Saturn Sails Mudhook Regatta 2021 - Champagne sailing off Helensburgh
by Penny French 16 Jun 2021 03:41 PDT
12-13 June 2021
It was champagne sailing for the yachts taking part in the Saturn Sails Mudhook Regatta at the weekend. Organisers, Mudhook Yacht Club, were delighted with the large turnout of 40 boats from across the Clyde.
In a welcome return to racing on the Clyde, the yachts sailing off Helensburgh competed in five races across the two days, with three races on the Saturday and two on the Sunday. Saturday saw mainly cloudy conditions in the morning before brightening in the afternoon with westerly winds of 8 kts gusting to 17 kts. Sunday brought near perfect conditions, with blue skies, warm sunshine. The south-westerly wind was light to begin with 7 to 16 kts but filled in later to 9 to 20 kts for a brisk second race.
There was close racing across the seven classes. In the IRC class it was tight competition for the top three boats with Charlie Frize, Banshee taking first overall, Robin Young, Jings second and Kevin and Debbie Aitken, Animal third.
The CYCA class saw Mark Bradshaw in his Sigma 33, Busy Beaver take first overall and just one point behind, Donald McLaren, Sigma 33, Sigmatic finished a close second. In third place, Erica and Garth Wilson, Shearwater trailed behind on 14 points. Mark Bradshaw's Busy Beaver also topped the Sigma 33 class with Donald McLaren in second and Rory Chalmers, Encore third.
Alan Macleod, Samurai J topped the leader board in the two-handed spinnaker class, Ally Paton, Jammin retired in the fourth race leaving them in second and Nick Marshall, Satisfaction finished in third. In the Etchells, there was not much between the first three boats but Duncan Munro, Bullet 7 was first with two firsts and two thirds (one discard), Peter Judd, Lock and Load, was a close second with two firsts and two fourths (one discard) and Allan Manuel, Bounce Back finished one point behind in third.
With very little between the first three boats it was fierce competition for the Hunter 707s, the largest class in the fleet with 13 boats. Dan Chalis, Mad Dog was first, Dara O Malley, Seaword second and Ross McNish, Old School, third.
Several boats in this class came from out with the Clyde area including Findhorn, Inverurie, Loch Tummel, the Tay and Firth of Forth Clubs.
Five Gareloch OD yachts entered to race for one day only and enjoyed the sailing conditions for their three races on Saturday. The winner overall was Iain MacGillivray's "Teal" with "Dione" one point behind on 6 points.
The headline sponsor of the event was well known Clyde sailmaker Saturn Sails of Largs who provided excellent prizes for all classes.In line with COVID restrictions there were no organised social events or prize-giving ashore.
Full results