Please select your home edition
Edition
Excess Catamarans

Sharing your capsize photos - part 1

by Martyn Bromley, George Finch & Tom Jeffcoate 24 Apr 2020 03:12 AEST
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

Growing Female Participation in Sailing
Success Stories in the Flying Fifteen fleet It's been an incredible summer of sailing in the UK, and one of the highlights for me has been talking with competitors at major events, learning how they started sailing, what they love most about the sport, and their visions for the future. Posted on 16 Sep
Dr. Peter Puskic on TOC's Pacific Data Expedition
Dr. Peter Puskic discusses The Ocean Cleanup's Pacific Data Expedition This year, The Ocean Cleanup teamed up with some of the returning Transpac fleet to gather data on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch using innovative camera technology and AI that the organization developed. Posted on 16 Sep
Globe40 and La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec
A look at the Globe40 and the La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec It's always an encouraging sign when a round-the-world race begins its second edition, especially when the steeds in question are approachable boats for most serious sailors. Posted on 9 Sep
You just gotta love a good algorithm
So, I opened up YouTube, and there it was. Could not believe my luck, actually. So, I opened up YouTube, and there it was. Could not believe my luck, actually. The algorithm had coughed up something I really wanted to watch. Yes, I know it means Big Brother is watching and listening.Also, every key stroke is being recorded. Posted on 7 Sep
Carbon or Steel?
Moth Foil Evolution with Alex Adams Foils have been shrinking for years as sailors continually try to reduce drag and increase speeds, but designers were reaching the limit of what they could do with carbon, so the latest foils have turned to steel for some parts. Posted on 7 Sep
Unboxing the Bieker Moth with Kyle Stoneham
A look 'below decks' at the hidden control systems on Kyle's International Moth Why are all the ropes hidden on all the latest International Moths? It's all about aerodynamic efficiency as the boats get faster and faster. As we find out with Kyle, there are also some very clever systems under the carbon covers. Posted on 6 Sep
The Age of Steel in the Land of Rock
The International Moth class is never standing still This week the Moths have gathered in Torquay at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club for the UK Championship, and the discussion is all about steel. Posted on 3 Sep
From vision to reality
The XR 41's journey from sketch to World Champion In 2023 I took part in my first X-Yachts Gold Cup at Aarhus in Denmark. It was a glorious event, balancing fun and competition perfectly, and was a weekend where new friendships were formed with sailors who I continue to chat with regularly. Posted on 2 Sep
Why we need VMG and VMC
On The Ocean Race Europe Tracker The Ocean Race Europe Tracker has just had an update thanks to PredictWind, and now looks at routing for the boats, but it doesn't yet have VMG or VMC. Posted on 27 Aug
Sail now, and sail often
Some thoughts on capturing as much sailing time as possible I'll admit it had been too long. Way too long, if I'm being honest. Posted on 26 Aug
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeExcess CatamaransSea Sure 2025