RSYC Racing News: Saturday 4th February 2012


Racing Notices


2012 Diary, Notice of Race and Entry Forms now available.

Our full 2012 Racing Programme, Diary, Notices of Race and Race and Entry Forms are now available from these pages.

All 2012 Race fees have been held at the 2011 rates and there are now more prizes available for all the Double Handed races.

Go to the menu at the left of this page to find all 2012 racing information. And don't forget your early entry discount! Lower rates apply when you enter any of our individual races or series of races more than 10 days in advance.

Please contact the Racing Secretary, Cathy Crawley by phone on 02380 210872 or by E-mail to Racing@RSYC.org.uk

Brian Thompson in Record Breaking Team

6th January: Southampton sailor Brian Thompson helps set new round-the-world-record.

Brian, who was guest presenter at our Sailing Seminar on 27th October last year, was part of the 15 strong crew of the 130ft trimaran Bank Populaire V which crossed the Ushant finish line on Friday after only 45 days, 13 hours 42 minutes and 53 seconds. Led by skipper Loick Peyron, the boat broke four other world records on her circumnavigation.

Brian is the first Briton to have sailed round the world non-stop four times and this success brings his tally of world sailing records to 28. He will now have his sights on the 2012 Vendee Globe - and after that the ultimate challenge - round the world solo - and more round the world trips than anyone else in history!

Two new RYA race official qualifications further boost the Club's expertise.

RSYC starts 2012 with the appointment of two more RYA race officials.

Richard House (top left), Vice-Captain of Racing, has been appointed a National Judge. His application was supported by his attendance at 11 events outside RSYC, including four National Championships.

Tony Knight (bottom left), Club Treasurer, becomes the fifth Club member to achieve this qualification in the past two years.

These achievements are just part of the continuous develpoment of race management training and skills at the RSYC. The Club now has more than 40 volunteer race officers to manage its own and other events. This includes One International Race Officer, two National Race Officers, ten Regional Race Officers, one Regional mark layer and two National Judges, one of who has now passed his International Judge exam.

The Club's race officials, vessels and equipment are available to manage a wide range of events such as the 2011 XOD Centenary Championships and the 2012 J-Class Solent Regatta.

If you'd like information about the RSYC race management team and how we could help organise racing for you, please contact
the Racing Secretary, Cathy Crawley by phone on 02380 210872 or by E-mail to Racing@RSYC.org.uk

Do you comply with ISAF Special Regulations?

All boats competing in RSYC races are subject to ISAF Special Offshore Regulations - Category 4, Category 3, Category 2 etc. These rules specify structural features, yacht equipment, personal equipment and training, and are regularly updated.

Check your RSYC Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions to see which regulations apply to your boat in each race and visit the ISAF web site to view and download the latest 2010/11 updates: Monohulls and Multihulls click here.

2012 J Class Solent Regattas

The J Class Association has asked the Royal Southampton Yacht Club to provide a Race Officer team to run the regattas planned for the traditional home of J Class racing in Olympic year 2012.

The first will be within the Solent; the second over the same course around the Isle of Wight as used for the 1851 "Hundred Guinea Cup", now the "America's Cup".

Only three J Class boats survived the Second World War - Shamrock V, Endeavor and Velsheda. The possibility now exists for replicas to be built and race again and new yachts have been launched and more are under construction. This might result in from five to nine boats on the start line in 2012.

For more information see the J Class Association's web site

For full details of all RSYC racing events see the Racing Programme and the Notice of Race.

To enter RSYC events on-line via a secure website select Entry Details; alternatively telephone the Sailing Secretary on +44(0)23 8022 3352.


RSYC Race Report

Doyle Sails Frostbite Series races 3 & 4

The vagaries of the wind.

It was a bright morning with a steady 11 knot of breeze from 260’ when the committee boat set up adjacent to Hover 2 and set a course cascading down Southampton water for race 3 of the frostbite series. As yet no sign of frost with another mild day in store and gentle wind, we thought.

With the minimal tide all classes had good starts even though the wind had started to freshen a little after the warning signal and one or two were shortening sail. By the end of the starting sequence the wind gradient was up to 22 knots a good force 6 with some stronger gust which made it lively for the class 1 boats running back to Hover 2 from the windward mark off Solent Refit at Hythe . The wind started to back and increased further as the race progressed resulting in some spectacular broaches and as the committee boat positioned herself for the second race we were reaching a near gale with a gradient of 30 knots and the gust ....... The decision not to continue racing was never in doubt with such conditions especially as the highest reported wind speed was in excess of 40 knots.

Class 1 was won by Kirsty and David Apthorp’s new J111 J Dream which hit 19 knots on return to the Hamble. Class 2 winner was Erik the Red Bernard Fyan’s Mustang 30. It was a day for the big boats in class 3 with Faze 3 Andrew Campbell’s Bavaria 44 winning, and in J Class it was the J 80 J’ai Deux Amours owned by Stewart Hawthorn who took the bullet.

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

Report produced by Mike Garvey

Copyright Royal Southampton Yacht Club Jan 2012


RSYC Race Report

Doyle Sails Frostbite Series races 3 & 4

The vagaries of the wind.

Race 4 was abandoned due to weather conditions.

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

Report produced by Mike Garvey

Copyright Royal Southampton Yacht Club Jan 2012


RSYC Race Report

Doyle Sails Frostbite Series Races 1 & 2 8th January 2012

A Spring day to start the RSYC Frostbite Series

The first racing in the Solent of 2012 started early this year but with the warm dry weather continuing it felt more like a spring day . The wind was a gentle 5knots from the west which caused consternation for the race management team just before the start by dying away to a little over 3 knots . Postpone or not to postpone that was the question. It did appear that the start line was in the light spot and the rest of the race area seemed solid so start they did.

There were 30 boats on the water out of an entry of 33 which was an excellent start to the series and perhaps an indication of how good the weather was. The class 1 IRC were 1st away and as always the start was competitive and there was an OCS who quickly restarted before the beat from Hover 1 across to the Hythe ship buoys, the course then running back to Hover 1 before a return to Hythe and then a short reach to the finish at Bird Pile. Class 2 IRC were up next and had a clean start before their beat to the same mark although the run was shorter to a laid mark to the west of Hover 1. Class 3 RSYC club class which is a very eclectic mix of yachts from a 21’ Sonata to a Salona 44 had a clean start too. Finally the J class for J92’s and J80 were away but they too were over enthusiastic and there was an OCS.

NJOS the Octon’s Corby won Class 1 with J Dream David & Kirsty Apthorp’s new J111 just 27 sec behind. Blazer Colin Woodruffs Laser 28 won Class 2. In Class 3 it was the Sonata owned by Oliver Love which won and finally in Class 4 J’ai Deux Amours ,Stuart Hawthorns J80 which won by 9 sec over Jammin John Cooper and Ian Townsend’s J92. So it is close racing indeed.

With the wind slowly building to the low teens but steady in the West race 2 was quickly under way on the same course . This time they were all well behaved and clean starts were had by all. This time it was J Dream who won Class 1 however in Class 2 & 3 Blazer and Frank again took the chocolates. Class 4 was won by Bojangles Richard Sainsbury’s J92s.

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

Report produced by Mike Garvey

Copyright Royal Southampton Yacht Club Jan 2012


RSYC Race Report

Doyle Sails Frostbite Series Races 1 & 2 8th January 2012

A Spring day to start the RSYC Frostbite Series

The first racing in the Solent of 2012 started early this year but with the warm dry weather continuing it felt more like a spring day . The wind was a gentle 5knots from the west which caused consternation for the race management team just before the start by dying away to a little over 3 knots . Postpone or not to postpone that was the question. It did appear that the start line was in the light spot and the rest of the race area seemed solid so start they did.

There were 30 boats on the water out of an entry of 33 which was an excellent start to the series and perhaps an indication of how good the weather was. The class 1 IRC were 1st away and as always the start was competitive and there was an OCS who quickly restarted before the beat from Hover 1 across to the Hythe ship buoys, the course then running back to Hover 1 before a return to Hythe and then a short reach to the finish at Bird Pile. Class 2 IRC were up next and had a clean start before their beat to the same mark although the run was shorter to a laid mark to the west of Hover 1. Class 3 RSYC club class which is a very eclectic mix of yachts from a 21’ Sonata to a Salona 44 had a clean start too. Finally the J class for J92’s and J80 were away but they too were over enthusiastic and there was an OCS.

NJOS the Octon’s Corby won Class 1 with J Dream David & Kirsty Apthorp’s new J111 just 27 sec behind. Blazer Colin Woodruffs Laser 28 won Class 2. In Class 3 it was the Sonata owned by Oliver Love which won and finally in Class 4 J’ai Deux Amours ,Stuart Hawthorns J80 which won by 9 sec over Jammin John Cooper and Ian Townsend’s J92. So it is close racing indeed.

With the wind slowly building to the low teens but steady in the West race 2 was quickly under way on the same course . This time they were all well behaved and clean starts were had by all. This time it was J Dream who won Class 1 however in Class 2 & 3 Blazer and Frank again took the chocolates. Class 4 was won by Bojangles Richard Sainsbury’s J92s.

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

Report produced by Mike Garvey

Copyright Royal Southampton Yacht Club Jan 2012