Brading Haven Yacht Club Regatta
by Mike Samuelson 27 Aug 2019 05:42 BST
23-24 August 2019
As normal, a busy long weekend. On Friday afternoon, seven Redwings, nine One-Designs and two Seaview Mermaids enjoyed the gentle F3 SE'erly breeze as they competed in the first day of BHYC's Regatta. With the keelboats being run as usual by BSC, Sea Breeze set up the start area off Janson.
The Redwings all made reasonable starts and soon tacked to head inshore out of the tide on their way to Cochrane.
Start of Friday's Redwing race:
First round was Toucan, helmed Colin Samuelson and crewed by his wife Becky; Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II and Jonathan Naiby-Luxmoore, sailing single handed in Snowgoose were not far behind. On the long run to Derrick, Colin extended his lead and after a second loop from Janson to Derrick, finished a country mile ahead of Joe & Jonathan with Andrew Eddy in Plover and Robin Ebsworth in Quintessence. Sarah & William Maltby in Enigma and Peter Grimaldi with daughter Carina and his grandson retired.
After a ten minute postponement for a few late comers (they thought it was a 14:30 start!) to reach the start area, the start itself was not overly impressive by most. However they had a good beat to Tara and there was not a lot in it as, like the Redwings, they ran to Derrick. Sarah Marshall with daughter Sophie crewing was just ahead of No 6 helmed single-handed by Charles Abel Smith and No 11 helmed (also single handed) by Sophie Ross. On the slow beat back up to the line where the race was shortened, Charles took over the lead to finish just ahead of Sophie with Peter Summerhayes in No 1 a minute later coming third. Sarah meanwhile frustratingly had to be content with coming fifth.
Two Seaview Mermaids also joined in the racing and were set the same course as the Redwings. Although U22, helmed by Ben Few-Brown had by far the better start, U11 helmed by David Carter-Johnson rounded Cochrane ahead, however lost ground on the run to Derrick and was unable to make it up on the beat back to the shortened finish at Janson.
The forecast for Saturday morning suggested slightly more breeze, however it did not really materialise and although racing for both the finals of Redwing's Jeannie Cochrane Trophy and the One-Designs Jubilee Trophy were successfully completed, a few more knots of breeze would have been ideal. As they had three races to get through, the One-Designs started first from Footprint with Fitzwilliam as the windward mark and Nainby as the leeward one. Although progress was at times painfully slow, Andrew Palmer with Francesca Morgan crewing went inshore and rounded Fitzwilliam with a safe lead and took the first race ahead of Jos Coad & Anna Row, Hugh Doherty & Robin Joy and Mark Grzegorczyk & Penny Stanley. The course for the second race was changed to twice round two inflatable marks that were laid to windward of Sea Breeze. Headsails were also changed to genoas. Although last to cross the start line, Mark reached the windward mark comfortably ahead and held it to the finish. Having been second at the leeward mark, Andrew ended up third after Jos just managed to get ahead in the final 25 metres to the line. With all to play for with Mark, Jos & Andrew all in contention, the same course was used for the third and final race.
Start of the final Jubilee Trophy race:
Jos led after the first round with Andrew and Mark close behind, however Andrew had a problem with his mainsheet as he rounded the leeward mark which opened the way for Mark to round the windward inflatable ahead. With little separating them on the final run to the line, Mark held his nerve and finished first just ahead of Andrew and Jos. With three quarters of a point for a win, this put Mark on 5 half points, a quarter of a point ahead of Andrew, and therefore the winner of the Trophy.
Meanwhile the three Redwings competing in the Jeannie Cochrane final had been set Moreton and Nainby, twice round to finish at Footprint. John Raymond in Harlequin read the tides and zephyrs best; initially tacking inshore and then offshore put him three minutes ahead of James Wilson in Quail at Moreton. However on the slow run to Nainby, Quail reeled them in and by the time they reached Nainby was at least a minute ahead and extended their lead on the beat to the shortened finish at Footprint to win the Trophy by just over two minutes. James Tate in Rosetta had gone offshore on the first beat and got caught by the tide; they were so far behind by the time they reached Moreton that they retired and headed back to the moorings.
Ever hopeful that the breeze would increase for the afternoon's racing (BHYC Regatta Day 2 - incorporating the Mermaid Gin Regatta), a relatively ambitious course was set from Janson with Fitzwilliam as the windward mark and Derrick as the leeward mark.
Despite the light airs, the start for the thirteen Redwings racing was surprisingly close. Having sailed down the line, James Wilson in Quail got the transit slightly wrong and was called OCS; it took him some time to get back and having gone inshore reached Fitzwilliam well down the fleet. Colin Samuelson in Toucan, after an inch perfect start, and Andrew Eddy in Plover led the fleet offshore which put them in front. The run to Derrick was very slow and although still not in the first group, Quail made up six or seven places by going down the left side of the track. With little prospect of the breeze increasing the course was shortened as they beat back up through the line. Initially it looked as if Plover had done enough to secure victory but to his dismay Andrew had to be content with second just ahead of Toucan when Quail found better angles & boat speed and came in close the Sea Breeze's stern to cross the line first. With a first and a third, the Lochnell Trophy (and bottle of Mermaid Gin!) went to Toucan.
Despite having genoas, it still took quite a long time for the seven One-Designs to reach the start area, so the start of their race was postponed for ten minutes. Rather than delay further in the hopes that the breeze would settle, they set off towards Fitzwilliam with Susie Beart in No 5 and Norman Marshall in No 6 both going for port tack starts. Progress was very slow, indeed at one stage it looked as if the race might have to be abandoned, however no one gave up and eventually there was enough of a breeze for everyone to finish a shortened course. Having been ahead almost from the start, it was Susie & Syd Beart in No 5 who took line honours finishing two minutes ahead of William Bland & D Orange in No 12. Alexander Ross in No 4 finished third, a minute later.
Daily racing continues until the end of month.
Additional photos at flic.kr/s/aHsmGumEDB