Bembridge Sailing Club Late June Keelboat Racing
by Robin Joy & Mike Samuelson 29 Jun 22:06 PDT
28-29 June 2025
Saturday by Robin Joy
Four Redwings and five One Designs (using their smaller mainsails) raced on Saturday. There was no shortage of wind at 15-20kts, but being from the SW the sea state was moderate.
A windward/leeward course between Garland and Janson was a good fit for the conditions, and a start line was laid to an inflatable ODM. This was lucky, as it meant no damage to Lady Letitia when Billy Clegg grazed it in a closely contested pin end start! Billy's subsequent 360 allowed Xander Shaw in Harlequin and Mike Toogood in Tara to get away a bit, followed by Oliver Morgan in Prawn. Billy headed off on port away from the others in an attempt to make up for his penalty, which worked, and he was back in contention by the first run. Xander, however, was on form today, and led at the leeward mark. As the fleet stretched out Billy got through Mike, but couldn't catch Xander, who won by 50 seconds, with Mike 10 seconds behind him, and Oliver was fourth.
Oliver decided not to start the second Redwing race, which had a run to Moreton and a finish at Under Tyne incorporated after an initial Garland to Janson sausage. This start was a more orderly affair, and the lead changed hands a few times in the early stages. Any of the three boats could have won, but after three beats an two runs Billy beat Xander by 20 seconds, with Mike a close third.
As they were all at the start line in good time the first BOD race started before the Redwings. Mark Grzegorczyk in No 9 just led Jos Coad in No8 at the end of the first round, followed by John Suffield in No 4, Tad Ross in No6, and Rob Mathieson in No1. Jos then got through Mark, and was looking good to win, but much to his dismay was caught port/starboard by a Redwing just before the finish line. By the time he had extracted himself Mark managed to pip him by half a boat length. John finished third, followed by Tad and Rob.
Race two's course was varied a bit to include a leg to Fitzwilliam, before finishing near the moorings at Under Tyne. Again Jos found good speed in the easing wind, but a couple of good tacks on the second beat had Rob snapping at his transom. John called it a day during the race, and Jos led the remaining boats home, beating Rob by 10 seconds. Mark Hodgkinson helmed No6 into third, just ahead of Mark G.
Sunday by Mike Samuelson
By late morning Sunday it looked as if racing was going to be a non-starter as there was little or no breeze, however the forecast suggested there would be a 10 knot SE'erly by mid-afternoon, so with a considerable degree of optimism, the Race Officers headed out the harbour and set up shop with Pepe as the pin end of the line. Due to a slight misunderstanding when it turned out that half the fleet had moored at under Tyne after racing the previous day, there was a short postponement to allow the six Redwings and three One-Designs to muster for their start. The first Redwing start was so chaotic that there only option was a General Recall; the re-start went better with all boats holding well back.
Re-start of Sunday afternoon's race
The beat to Tara started off quite promising however with the F3 Easterly starting to veer SE'erly as the six boats progressed up the track, there was not a lot of tacking required. Mike Toogood in Tara rounded Tara just ahead of Billy Clegg in Lady Laetitia and Xander Shaw in Harlequin; then a gap to Ricard Jessel in Blue Jay and Robin Ebsworth in Quintessence. Tim Montague crewed by his young daughter Amelia who were out racing in Musicus for the first time were last but not by very far.
A course change to Britten and back to Tara opened up 'pandoras box' and saw Harlequin put in an early tack and go for the offshore route; aside from Musicus who also went offshore, the remainder decided there was less tide inshore. With Xander looking to have profited considerably, particularly as the breeze continued to veer to the South, it was interesting that although Harlequin did indeed round ahead of Tara and Lady Leatitia, it was not actually by very much. Next was Musicus who had made up a lot of ground. In desperation to give them a decent beat another course change, this time to Drum was signalled. There was little separating the front three as they rounded Drum and set off on the final beat to the finish at Pepe. Any of the front three could have won, but in the end Lady Laetitia crossed the line a couple of seconds ahead of Tara with Harlequin a couple of boat lengths later. Although there was a four minute gap, Blue Jay and Quintessence were similarly very close as they tacked towards the line, and although they had not been able to hold onto their fourth place Tim and Amelia were thrilled to have finished!
With two firsts and a second, Lady L won the weekend trophy, the Fortuna II 1950 Medal.
The three One-Designs initially had Under Tyne as their windward mark, but then followed similar course changes to the Redwings as the breeze veered more southely. Interestingly, with normal mains and genoas, they were not that much slower than the Redwings.
Start of Sunday's One-Design Race
Simon Allocca sailing two up rounded Under Tyne with a comfortable lead ahead of Mark Hodgkinson sailing single handed in No 6, just ahead of Alexander Ross, also single handed, in No 8. By the time they reached Tara, Alexander had moved ahead of Simon with Mark still very much in touch. On the final beat from Drum to Pepe, Alexander held onto his lead and finished a minute ahead of Mark with Simon bringing up the rear a minute later.
Early starts next weekend with racing dovetailing in with the Swallow Nationals.