Ideal sailing at RCIYC Salty Dog Spring Regatta

by William Harris on 19 May 2016 The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club’s annual Spring Regatta, sponsored for the first time by the Salty Dog Bar and Bistro, opened in Jersey’s St Aubin’s Bay on the weekend of 14th/15th May under leaden skies and with a cold breeze blowing from the northeast. Apart from the lack of sunshine, these proved to be ideal conditions for sailing in the Bay. By lunchtime on Saturday, however, the cloud cover had disappeared to produce the perfect day for being at sea.

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful with the wind having veered to the southwest dropping from Saturday’s force 3–4 to force 2–3. This, again, provided superb sailing conditions albeit a bit shifty for the dayboat, dinghy and sport-catamaran fleets racing closer inshore and providing the race committee with the accompanying headache of moving marks.

Proceedings opened at 10 a.m. on both days with the first of three races for the F18 sport-catamaran and open sport catamaran classes, the two racing over separate olympic courses under the control of independent race committee boats, common practice for Jersey’s regattas.

Darren Stower’s Wildcat, Smurf, took top spot in the F18 sport-catamaran class on Saturday but had to give way to Michael Kinross and Andy Hart’s Wildcat on Sunday, the latter clinching the overall result on countback. James Fullerton’s Tiger, Fearful Symmetry, with the doubtful pleasure of one of the few capsizes over the weekend, was third.

Gordon Burgis and Ken Snell sailing the Hobie 16, Pure Energy, were clear leaders in the large open sport-catamaran class on both days, winning five of the six races. Simon Thèbault and Brodie Flambard sailing the 16, Hot Pink Panther, were a clear second having one win to their name. Grant Neale’s 16, I-Gatto, was third.

With two races scheduled for each day, the first races for the cruiser fleet followed the last start of the F18s on both days. With three wins to her credit, Jeff Speller’s Farr 727, 2Farr, was the overall winner with Helen Barker’s Farr 727, Arbitrator, second. David Myatt’s beautiful 8 Metre, Erica, was a great attraction to competitors and spectators alike sailing into third place overall. This class was dual scored under NHC handicaps and Spinlock IRC ratings.

Also with two races each day, the first start for the dayboat class followed the final start of the open sport-catamaran class. With three wins to her credit, Mike Harrison’s diminutive La Rocque OD beach boat took the class with Malcolm Annan’s Oysterman, Jamesina, with one win came second. Ben Jone’s Cornish Coble, Baloo, was third.

Sailing in the 21-strong fast open dinghy fleet, Tom Pollard’s Laser Radial had a clear win over Martin Speller’s Laser Standard, Liquid Impulse, having two wins to his name. Speller won the final race on Sunday with other wins going to Guernsey’s Henrik Asplund’s RS200, Mrs Norris, third overall, and Guernsey’s Adam Knight’s RS800, The Contractor, with two wins, fifth overall.

Off Island competition proved to be too strong for the junior dinghy class with just three boats racing over the weekend. Tom Blackstone’s Optimist, Slam, took all but one race to chalk up a very convincing win over Jack Horton’s Optimist Little Dipper. Ollie Cadin, sailing a topper was third.

Just two boats turned out in the Hobie Dragoon fleet and, then, only on Sunday; swotting for exams having proved to be too powerful an attraction! Declan Flambard and Max De Bourcier, sailing Dragoon 220, won all three races to prove victorious over Tom Hunt and F Arenz’s Dragoon 1078.

With all racing successfully completed, there remained but the prize-giving, held in a packed Clubhouse on Sunday evening. Commodore James Wilding commenced proceedings by thanking Mrs Natalie Duffy, owner of the Salty Dog Bar and Bistro, for the company’s very kind and generous support of the Club’s Spring Regatta and their declared intention of continuing the sponsorship into 2017. He went on to thank the race committee, guard boat crews and shoreside helpers for their work in producing a very successful event. Aided by the Commodore and Sailing Secretary, Bill Harris, Mrs Duffy then presented the many place prizes, to the accompaniment of much applause, thus bringing the event to a close.

Important diary dates:
7th August – Rossborough Round –the-Island Race
27th – 28th August – Rubicon Jersey - Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships
9th – 11th September – UBS Jersey Regatta

Spring Regatta Principal results
Saturday 14th May
Class 1 and 2 - Cruiser

IRC NHC
1 - 2Farr – Jeff Speller 1 - Super Q
2 - Arbitrator – Peter Crabb/Helen Barker 2 - Arbitrator
3 – Super Q – Julian Barber 3 - 2Farr

Class four - Dayboat
1 – Jigsaw – Michael Harrison
2 – Jamesina – Malcolm Anna
3 – Baloo – Ben Jones

Class five Sport Catamaran
1 – Smurf – Darren Stower
2 – Wildcat – Michael Kinross/Andy Hart
3 – Fearful Symmetry – James Fullerton/Perry Stone

Class six Sport Catamaran
1 – Pure Energy – G Burgis/K Snell
2 - Top Kat – A Le Cornu/ P Haley
3 – Hot Pink Panther - S Thèbault/B Flambard

Class eight Open Dinghy (Fast)
1 – Why Knot (Laser Radial) - T Pollard
2 – Bodi (Laser Standard) - David Aslett
3 – Liquid Impulse (Laser Standard) - M Speller
?
Class nine Open Dinghy
1 – Slam (Optimist) - Tom Blackstone
2 – Little Dipper (Optimist) - Jack Horton
3 – Topper - Ollie Cadin

Sunday 15th May
Class one and two - Cruiser
IRC NHC
1 - 2Farr 1 - Arbitrator
2 - Arbitrator 2 - 2Farr
3 – Erica – David Myatt 3 - Erica

Class four - Dayboat
1 – Jamesina
2 – Jigsaw
3 – Baloo

Class five Sport Catamaran
1 – Wildcat
2 - Smurf
2 – Fearful Symmetry

Class six Sport Catamaran
1 – Pure Energy
2 - I-Gatto - Grant Neal/K Lawson
3 – Hot Pink Panther

Class seven Sport Catamaran
1 – Dragoon 220 – D Flambard/M de Bourcier
2 – Dragoon xxx – T Hunt/F Arenz

Class eight Open Dinghy (Fast)
1 – Liquid Impulse
2 – Mrs Norris - H Asplund/G King
3 – Tom Pollard

Class nine Open Dinghy
1 – Slam
2 – Little Dipper

Overall
Class 1 and 2 – 2Farr
Class 4 – Jigsaw
Class 5 – Wildcat
Class 6 – Pure Energy
Class 7 – Hobie 220
Class 8 – Why Knot?
Class 9 – Slam