'Edwardian' Bembridge Harbour Trophy for Redwings
by Mike Samuelson 9 Jun 11:23 BST
7-8 June 2025
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; as it was this year there can't have been more than half a dozen of the RTIR front runners round the Ledge buoy by the time the Redwings were heading back into the harbour.
The 'rules' of the 'Edwardian' race are simply that the course should attempt to use as many of the race marks that those racing in 'Edwardian' times would have used. Although encouraged to wear Edwardian sailing gear, sadly it soon became clear that this year's crews had failed to read the small print! That said, Tom Scott was at least wearing a 'sowester' but then this is his normal head gear!!
Starting from a line laid just outside the harbour, the plan was to start as soon as all three boats were ready so as to have enough water to finish them back in the harbour. Toucan, helmed by Colin Samuelson and Plover, helmed by Ed Eddy waited patiently for Ibis, helmed by Tom Scott to appear on the line, however it was only after Charlie had temporarily transferred Mike Toogood from Toucan to Ibis by RIB to help sort out their backstay that the race was eventually able to start.
Having crossed the line close to Sea Breeze, Toucan led the way to Drum, with Plover, who along with Ibis had chosen the pin end of the line, a couple of boat lengths behind. Colin extended his lead on each subsequent leg (Drum to Fitzwilliam, to Garland, back to Fitzwilliam, to Pepe) to finish at an inflatable laid just inside the harbour emulating 'Broad Hole' three minutes ahead of Plover. On their way back to their moorings, Toucan reported touching the sand bank in the middle of the harbour; Plover likewise and Ibis went one better and needed a tow off the bank by Charlie!
With Ibis remaining on her mooring, Toucan and Plover were joined for Sunday morning's two races by Avocet (helmed by Alastair Speare-Cole) and Blue Jay. (helmed in Race 1 by Richard Jessel and in Race 2 by Crispin Kenyon). With a WNWesterly F4 with occasional F5 gusts and full on sunshine, conditions fell into the 'champagne' category! Using Garland as the pin, the first beat took them to Old Church then a slowish run to Tara before the beat back to Garland. Plover, Blue Jay and Toucan started on starboard with Avocet hoping to get ahead with a port flyer. However it was not to be; mind you having been shut out at the Committee Boat end of the line it was Colin who found himself in catch up mode.
Not that this took him long and he rounded Old Church a boat length ahead of Richard in Blue Jay; Ed in Plover was a similar distance behind as was Alastair in Avocet. There was little in it as they ran to Tara but having held onto his slender lead, Colin was not for catching on the beat back to the line and finished thirty seconds ahead of Richard; Ed was third and Alastair was fourth.
The course was extended for the second race with Cochrane as the leeward mark and the finish at Pepe. After a good start, albeit Avocet was shut out by Plover, there was again not a lot between the four boats when the reached Old Church.
Having established a slender lead Ed did some excellent covering and despite best efforts by Colin held off numerous challenges on the long beat in from Cochrane and finished twenty seconds ahead. Blue Jay, helmed by Crispin, looked as if they were going to pick up last place until Alastair in Avocet had a bit of senior moment as both boats approached Pepe to finish and he went the wrong side of the buoy and had to circle back.
There were no One-Designs either day.
Early afternoon starts next weekend so hopefully we will see more boats out racing. Fingers crossed for similar conditions to Sunday.