For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

The weather forecasts from Saturday evening suggested that wind would hold until Sunday afternoon and everyone was greeted with SW 20 knot winds as they made their way down to the boats. As the 28 boats took to the water the breeze swung to the North, but by the start it was below 10 knots and back round to the west. The bias on the line made it difficult to start on starboard and the course legs could be sailed without tacking. This made for a different flavour to the racing as competitors played with weight distribution and fine trim to try and gain advantages on the legs.

The multihulls were first away and although Ben Goodland again took line honours, Ian Loffhagen on ‘Chimera’ was very close and took the class win by more than 4 minutes. The winds were too light for David on ‘Zoum’ who finished third.

‘Njos’ made a great start but by the first mark Ed Broadway had taken ‘Hooligan VI’ into the lead. ‘Hooligan VI’ took line honours again but Tim Octon was close enough to take the class win by 2 minutes. The J122’s flew their colours this week and ‘Sky Hunter’ came through to take third.

‘Jammin’ with Matt Coleman at the helm had a flying start on port at the ODM and stretched out a commanding lead over the Mike Garvey on ‘J Arrow’ by the first mark. The large shoulders on J arrow’s kite allowed her to close down on Jammin on the downwind leg with ‘Wacky Racer III’ not far behind. The cat and mouse game between the leading J92’s carried on right up to the finish with Jammin taking line honours 25 seconds ahead on J arrow, but Richard House on ‘Wacky Racer III’ kept close enough to take the class win by 26 seconds beating both the J’s.

Andrew Percival is starting to get to grips with his new Enigma 34 taking an early lead in class 3 and carrying it through to take line honours by over 7 minutes, but Chris & Sue Broadbent were determined to keep their record of straight first places untarnished and tweaked ‘Maybee 4’ over the line to take the class win by just over a minute from ‘Big Boys Toys’ with ‘Tigerfeet’ coming home third.

Class 4 was down to 3 boats on the start line this week and although Brian Verstage on ‘Escapade’ took an early lead and line honours by almost 8 minutes he had to be happy with second place as ‘Topaz’ the Contessa 26 of Jim Barham came through to take the class win again.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

This Sunday was a much more promising start to the day with clear skies and a F4 WSW gusting to F5 as the 34 boats gathered for the start off Netley shore. The spring tides were flooding throughout the race but not as strongly as the ODM starters had estimated.

Ben Goodland on ‘Team Eberspacher’ was back on the water today having missed the first race to give the others a chance. The Raider 30 was soon showing the way around the course with the rest in hot pursuit. ‘Chimera’ and ‘Firebird’ crossed wakes around the course with ‘Chimera’ crossing the line just ahead of ‘Firebird’ but way behind Ben.

Class 1 streamed down the length of the line in the last minute before the gun with some just about to reach the ODM as the gun went. All eleven boats had a clean start with Edward Broadway soon taking his Farr 40 into the lead. The two J122’s and the Corby 35 had very close racing with 40 seconds separating them at the finish. Hooligan VI took line honours but Tim Octon on ‘Njos’ again took the class win with ‘Sky Hunter’ second and ‘Mint Julep’ third.

In class 2 ‘Glass Onion’ managed to stay high on the start line despite all the heated activity by the committee boat, which put them into a commanding position on the first leg reaching the first mark in the lead. ‘Jammin’ the J92 overtook them soon afterwards taking and holding the lead to take line honours. ‘Glass Onion’ kept their speed up finishing just behind the Swan 37 and took the class win on handicap. ‘Jammin’ was second and ‘White Heather’ third.

Class 3 split into two groups shortly after the start and had close racing within each group. ‘Maybee 4’ and ‘Asante’ battled for the lead with the Sunfast 35 taking the advantage to take line honours and the class win from ‘Asante’ second with ‘Phoenix Too’ from the second group securing third.

Class 4 found the blustery conditions exciting with the usual names contesting the lead. ‘Escapade came through to take line honours from ‘Fusion III’ but the Contessa 26 ‘Topaz’ came through to take the win on handicap.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

Everyone knew that autumn was with us as the 34 boats gathered for the start of the first race in the RSYC Winter Series. The fog was so thick that the crews had to keep looking at the compass to guess which direction they were pointing. The fog horns seemed to be all around so everyone kept to the shallows in the hopes that the ships would run aground before hitting them. As expected the AP was raised just before the scheduled first gun but the fog was clearing and racing started 35 minutes later, with 6 knots of SE wind. Luckily the tide was at its high stand so progress throughout the race was steady.

The multihulls were first away. George Burn on ‘Freebird’ was hotly pursued by Ian Loffhagen and crew, on Chimera and although George took line honours, he hadn’t pulled out enough of a lead and Chimera took the class win.

Class 1 had some tight racing with Ed Broadway leading the fleet and taking line honours but things were close and Tim Octon just managed to take the class win by 4 seconds from second placed ‘Blue Moviez’ with ‘Ingwe’ third.

Class 2 had the two J92’s at the front of the fleet for most of the race with ‘Wacky Racer III’ following in third. ‘Jammin’ kept the lead to take line honours and the class win with ‘Glass Onion’ second and ‘Wacky Racer’ third.

Class 3 was a bit spread out with Andrew Percival on his new Enigma 34 pocket rocket out in front, but its takes time to master a new boat and ‘Maybee 4’ kept close and took the class win. Andrew finished second with ‘Electra’ third.

Class 4 only had four starters with ‘Grace’ out in front. The other three had their own race behind with close manoeuvring around the marks. ‘Grace’ took line honours but Jim Barham on ‘Topaz’ took the class win by almost three minutes from ‘Fusion III’ with ‘Grace’ third.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

The weather for this year’s RNLI Yarmouth race was always going to be very different from last year’s: In 2007 there were retirements due to an almost complete lack of wind but at least crews could relax in the sun; this year, boats faced a strong south-westerly with wet, squally and increasingly rough conditions.

Despite the poor forecast, Saturday morning’s weather was reasonable and most boats made it to the start at Royal Thames buoy. Class 3 made a good start to their 16 mile course by tacking into the lesser tide in Stanswood Bay. ‘Lady Lattimer’ tried the alternative tack which gave them a reasonable view of Cowes through the drizzle but no other significant advantage. Class 4 boats had a 12 mile course with most making a good start, although ‘Grumpy Bear’ decided that motoring to Yarmouth was the better tactic and ‘Moonshine’ generously opted to give her competitors a 10 minute head start.

Conditions worsened during the afternoon as the wind rose and the swell came up after the tide turned west. There were several class 3 retirements but ‘Njos’, ‘Malice’, ‘Ear to Eternity’, ‘Pyxis’ and ‘Gallant’ were all finishers. ‘Ellie’ was the only class 4 contender to battle on to be the last finisher at the committee boat stationed at Dunford buoy, by which time it was debatable as to which boat was more relieved to see the other!

Despite the challenges of the day, members’ enthusiasm for this event and the opportunity to demonstrate our support for the RNLI remains a constant. Some of those who retired made it on to Yarmouth and others returned to their berths but then travelled on by road and ferry. As always, our hosts at the Royal Solent Yacht Club made both us and our fellow Cruising members most welcome. We were also joined by our Commodore Colin Lewis and his wife Julia who presented the prizes and a new record contribution of £1038.05 to RNLI funds.

For further information on RSYC racing contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80 223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk