SYC Cruiser Regatta 2024
Published 15:10 on 19 Aug 2024
The cruiser regatta this year consisted of the passage race to the Skerries buoy at the Eastern end of the Skerries bank and back on Saturday followed by racing in the range on the Sunday with a beach BBQ on the Saturday Evening.
Skerries Race
The Skerries race had 7 entries, with Zan II, an RS elite, (keel boat, no engine) the smallest and Tin Tin a Boreal 47 the largest. The start was staggered with Mulberry the first off at 10.06 followed by Ardea shortly afterwards and other boats following. Juju starting last at 10.28. Mulberry had an exciting moment after the start with a small motor boat with someone fishing with a rod crossing close in front of Mulberry insisting to Graham that he had right of way and because Mulberry was on Starboard tack he had no rights. Obviously, a localised version of the collision regulations that we are unaware of!
The fleet enjoyed a nice reach with a few gybes to the Skerries buoy in a nice force 3-4. Ardea overtook Mulberry at Prawle and raised here red gennaker followed by Zan II with their black Spinnaker. Most of the following boats also set their gennakers. As the fleet neared Start point a band of fog starting rolling in from the West and boats slowly started disappearing in the fog as did the land. Chart Plotters and AIS to the fore, we all reached the Skerries as a relatively close fleet with Zan II, thinking the buoy had moved position, rounding first followed by Ardea and Mulberry with the faster boats now having caught up and rounding shortly afterwards. At this point the fleet split with Zan II and Juju taking the inner passage round the Skerries and the rest of the fleet keeping out to sea away from land due to the visibility. From this point on boats were occasionally visible as they eerily loomed out of the fog and then disappeared into again.
A long beat followed, initially against the tide but picking it up as the tide changed past Start and to Prawle, although neither point was visible adding to the challenge of deciding when to tack. Zan II was first across the finish at Prawle at 13.40 having made excellent time in the flat seas reaching up to 9 knots at times with Juju 7 minutes later. Zan then came on the radio to say they were becalmed and looking for a tow, not a problem if someone could find them in the fog. Juju communicated GPS positions but were not close enough, but with paddling to get the boat moving so their GPS on the iPhone working and the wind filling in Zan got back safely. The rest of the fleet following with Mulberry last across at 14.48, with Prawle point suddenly becoming visible out the mist after they finished a little close for comfort.
The fleet found the harbour mouth using chart plotters and eventually saw land as they approached Eelstone, below Yeoman point. A much brighter, warmer scene was found in the harbour.
If the visibility was expected to be as poor as it turned out to be, we may not have sailed, but the wind was good and the seas relatively flat so a good sail was had by all.
The final results for the first 3 are below. On corrected time all boats from 3rd to 7th were close, 25 mins separating them.
1st Zan 2 Martin Beck 3.25.55
2nd Juju Johnny Hearth 3.31.32
3rd Toucan Martin Mills 3.55.08
BBQ at Scoble Beach
Following a quick turn around from sailing and tidying away boats, a BBQ, arranged by Graham and Wendy Nurser for all cruisers was set up at Scoble beach, accessed by water. Peter and Jane Sandover kindly brought the BBQ and lit a fire. Everyone brought something to share to go with their BBQ food. It was an excellent turn out from the cruisers, with over 30 attending. The food was excellent, BBQ followed by great cakes, fruit salad and other fruits and the weather stayed warm if a little mist rolling in. It was great to catch up with everyone who had been off on various adventures including the Channel Islands, France (North, West and Mediterranean), Spain, Sweeden & Finland etc.
Everyone departed by dinghy just before the light faded.
An event that definitely we would like to do more frequently.
Racing in the Range
Despite the forecast suggesting that the fog would lift at about 10.00 am and postponing the start to 11.00 am, a decision was made to cancel racing at 09.30. This proved correct as the fog didnt lift until 5.00pm. Not only the Olympic sailing has problems getting racing away!
It did, however, enable several more people to visit the East Portlemouth fayre for cream teas and help boost their takings.
