Bembridge Sailing Club Keelboat Racing in the final week of July
by Mike Samuelson 2 Aug 2021 13:24 BST
26 July - 1 August 2021
Redwings pre-start during the Bembridge Keepboat Racing in the final week of July © Mike Samuelson
Monday 26th July (SSE 4-5, sunny periods)
Redwings - from F to T- R (2) - JJ and finish at E)
Initially three Redwings (1, 5 & 40) but Meri sailed Paroquet back to the harbour before the start having decided that it was a bit too windy for her and Keith. Snowgoose & Plover both had three crew. Clean start and close racing throughout. Snowgoose always just ahead and although Plover looked as though they might get ahead on the final beat (R to JJ) after the breeze veered to SW, it was not to be.
One-Designs - from F to T - R - F - R - JJ finish at E
Only two boats, Charles Abel Smith single handed in No 7 and Alan Marston with Syd Beart in No 5. After both boats got lost on the way to T and went too far inshore, No 7 rounded just ahead, however No 5 overtook on the run after Charles had difficulty setting his jib pole single handed. Soon after rounding R, Charles advised he was retiring after the top of his jib came adrift. The course was therefore changed to E with No 5 finishing about a minute ahead.
Tuesday 27th July (South Westerly 4 with overcast conditions)
Redwings - from JJ to E - R Twice finishing at E
Two Redwings made the start line, No 21 sailed by Olav with his son on board chose the pin end of the line and established an early lead. No 5 with Jonathan at the helm and Sarah plus Dorian completing the crew went for the windward end of the line on the gun. 21 was the first to reach the ward mark E, maintain their lead throughout the race to finish first.
One Designs - from JJ to E - R - JJ - R finishing at E
Three One Designs came to the line, comments were passed that it was unusual to see more One Designs than Redwings!! No 7 with Charles AS at the helm and No 5 sailed by Simon with three aboard started from the committee board end of the line while No 4 went for the pin end. Unfortunately No 4 had a problem locating JJ and lost the lead. No 7 won with No 5 second No 4 third.
Wednesday 28th (SW7 - sunny periods)
N over A No Racing displayed 13.40 hrs
Thursday 29th (South Westerly 4/5 with overcast conditions)
Redwings & One Designs Combined Start from F - E - T (3)
Two Redwings and a single One Design started in a brisk south westerly breeze with 21, Olav, first across the line at the pin end closely followed by 5, Jonathan, at the committee end. The sole One Design 1, with the Summerhayes family on board followed. Snowgoose was the first to reach the windward mark and managed to hold off Redwing in a closely fought race with only seconds between the boats. Eventually Redwing broke through to claim first place. The sole One Design was finished after two rounds.
Redwing Norman Phillips Cup - Start from F - E - T (2)
As a result of weather condition only two Redwings were available for the race. No 5 helmed by Thomas Wilson and No 21 helmed by Isabella Cole. Redwing was away first and managed to maintain their lead throughout the race. The course was shortened to finish at E after one round with Isabella winning the Norman Phillips trophy.
Friday 30th July (SW7 sunny periods)
N over A displayed midday. Most Redwings sailed up to Cowes late pm as the wind strength reduced. Remainder left early on Saturday morning.
Saturday 31st July (WSW 4-6 - sunny periods) Inflatable - G - F (3) - E
Windy conditions on Saturday saw seven BODs on the start line. The fleet elected to use storm mains and normal jibs as the 12 knot WSW wind was varying at times up to 18 knots with peak gusts of 23 knots.
After a clean start at a laid mark with all boats away on starboard tack, five boats continued into the shore and two tacked away on port. No 5, helmed by Susie Beart, was first round the windward mark at G and maintained that lead for the remainder of the race. On the first run back to F both No10, helmed by Charles Evans and No 7, helmed by Sarah Marshall, had jib sheet problems but sorted themselves and rounded F safely.
Meanwhile Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9 and Tad Ross in No 8 had a close tussle all race, nearly being caught by D Orange in No 12 towards the end. Sarah Marshall retired on the third beat and No10 eventually caught Helen Mathieson in No 1.
The final beat to E confirmed Susie Beart as the comfortable winner in No 5, followed by Tad Ross in No 8, 30 seconds ahead of Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9. D Orange in No 12 was 4th, Charles Evans in No 10 was 5th, Helen Mathieson in No 1 was 6th and Sarah Marshall 7th in No 7.
Sunday 1st August (SSW 4 - showers) F - E (2) - R - G - F - E
Only five boats rigged up for Sunday's race - pity there were not more, but those that did make it, enjoyed some close as racing with only a two minutes separating first and last.
Start of the One-Design Race on Sunday 1st August
With a Force 4 SSW'erly forecast, Fitzwilliam was the obvious choice for the start, and just to ring the changes, the course took them to E and back to F twice before heading out to Ruthven for a long beat back into Garland before a final rounding of F (to starboard) and the finish at E.
After a clean start, all continued towards the Lifeboat Station with Susie Beart in No 5 tacking off first as she had done the previous day. Again it paid off and although there was not much separating them all, she was first round E and despite efforts particularly by Russ Fowler in No 1 and Alexander Ross in No 8, she remained out in front for the rest of the race. What perhaps was surprising was how close the boats were throughout the 1 hour, 20 minute race. On the beat in from Ruthven No 8 got ahead of No 1 who although overtaken on the final run from G to F by David Hague in No 10, managed to move back ito third on the final beat to E, William Bland in No 12 was fifth, but not by much.
This Week
With the Redwings at Cowes until Saturday, the One-Designs have things to themselves and are programmed for daily races until the end of August.