local racing for those who are not going.