Last weekend of the 2022 summer keelboat season

After a three week pause, it was great to back out on the water. Sadly though its the last weekend of the 2022 Summer season for the Redwings and One-Designs. Next weekend, the Illusions start their winter series and before we know it, it will be Christmas!!

Although there were only two Redwings out on Saturday, and none on Sunday, it was a real treat to see all ten One-Designs racing on Saturday – indeed if the eleventh boat had still been in the water, it would have been a full house. The sun shone for most of Saturday and the F4 NNW meant that the start area was not far from the harbour entrance.

Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore helming Snowgoose got a bit carried away at the start and had the hooter sounded spot on 10:30 then he would have been OCS, however there was a slight delay by which time he had dropped back to the pre-start side of the line.

Start of Redwing Race 1 – https://youtu.be/KecnDvZcJSY

With Quintessence never far away the beat to Drum, the run to Pepe and on to Spence Willard and back to the line twice left little room for error. Snowgoose was ahead at the start of the second round but it was Quintessence who was in the lead by the time they rounded Drum for the second time and finished a minute ahead. The second race (Derrick, Spence Willard, Nainby and finishing at Pepe) saw both boats swapping positions, particularly on the run to the leeward mark. However having rounded SW ahead, Jonathan crossed the finishing line at Pepe 10 seconds ahead.

Start of One Design Race 1 – https://youtu.be/elb2qqoaXwo

Predictably there wasa lot of jostling at the start of the first One-Design race – after all it was the largest number of boats on the line all season!!

The fleet soon split tacks with most initially heading out to sea on port tack. Hugh Doherty in No 10 was first to round Drum with Susie Beart in No 5 and Charles Perry in No 8 not far behind. There was then a gap to Martin Bonham in No 2 and Helen Mathieson in No 1. Hugh lead the way for the the rest of the race and although it was clear that there were a number if options as they headed back through the line to start the second round, the only real change was that Charles in No 8 moved ahead of Susie in No 5 to take second.

The start of the second race saw No 8 having to take a penalty after a bit of barging close to the Committee Boat just prior to the start – a move that disadvantaged No 5!! Having to take the penalty put Charles at the back of the fleet but having the decided to tack off on port a lot earlier than anyone else saw him move up into second behind No 10 (helmed this time by Robin Joy) at the windward mark Although from front to back the fleet were well spread out, there were a number of small groups battling it out. Indeed at the finish there were two sets of ties;  in 5th equal were Susie & Martin and in 9th equal were William Bland in No 12 & Penny Stanley in No 9.

Conditions on Sunday morning were very similar to the previous day (Sunny, NNW F4) and although no Redwings, it was great to see allten One-Designs out again. Although programmed for one longer race, the popular vote was for two shorter races again. Starting from the same area as the previous day, the first race had a beat to Derrick, a run to Spence Willard via Pepe and a final close hauled leg back to the line. After a clean start (No 8 helmed by Jos Coad was nearly pushed over but just managed to keep clear), the fleet soon split tacks.

Start of One-Design Race 1 – https://youtu.be/6DNIWYVFSOw

Although there was not a lot in it, the middle route seemed to work best with No 11 (Charles & Lavinia Perry) rounding ahead of No 10 (Hugh Doherty), No 12 (D Orange) and No 6 (Russ Fowler); however after a luffing match involving No 10 & No 11 as they closed on Spence Willard, it was Hugh in No 10 who finished first with Charles in No 11 seco

nd. Martin Bonham in No 2 was third. Some close finishes mid-fleet Helen Mathieson in No 1 and Sarah Marshall in No 7 separated by less than a second.

Lizzie Mathieson in No 1 rather over cooked it at the start of the second race so was always in catch up mode for the rest of the race.

Start of One-Design Race 2 – https://youtu.be/4a11DNYrbW4

With the majority tacking early to try to pick up the stronger tide offshore, it was again the middle route that seemed to pay off with Peter Summerhayes in No 6 rounding Drum first ahead of Martin in

No 2 and William Bland helming No 12. Martin established a substantial lead ahead of Peter on the leg to the leeward inflatable mark, however it was William in No 12 (for his & D’s last race as owners) who reached Drum first and then held on to cross the line at Pepe first, ten seconds ahead of Susie in No 5 with Martin third two seconds later. No 11 was fourth a second later with Charles Abel Smith in No 9 mere inches behind. A very satisfying way to end the season with less than a minute and a half separating first and last.

Rounding the leeward mark – Race 2 – https://youtu.be/0VvyAU-r7Tc

Next weekend sees the Illusions start their 2022-2023 winter programme. With 40 years under their belt, the programme includes an Anniversary Regatta over the weekend of the 10th 7 11th of December.

Additional photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA8Ei5