Waldringfield Sailing Club Cork Trophy

Waldringfield Sailing Club Cork Trophy © Jen Greatrex

Ruby glows in a sparkling 'sea' race

Ruby, Squib No. 40, sailed by David Cannell and Cliff Edden, secured victory in the Waldringfield SC Cork Plate Trophy race on Saturday 22nd August.

The photo shows them serenely approaching the club finish line with a good lead just before 1500, but it wasn't all like that despite the glorious weather. They had been sailing for 4½ hours, having done a 2 hour+ beat/fetch, short tacking against the tide, to cross the famous Deben Bar and then more windward work a couple of miles off-shore to reach the Cutler Buoy, before turning for a 7-8 mile run and reach back home.

Four Squibs started from the club line to tackle the awkward upwind river legs to the sea. William Sudell and Trish Hopkins (141) Ariel took an early lead but careful short-tacking and wind shifts allowed Ruby (40) and Grumpy (721) David Moon and Steve Condie to share the lead briefly, with Grumpy having a small lead for a time.

The wind shadows at the "Rocks", along with some helpful shifts, created a chance for Ruby to pass Grumpy as the flood, and therefore adverse tide strengthened.

Tacking had become hard work closer to the Deben entrance and the wind dropped, making it vital to stay close in-shore along the Felixstowe Bank.

Out past the river navigation marks the tide increased but so did the wind, now a steady force 4 so a freer course looked sensible. Ruby had a 300 metre lead but suddenly became grounded on a shingle spit.

Efforts to 'lean' Ruby enough to slide off became more and more extreme – witnesses attest to a partial mast climb – and with Ruby lying almost flat some brief flooding occurred before she freed and and set off again just ahead of Grumpy.

Beating out to the Haven Buoy against a strong tide made clearing tacks a difficult judgement but Ruby kept Grumpy at bay after the turn ENE to the Cutler Buoy (which was passed at about 1330, 3 hours after the start).

The Squibs then turned and headed back, with spinnakers up, via the now quite busy Deben entrance as week-end cruisers started their run to Woodbridge on the flood tide. The return leg took an hour or so and the places did not change. Ruby and Grumpy took first and second places around 5 minutes apart. Ariel (141) was third five minutes behind Grumpy, followed equi-distant by fourth placed Buck up (285) sailed by Tom Brazier and Geoff Morris. Tom deserves a special mention because he is now in his ninth decade and is still a regular contender in the annual WSC Cork Plate, 16 mile river/sea race.

Two other fleet boats 745 Inachus and 326 Imogene had a separate but very enjoyable river only race to the Felixstowe Ferry and back, finishing less than 20 seconds apart.