Please select your home edition
Edition
Mackay Boats 728x90 TOP

Sharing your capsize photos - part 1

by Martyn Bromley, George Finch & Tom Jeffcoate 23 Apr 2020 10:12 PDT
Wilson Trophy at West Kirby in the late 1970s © Martyn Bromley

In a new series celebrating the smiles that capsizes can bring (only after the event!) we start off with a lovely black and white shot from a prestigious team racing event in the UK. Thanks to Martyn Bromley for letting us reproduce it here.

This is an old one that I took at the Wilson Trophy at West Kirby sometime in the late 70s. I was sailing for Penarth Yacht Club and we had been knocked out already; it was the Sunday, so I turned to my camera.

I took and developed this picture myself and it actually won a photographic competition, and I was presented with a prize at the Boat Show.

I believe the folk whose desperate faces can be seen are Chris Maddock and Hilary Bradshaw. I remember it did not end well for either boat.

Next we have a romantic story from George Finch; an angle we certainly were not expecting!

I put Lucy off sailing in 2012 after a windy day in my Mirror dinghy but reintroduced her (gently) with Wednesday evening races in my National 12. We've now been through three National Championships, regatta holidays and numerous open meetings. We got married last May, despite the odd capsize!

Here we are, before marriage, in National 12 number 3513 at Royal Harwich Yacht Club, during a late summer race. There was a 180 degree windshift!

We finish part 1 with a sequence of photos which Tom Jeffcoate - a Scorpion and Fireball UK national champion - has found in our archives, which warrants inclusion here.

This was the Lark Inlands back in 2006. Not a capsize as such but certainly race over! I'm still glad they sent us out though.

This was a nasty breakage, and not a common occurence. Tom's attitude is a great example for us to follow though!

Related Articles

Kiel Canal to get to Portsmouth?
Is this Holcim PRB & Allagrande Mapei answer to make The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 start? While the five IMOCA yachts still racing in Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe are closing in on Portsmouth, the race is on for Holcim PRB and Allagrande Mapei to do their repairs after their crash at the start. Posted on 12 Aug
Some thoughts on “Asteria's Final Voyage”
Tapio Lehti's rescue story in the GGR film “Asteria's Final Voyage” If you've sailed offshore, you understand how dependent you are on your boat, its systems, and your own seamanship. Finnish sailor Tapio Lehti discovered this firsthand in the Golden Globe Race 2022. Posted on 12 Aug
Double Down
Rahan, Léon, and Toucan - all great efforts, all winners, and all oceans apart Still blown away by the incredible efforts of Rahan in the Transpac, and now there is Léon in the Fastnet, and here in Australia, Toucan scores int he Sydney to Gold Coast race Posted on 10 Aug
A Day at the Keyhaven Regatta!
A montage of the sailing and surroundings which I hope you enjoy Sunday saw the first races of the 2025 Keyhaven Regatta at Keyhaven Yacht Club, a small club at the western end of the Solent in the UK. It also happens to be where I do my sailing from! Posted on 10 Aug
Just another event?
Is Cowes Week still a pinnacle regatta? We've been blessed with incredible sailing so far this summer in the UK (for once) with great breeze much of the time, and some of the best events in the world gracing our shores. But, like with Storm Floris, there are clouds on the horizon... Posted on 4 Aug
Fastnet Race, RS Aeros, Isle of Wight
Fastnet Race, RS Aero Worlds, GL50s, Isle of Wight circumnavigation When the conversation turns to the world's greatest middle-distance bluewater races, talk tends to linger on the Rolex Fastnet Race, which started on Saturday, July 26, and for great reason. Posted on 29 Jul
Of Ospreys, Eagles, Falcons, and Moths
Birds of prey. Insects. All of them airborne? How does it all apply here? Time to find out! All are airborne. The first three are birds of prey. The last one is an insect. All are so completely different. The first three have also had their name, formidable qualities and fantastic reputations applied to fantastic aircraft made by Boeing. Posted on 27 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race Start - view from Hurst Castle
A video montage as the fleet went out of the Solent I went out to Hurst Castle with his camera and drone to capture the action as the boats, ranging from the mighty Ultim trimarans, through to the IMOCAs and grand prix yachts competing in the 2025 Admiral's Cup went through the narrrows out of the Solent. Posted on 26 Jul
(More than) A Day at the Races
The UK is the place to be right now if you're a sailor The UK is the place to be right now if you're a sailor, and I don't think I've ever known a time when so many great events are happening concurrently. Posted on 22 Jul
Were the Roos Robbed in Portsmouth?
We discuss the Race 6 Penalty with SailGP's Chief Umpire Craig Mitchell The high speed, short course action of SailGP is thrilling to watch, but inevitably causes tight situations and means the Umpires have to react quickly to decide who is right and who is wrong. Posted on 22 Jul
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastSwitch One Design