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OFFSHORE SECTION NEWS
The 2010 MBSA regatta took place on 10th July. Four B&FYC boats joined a fleet of around 35 boats from the various clubs around Morecambe Bay, including boats from Fleetwood Harbour Yacht Club and Roa Island Boating Club. The B&FYC quarter tonners Carmen, Hazard, Jonathan Star and Murphy’s Law all made it to the start line, which was located at Heysham No 2, a few miles north of the entrance to the Wyre Channel. The IMX 38 was also an honorary B&F boat for the day, with Mark Brammer making his presence (voice) known to all. Two separate starts were held, the first for multi-hulls and the second for monohulls. The race started in a dying 12-15 knots from the SW, making for a sloppy sea left over from the earlier breeze. With a start line that was barely crossable on stbd tack, it became a noisy place to be as those who chose to sail down the line on stbd being forced to bear off behind the port tack boats or tack to avoid the mass of port tack boats.
Despite this, the fleet managed to get away safely, heading towards Danger Patch (S), close hauled and not able to lay the first mark without tacking. Continuing out of the bay on the ebbing tide the course headed to Lune (S). Carmen, Jonathan Star and Murphy’s Law sailed in close proximity, whilst Hazard, chose to head left up the beat, looking for the stronger current in the deeper water in Lune Deeps. First around Lune was Roaring Meg, followed by a few of the big cruisers, including Phantom, a First 40.7 for Fleetwood Harbour Yacht Club, then Murphy’s Law who rounded a few minutes ahead of Carmen. Although Hazard must have significantly overlaid the mark, she benefited well from the additional tide and made it around the mark ahead of Jonathan Star.
The next leg was a run towards Lightning Knoll in an increasingly light breeze and drizzle to make it hard to keep the kite flying. At Lightning Knoll, it was a dead run against the ebbing tide up the Barrow Channel to the finish line at Piel, but keeping inside the channel marks. By this point the wind was dying away to nothing and boats were struggling to stem the tide as they drifted in 0-4 knots of wind. Keeping the kite full was almost impossible. Significant advantages were to be made by heading for the shallow water outside the channel. Doing this, Murphy’s Law managed to get into second place on the water by being braver than the larger yachts. Roaring Meg by this point was safely tied up and in the pub, finishing an hour ahead of Murphy’s Law. Hazard was well place for a 3rd or 4th place when they found the bottom outside the Piel Channel and were lucky to get pulled off before becoming high and dry. Shortly after Murphy’s Law finished, the wind died completely and it took some time for the remaining bots to finish. I never actually saw the results, but I image that Jonathan Star did enough to finished 3rd or 4th behind Roaring Meg and Murphy’s Law.
After a few pints in the recently refurbished pub and we set off back to Fleetwood. The trip back was just as eventful. Setting off under motor in no wind, Brammer singing into his megaphone, Carmen had to be towed by Roaring Meg because their engine was dead. After an hour or so, black clouds loomed and the breezed began to build, reaching over 20kts joined by heavy rain. At the same time, Jonathan Star’s engine took a dislike for the conditions and also packed up, meaning that they had to sail back as well.
Although the weather could have been better, a good day was had by everybody and it was great to see some many yachts on one start line in Morecambe Bay. It is a shame that we don’t do it more often.
Nick Holt
Murphy’s Law
16/7/10
In May 2010, three B&FYC quarter tonners, Jonathan Star (Ken Bailey and Mandy Baldam), Shamu (Peter Hewitson) and Murphy’s Law (Tom Williams, Barry Pimlott and Nick Holt) travelled up to Tarbert on Loch Fyne for the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series regatta held over 4 days from the 28 to 31st May.
One of the advantages of sailing quarter tonners is that the delivery trip can be started after work on Wednesday afternoon and you can arrive in time for 6 pints of Genius. That said, it is a long way from Glasgow to Tarbert towing a big trailer, but at 60knots upwind, it is surly a whole lot easier than beating up the North Channel against the tide.
The three B&F boats were all in IRC Class 5 and, as is often the case when you travel anywhere, we spent much of the weekend racing against each other. I have to admit that, a few reasonable results aside, we were collectively generally ‘down the pan’. Okay so Murphy’s Law finished 11th out of 11 (that’s DFL), with Jonathan Star fairing only slightly better in 9th and Shamu looking respectable by our standards in 8th overall.
Looking for excuses, perhaps it was the steep learning curve Jonathan Star had competing for the first time with their new ‘big’ 1720 style rig, or the fact that Murphy’s Law were a man down for the weekend and struggled with a novice on the runners, or even the lack of practice that we get on upwind starts and sailing windward-leeward courses whilst sailing on the river. We could also blame the freezing cold weather and gusty winds of the first day and unpredictable shifty winds that followed, but the reality is probably more closely tied to the fact that on each evening, the respective crews could be found ‘training’ in the Victoria or the Tarbert Hotel and then in the Village Hall until the wee small hours. In fact, two nameless B&F members, appeared on the boat at 0900, having just left a party, one wearing a Tamoshanter hat, slurring ‘och eye the noo’ as he staggered down the pontoon. There really was no hope for then that day.
Excessive consumption and poor results aside, we were treated to some of the best scenery in the country, great company, topped off by frequent large pods of porpoises and dolphins that never failed to amaze. The sail back after racing on the Sunday was particularly memorable, 6 miles downwind in 18 knots, kite up, flat water, warm sunshine, fantastic views and possibly even a beer or two from the Murphy’s Law fridge.
Nick Holt 24/6/10
Murphy’s Law is one of a select handful of quarter tonners that has competed in every QTC since the class was resurrected in 2005. It would seem a shame not to keep up the tradition. However, having just finished last in class at Scottish Series, the prospect of sailing in one of the most competitive fleets in the UK did not seem overly appealing.
The fleet of 35 boats, included teams from the UK, Ireland, France, Holland and New Zealand (none other than former Admirals Cup winner Roy Dickson – father of legend Chris) and numerous other sailing stars, including Stuart Childerley (Olympic Soling Sailor), Ian Southworth (J24 world champion) and Steve Mitchell (Olympic Star sailor) as well as a selection of big names from the Solent.
A week after returning from Scotland, the emotional scars/liver had started to heel and my confidence in our ability to complete at the highest level returned. We decided to head south, setting off early on Sunday morning in time to catch the ferry from Southampton to Cowes at lunchtime. The week was dominated by a stiff shifty northerly breezes, coming straight off the mainland which made it difficult for tacticians to decide where to go. There were plenty of boats spinning out of control, including another ‘Starflash’ that laid down flat for the camera, watch out Jonathan Star! We certainly got some starting practice in over the three day regatta, I would guess somewhere between 20 and 25 starts, with a large number of general recalls.
We got better as the week went on, with a 32nd in the first race (disappointing given that we were top half of the fleet after the first beat), followed by a score line of 22, 20, 18, 18, OCS, 21, 17, finishing on a high in the final race coming in 15th. By the end of the final day, we were ranked 25th overall out of 35, which, might not impress anybody, but I was really pleased with. On paper we did not do any better than in previous years, but it certainly felt like the gap between ‘them’ and ‘us’ had decreased and we were racing with the ‘big boys’. I am in no doubt that the quarter ton class is very much a cheque book sailing fleet, but you have also got to be very good at sailing as well if you want to finish high up. The only way to do that is to practice…and spend.
The Quarter Ton Class puts other events to shame in terms of their PR, which high resolution pictures available to download, a daily blog, videos on You Tube and even TV footage on Cowes TV.
Nick Holt 24/6/10
An Introduction to Yacht Racing at B&FYC
B&FYC has a long history of yacht racing, be that around the cans in the river estury, longer races in Morecambe Bay and the Irish Sea or further afield at regattas around the coast. During the 1980’s, yachts such as Flash and Scenario flew the B&FYC burgee achieving great sucesses. At this time racing on the river attracted 30 or more half and three quarter tonners to the crowded start line. By the mid 1990’s, the size of the fleet was dwindelling. This was influenced by a combination of a soaring interest in one design racing of Solings and a demise of the ISORA series. By 2004, only a handful of owners kept yacht racing alive on the River Wyre.
A few years on and the picture is showing strong signs of improvment, brought about in part by renewed interest in the old half and quarter ton classes. Gradually boats that once lay neglected on the boat park are enjoying a new lease of life.
The half tonner `Beat and Run`, a prominent sight on the boat park for a decade during the 1990’s has been refurbished and took part in the half ton cup in 2005 and 2007.
‘Shamu’ a David Thomas designed Bolero quarter tonner and another feature of the boat park for a decade was refurbished in 2008/2009, involving making the keel deeper and heavier and sporting a bigger rig to capitalise under IRC. She made her return to the water for the Quarter Ton Cup in 2009.
`Jonathan Star`, an Ed Dubios designed Starflash quarter tonner retuned to the club after a 20+ year break. Refurbished in 2008, with without major modification, she unfortunately lost her rig during the 2009 Round Isle of Mann race. She is expected to return to thewater in 2010 also sporting a taller IRC optimised rig.
Another Bolero quarter tonner `Hazard` returned to the club after about an 18 year gap. She to underwent an extensive refurbishment and looks immaculate. She joins ‘Carmen’, also a Bolero. Joining these familiar B&F boats in 2008 was another quarter tonner `Murphy’s Law` which had previously been campaigned on the south coast. There are now five quarter tonners joining a growing mixed handicap fleet at B&FYC.
Yacht racing at B&FYC takes place year round. From October to March, racing takes place in the security of the tidal estuary of the River Wyre. Racing usually starts from the club house at and races generally last around 1hr 30mins. Due to the tides, the programme generally allows for racing every other weekend, but this depends on the time and height of the tide. As a rule of thumb, racing takes place on Sundays when the tide hight is greater than 8.5m. Boats can either be moored on drying berths adjacent to the yacht club at Skippool, or, if you prefer not to dry out, can be kept in Fleetwood Marina, about 45 minutes down river. The latter option involves sailing up the river on a Saturday, which can be a good excuse for a practice, since it is touch and go whether you can get from Fleetwood to Skippool in time for the start. From Easter to October, this is easier to do becuase the dock allows a lock out around 2 hours before high water. For Solings and other small keelboats, dry sailing using the offshore slipway is another option.
From April to October the Morecambe Bay Series is raced, starting from Fleetwood as the tide begins to ebb, returning on the next tide. Longer races are held, for example the Selker Race, the Morecambe Bay Light race and the Fleetwood to Isle of Mann race, which is generally sailed as a feeder race to the Round Isle of Mann race. In addition to racing the club has an active crusing fleet, who organise cruises to near and far watering holes.
Notes from the Offshore Committee, February 2010.
Racing out of Fleetwood Dock
The committee discussed the current frostbite series in the river, and how this was being managed in terms of catering to the different needs of those boats based in Skippool and those sailing from the dock in Fleetwood. This debate took in a number of relevant factors:
- Launching time of the soling group to meet the start time of the race.
- Exit time/last entry time to Fleetwood Marina dock gates on the race day.
- Position of the start/finish lines on the river course relative to factors.
NH expressed a wish to be able to sail from the dock and back on the same tide, i.e attend the race and return to the dock on the same day. KBr understood the advantage for the FH boats of finishing in the Staynall/Wardleys marks area. Following some debate, the matter was left as that, when appropriate for an on the water finish, in such case the race would be planned to finish in the Wardleys/Narrows area, providing this did not unnecessarily shorten the race time on the water. It was understood by all that the timing of the dock opening and closing was and remains of key importance in this matter, and for the winter and springs series generally.
Soling Lanuching
DP commented that the launch time for Solings at Skipool was very dependent on the offshore slip being clear of mud. Discussion regarding keeping the slip clean indicated that this would ideally be done every two weeks. KBr said that in his experience this should take no more than two hours. KBr has cleaned the slip for the benefit of members on many occasions. The committee agreed that if such work to clean the slip was undertaken by members its must be on a rota basis. SF and MB have agreed to meet on Saturday to gain some understanding of the scale of the issue regarding cleaning the slip, the equipment available etc. The intention is that the slip will be cleaned in advance of the next offshore race. DP commented that he was very much against the idea that members should be presumed to clean the slipways. He is of the opinion that this is a dirty job, which the club should pay to have done.
Racing Marks
The committee agreed that there were sufficient race marks in the river for the time being, and that no new marks will be added for the foreseeable future. However the current more intensive race management for offshore was agreed to be both popular and effective at raising standards.
Spring / Summer Programme
The committee discussed the programme for the year and a proposal to race at Neap tides in the evening from Fleetwood Dock. This proposal was discounted as the committee agreed that there were no suitable tides available. Even if such tides were available the race area would be limited to the river south of the Dock, which at neaps presents a limited sailing area. The harbour entrance and channel are not suitable for practical reasons, i.e shipping and a confined channel. The open sea in Morecambe bay is simply too far away to access in an evening tide.
The committee considered the offshore programme for the year. The current programme dates list all available sailing options for the year. Amongst these dates there were some notable items. The committee agreed that the MSBA regatta scheduled for Sat the 10th July was of particular interest. The date coincides with the B&F dinghy weekend race to Peel Island on Saturday, with many members stopping overnight. There is a dinghy race scheduled for Sunday back to Fleetwood.
The committee agreed that this event should be a focal point of the offshore summer programme. The dates for the two Round the Isle of Man races were discussed with low interest in the earlier race at the beginning of May run from Ramsay. The committee agreed that the later race on May 30th run from Port St Mary would be actively supported by the B&F, and efforts will be made at the B&FYC and at Fleetwood Harbour to promote a feeder race to the Isle of Man.
The committee agreed that some promotion of the B&F calendar of events such as the feeder race to the Isle of Man should be vigorously promoted at Fleetwood, this would be of benefit to the club in many ways. |
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