Bembridge SC late August / early September weekend keelboat racing
by Mike Samuelson 2 Sep 2019 06:04 BST
31 August - 1 September 2019
It is hard to believe that another August is over and September beckons. Although there are still a number of weekends before the Illusions appear for their winter sailing, last weekend was for many their last of the 2019 season. Pity really as September often provides champagne sailing conditions.
On Saturday morning five Redwings and four One-Designs enjoyed some fine sailing in the F3 to 4 WSW'erly breeze. Starting at Fitzwilliam with Under Tyne as the windward mark, Joe Roberston in Red Gauntlet II made easily the best start and never really looked under much pressure for the rest of the race.
Mike Toogood in Tara and Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore in Snowgoose were locked out at the Committee Boat by Alastair Speare-Cole in Avocet so had a bit of catching up to do. By the time they reached the first mark Red Gauntlet II was well ahead of Avocet and Snowgoose with Tara and Blue Jay further back. With Joe extending his lead on every leg, the rest of the race was more about who was going to come second and last!
After the first of two excellent beats from Moreton to Under Tyne, the answer was that unless things went badly wrong, it was going to Snowgoose in second, Avocet third and Tara in fourth. And indeed this was the final result.
Meanwhile, the four One-Designs, sporting storm mains (the forecast had the breeze increasing as the morning wore on) and normal jibs, had a slightly different course, which like the Redwings, they made quicker progress getting round than had been planned. Not that anyone complained! Despite a somewhat mixed start, they all reached the windward mark pretty close together.
D Orange with William Bland crewing in No 12 was first round followed by Hugh Doherty in No 10, John Suffield in No 4 and Jos Coad with Maya Kemp in No 8. D extended her lead slightly as the race progressed and finished half a minute ahead of Hugh with Jos in third about fifteen seconds later.
Racing was in the afternoon on Sunday which alas caught a few people out. However four Redwings had an excellent race in the F3 to 4 NW'erly breeze. After a close start at Under Tyne with Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II holding back so as to be the windward boat, all remained on starboard until they reached the port lay line for Footprint.
Start of the race:
Richard Jessel in Blue Jay was first round, with Red Gauntlet II, Tara, helmed by Mike Toogood and Avocet helmed by Jessica Speare-Cole not far behind. The order remained the same on the run to Tara, but by the time they reached Drum after a testing beat, Red Gauntlet II was in the lead ahead of Blue Jay with Tara & Avocet someway behind. Despite taking different tacks on the final beat from Tara to Britten in the hopes of finding the best lifts and weaker tide, Blue Jay had make do with coming second, a minute behind Red Gauntlet II. Avocet had a very good final beat and moved up into third. Rather disappointingly there were no One-Designs.
Finally many congratulation to Jo & Mark Downer and Hugh Doherty who won the Solent Clubs Prince Philips Cup held in the Seaview Mermaids on Sunday.