News from the British Classic Yacht Club
............... some Boat News 17 Rebecca of Vineyard Haven: If you were at the first few days of the regatta, you will have seen the schooner Rebecca on the dock, not really participating. Pam and Brian were keen to be at the event, arriving on the first Saturday, but other commitments made it impossible for them to stay beyond Wednesday. They were in fact invited to the 30th Anniversary Party at the yard Gannon and Benjamin in Marthas Vineyard where Rebecca was built in 2000, and the official launch and signing of a new book called “Schooner” which is about the yard and the building of Rebecca. So I suppose they could be excused. This was one aspect of the Cruising Class this year at the regatta, that it did enable yachts to come for part of the time if the whole 8 days was not available. Straight after the regatta, she was hauled at Medina Yard to be antifouled, and have her anodes changed, all the safety equipment brought up to date and sails serviced, and in the NW winds a week or so ago, she left for southern Portugal. Pam and Brian will cruise around there for a bit, and then cross to Grand Canaria and await the winter Trade Winds before heading for the Caribbean for Christmas. I’m sure you will join me in wishing them fair breezes for their crossing, and I will try and keep you updated here as to their progress. I might even be forced to fly somewhere exotic to interview them personally. Beken: Don’t forget at www.beken.co.uk on “this years photos” pages you will find many hundreds of photos of your yacht and the regatta to peruse. Its better than sailing in the rain! Clarion of Wight: I mentioned Clarion the other day, and coincidentaly had another phone call from Brian (the owner). You will recall she has a really solid classic provenance, being plank on frame, heavily built for the Fastnet, S&S design in the 1950’s. On entering Burnham Week, she was rejected from the Classic Class and put into the modern IRC class!! Brian understandably was hopping mad – but I have not heard how they got on. Droleen II: Seeing Droleen II and Tim Bennett at the Taittinger Regatta in Yarmouth last weekend reminded me how he had decided to take his mast home rather late in the fitting out season, inspired by Aeolus who had driven all his spars back to his garden in West London. This is how Tim got on: Mast restoration - A GALLING EXPERIENCE Zahir: As Infanta raced around the courses during the Regatta, we frequently merged at marks with Zahir – who was also moored astern of us in the Yacht Haven, and everyone onboard seemed to be having a very relaxed time. Little did I know they were paddling furiously under the surface. Neil Thomason, one of the owners writes: After a great BCYC regatta, I thought I better have a closer look at Zahir's hull to see if I could find the source(s) of the steadily increasing rate of water ingress I was experiencing during the week. Poor spinnaker work accounted for my mid-fleet results most days, but I also thought a slowly sinking boat was a bit of a distraction and handicap too. Neil kindly attached a photo showing the bare hull, planks off, some exposed frames and a small heap of rusty objects. It is too disheartening to send round as, but for the grace of God, goes anyone of us. Alderney: Some of us are hoping to rally over at Alderney for the bank holiday weekend. It is such a lovely place and I have not been there for 4 or 5 years, so really hope we can pull it together. If you would like to come, please ring Ray Plant and let him know. The more the merrier, and by then surely we will be due some reasonable weather!! Ray 07768 595910. Bucklers Hard: up the beautiful Beaulieu River on September 4th and 5th for the (in)famous Quiz Night – when we all find out just how knowledgeable we are on maritime matters! At the last one I went to, there was quite a lot of barging at the marks, not giving way to starboard and general ballyhoo. Please let Ray know so he can book berths. Thelma VI will be there and you are reminded that there are 3 double cabins and a single cabin for anyone who would like to join us without a yacht, and make use of theis classic B&B. Gary’s number is 07812 155661 Finally: We have received an associate membership query from Anne Gaillard, a Dear Tim
Please send me any snippets of news about your yacht or your travels or indeed you views of the Club or events or anything you like. We all love to read them. I hope to see you in Alderney for a relaxing convivial weekend Tim INFANTA
...... some Boat News 16
Thendara: Lots of you asked why Chris and Liz Day were not at the regatta, when Thendara has been at all the regattas since they joined BCYC years ago, racing their Buchanan so effectively with their family and friends. Not knowing the answer to this conundrum, I rang Chris today to find out. Well you will be pleased to hear that he is saving the planet – well Middlesborough anyway, where his company is building a biomass power station which will make Middlsborough carbon neutral. This intense and gigantic undertaking, heralded by HM Government as an exemplary “Flagship Project”, has gobbled up all Chris’ possible sailing time, rather understandably. Read all about it in the Independent Newspaper today. As you know, all the Regatta News scribblings are on the BCYC website, but the final one was rather slow in coming but was posted up the other day. Below is a small extract and you can to go to the website to read the whole report: What is the nicest champagne in the world? It’s an easy question, and everyone knows the answer. It is of course FREE champagne. And that is what is in store for the entrants to The Taittinger Regatta in Yarmouth (IW) over the week end of 14th -15th August. If you go to the Royal Solent Yacht Club website you will find it under events. It all starts on Friday evening 13th August with a champagne party. There is a race on Saturday in the west Solent, followed by another legendary party thrown by Johnny Calcutt at his house The Towers, in Yarmouth (I last went in 1971), and then a race on Sunday. Some BCYC yachts are attending, including that well known navy blue single masted cutter Infanta – and that’s another story. Where is the most beautiful place in the world? That’s not so easy, and rather al matter of personal choice, but this month it is Alderney, and you can join the BCYC Rally to Alderney over the August Bank Holiday weekend, 27th to 30th August. If you would like to come, please let Ray Plant know, and look forward to seeing you there, r.plant60@ntlworld.com Croix de Gardes: Sarah Kelman on Croix de Gardes has taken some brilliant photos during the Regatta, and kindly sent the link to them in her email below: Dear David and Tim,
Thanks from Croix des Gardes for another thoroughly enjoyable Regatta last month. I have convinced James that he really does need to get the cosmetics sorted for next year's 10th Anniversary event so we can continue to prop up the tail end of the results (remember we are built for comfort and heavy seas over speed and were the fifth heaviest boat there, beaten only by Mariquita, Rebecca, Amazon and Pazienza!)
I have finally got my photos up online: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glidergoth/sets/72157624490080865/
Feel free to browse. I'm afraid I do not have an email contact for your webmaster so please do put me in touch and then I can send suitable copeis for use on the BCYC site. Also I am very keen to share the link with the other participants and can send them high resolution copies or even prints if they want any of them. Feel free to send them my email address and the link above.
(Hope I managed to identify all the boats correctly!)
Yours, Sarah Kelman Croix des Gardes Thank you Sarah. Sensa: Cornelius gives us a feel for sailing his International 5 metre across Lyme Bay in heavy weather at night. My personal highlight of the Regatta was the night we crossed Lime Bay We won't mention the one unsolicited gibe at 0600 hrs off Anvil point Thank you Cornelius, we will all have to go and have a lie down now. So Finally: if you want to come to Yarmouth for the weekend after this one, you need to get your entry off to the Royal Solent Y C asap, and please let Ray Plant know if you are planning to come to Alderney. Good sailing Tim INFANTA
............. some Boat News 15
No I haven’t stopped sending out ............. some Boat News, its just getting round to sitting down and doing it. We have sailed Infanta on 1st July over to Brest for the Brest Classic Week and had a great week which I will write about v soon. It was really brilliant – but not without its drama of course! We got back to the UK on Monday night, and are preparing for the BCYC regatta which starts today; preparations which include cutting the hedge and the lawn, going to the tip and cleaning out the fridge which is full of food abandoned by grown up children who can’t seem to get it from the fridge to the bin. But that preparation pales into insignificance against the crews who will be bringing their yachts many miles to Cowes. The gales of this week will be causing plan changes and pre voyage anxiety for many. I don’t know about you, but I have a couple of sleepless nights before making a passage, worrying about the likely conditions, and I found myself at dawn this morning looking out of the window to see if the hideous SW winds had a abated. The sky is wild, but the clouds have definitely slowed down, but even so, for the yachts coming down from the east coast. Cereste, If, Clarion of Wight and others, it is now a long passage. Crossing the treacherous Thames Estuary, round North Foreland head, the Goodwin Sands, the Dove Straights, getting round Dungeness, all with their tidal difficulties, and against the SW wind. Cornelius has sailed his International 5 metre Sensa from Plymouth to Cowes every year for at least 8 years. Cornelius will have been watching the weather very carefully. A courageous and intrepid sailor – but not foolhardy, Cornelius will be considering the sea conditions left from the gales and gauging the safety for his crew and beloved yacht. I hope he will see other yachts also coming up from the West Country. After Brest Classic Week, Pazienza is weather bound in Northern Brittany. Judy has had to fly home due to family illness, leaving Richard and Will to make the 180 mile passage to Cowes, just the two handling the 60’ Pazienza. I spoke to Richard on the phone on Wednesday, and he was cool – and I feel sure that he will have been analysing his options in a tiny little French restaurant over some garlicky crustacia and a crisp dry white. The French 45’ yawl Stiren is still in Brest, anxious to get to Cowes to settle old scores against Cetewayo; the 72’ S&S yawl Amazon, further south in Dournernez – with 260 miles to cover. So the BCYC Regatta is already filled with drama. Yachts will be arriving all over the week end, and some very salty sailors, already knackered from long passages, will be welcomed by us all as they fall on the fruits of the Panerai Hospitality tent, with stories to tell amongst sailing friends. So let us spare a thought for all the yachtsmen heading for the regatta, that they have safe and speedy passage. I attach a document called “Class Split”, which is how all the entrants will be divided into their race classes: this may just be an initial draft. It is a fantastic list of fantastic yachts. You will see the penultimate entry in Class three is number 59 Vigilant. Well I know that Marc Buschotts with Ilderim has subsequently entered making 60 yachts – an absolutely fantastic turn out. As you know, the BCYC entry is stringent on yacht eligibility, and to see 60 yachts of this calibre assembled for an event in the UK is extraordinary – and they will all be packed together in the Cowes Yacht Haven (as they will have turfed out all the plastic boats). So if you are not sailing at the regatta, just try and skip off a bit early one day in the week, and come over at 5pm on the Red Jet from Southampton which arrives in W Cowes 100ms from the Yacht Haven, and come and see all the yachts find Infanta, St. Davids Light or Cetewayo have a few drinks. It will be a stunning site and a sensational atmosphere. Coming back to the “Class Split” – class 1 is the lovely Spirit Yachts; and look in class 2 – two international 12ms Wings and Italia, there will be 3 50’ International 8 metres, If, Ilderim and Athena. The 120’ gaff cutter Mariquita will race in this class and her “baby sister” the glorious Kelpie. You see Amazon, Overlord the beautiful “windfall” yacht; a few years ago, Commodore David Murrins Cetewayo ranked as one of the biggest and fastest yachts, but with the growth of stature and importance of the event, she just clings on to the bottom of the class. David will love that!! Every boat he is in front of he has beaten, and he WILL be hunting down the others. As you can tell, I am really excited about the week, and am tempted to run a commentary on all the yachts and classes, but am concerned about falling off (to sleep) readership. BUT – top of class 3 Oppositon, Ted Heaths Morning Cloud – immaculately restored. Well down the class, but one of the boats to beat Mikado – slippery fast, with a perfect rig size for her performance and rating, but above all she will be very very very well sailed. Class 4 is SUCH an interesting class. Cereste near the top, so difficult to beat, but there are some great boats and sailors here. Twilight, out right winner of the IRC Class of Round the Island Race 2010, but looking down the list, any of those yachts can be contenders. My tip for the yacht to watch is Danegeld. I saw her on the Medina in the week, newly restored. How do you make a very pretty boat even more very pretty? She looks gorgeous with her varnished hull. Designed and built in Cowes she has a long racing pedigree, and Robert Veale knows her and the Solent inside out! How delightful to have the Cruising Class – a bit of decorum, a bit of balance, a bit of sanity. Not so much of the “STAAAAAARBOOOAAAARD!!!!” more “pass the mayo old chap”. I know where I would rather be. Thank you to those who have sent in contributions for ............ some Boat News, and I’m sorry not to send it out this time, but they will keep till next – but if you want to hear some new swear words, seek out Tim Bennett on Droleen II at the regatta, and ask him about stainless steel bolts. Safe passage, good sailing and fair racing. See you in Cowes Tim INFANTA
Suffolk Yacht Harbour Regatta -
The SYH Regatta was really well attended and Jonathan Dyke writes Usual eclectic collection of boats from designs including Sparkman and Stephens, Holman, Buchanan, Rhodes, Fife, May etc. The results are on the web site, see....www.syharbour.co.uk and go to events. It was great to see Peter Wilson take the Fast Handicap and overall honours with his 8 meter “If”, particularly in the light of the recent fire at his boat yard......a great effort and much appreciation by all for him. The Stella class battled away and provided a great sceptical of one design classic yacht racing - the usual boats prevailing in the end. The slow handicap was won by “Wood Wind” and home built and designed classic from the 1960’s which took us all by surprise at her deceptive speed, a centre boarder with a long cruising and continuous family ownership history, a great story.
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Thames Revival 10-12th September 2010 Entering the historic St Katharine Docks will be like stepping back in time as you cast your eye around a fabulous variety of craft. Admire hearty fishing smacks, rub gunwales with the finest racing yachts, and hear the tooting of a steam tug as it punctuates the silky purrings of upriver motor launches. Several BCYC Yachts are taking part.
.............. some Regatta News 6 Friday morning had a flat sultry feel about the weather, though there seemed to be a light N breeze under the flat bottomed solid grey cloud. I meet our chief race officer on the dock, and asked him what he thought. In his view, under the cloud cover, the N would come to nothing, die away to be replaced by a W breeze later in the morning, and this could delay the starts. Everyone was in relaxed mood after an easy night in Cowes, no crew party, no free Mount Gay Rum , just a couple of civilised “formal” dinners, one for the Spirit Yachts, and one for the BCYC flag officers and the headline sponsor, Panerai, so we were all up for a sailing day – but would the weather deliver? The start line was set up on the Island shore, past Osborne Bay, and we all motored hopefully down there, and sure enough, 3 knots of breeze became 6, and the start sequences began on time, to send us off on some quite long courses, all around the Eastern Solent. The air temperature gently climbed, but the breeze did not, and it became patchy and intermittent, with barely enough to keep spinnakers from melting into a muddle around the forestay and on the foredeck. At 16.00 hrs most of us are now around the penultimate mark, and heading westward back to the finish at Cowes, in slack water, threatening to build to a foul tide, with the Gala Prize Giving Dinner not too far away. Being a devout believer in Sods Law, and with a number of people aboard requiring to get back to a hotel to change for dinner, in an act of immense selflessness, I went below and radioed in to the committee boat that Infanta would be retiring. I waited below for a moment or two, expecting the VHF to be crackling with other retiring yachts. There was silence. I knew immediately what I had done, and as I went back up the companionway, my cap blew off in a fresh NW 8 knots! We motored back to the harbour (being overtaken by yachts sailing for the finishing line), but there was a little justification for our act, as the breeze began to die – and even then some boats failed to finish. There were the inevitable questions about shortening the course and setting a course too long, and fast boats in the class which effectively shut the line an hour later – but you know that’s racing. It happens everywhere you go when the wind fails to deliver its part of the agreement. On the other hand, Tony Lovell, Principle Race Officer, has delivered a week of absolutely superb races and courses, with the big boats racing on an outside track, the medium boats in the middle and the smaller class inside, with some courses sharing marks, and almost all the time the whole fleet visible and racing together on the water. Genius! Back on the Royal Yacht Squadron lawn, drinking G n T’s and Pimms before the Prize Giving Dinner, all the pressure off and everyone toffed up, there was an incredible atmosphere – great bonhomie – and a classic yachty love in. Everyone could speak of triumphs of some sort, neatly averted disasters, acts of seamanship and good grace on the course, yet no one could be accused of being a bandit, sailing dangerously or over aggressively. You may have looked at the Race Results on the website, but from that it is difficult gleen just how intensively and seriously the places were fought for, but in each and every case, the non winners appreciate the achievements of the winning crews. And look beyond the crew and the races and the event. Here are 60 classic yachts, in great condition, being sailed and raced well, many decades beyond when their designers and builders ever envisaged they would have lasted, by people with as much passion, if not more, than their original owners. The BCYC Regatta is not just about the cups – it’s about the yachts – and in that respect EVERYONE is a true winner. And interestingly (and off the record) Panerai felt this passion, and have been truly impressed by the sailing expertise and dedication of all the sailors this week – a week so different from Le Regatte Royales de Cannes or Antigua Classic Week – but enormously impressive and successful in it’s own right. So it is fitting the prize giving should start with the “.... je ne sais quoi” results – a competition in which all the yacht owners vote for their favourite yachts, not just on looks, but style, seamanship, hospitality and anything difficult to put your figure on; sort of .... je ne sais quoi. Apart from the magnificent trophies, and of course superlative Parerai time pieces, built exclusively for the regattas this year, there were other prizes too: the coveted Crunchie Bars going to people who run aground, toilet rolls for yachts getting there spreader in the water, and water wings for crew lost over the side. The biggest roar went up for the book on Flag Etiquette presented to Cetewayo for starting a race with their Ensign up. David Murrin should of course have been stripped of his Commodore status, flogged to death and his entrails nailed to the door of the RYS to discourage anyone else from such a heinous lapse in etiquette! You may have seen, Cetewayo won her class, and the Regatta Overall. It is easy to have a bit of a pop at David and his boat and his sails, the truth is – and I mentioned this at the beginning of the regatta – he was determined to do his absolute to achieve the best result, and the fact is Cetawayo was raced hard and sailed well, using every means possible to gain every few seconds. I was told by a yacht chasing Cetewayo down wind that they watched amazed as the Cetewayo crew made three spinnaker changes on that one leg. They made errors like the rest of us (easy in the Solent) deciding to go one way, and finding themselves back down the pack, but then fighting their way up to the front again. As Commodore, I may have been instrumental in bringing lots of nice people with their yachts together – during this time David has lead the development of classic yacht racing which, I believe, leads the world. I have raced in the Med, US, Caribbean, Brest ,UK and this week we have just experienced is better than the best in Classic Yacht Racing. Like me, lots of people race more for the fun of sailing a bit competitively with other like boats, and that’s as far as it goes. But racing definitely brings enthusiasm and investment to classic yachts and is contributing amazingly to increasing the demand for and desire to own cherish and sail classics. On Saturday morning, some of the yachts needed to make passages home. The French Boys on Stiren, did I say “boys?” hosted a cockpit party after the prize giving for anyone walking by, and by 2.00 am there were at least a couple of dozen aboard drinking whatever came to hand, with the final revellers leaving at dawn. She set sail at 06.00hrs. The morning became hot and sunny, and all the remaining yachts motored out into the Solent for the parade of sail. We drew up in line astern in four columns. It looked like one of those naval fleet review maps you see on the walls of pubs. Then at the allotted moment, the leading yacht (Mariquita) lead the Parade of Sail past the Royal Yacht Squadron, with the RYS Commodore taking the salute, and a good crowd of people standing on that most historic of yachting locations, and at exactly 11.10, two classic fighter planes roared above our heads, swooping and diving in salute to the yachts and the end of a very memorable week. Finally, this story sums up the week. In the book The Proper Yacht by Arthur Beiser, published in 1966 he discusses the merits of some of the best known yachts about at that time, amongst them is Clarion of Wight , built by Lallows in Cowes and designed by S & S, she won the ’63 Fastnet. Clarion left the East Coast to come to Cowes on Thursday before the regatta, and after a long and punishing passage, missed the registration weekend and the Welcome Party, arriving at 07.00 hrs on Monday morning. At 11.00 hrs they were on the start line for the first race!! On Tuesday (the race cancelled day) their neighbour on the dock, Mikado took the crew to lunch at the RYS. They went on to race all week and were third in Class. They left at 06.00hrs Sat morning for the passage home, getting back in just 27hrs. A couple of days later, the owner took the trouble to ring me to thank everyone involved for them having just the best week!! There is no doubt in my mind, that when whatever effort we put is matched by the effort of the competitors, then everyone will have a successful time Tim INFANTA
……………… some Regatta News 5 At this time of the week (Thursday), some of us woke with a degree of weariness at the thought of two races. As I went to the sail menders to pick up the repaired spinnaker, the skies were thick and grey and an unpleasant stiff breeze was up. Then the heavens opened, and Cowes was doused in thick cold rain. But by 09.30, the air had cleared and the decks were drying in warm sun, and suddenly the breeze seemed a lot more welcome. Yachts were going through their morning ritual of lowering flags, taking sail covers off, getting the baguettes in town and just wondering where the last crew member had got to. The daily spectacle of the yachts moving out of the marina begins, and you know what its like with classic yachts and marinas, so it is great to watch the skippers and their skills as the ordered chaos unfolds – and some how there are no mishaps. Kelpie, crew all in white, with her wicked good looks, low freeboard and long long bowsprit expertly swings round and with a Scottish piper on the foredeck makes her way. Mariquita moves away, and slowly the basin empties. Once back on the start line, with almost too much SW breeze, there started another two absolutely brilliant races. Each class course was slightly differing with the faster boats going further, but all the boats sharing some marks. It is quite exhilarating to have the 12 metre Wings charging into the mark just ahead, and Mariquita roaring up from behind. We raced up the W Solent to a committee boat finish line, and waited under shortened sail, lunching in the cockpit (not quite) ready for the start of the second race. Just as we were about to serve the fish pie, the race committee came on Ch.72 and giving us a just a few minutes to get ready to go again. This time after a windward leg, we had a long spinnaker run back down to Cowes filling the West Solent sunshine with colour and beauty. With a lay evening in prospect, crews had the opportunity to chill out in the pubs and restaurants. The Spirit Class had a dinner in the Prospect Museum, one of the almost unknown gems in Cowes. Panerai and the BCYC flag officers had a dinner at the Royal Yacht Squadron, many of the yachts settled for a comfortable and convivial evening aboard finishing up with a party aboard Thelma VI.
……………… some Regatta News 4 I was effusive about the racing and conditions on Monday, and ever hopeful for Wednesday morning. It may be the time of year, but at 08.00 it is really difficult to tell how the weather will evolve as the day heats up. The tides in the Solent are strong at the best of times, and it is absolutely essential to have adequate breeze. With the Prospect of a Long Inshore Race, which would be 35 miles in the Solent, wind and tides would need to be read perfectly. The start was to be on a committee boat moored on the mainland side of the shore opposite the RY Squadron, with the distance mark over towards the Squadron, right across the strong West flowing tide, and all classes would start together on this line with the difficulties of making a good start, but also staying on the right side of the line; all very challenging. When we got out there, there was a good breeze, and suddenly it all seemed possible – until a huge freighter loomed up out of Southampton Water to manoeuvre right through the line and fleet! With just a 10 minute delay, we were suddenly under starters orders. Where was the advantage end of the line, best tide, clear wind – not to mention room to get through and clear? I have always reckoned there is an advantage on the Island end, but with a west flow tide, it is really tricky not to run out of line and find ones self squeezed out. On Infanta, I decided to run beyond the end of the line, tack onto port, time the sail into the distance buoy, and pop round it and tack on to starboard and away, hoping that all the guys coming across the line on starboard would also be worried about running out of line and there would be some room for us!! You will have twigged by now that giving such technical detail can only mean that this plan came together. We popped round the buoy as the gun went, tacked on to starboard and were away – for a brief exhilarating moment FIRST. Its always nice to get a good start once in a while. With 12 knots of true wind, the speed of the tide and the boats pushed this up to 19/20 knots of apparent wind, and there was a fantastic battle to windward as the 60 yachts made for the first mark. About 10 boat lengths away, (and no longer first of course), there was a bang, and our cap shroud (from the top of the mast, past both sets of spreaders and down to the deck) became detached from the deck. With the wooden mast bending wildly, we rounded up and dropped all the sails to take the strain off the mast. As all the yachts carefully avoided our drifting and stricken condition, we got all the tools out and started to effect repair. When done, we hoisted the sails and looking around found that we were well behind the back of the fleet. Undeterred we gave chase. If anything the weather and the race were even better than Monday; storming along, wonderful sights of other yachts, hot sun, periods of extreme activity, periods of relaxed calm. We just had a fabulous day, getting back across the finish at 17.00, having spent all day overtaking boats and getting a creditable 10th in class, and only needing to get the spinnaker stitched up overnight!! I’m not sure if I have mentioned about our sponsors, Panerai, and their hospitality? There is a 25m by 10m smart tent with a decked verandah with roped fence edge. But this is not a beer tent, it is decked out as a swish clubhouse professionally staffed, wicker armchairs, plants, carpets, photos on the walls, a display of Panerai watches spotlit in glass cases, good sized screens running film footage of all the yachts racing that day, Italian girls squeezing through the throng with exquisite canapés, and boys serving a continuous flow of soft fruity red and crisp cold white, and out on the area in front of the decking, Peroni give away endless bottles of freezing Italian beer. I don’t have to say, but this facility has brought a truly brilliant hub to the BCYC Regatta – something we have always wanted to do previously, but have been prevented by the cost. It is a stunning addition to the event, and do you know – it is rather well supported – after racing and in the hot evening sun.
……………… some Regatta News 3 Absolutely no wind yesterday – Tuesday, Round the Island was cancelled and there was no racing at all. Some people played golf, some went sight seeing, sensible people went out for a bit of a drift, picking up the odd bit of breeze here or there, and having lunches drifting around. Pazienza, Stiren and Amazon rafted up in Osborne Bay and had a great lunch time session. This morning, it was lightly raining earlier, but at 08.30 the sun is out and the breeze is up raising everyone’s expectations of the day. To replace the RTI race missed yesterday, there is to be a long inshore course, 35 miles in the Solent. Because the tide has moved out by an hour going round the island today is not an option as it would make some boats get home (possibly) after the start of the big Crew Bash tonight at the Yacht Haven, the Caribbean Crew Party and that would never do!!
……………… some Regatta News 2
The course was brilliant, each leg for the faster classes was in the same direction as, but longer than the slower classes, so the fleet merged a number of times at marks, so we could all enjoy the sight of the racing yachts, mind you, the traffic got rather hectic at times. Even so, the Solent had a few tricks up its sleeve, and at the end of the afternoon we saw the classic bizarre sight of yachts running back to Cowes from the East AND THE WEST under spinnaker, which leaves a deadly hole in the middle into which, unluckily, Pazienza and Overlord fell leaving them unable to make the final mark, Overlord just by a few yards!. In the evening everyone opened their yachts and welcomed visitors who wished to a have a look and a drink, and the Dock Party got into full swing. It was a great way for everyone to meet and enjoy the unusual pleasure of so many lovely yachts moored together. It gave me a chance to catch up with Jamie Mathieson on Opposition, to hear the low down of her trip from Scotland. Pounding in very heavy weather in the Irish Sea her speed impeller skin fitting was punched into the hull, leaving a hole and gushing water. She was attended by a lifeboat, and with big pumps she was kept afloat while the hole was fixed. With this operation under way, the sea rescue helicopter was hovering overhead. She then developed gear box trouble and put out a MAYDAY that she would have to ditch into the sea. She just made it to the nearest beach where she landed, and had to be recovered by crane and truck. Hole fixed, Opposition continued her passage and in monstrous seas off Start Point – she was not quite pitch poled – but the wave which lifted her stern high in the air then broke over the boat and flooded into the cabin leaving her in need of mechanical and electrical repair in Salcombe. It was great to see her scampering round the course. This morning at 07.00hrs, with thick cloud cover and no wind, the decision was made to cancel the Round the Island Race – and today has become a lay day – with tomorrow being a Long Inshore Race day. As I write this up in the Regatta Office overlooking the marina and the Panerai Hospitality marquee, even at 08.00 there is a huge murmuring hubbub below as the sun starts to burn off the cloud and crews discuss swimming in Osborne Bay or lunching in Newtown Creek. Occasionally the Panerai banners on the yachts flutter in a zephyr of breeze each time from a different direction!
……… Regatta News 1
By late afternoon, there were 32 boats, and the talk was already of completed epic voyages, and news of other yachts holed up in Brighton and Dover (or Dove as it has become known!) Opposition has had a hideous trip down from Scotland, and when I have full accurate details I will pen the story, but the word on the dock is that during the trip she was pitch poled! If you’re not sure what that is, imagine being at the helm, and a huge sea coming up behind, lifting the stern high above the bow, and as the wave breaks, the boat doing a summersault. At 19.30, many of the crews repaired to The Waterside, a restaurant pub providing a seafood buffet as a starter to the event, and it was magnificent – half lobsters, dressed crabs, langouistine, prawns, warm whitebait, smoked salmon, gouchons, scampi as well as cold meets and salads – and yes you had it all – and some more! As its name suggests, The Waterside over looks the entrance to the harbour, and a cheer and round of applause went up as in the gathering dusk the 72’ S & S yawl Amazon came in from Dournernez – followed ten minutes later by Cetewayo – hot foot from Hamble! Sunday morning, saw a sunny start and crews polishing and cleaning as more and more yachts came in. Flags were being set as yachts dressed overall, and the atmosphere of regatta began. Cereste came in at teatime having spent most of the week getting round from the east coast. The crew looked exhausted, but it transpired that that was moistly due to having to spend 3 nights weather bound in Brighton!! Every cloud has a silver lining, even storm clouds. By 6pm, nearly all the yachts had made it, Stiren arriving from Brest at 17.00. All skippers and crews (immaculately toffed up) made their way to the Royal Yacht Squadron for skippers briefing followed by the Opening Drinks ceremony. The lawn at RYS is just magnificent, looking over the most historic of waters, with the beautiful Castle itself to our east. During his welcome speech David Murrin called us all to silence for a few moments in memory of Clive Emerson, owner of Lutine of Helford, and the Gweek Quay Boatyard who suddenly died of a heart attack on Wednesday night. So it was a thoughtful but excited set of sailing friends who quaffed wines in the forming sunset on the hallowed lawn, anticipating what tomorrow would bring for the first race.
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