Bembridge Keelboats Early July Racing
by Mike Samuelson 7 Jul 22:56 PDT
6-7 July 2024
It was blowing too hard on Saturday for racing so everyone stayed ashore and got on with other things! Sunday's forecast was for a bit less wind with sunny periods (F4 WSW'erly with occasional gusts of 20 knots), so it was encouraging to see six Redwings and four One-Designs rigging up in the hopes that the racing conditions would remain containable.
In the event, by using Drum as the pin and laying an inflatable windward mark off the beach with Britten as the wing and Derrick as the leeward mark, it was possible to get some excellent racing completed in the slightly more sheltered waters.
The first Redwing start was not the best (no video); Paroquet, helmed by Rory Morrison rounded the windward inflatable just ahead of Mark & Jo Downer in Enigma with Tara, helmed by Mike Toogood not far behind. There was then a gap to the other three boats, Quintessence (Robin Ebsworth), Redwing (Olav Cole) and Ibis (Tom Scott). By the time they reach Britten, Enigma had moved into the lead which she extended on the run to Derrick. Tara's efforts to maintain her third place went somewhat askew after she tacked closer into Priory Bay than the rest. The second round saw Enigma extending her lead, finishing two and a half minutes ahead of Paroquet (who, like Redwing, had taken a penalty for hitting the windward mark). Quintessence was third.
To ring the changes for their second race they were set Special Course 1 (triangle, sausage, triangle) with a finish at Pepe. After a good start, it was again Paroquet who rounded the windward mark first, ahead of Redwing and Enigma.
Start of Redwing Race 2 on Sunday
However, by the time they reached Derrick, Enigma had moved into the lead and never looked as if she was going to be overtaken. This left Paroquet, Redwing and Tara (helmed by Will Toogood) to battle it out for second, third and fourth. All in all, an excellent afternoon's racing with Team Downer, just back from their annual Med cruising winning the Curlew Cup.
The four One-Designs meanwhile, with their storm mains and normal jibs also had some excellent racing. They had the same course as the Redwings for their first race, and a slightly shorter one (triangle and sausage) for their second. After a good start, No 8 helmed by Alexander Ross was first round the inflatable windward mark, with Roy Burrows in No 2 initially not far behind.
Start of One-Design Race 1 on Sunday
Out for his first sail of the season in No 6, Ashley McLucas was third and Stephan Ludwig was fourth. Although no change in the lead, initially No 6 moved into second after the first round however No 3 took over during the second round to finish second, almost two minutes behind No 8.
At the start of the second race, No 3 was pushed the wrong side of the line at the Committee Boat end of the line but quickly circled back and finished up with the best start.
Start of One-Design Race 2 on Sunday
No 8, now helmed by Mark Grzegorczyk was first round the windward inflatable, with No 6, now helmed by Loclan McLucas and No 3 close behind. However at the start of the second round (the windward/leeward sausage) it was Stephan in No 3 who had taken over the lead which he held to the finish at Pepe. No 8 was second, No 6 was third and No 2 was a rather distant fourth.
Weather permitting, lots of races next weekend especially for the Redwings. In the meantime, on Monday 8 July seven One-Designs head up to Cowes for Cowes Classic Week. Hopefully they will have some great racing.