East Rutts Cruiser Race 2024

Saturday saw the annual East Rutts Cruiser Race.  Historically, a buoy marked the East Rutts rocks in Bigbury Bay, scene of a couple of shipwrecks.  With an absence of local buoyage seaward of the Estuary (the Skerries buoy being the other exception), this provided a welcome opportunity for a there and back race.  The buoy has long since disappeared but SYC Cruisers are adept at racing around virtual marks and, given we are a sporting crowd, perhaps enjoy their low impact nature.

With many boats away and some very recently returned, this particular race was a two horse affair: Ardea, skippered by Peter Sandover and crewed by Paul Ellis & Nick White, and Mulberry, skipper Graham Nurser with Jeremy Croft as crew.

The start was scheduled for 10.30 and Race Officer Peter, seeking wind, moved from the estuary mouth to a position off Bolt Head.  The light SSW wind allowed sailing in approximately the right direction but more importantly the growing strength of an ebbing tide allowed both boats to drift amicably together at a speed of 1.7 knots for the first hour.

After that the wind strengthened and both boats were able to avoid what would, in these conditions, have been a time consuming tack and carefully work their way upwind to East Rutts.  Strengthening wind and tide allowed a respectable speed over the ground of 7 knots and for an intoxicating 20 minutes Mulberry took the lead in a position windward of Ardea.  However Ardea took note, adjusted sail settings and (big mistake this!) was allowed to sail through to windward, arriving at the mark a short distance ahead.  At this point the handicap system would have declared a Mulberry win but once the mark was rounded, Ardea showed a clean pair of heels and sailed off into the distance, no doubt assisted by a large red cruising chute as well as superior sail setting, into a still foul, but decreasing tide.

All in all a lovely way to spend a Sunday with pleasant sailing and company on all points of the compass.