Bembridge SC Redwing & One-Design mid-June Racing
by Mike Samuelson 18 Jun 2023 22:26 PDT
17-18 June 2023
Fickle conditions on Saturday morning meant it was touch and go whether there would actually be any racing.
In the event, having gone out in India with Charlie to see whether the forecast easterly breeze was in the offing, Jos Coad and Simon Allocca returned and reported large windless areas and announced that the One-Designs were staying on their moorings. Meanwhile three Redwings launched and made their way out to a start line set up just outside the harbour in the hopes that there would be enough of a breeze for them to compete for the Bembridge Harbour (Edwardian) Trophy. This race traditionally seeks to use some of the 'old' buoys that would have been used in Edwardian days and if possible includes at least one leg in the harbour.
With the start line off St Helens Duver just north of St Helens Groyne, the first leg was to Garland. Rupert MacInnes helming Avocet started next to the Committee Boat; Mike Togood in Tara was at the pin end and Robin Ebsworth in Quintessence was in the middle. With considerably less tide inshore Mike should have been better placed, however Rupert picked up slightly more breeze and looked well ahead by the time they closed Garland; in the event Robin was not far behind but Mike was a long way back having found hole after hole as he tried to keep in contention by staying inshore. It was therefore decided to finish at Nainby and go for a second race.
After a good start all three went outside St Helens Fort as they worked their way to Janson. Snot long afterwards the 6 knot breeze veered to the East South East which meant they wereall able to make it on one tack. Quintessence, helmed by Mark Grzegorczyk rounded about ten boat lengths ahead of Avocet, but on the broad reach to Pepe and then the run to the finish at an inflatable laid roughly where the old Broad Hole used to be, Avocet slowly caught up, but not quite enough to make it two wins. This therefore meant that Quintessence won the Trophy on a count back.
Despite the unattractive prospect of another day with too little wind, 3 Redwings and 3 One Designs were rewarded for their confidence in the ROs ability on Sunday morning to conjure up something more interesting than yesterday's two rather slow races. Setting up at Garland in about 7 knts of SSE breeze which built to a pleasant 10 knts for the second (requested) race.
As usual the Redwings were first away with Avocet (Rupert and Mike MacInnes) leading and tacking towards the shore to keep out of the tide on their way to Under Tyne. By the time they got there the lead had been taken by Mike Toogood in Tara after an earlier tack out towards the mark leaving Avocet too far inshore. Robin Ebsworth in Quintessence followed Tara and they stayed in that order on the first run back to Garland. On the second round Quintessence got ahead of Tara and kept that position to the finish with Avocet third.
Race 2 was set with a longer first leg to Fitzwilliam albeit once they had set off it turned out to not be much of a beat. Avocet got to the front and held her position on the run back to Footprint which she maintained and developed into a commanding lead on the second round ahead of Quintessence and Tara.
The three One-Designs meanwhile had the same course for both races. In the first, No 10 helmed by Robin Joy crossed the start first and was the first to tack inshore. None went as far as the Redwings into the shore which meant that they had to tack to get to Under Tyne. However, it was Alexander Ross in No 8 who rounded the windward mark first and stayed there for the second round with Simon Allocca in third. In the second race, No 8 crossed the start line first and tacked early to the left rounding Fitzwilliam ahead of No 10 and No 1; the rest of the race was a bit of a procession in what turned out to be a nice sailing breeze for the trip back to the harbour ahead of the rain that followed.