Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

First races of the summer over the weekend for the Bembridge Redwings and One-Designs

by Mike Samuelson 13 Jul 2020 06:26 BST 11-12 July 2020

It is clearly going to be a very different summer this year and fleet numbers, particularly of Redwings are going to significantly lower than 'normal' years. However, although it had been hoped to start racing last weekend, the weather was so dire that racing was cancelled, it was therefore great to see seven Redwings and five One-Designs heading out the harbour at Saturday afternoon in the bright sunshine and light airs.

Despite the forecast NW'erly F2 breeze only materialised in fits and starts, the Race Officers eventually managed to set up a course in the vicinity of Fitzwilliam utilising the SE'erly F3 breeze that tantalisingly offered a reasonable first beat to Tara. Olav Cole in No 21 Redwing and David McCue in No 47 Musicus got the best start but except for Richard Jessel in No 6 Blue Jay who had started a bit late, by the time they reached Tara there was not much between them. As they rounded Janson the breeze dropped off and any of the front six boats could have crossed the finish line ahead. In the event its was No 5 Snowgoose helmed by Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore who just came in ahead of Musicus and Redwing.

After numerous course options for the second race had been considered by the Race Officers as the breeze swung round the compass, it was eventually decided to keep it very simple using Tara again as the windward mark, then back to the ODM and the finish at Spy Alarm (the new name for 'E', Under Tyne). Although without Snowgoose who had headed back to the harbour after finishing the first race, the remaining six boats made a pretty good start as the SE'erly breeze increased nicely. With the leeward mark changed to Janson to give a longer final leg, it then subsequently dropped a bit as they tacked back to the finish line; however it held long enough to bring smiles to everyone's faces! Olav in Redwing built up a nice lead and finished ahead of Joe Robertson in No 24, Red Gauntlett II and Ed Eddy in No 40, Plover. Mike Toogood in No 20 Tara was fourth.

The One-Designs had the same courses for their two races. There were five boats in the first race and four in the second (No 5 headed back in after the first one). Hugh Doherty with his socially distancing crew of Oli Laughton-Scott in No 10 won both with Penny Stanley and her socially distancing crew Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9 second in both. Susie & Syd Beart in No 5 was third in the first race and William Bland sailing single handed in No 12 was third in the second race. Although they finished both races smiling and were never far behind, the Mathieson's in No 1 were the days back markers.

Sunday's forecast was for sunshine and light airs; in the event we had sunshine and lovely F3 to F4 Southerly breeze which made for champagne sailing. With the start line set up just to the east of St Helens Fort, all five Redwings made an excellent start and had a testing short beat to Garland.

Start of Sunday's Redwing Race:

It was then a longish run to Ruthven followed by a beat to Tara. Olav Cole in Redwing led the way with Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II and Jonathan N-L in Snowgoose pressing hard. After Tara they ran to Janson, beat back to Spy Alarm (aka Undertyne), then another long run to Derrick and a testing final beat to the finish at Pepe. Although it looked at one stage that Red Gauntlet II was going to end up as the winner, Olav held his nerve and crossed the line a couple of boat lengths ahead of Snowgoose with Joe a similar distance behind. Andrew Eddy with his social distancing crew Willie Clegg in Plover was fourth just ahead of the Toogood's in Tara.

There were only three One-Designs racing, which of course given the lovely conditions was obviously a pity. They followed a similar but slightly shorter course (missing out the Tara to Janson to Spy Alarm legs) and there was little between them throughout the race. Indeed, all three led at one stage or another. On the long leg from Tara to Derrick, it looked as if Russ Fowler in No 1 was home and dry, however things do not go as planned as he rounded Derrick and Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9 and Jos Coad in No 8 became the front runners. Split tacks all the way to the finish at Pepe made for some exciting racing, but in the end it was Jos who crossed the line first three boat lengths ahead of Mark.

In the meantime, the Race Officers were able to set three Scows who turned up for a race a simple windward leeward five leg course that finished at Pepe prior to the arrival of the keelboats. Close stuff with Oliver Morgan crossing the line just ahead of Rob Orr and Anne Barlow.

It was great to be back on the water and racing; hopefully numbers will build as we move forwards to whatever the new normal brings us.

Next Saturday morning is the joint Redwing & One-Design Zanen (Long Distance) Trophy, with normal racing on Sunday morning.

Related Articles

Bembridge Sailing Club Late June Keelboat Racing
No shortage of wind on Saturday for the Redwings and One Designs Four Redwings and five One Designs (using their smaller mainsails) raced on Saturday. There was no shortage of wind at 15-20kts, but being from the SW the sea state was moderate. Posted on 30 Jun
Bembridge Sailing Club June Keelboat Weekend
An early high water time meant an early start An 08.00 HW meant an early start for the Keelboats on Saturday. Happily, a forecast 10kts from the SE filled in nicely for the four Redwings and two BODs who came out to race. Posted on 23 Jun
Bembridge Sailing Club Mid June Keelboat Weekend
A brisk breeze keeps the fleet ashore on Saturday, but Sunday proves more manageable Although nice and sunny on Saturday, the F5 SW'erly kept even the keenest ashore; fortunately it had dropped to a more manageable F4 for Sunday's early afternoon races. Posted on 16 Jun
Edwardian Bembridge Harbour Trophy for Redwings
This year's crews had failed to read the small print Saturday was of course the Round the Island Race which always makes course setting for the Bembridge keelboats quite challenging. Unusually Saturday's Redwing race was programmed for just one race for the 'Edwardian' Bembridge Harbour Trophy. Posted on 9 Jun
Bembridge Late May Bank Holiday Keelboat Racing
Redwings battle for Gunston Trophy The late May Bank Holiday normally draws pretty good fleets out onto the water, however the windy forecast and commitments by the One-Designs, eight of whom are racing next week in Cowes Classics, resulted in only seven Redwings and no One-Designs racing. Posted on 27 May
Redwing 25th Anniversary Medal at Bembridge
With Bembridge One-Design keelboat racing The forecast was mixed, but a warm 10kts from the south meant perfect sunny sailing for the six Redwings and two One-Designs who went afloat on Saturday. Posted on 19 May
Bembridge Sailing Club Mid-May Keelboat Racing
Glorious sunny sailing in about 15kts of breeze Several days of cool easterlies may have deterred a few crews, but the two Redwings and two One-Designs that raced enjoyed some glorious sunny sailing in about 15kts of breeze. Posted on 12 May
Bembridge Early May Bank Holiday Keelboat Racing
Redwings back out for the Quail Trophy while the One Designs race for the Woodroffe Bowl The first Redwing racing of 2025 (for the Quail Trophy) attracted three boats to the start line, Colin Samuelson in Toucan, Matt Alexander helming Harlequin, and Jockey Wilson in Quail. Posted on 6 May
Bembridge Illusion season concludes
St George's Day Trophy and Woodford Long Distance Trophy weekend The last weekend of the Illusion season is always reserved for the St George's Day Trophy on the Saturday and the Woodford Long Distance race on the Sunday. This year was no exception. Posted on 28 Apr
Bembridge One-Design Oppenheim Trophy
As usual Good Friday was the first day of the year's Bembridge keelboat racing As usual Good Friday was the first day of the year's keelboat racing at BSC; but unfortunately the rain and F5 from the SE attracted only thee boats to the race course. Posted on 23 Apr