Regatta Report and Races 5 & 6

We had a terrific turnout for our Regatta last weekend with over 30 Scows and 10 Lasers.  All ages, all abilities; all giving it their best. Saturday’s high, gusty winds proved challenging for some and an exhilarating sail for others.  Sunday heralded perfect conditions and brought a bigger fleet onto the water. Thank you to everyone who volunteered, to all those who contributed to the wonderful Tea and to Lizzie Anders for putting it all together and making sure the weekend ran smoothly. For Regatta and other recent photos of a wonderful ‘Post Potter BBQ’ kindly and generously hosted by Karl and Lila Liebat, please head to our website: https://brsc.site/recent-photo…

Jay Devonshire, recipient of the Saturday’s ‘Chichester Trophy’ and our Race Officer for Sunday reflects on the Regatta weekend:

Saturday gave the Race Officer, Gerard, a difficult decision with wind from the SW in the upper teens to 20 knots, gusting to 25/26 knots, impossible for dinghies in open water but within the shelter of our wonderful river, a joint decision was made to run racing for those who felt capable, at the helms responsibility, with the Scows taking a compulsory reef, which would reduce the strain on safety boats, (whilst Lasers are easier to deal with being self bailing.)

We managed to sail 2 races, with relatively little need for rescue, a tribute to the seamanship of our sailors. 
Of necessity, courses were set to Blackwater in the reach towards Gins, having left Clubhouse to starboard with Northbank as leeward mark. The reaching legs strung out the fleet and with a flooding tide, the beat also gave few passing places, so a good start was essential.

An interesting point was that the one scow unable to reef, and sailed by a very competent helm, was no faster than the reefed boats. Lasers seemed to have great fun planing fast, and even reefed scows were planing at times.

On Sunday we had a reduction in the breeze to below 20 k with occasional gusts to low 20s ie. one force less on Beaufort, most scow crews elected to race with full sail.

With the better conditions, as Race officer I was keen to give the fleet some closer racing in the lower reach, using the Exbury mark. The first race presented problems, with the Clubhouse as the windward mark already in shallow water and close to moored boats. Additionally the Lasers were sharing the same water, before moving downriver after lunch. Barney Dykes solved this problem by a brilliant late course alteration to make Withes their second windward mark, thus sending the Lasers through the North end of the starting line, which being the unfavored end should be less crowded, in fact they passed through just before the Scow start….phew with 30 scows on the line it was busy. The cunning sailors started near the slipway, some touching it, and there were plenty of calls for water, not sure that all understand that rule !

With a flooding tide the best way to spice up the course and provide some passing places was to insert a couple of Gybe marks, at North Bank and Island before rounding Exbury for the beat home, again with flood tide assisting .

For the two afternoon races we were able to move Clubhouse to the NW, nearer the shore, and with a slack than turning tide, a course of Clubhouse S, North Bank S , Pigs P, Exbury P gave some close racing, tight gybe rounding and a mini beat to Pigs with plenty of place changing in the fleet.

Just to summarise some principles on courses to give good racing: 
Avoid long reaches, they string out the fleet – provide plenty of passing places with mark rounding, especially if the tide is with you for the beat, there are fewer passing chances; emphasise more rounding marks on the run against the tide. With a beat into the tide the need to tack does the job for you. We are always limited with fixed marks, but often a small move will create a better beat or start.

Trophy Winners

Laser Challenge Cup               Tom Dykes

Scows Chichester Trophy        Jay Devonshire

Ladies Cup                             Victoria Bonham Carter       

Laser Young’s Trophy              Barney Dykes

Scows Commodore’s Trophy   Martin & Pippa Sellars

Cobb Trophy                           Mary Montagu-Scott         

Scow Spring Series Charles Nicholson .

JUNIOR REGATTA      Saturday, 2nd September  1230

Scows at Needs Ore :  please register with victoria@bonhamcarter.co.uk

Oppies at RFF :           please register with kirkmanjune@gmail.com

RACES 5 & 6              Sunday, 3rd September   1500      HT 1417

STARTING PLATFORM & RO    Ginna Gayner

SAFETY BOAT TEAM               Peter Bettridge & Rupert Scott

SCOW NATIONALS       2nd/3rd September at Keyhaven

Details from bill.vance@btinternet.com

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

Saturday 16th September        1100    HT 1241

Starting Platform  & RO             Frank McGinn

Safety Boat Team                      * * 2 slots  to fill * *

Saturday 23rd September         UP RIVER RACE  1500

Starting Platform & RO              Ginna Gayner & Tom Karsten (tbc)

3 X Safety Boat Teams              * * 4 slots to fill * *

Very much looking forward to another busy weekend of racing at either Needs Ore for the Junior Scows on Saturday and the regular Scow racing on Sunday or at Rope Factory Field for the Oppie Regatta on Saturday.

Yours aye,

Victoria Bonham Carter