Hamble Winter Series 2025 Race Week 7
by Trevor Pountain 27 Nov 2025 06:59 PST
22-23 November 2025
CRO Kathryn Clark, took the CV Baldur towards Hamble Yacht Services (4V), on Sunday morning, for the seventh day of the 2025 Hamble Winter Series. In the end, with a good deal of west in the wind, Kathryn chose to start near Darling Buoy (4R), just off the Hill Head shore.
This westerly breeze gave the race team a chance to make use of mark TeamO (3S), over in Stanswood Bay. As Peter Bateson, PRO, put it, "Rare territory for the Hamble Winter Series." There followed "Several lovely long legs," including a 3 half mile run from TeamO, down to Haven Knox Johnston Specialist (40) for IRC1&2, and a 2 half mile run to Contessa 32 Class (47) for IRC 3.
These "lovely long legs" gave good opportunities for navigational and tactical choices and plenty of time to work on boatspeed. The container ship due to depart Southampton at 12:15, left early, but thankfully all the fleet were back across the Thorn Channel before she steamed through the racetrack. The courses were 13 miles long for classes IRC1&2 and 11 miles long for class IRC 3.
Wind was a bit lighter than expected but also colder. "I finally had to relent and put my coat on," admitted CRO, Kathryn Clark. The forecast was for 14-19 knots with gusts of 25 to 26 knots. It turned out that 9-14 knots with gusts to 19 knots, was all the fleet had to contend with.
Not everybody appreciated the lower wind speeds. Whilst thankful for "Another great and varied course." Ian Handley on Banter, IRC 3, felt that "The wind against tide downwind legs would have been epic!" had the forecast winds transpired. Banter had team of 3 core crew members and 3 guests and they all had a grand day out, as they managed to record another second place.
One of the guests was young Oscar Hill, from Royal Southern Academy, who did a great job and as Ian put it "reminded us that more yachts should tap into these youngsters as crew."
Quokka 9, Half ton, James Crew, was not out on Sunday, which allowed Memory Maker the First 31.7 of Don Forster to record their best result so far - a third place. The now on form Protis, Quarter Ton, Team Hamble, scored another first place and unless something really strange happens will win the series next Sunday.
In IRC 2, David Stott took his Dufour 40, Azygos, out for the first time ever in the Hamble Winter Series. (I couldn't help googling that boat name. Azygos, it turns out "refers to a single, unpaired anatomical structure, most commonly the azygos vein," so now we know). David's crew of seven included four "girls". Two who had never raced before and two who had never sailed before. "All four are now hooked," said David.
John Smart's Jukebox, J109, recorded its fifth Bullet from five races on Sunday. Unfortunately, for Jukebox, this is a twelve-race series. With Alacrity, Sigma 38, Chris and Vanessa Choules, with six firsts so far, came second on Sunday. This, despite a really strong effort at the JOG Awards on Saturday night, where they kept going until 3.0 am, struggling to finish a bottle of Mount Gay Rum by all accounts. Hot Rats, First 35, Robbie and Lis Robinson finished third. They left the JOG do early at 1.0 am!
The battle for the Paul Heys Trophy, for the best performance by J-boat, looks to be between Mojo Risin', Rob Cotterill and Jybe Talkin', Chris Burleigh. There are currently seven points between these two J 109s, but with Mojo involved in a protest from Sunday, the gap could be narrowed significantly if things go wrong at the hearing.
In IRC 1, Harry Tilling, brought the J112e, Thinking Space, out for the day. This was because the J105, Jade, that he was meant to be sailing, had engine trouble. In the end Thinking Space scored a DNF. You have go through the line, from the direction of the last mark Harry!
This failure to finish had no effect on Tigris, Sunfast 3600 and Gavin Howe secured another win. Mad Dash, Elan 410, Sam Tregelles, did take advantage of the error to post a second place.
Back in the clubhouse, HRSC provided some fetching, special edition, HWS mugs as prizes. These were well received, as were the chocolates they contained. Alcohol prizes were certainly not missed, as there was an abnormal number of soft drinks being consumed by those suffering post JOG awarditus.
Next week sees the final race of the 2025 Hamble winter Series. This will be followed by the HWS prize-giving. There will be a special prize for the best dressed Xmas yacht. Be warned, With Alacrity are good at this.
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