A weekend of two halves for the Bembridge keelboats
by Mike Samuelson 16 May 2022 15:29 AEST
14-15 May 2022
The mid-week forecast suggested light airs again on Saturday morning, but a wet and windy easterly breeze on Sunday morning. In the event not far off the mark! Numbers were also reduced as Saturday morning's race clashed with a Sailing Committee and Sunday morning's race a Management Committee!
Nine o'clock on Saturday morning was sunny and calm with barely a ripple across the harbour and the chances of a worthwhile sail not looking very promising. Indeed a few of the One-Design helms went out in Delta to check conditions outside the harbour and concluded that there just wasn't enough of a breeze to get them going. However the Race Officers were feeling more optimistic, particularly as Chimet was recording a F2 SSW'erly, so headed out to see what they could find for the three Redwings that were rigging up.
Outside the harbour, it was more of a SSE'erly so Sea Breeze set a line up off Nainby with the windward mark as Garland and Drum as the leeward mark. Although not the best of starts, all three boats rounded Garland close together with Mike Toogood and Anna Row in Tara ahead by a couple of boat lengths. On the run to Drum, Colin and Becky Samuelson in Toucan moved into the lead, only for Tara to get ahead again on the longer beat back to Garland. With little between them the question was whether Toucan was going to claw the lead back again on the run back to the finish at Nainby - she did! Tara kept second with Jessica Spear-Cole helming Avocet close behind.
After a quick turn around for the second race that saw a similar, but slightly longer course set, the start was certainly more interesting! Tara shut the door at the Committee boat on Becky Samuelson who had taken the helm of Toucan, only to be forced over the line by Alastair Speare-Cole now helming Avocet! Although it did not take long for all three boats to be cross tacking to Garland, Alastair found the better lift and rounding well ahead of the other two. However on the run to Drum, Becky 'motored' into the lead and never looked as if she was going to relinquish it until the last couple of tacks to the finish at Pepe where Mike benefited from a couple of wind shifts and almost, but not quite, stole the show.
What a pity that there were not more boats out racing in the sunshine and pretty consistent F3 breeze, particularly as tomorrow's forecast does not look too promising!
Overnight rain, grey skies and Chimet recording a F5 Easterly did not exactly enthuse many when they met at the Club on Sunday morning, however four Redwing crews were keen to try and get a race in. With the Race Officer's risk assessment concluding no single handers which therefore ruled out Martin Bonham, sadly there was only one fully crewed One-Design (Ashley McLucas and Helen Mathieson), so it was agreed that they would start with the Redwings and see how they got on.
With the breeze dropping to a more manageable F3 and settling as ESE, the race was eventually started off Britten with Tara as the windward mark. Although well spread out on the line, the four Redwings soon got into the groove and headed inshore to reduce the effect of the tide.
Start of Sunday's race
Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II was first to round Tara, with Mike Toogood in Tara a couple of boat lengths behind but just ahead of Alastair Speare-Cole helming Avocet and Richard Jessel in Blue Jay. There was not a lot in it as they ran almost dead downwind to Drum. On the beat back to Tara, Blue Jay went furthest inshore and nearly pulled it off to take the lead, however Red Gauntlet II hung on and led the other's on the final two legs to Nainby and the finish at Pepe.
Tara was second round Nainby but was caught on an 'interesting' port & starboard challenge by Blue Jay and had to be satisfied with third. Good enough, with Toucan not racing, to win the weekend's trophy, the RYS Savana Quaiche. Earlier on in the race, Ashley & Helen in the sole One-Design decided that the wet and lumpy conditions were not a lot of fun, so having completed the first leg, headed back to the harbour secure in the knowledge that they had been the only boat over the weekend to pick up at least one point towards the Off Season Points Trophy!
Next weekend sees afternoon racing with boats mooring Under Tyne over Saturday night.