Liverpool Yacht Club completes another successful Brass Monkey Series

by Alistair Roaf 25 Mar 2024 07:16 GMT

In the first quarter of 2024, five races were sailed in the LYC Brass Monkey Series with the last raced on 24 March. 15 yachts competed in the IRC and Venture fleets (NHC) crewed by 125 sailors over the series.

It was a mixture of winds and temperatures, at least one race required the crews to clear the ice off the decks before starting.

All races were sailed in the Mersey with at times strong spring tides. Starting with a five tidal stream pushing the fleet across the line is a skill that must be mastered as well as knowledge of the Mersey's changing tides.

The eight boat IRC fleet was dominated by EAZI TIGER with bullets in the first three races. Second place was taken by MAXINE III in the final race with NO MERCY coming third.

In the Venture Class which had a diverse fleet of seven boats including a J109, a motorsailer and a ketch. It was YNOT which led from the start of the series followed by LILLEBOLERO and BOJANGLES.

It wasn't all racing this year. Earlier in March, it was our annual awards dinner dance held, this year, at the Crowne Plaza hotel with over 80 members and friends dressed to impress with all having fun. Plus, there was on the water skills training.

Looking forward, our next race which is the Easter Bunny, Race and Bake, where a yacht's race time is adjusted by the standard of their baking during the race. The Race Officer not only has to run the race but judge the baking. So far, there have been no requests for redress on the Race Officer's judging. I am not sure the RYA rules casebook covers this. After this, we move into the LYC Spring Series.

Overall Results:

Pos	Boat Name	Boat Type	Helm	Pts
IRC Results
1	EAZI TIGER	Corby 29	A Kyffin/J Oliver	4.5
2	MAXINE III	Sigma 33	N Thomas	7.5
3	NO MERCY	Prism 25	T Jenkins	10
4	SHAULA	Sunfast 37	S Windle/J Anderton	17
5	SKUKUSA	Impala	S Lofthouse	19
6	DAYDREAM BELIEVER	First 34.7	J Cartwright	20
7	JON DO	Sigma 33	J Meyerscough	22
8	ARCTURUS	Sunfast 42	R Mann	28
Venture Results
1	YNOT	Oceanis 37	P Brereton/M Carmichael	7
2	LILLEBOLERO	Westerly Konsort Duo	A Roaf	11
3	BOJANGLES	J109	P Hampson	13
4	LADY DOROTHY	Horizon 30	J Nelson	17.3
5	AQUAHOLIC	Bavaria 30	C Bailey	21
6	WILDWOOD	GibSea 760	M Blackwell	23
7	OCEAN DAYS	Westerly 33	D McElvogue	28