Disappointingly there were only five entries, so rather than call it off completely, it was decided to reduce the weekend MOCRA Bembridge Regatta to just one day, Saturday 4th September. With four potentially quick boats entered and keen to race (Nick Barlow with Kittiwake, Nigel Talbot with Sanity, Mark Upton-Brown with Alini and Piers Hugh Smith with his Diam 24od Raygun) the fifth entry Steve Homewood with Molly 5 graciously decided that he did not want to hold up proceedings so withdrew.
With the two Redwings and two One-Designs starting an hour earlier, the first race got away to an interesting start off Under Tyne (E) with Alini almost shut out at the Committee boat. The original course was to St Helens Channel Buoy (Q), back to E and then a beat to Janson (JJ), back to E and finishing at JJ. Although the forecast was a steady 12-15 knots from the NE, it never really materialised and annoyingly hovered below 10 knots for most of the day and by the end had veered to the SE and dropped away completely. As expected, on the long beat to Q, Kittiwake and Sanity established a substantial lead and although the NE’erly swell kept their speed down, they were able to cope with it better than the Diam 24od (Raygun) which found it very hard work to maintain boat speed. Line honours to Kittiwake but Sanity took first place on handicap.
Start of Race 1 – https
://youtu.be/Lk5-Pd2aJtk
There was a good close start to the second race with a relatively short beat to Ruthven (R) and a testing run to Garland (G); with Kittiwake and Sanity well ahead of Alini and Raygun even by the time they reached R. And with the breeze dropping it was decided to adjust the course and have a down wind finish after rounding R for the second time. Similar results to the first race except that Raygun ran out of wind and retired.
Start of Race 2 – https://youtu.be/ER1kxUiURuw
Race three, again with R as the windward mark had Sanity and Alini called as OCS which meant both had a bit of catching up to do. The original course had been a reach to Derrick (K), another reach to Footprint (Y) and back to JJ, however just before the lead boats reached K, what little breeze there was went to the SE, so the course was changed and they all had a good beat back to the finish. A bit shorter than the earlier two races but Kittiwake again took line honours but Sanity won on handicap.
Start of Race 3 – https://youtu.be/Dw7hiVl9y2k
After a brief discussion everyone said they were up for a fourth and final race, so after a ’careful’ start they headed to Moreton (M); however after ab
out 15 minutes the breeze dropped off completely and it was decided to abandon the race. Typically, the SE’erly breeze returned about half an hour later, but obviously too late, however hopefully at least it helped everyone get back to their home ports.
With all three races counting the end result was: 1st – Sanity (3 points), 2nd – Kittiwake (6 points), 3rd – Alini (9 points) 4th – Raygun (13 points).
Hopefully next year (17th & 18th September 2022), we will have more entries and a bit more wind!
Photos courtesy of Mike Samuelson
Additional Photos – https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWyfydm
