2013 Regatta
Saturday 24th, Sunday 25th & Monday 26th August 2013 - Glasson Sailing Club
Report by Michael Swarbrick
A Slide Show - Michael Swarbrick has put togther some of the photos, the ones below plus some more, into a video of stills
Please click on the photos to see a larger one.
Saturday morning was calm although a little dull but it promised to be good for sailing. The wind was mostly northerly. Most of the dinghy sailors elected to race round the lighthouse with the dayboats and cruisers so the rest of us joined in - had I made a mistake in giving them the option?
Ivan, assisted by John Howells, was the OOD. Idris and David looked after the Patrol Boat.
After an exciting start, twenty-two boats milling around outside the clubhouse, the wind increased in strength and produced some exciting sailing.
We had two similar courses:
The Cruiser Course: 9p - 10s - 8s - LHs - 8p - 10p - 9s - Line. The cruisers are restricted to go round navigation buoy 9 because some of the smaller ones with shallow draft/lifting keels can creep over the bank, similarly navigation buoy 8..
The Dinghy Lighthouse Course: Cp - 8s - LHs - 8p - Ds - Line. All of the dinghies and dayboats can turn left sooner so it is no disadvantage also it can be difficult for the dinghies to push the tide round buoy 9. Buoy 8 is in to make it more interesting. Normally dinghies going round to lighthouse just sail straight for it.
All the cruisers could have made it round D but I was persuaded not to change the usual, sticking to the buoyed channel.
The start, the cruisers seemed to be up stream reluctant to start?
Once across the line the wind increased plus the gusts were stronger and hard to handle making some of the dinghies retire before the lighthouse.
One had a chainplate ripped out but it was able to be repaired for Sunday's race. Nevertheless five of them made it round the lighthouse.
Approaching the lighthouse I kept hoping that the black clouds would blow over and perhaps the wind would drop. We never seemed to get the blue sky, it was always on the horizon and the wind didn't drop.
These photos are from the Patrol Boat, taken by Idris. I've straightened them all up except this one from which you can get an idea of the waves, hopefully Steve's video, which includes shots from the Patrol Boat, will recreate the atmosphere. Chris was leading me up to the lighthouse but he had difficulty tacking which allowed me to build up a lead.
Misty ploughing through the waves. Dreamcatcher with Ian
The exhausted dinghies waiting to come out, it seemed too rough and windy to attempt to land on the apron and the slipway was congested somewhat with cruisers being recovered.
Conditions round the lighthouse, thanks to Mick Bull and now a longer version of Mick's weekend
Rice Pudding was the first boat home in just over 35 minutes also winning on handicap. Over 20 minutes later Misty crossed the line then Cinq Mille closely followed by Dreamcatcher. Curlew later still but not last.
Owen was the first dinghy and second boat to finish closely followed by Anthony and Kath who won on handicap. A smiling Ian, is he relieved to be back like most of us?
Alison and crew in their dayboat made their fastest time ever in the race, they finished before the second cruiser!
That was only the beginning!
Chris and Doug were preparing salads for the barbecue and later organising the Barbecue . Earlier Lorna had prepared soup for the racers.
Then there was the Boules - must have been chilly, everyone seems wrapped up? Meanwhile Michael and Steve were working out the results of the racing.
The winning team, captained by Martin, won the trophy, a bottle of French wine, presented by our happy Vice-Commodore
The auction for the cruiser kindly donated by Fred Webster, proceeds to go to the RNLI, won by Dave
Alan organised a film show and later Big John and Paul entertained the revelers with guitar and saxophone.
At the end of the first day Rice Pudding was leading the cruisers, Alison the dayboats, Anthony & Kath the dinghies round the lighthouse and Owen the William Mitchell Trophy.
Sunday
More sunshine and less wind, still northerly but more manageable. Four of the dinghies elected to race round the buoys for the William Mitchell Trophy and they were joined by two newcomers. This way two races were possible for them.
The Dinghy Course: Bs - Gs - Ap - 18s - Ss - Line. The Lighthouse courses remained the same for the three days. The dinghies started an hour before high water, the Dayboats twenty minutes later and the Cruisers ten minutes after the Dayboats making the start less congested. The wind was much lighter making the tactics very important to overcome the tide.
Doug joined Idris in the Patrol Boat today.
The dinghies get away - the first lap, Martyn leading the slow handicap boats by half a leg already, Owen is even further ahead
Patient wives? Ian and Barbara. Ian
The cruisers are underway in their race.
The Dinghies second race
Rice Pudding, the first of the cruisers again, John & Jack returning in the Lighthouse Dinghy Race
Mytilus' crew on the water, not racing but enjoying the sunshine
Norman was the first cruiser again, Alison the first dayboat and Owen and Michael won a race each round the buoys
The Fred Johnson Memorial Regatta over for the cruisers, Doug presents Norman, the overall winner in Rice Pudding the Continental Cars Trophy. Norman also won the Dave Crowther Memorial Trophy for winning the Cruiser Race on Sunday.
Monday was even sunnier but as we prepared our boats there was hardly any wind however as the time came to start the races there was a zephyr coming from the west.
Idris was on his own today
The course for the first race was the same as yesterday, see above
The dinghies were away first and it seemed to take forever to get to the first mark, same course as Sunday. We eventually got there, a little tired but relieved to get round the first mark. Then the fun started. We all got caught by the strong tide as we got halfway to the next mark G.
Start of the Lighthouse Race, Dinghies & Dayboats
The end of the first dinghy race, the three Mirrors nestling together. The race had been quite a challenge.
Another Patrol Boat? It was the 33rd Lancaster Sea Scouts. They had launched one of their small RIBs and had come to see their leader Martyn. Martyn said they would be delighted to help out at next year's regatta!
As the wind was light and unpredictable for the second race we elected to do a smaller triangular course
As - 18s - Ss. We agreed that, rather than set the number of laps, which would be affected by the wind, if it dropped or got stronger, we agree to race for fifty minutes or so.
Owen, Chris, Duncan & Martyn
Michael
Ian Bosun on his way back from the lighthouse
Anthony & Kath, winners of the Dinghy Lighthouse Races with their trophy the Small Abbey Light Trophy.
Alison, Winner of the Dayboat Regatta with her trophy, the Large Abbey Light Trophy
Owen winner of the William Mitchell Trophy and Michael, the winning slow handicap boat with the Martin Topping Challenge Trophy
Alison, the leading Female Helm with the K M Topping Cup
Chris with the Jubilee Trophy awarded for the most improved helm over the year. This was a difficult choice for the unoffical Dinghy Committee because all this year's dinghy racers have improved! Chris got it because he's taken part in more events but none of the others should feel that they haven't improved a lot too.
Cruiser Regatta - Saturday & Sunday
Dayboat Regatta - Saturday, Sunday & Monday
Dinghy Lighthouse Regatta - Saturday, Sunday & Monday
Dinghy Regatta - Saturday, Sunday & Monday
Commodore Doug Gorton, on behalf of us all, thanked Lorna Macnab, Vice-Commodore for organising a great regatta. This is her closing speech:
"It has been a hugely exciting and enjoyable regatta.
Saturday began with challenging conditions - in other words very, very windy.
Dinghies were whooshing around and capsizing, whilst the assembly of the cruisers and day boats was completed. Eventually everyone was off to the lighthouse.
There are quite a large number of members who made all this and more possible, I would like to thank them all.
It's in a sort of order of happening so I'll begin with Michael Swarbrick for organising the racing, all the complicated starts, finishes, timing and the unfathomable handicap calculations. Also Ivan OOD on Saturday and special thanks to Steve Speakman for doing all of that each day as well as chasing down the trophies, sorting out the polishing and engraving, and taking photos of all the boats starting finishing and capsizing, amazing energy!
Thanks to Jeff Walker and Peter Johnson for putting up the bunting ably directed by Ann Johnson!
Thanks to Gilly and Jeff Walker for orchestrating The Ballet of the Big Machines, alternating, roaring up and down the slip, without a single hitch, and in between we saw Doug nipping in and out launching day boats and dinghies. An exciting part of the regatta in itself!
Thanks to Idris and David Booth on the patrol boat having quite a task trying and largely succeeding to be everywhere, essential in such windy conditions especially out at the lighthouse.
Thanks again to Idris and Doug on Sunday's patrol boat for, as well as patrolling the racing, towed in Lucy with engine failure and then rescued Freelancer from attack by a 30 foot tree - it's at the front of the clubhouse if you haven't seen it yet.
Thanks to Ann Johnson together with Chris Gorton, Linda Walker and Chris Booth for their help in the galley organising the competitors refreshments.
Thanks again to Ann and Jeff for organising the Boules tournament. Ann with her special French piece of string (for measuring) resisting all attempts to introduce the foreign technology of a tape measure! She's so competitive we need to get her in a dinghy!
Thanks to Ian Atkinson for the auction, everyone enjoying both the tension of the bidding and pleasure of Slippers when the hammer finally went down.
Thanks to Frank the bar controller and Merci Beaucoup to his Assistante for the day John Holt - a jovial mine host and accomplished linguist specialising in Franglais - straight out of Allo Allo!
Thanks to Doug and Chris for borrowing and organising the BBQs and making a whole load of delicious salads.
Thanks to Alan and his apprentice projectionist Andy for the film show.
And thanks to Big John who by popular demand entertained us singing along with his guitar, quite like old times, also thanks to Paul on the saxophone .
A special mention for Andy for continuing to do whatever to help me despite the awful event on Thursday.
Another special mention for Doug who helped and supported me in too many ways to mention but especially for the totally comprehensive "Idiots Guide to Staging a Regatta" - with backup!
And most importantly, thanks to all of you who raced, spectated, played Boule, sang along with Big John and ate burnt sausages, all of you without whom there would be no regatta!
It was great fun thank you."