Lowestoft Sea Week 2025 at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club
by Chris Jordan 26 Jul 23:10 PDT
20-24 July 2025
Broads One Designs during Lowestoft Sea Week © Bob Girling
Lowestoft Sea Week was this year moved from a crowded August to a neap tide week in July. This resulted in some great racing for the boats that made it, but fewer numbers than normal. Jenny and Bryan Riley were the hard working Race Officers for the week, along with up to 20 STARS (Support Team Aiding Racing at Sea) volunteers providing on-the-water support.
The Saturday prior to the week was the Inshore Challenge, where 5 boats challenged the holder (RN&SYC Commodore Richard Fryer) to an Inshore race. Off the start line, Squffy (Veronica and Ben Falat's Squib) went left up the beat, avoiding the tide better than the other boats and was well up around the first mark. Custard (Richard Fryer and David Houghton's RS400) flew down the long reach, before a series of beats out to sea around the sand banks brought them to the finish in the lead. Maverick (Marc Moncrieff and Kerr Sinclair's Squib) spent the race slowly closing on Squffy, until Kerr had to spend a bit of time on the fore deck re-fixing the jib tack. After 2 hours, Custard was first home to re-take the Challenge Cup, while Squffy took the handicap trophy by 30 seconds. Sam Cole and his crew were first of the Broads One Designs (BODs).
Sunday saw the BODs out racing in the morning, and they were joined by the Squibs in the afternoon. Clever Dick (Richard Sullivan and Sue Harper) took a great port tack start, crossing the fleet to claim the first Squib victory, followed by Croc (Chris and Gill Jordan) about 2 boat lengths behind after a 75 minute race.
Monday was odd, weather wise! The BODs had a very bouncy, rough and tough race in the morning. Before a thankful break for lunch. But then the wind just died, and went around in circles, and blew every direction but the one forecasted! A heavy shower saw everyone scrambling to put covers back on before sensibly retiring to the bar.
Tuesday was a very long day for the poor STARS. They organised 2 races back-to-back for the BODs in a tricky, very shifty, westerly off-shore 10mph wind, before the Squibs came out to play in the afternoon. Just as the Squibs got to the starting area, ready to reuse the same course, the wind swung through 150 degrees, and then blew very steadily at 12mph for the rest of the afternoon. Clever Dick headed to the pin at the start, but this time was 3 seconds early, and had to circle round again, leaving Croc to tack on to port just after the start to clear the fleet and take the win. Squffy was chasing and closing for a lot of the race, before Clever Dick found a shift and more wind on the 3rd beat and took 2nd place, giving Squffy something else to think about!
Wednesday, and the forecast was for a light wind, dropping and swinging in the afternoon. Not looking too good....
As it happened, the 8-10mph picked up to 12-15 during the afternoon, and settled down from the north to give a great 1.5 mile final beat to the finish. Croc overstood the first mark slightly, allowing Squffy thru on the inside, who immediately gybed and went left down the run. Croc went right, while State of the Harte (Bob Mann and Fergal O'Driscoll) chose straight down the middle. The first third of the run - Croc was in the lead. The middle third, State of the Harte took the lead; while Squffy had to wait until the wind filled in from out to sea before taking the lead by the leeward mark. The final beat saw a ding-dong battle all the way between Squffy and Croc, until Squffy got the final tack just right to take the win. 3 races: 3 different winners.
The final day saw a much stronger (25mph+) wind blowing against a stronger ebbing tide. The BOD's went out for their morning race, only for 5 boats to head for home before the start. Overall second placed Jono Brown found that its not easy fixing a mainsail clew outhaul, when the boom sticks out 3 foot beyond the transom, and the boat is plunging up and down in the waves! The Race Committee very sensibly sent everyone home after just one race.
Full results can be found here.