2017
 

PSUK Dinghy Sailing Championships 2017 Hosted by the Metropolitan Police Service and Stokes Bay Sailing Club 27th – 29th June, 2017

Laser and Single Helm Regatta - 27th June, 2017

A total of seven entrants took part in the four-race series for single helmed dinghies. Light winds, barely maintaining six knots, with an accompanying one and half knot tide made conditions testing. National Race Officer Mike Rayden set a triangle / sausage / triangle course of 0.4NM for the competitors with Simon Hawkes [Avon & Somerset] in his Phantom and Rob Jones [Hants] in an RS300 leading the pack away from the start line. Tactical decisions and gentle boat handling were the order of the day as the fleet beat their way to the windward mark. Once round, the tide and light easterly breeze assisted the sailors toward the inshore gybe mark and then back down to leeward. Nick Mason in the second Phantom and Ian Ingram sailing his Solo stayed in touch with the leading pair but on the final leg, it was Simon who maintained the lead to take line honours and the race on corrected time.

The finishing times were a little over target, so the course was shortened slightly for the second race which went into sequence shortly after the final sailor had crossed the line. This race was best handled by the Phantoms and Solos. Shaun Welsh [Hants] sailed well in the second Solo keeping in touch with Simon, Nick and Ian and securing a third place on corrected time. Ian Ingram took the race with Simon second.

A Battle off the line

With Mike showing no mercy, partly due to the slackening wind but mostly due to the impending drizzle, the competitors rolled into the third race. The tide was starting to turn, as were the fortunes of Rob Jones and Andy Williams in his Aero 9 who stayed with the leaders to the windward mark and followed them downwind. Simon and Rob crossed the line after the final third leg followed by Ian and Andy. Ian took the race on elapsed time with Simon second and Andy third.

The wind kindly returned to give a steady breeze for the final race of the day. A two lap course was laid and Rob set off from the start followed by both Phantoms and Solos. With a steady breeze to work the RS 300 against, Rob was even able to hook his feet and beat properly to windward ! He was held on the downwind leg by the phantoms but was able to pull away again after rounding the leeward mark, the RS going quicker upwind in the steadier conditions. The two Solos followed the leading three, however Rob took line honours and the race on handicap with Simon second and Ian third.

Single-handers beating to windward

Despite the light conditions, the four race series was completed as the rain set in and racing concluded for the day. The regatta was won by Ian Ingram [W.Mids] in his Solo, with Simon Hawkes [Avon & Somerset] second and Rob Jones [Hants] third.

Sean Moore Leics. Winner of the Laser title

Open Dinghy Regatta 28th – 29th June, 2017

The AP flies at Stokes Bay S.C.

The forecast wasn’t good! Temperamental zephyrs from all directions coupled with a drizzle and gloom that was tangible in the weather, the competitors and the race committee. Well, only one thing to do and that was to retire to Pebbles Café for coffee and bacon rolls. Later in the morning, the wind kindly set on one direction from the North East and the mark laying team were able to set a windward / leeward course. The boats launched and the first race of the intended seven race series commenced. The Merlin Rocket of Fran Gifford and Pete Walker [Met] set off followed by Simon’s Phantom and Rob Jones in the 300. The leading three hit the corner on the windward leg before moving well inshore on the downwind leg to avoid the easterly knot of tide. The Rocket gybed for the leeward mark still with kite set to start extending a significant lead over the others that was never threatened. Line honours were taken by Fran and Pete with the win confirmed on corrected time. Second was Simon, with Rob third. The spread of the fleet and the fickleness of the wind led the Race Officer to send everyone ashore and at 15.30hrs, he was left with no choice other than to abandon racing for the day.

With the promise of little change in the morning, everyone decided to drown their sorrows thanks to the hospitality of Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The bar was opened and with Alex and the team providing a superb range of meals from the galley and a great set from the Fine Southern Gents, the disappointment of the day was eased.

A clear start

Thursday dawned with the pressure on to try and complete a minimum of a further two races to provide a series. Unfortunately that ‘pressure’ didn’t translate to the weather. With the Solent parked in the middle of a ‘Low’ it wasn’t looking good. The anemometer in the race organiser’s hand barely registered a couple of knots of wind even when he alternated in hope between the bridge on the clubhouse roof and standing on the beach. As it approached 11.00hrs a breeze started to fill in from the south west. A short course was laid and the competitors launched. The start was set in the face of a knot and a half of tide. Again, Fran and Pete got away first in the Rocket heading toward the beach to get as shallow as possible. They were followed by Rob Jones in the RS300 and Tony Onions and Lee Hill [Leic] in an RS400. As the leaders made their way upwind, a number of sailors were struggling to get over the start line. The wind was again starting to fade and the tide a significant obstacle. The Merlin Rocket turned at the windward mark in eighteen minutes and with several sailors still within touch of the start, Mike elected to shorten the race from two laps to one.

Fran and Pete took the race with Rob second, Ian Ingram third and Tony and Lee finishing fourth. Half an hour after the leaders had crossed the line, the finish line was closed. Nine sailors had made the line with two not starting and five not finishing.

With no wind, the Race Officer and the Committee were left with little choice other than to send everyone ashore again. After an hour and with the wind dropped to nothing, the difficult decision was taken to abandon racing for the day.

Fran Gifford and Pete Walker. Met. Leading the regatta before racing was abandoned

The presentation took place in the clubhouse for the single helm event on Tuesday with Ian Ingram [W. Mids.] taking the title. The presentation was made by the Vice Commodore of the Met Police Sailing Club.

My sincere thanks go to Debbie, Cliff, Jerry, Steve Wright and Alex at Stokes Bay. To Race Officer Mike Rayden and Mark / Safety Boat driver Tim Gerhard. Also to Greg Wilmot and Lee Giffard from the Met Police Club who answered a call to help out at the last minute.

Details for the 2018 event will follow in due course.

J.C.

 

Results Laser and Single Helm Regatta. 27.06.17. Results following corrected time                     Rank Sail No. Class Helm Club Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Net Points 1st 5695 Solo Ian Ingram W. Mids 2 1 1 [3] 4 2nd 1454 Phantom Simon Hawkes Avon & Somerset 1 2 2 [2] 5 3rd 480 RS300 Rob Jones Hants 3 [6] 4 1 8 4th 5575 Solo Shaun Welsh Hants [6] 3 5 4 12 5th 1386 Phantom Nick Mason Met 5 4 [7] 5 14 6th 1176 Aero 9 Andy Williams Hants [7] 5 3 6 14 7th 171778 Laser Sean Moore Leics 4 7 6 [7] 17                                                 Dinghy Championships 28.06.17 to 29.06.17. Results follow corrected time                            Sail No. Class Helm Crew Club Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Net Points 5695 Solo Ian Ingram   W. Mids 4 3             1454 Phantom Simon Hawkes   Avon & Somerset 2 DNS             480 RS300 Rob Jones   Hants 3 2             5575 Solo Shaun Welsh   Hants 6 5   A         1386 Phantom Nick Mason   Met 8 9 R B         1176 Aero 9 Andy Williams   Hants 5 6 A A         171778 Laser Sean Moore   Leics 9 DNS C N         379 Comet Trio Jeffrey Hines Barbara Bradley Avon & Somerset 11 DNF I D         21564 Laser 2000 Stephen Butler Gary Cooper Avon & Somerset 14 DNF I O         255 RS Vision Jeff Stratford Bob Lowrie Avon & Somerset 14 DNF N N         880 Laser Bahia James Shaw Malcolm Dykes Avon & Somerset 12 7 G E         1063 RS 400 Tony Onions Lee Hill Leic 13 4   D         205 D Zero Geoff Norman   Notts 7 8             3676  Merlin Rocket Fran Gifford Pete Walker Met 1 1             378 Comet Trio Darren Crew Phil Busvine Avon & Somerset 16 DNF              2129 Laser 2000 Bob Trevis Rich Bates Sussex 10 DNF               PSUK Dinghy Trophies   Ian Ingram. West Mids. Winner of the single helm event. Rob Jones. 3rd. Singlehander event receiving his award from MPSC Vice Commodore, Jason Cranmer

Previous regattas:-

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010