Despite temperatures reaching 30 degrees inland, it was cooler on the coast but with unbroken sunshine and a warm F2-3 breeze from the N-ish. Gorleston provided beautiful sailing conditions for part 2 of the Passage series. Eleven boats joined in the racing, comprising of eight different classes ranging from a Europe to a Spitfire.
Race one started at around HW. Ed and Maren sailing their Spitfire soon headed the fleet pursued by Curtis in his RS700 and the RS400 fleet. These boats pulled away from the others earning themselves an extra lap. However on corrected time it was a 1,2,3 for the slower boats with farmer Whitby (Europe) taking the win from Nick (RS Vareo) and Phil Contender) third.
The RS400 ‘s fought back in race two with all three opening up a clear gap after the first lap with Don in his D-One leading the rest of the fleet. On corrected time it was a clean sweep for the RS400’s with Richard & Robyn just ahead of Simon & Bruce with Phil & Lorna third.
The Spitfire soared away in race three doing a horizontal job, lapping the entire fleet. Curtis opened up a small lead on the RS400’s with Nick leading the rest. However the farmer was in a hurry to get back to his crops and managed to stay with the faster boats to earn his second win of the day with Ed & Maren a creditable second.
There was a light coverage of mist on arrival but by midday this had cleared eventually being replaced by sunshine. The sea bore more resemblance to a mill pond making for a very easy launch to the start line. HW was approaching so just a little flood tide remaining and a F2 wind from the SE.
Nine boats launched comprising of 2 x RS400’s, 2 x Solutions, 2 x Contender and one Phantom, Laser & Sprint
.
Countdown to start one
Race one – Richard & Scarlet (RS400) got their one and only mistake of the day out of the way early by being over the line at the start. Dave & John (RS400) and Nick (Phantom) headed the fleet at the windward mark. Unfortunately Dave & John rounded the mark to starboard rather than port and in the process taking Nick with them! This let Richard & Scarlett, who had recovered quickly from their eager start to slip through into the lead.
After lap one they had a small lead over the Dave & John and Nick. Behind, Keith (Laser) headed a pack of four boats with just 14 seconds separating all four.
Lap two saw the start of a day long battle between the two RS400’s who were never far apart with now just two seconds between them. Keith had opened up a small lead on the others led by Phil (Contender).
At the finish line Richard & Scarlet had opened up a small lead on Dave & John. Nick was a comfortable third and Keith had consolidated his lead on the others finishing over a minute and a half ahead. On corrected time the faster boats took the honours with the RS400’s first and second and Nick third.
Richard & Scarlet nails start two
Race two – The wind by now had increased a tad to F2-3 with very little tide. Richard & Scarlet made amends for their previous start to lead the fleet to the windward mark. After the first lap Richard & Scarlet held a small lead on Dave & John with Nick third. Steve, sailing the club Solution led the rest who once again closely packed.
Over the next two laps positions were almost unchanged. At the line the gap between the leading RS400’s was unchanged, Nick a comfortable third and Steve just pipping Phil.
On corrected time the RS400’s took 1, 2 with Steve beating Keith by six seconds for third.
The fleet head to the windward mark
By the start of race three the tide had changed and now ebbing. Dave & John led at the windward mark and after the first lap had a small lead on Richard & Scarlett with Nick third. Behind Phil was leading the chasing pack which this time was spread out.
On lap two Richard & Scarlett had a good downwind leg closing the gap to Dave & John to just five seconds. Phil had a good windward leg closing the gap on Nick and pulling clear of the others.
On lap three the two RS400’s approached the gate on different gybes with Richard & Scarlet on starboard and had caught up enough to catch Dave & John to slip into the lead, which they held to the line. One corrected time it was another 1.2 for the RS400’s with Nick claiming another third.
RS400’s side by side
With the sun now out and a warm F3 wind the race team offered the fleet a fourth race, which all bar one were keen to join.
Once again the RS400’s were neck and neck throughout the race with Dave & John just managing to hold off a strong challenge from Richard & Scarlet. Behind Steve and Keith were fighting for next place with just four seconds between them at the line, with Steve crossing just ahead.
On corrected time the RS400’s were nearly five minutes clear, perhaps a sign of the effort and concentration both were having to invest. Keith claimed third by just a few seconds over Steve.
We may have sailed back to shore tired but we all had a terrific day on the water. Many thanks to the race team for excellent courses, a great day’s sailing and some of the best and closest racing we’ve had for a while.
During the hours leading up to ‘playtime’ the weather misbehaved with a F3 from the south turning to a F1 from the west and the early periods of sunshine turning to on/off rain !
By kick-off things had improved a tad and there was a F2 from the west and it had stopped raining and brightened up. It was to be a Solution versus Laser evening with the only other class represented a Contender sailed by Darrell who decided to spend the evening practising
Race 1 – first beat
First Half – The two Solutions led the Lasers up the beat with Richard just a few seconds ahead of Joe and Mark at the head of the Laser pack. Rounding the leeward gate after the first lap Mark was the only one to opt for the pin end which proved the right end as he caught up to the Solutions and left a good gap behind him and the other two Lasers.
After the second lap only three seconds separated the two Solutions with Mark maintaining his position close behind. On the final lap Richard managed to open up a small lead with Mark just pipping Joe across the line. On corrected time Mark took the win, with Richard second. 1-0 to the Lasers
Race two – approaching the leeward gate
Second Half – as the wind had shifted slightly to the south our diligent OOD decided to quickly move the start line after which race two got under way. The Solutions once again headed the pack up the beat with Dave just ahead of the Laser gang. As the boats approached the leeward gate Richard held a small lead over Joe and Dave was just ahead of Keith. As the boats rounded gate the wind shifted to the south turning the course into a drag race. Dave managed to hit the mark and Keith took the opportunity to overtake. The next two laps were mainly about boat speed with very little differences within the two classes. After two laps the Solutions had opened up a small lead of just over a minute on the Lasers. On the final lap the wind eased a tad and the Solutions increased their lead to nearly three minutes. Richard crossed the line first to take both line honours and the win on corrected time with Joe and comfortable second.
So 1-1 after full time. Extra time was spent eating Lasagne, thanks to Chef Brown
Many thanks for Richard for OOD-ing, having to cope with some shifting wind conditions and also acting photographer, pictures now on the club flick site.
It was the first racing of the summer series and this week we had some great sailing with a mixture of light to moderate winds, plenty of sunshine and temperature almost in the twenties, so something for everyone. This was evident in the fact we had three different race winners in three different classes.
Plenty of clouds and sunshine
Nine boats launched consisting of seven different classes. Phil (Contender) timed his start well in race one pulling off a port end flyer to lead the fleet up the beat. With the tide still ebbing most boats headed inshore and after the first lap Ed & Mirram (Spitfire) had taken over the lead. Steve had swapped his trusty Europe for a rear seat in the RS500 with Keith and led the rest of the fleet, closely followed by Phil. These two winning comfortably on corrected time with the RS500 taking first.
Race one winners – Steve getting to grips with three sails instead of one !
There was a generous portion of port bias on the start line for race two but everyone got off to a good start. Soon the Spitfire was ahead on the water and building a good lead on the rest of the fleet.
Phil & Lorna (RS400) and Steve & Keith had a good race long tussle with the RS400 leading after the first lap, the RS500 after lap two and the RS400 back in the lead on the third and opening up a small lead at the finish line and winning on corrected time with the RS500 second. Behind them four boats rounded the leeward gate closely bunched after the first lap, with Phil just ahead of Don (D-One). On the next lap Don worked the shifts well overtaking the 500 and almost catching the 400 but a capsize on the final lap ended his chase.
Race two winners – Phil & Lorna deep in concentration – jib looks nice Phil !
For the final race of the day the wind had increased to a F3-4, and with it the sea state. The tide was now beginning to turn which seemed to suit the Lasers. Whilst the faster boats led the fleet after the first lap the slower ones were in close contention. Richard led the Laser charge for the first two laps but Karl slipped through on the third lap and held this to the finish line winning on corrected time with Richard second.
Race three winner – Karl win the battle of the Lasers
Thanks to the Safety boat crew of Phil & Tom for doubling up as photographers for the day. Photos of the day are on the Club Flickr site
Despite conditions more akin to mid winter, nine boats launched with Lasers making the majority of the fleet. Thankfully the NW’erly wind held all evening providing some good close racing.
With the flood tide in full flow jostling for position on the line proved tricky with the risk of being over but race one got underway first attempt. Dave & John (RS400) led after the first lap with Joe, sailing the club Solution just ahead of the closely bunched lasers, led by Ed. After ‘several’ laps Dave & John had managed to lap the lasers. Joe had opened up a good gap on the lasers to finish second and winning on corrected time. It was all change in the laser pack with Richard taking the lead on lap two and Mark slipping past on the fifth to lead at the line.
Race two followed a similar pattern, with Dave & John leading throughout the race. After lap one Ed headed the chasing pack that rounded within five seconds of each other. Joe slipped past on lap two with Mark now the leading Laser. After lap three Richard headed the Lasers crossing the line third but winning on corrected time.
As we headed back to shore the drizzle started making for a rather damp end to the evening.
With the series now midpoint Mark is holding a good lead over the RS400 of Team Brown.
Thanks to Chef Brown for arranging the great Lasagne and to Curtis for providing a good evening sailing with plenty of spinny hoists and drops for the RS400’s !
With several members travelling from Norwich, where it had been warm and sunny with a gentle breeze it was a surprise to be greeted by a F4 from the SSW capped with overcast skies and a temperature more suited to autumn. However, the sea state was fine and after a short discussion everyone was keen to launch. There were a few changes of plan, as Phil and Don swapped Phantom & D-One, teaming up in Phil’s RS400 and Tom Q swapping his RS300 for the club Solution. And with Tom A’s helm away he teamed up with Richard in the Xenon.
By the time racing started the wind had dropped to a comfortable F3 making for a pleasant sail.
Racing commences
The RS400’s of Phil & Don and Team Brown led the fleet up the windward leg with most choosing to stay offshore in the flood tide. Phil & Don led round the windward mark and hoisting their spinny headed offshore again with Team Brown electing to gybe early and ‘hog’ the shore line staying out of the tide which proved the right thing to do. The rest of the fleet were not far behind although Tom was a little way back after having to perform some on the water boat mtce on the Solution when the clew strap came undone. Downwind the Lasers made good progress against the faster boats with Mark just ahead of Ed after the first lap. Phil & Don were seen heading for shore which we later found out was to re-tie the spinny downhaul! Team Brown crossed the line first but the lasers were only a minute behind with Ed passing Mark on the final lap to take the race win on his season debut with Mark second.
Race two start
The wind had decreased a tad at the start of race two. After the cautious start everyone took in race one, fearing the tide would take them over the line it was a close call for some but racing got away first time. Team Brown led the fleet to the windward mark, with everyone staying offshore this time. Unsurprisingly the RS400‘s led at the windward mark but close behind were the Lasers and Solution. Over the next three laps Team Brown built up a good lead crossing the line over two minutes ahead of the Lasers but this was not enough. Mark finished second and the next three boats crossing the line just nine seconds apart. It was another Laser 1,2 with Mark taking the race win and Ed second.
The wind by this time had decreased further and now a pleasant F2 with the sun making an occasional appearance. Despite it now being past Eight o’clock everyone was up for another race. This time prime starting positions were hard fought for with two boats being forced past the line. The race followed a similar pattern to the previous race with Team Brown leading the fleet with the rest close behind with Mark just in front. It was another Laser 1,2 with Mark taking race honours again and Ed second.
As we got back on shore we were greeted by Curtis who was in the process of packing his RS700 in readiness for the long haul to Torbay for the RS Summer Regatta. Good luck Curtis, it should be a great weekend.
There are several photo’s of the evenings racing on the Flickr site
It was an overcast and wet start for day two of the Beach Regatta and with the temperature barely in the teens it felt more like autumn than summer. With both the wind and sea state gradually increasing throughout the day the changing conditions suited different craft as there was a different winner in each race
Race one start
Racing started with a NE’ely F2. With the tide still ebbing boats were close to the line but somehow racing started first time. The fleet split up the beat but arrived close together at the windward mark with Phil (RS700) just ahead of Richard & Mark (RS400). Richard & Robyn (RS400) had a good downwind leg with just one second separating the two leading RS400’s at the gate. Behind, Jonathon (Laser) was almost matching the Phantoms and Contender. Richard & Mark had a great final lap pulling well clear of the other RS400’s to take the race win with Jonathon second and Nick (Phantom) third.
Room at the mark !
By the start of race two the sea state had increased a tad. Most of the fleet headed offshore with Phil rounding first followed by Richard & Mark, with Simon & Bruce (RS400) close behind, with all three heading inshore. Richard and Robyn stayed offshore and closed the gap on Simon & Bruce and rounding the gate together with Nick (Phantom) just one second ahead. For a brief while the sun made an appearance but quickly disappeared again and stayed hidden for the rest of the day. Despite it being the longest race of the day Jonathon managed to stay close the rear of the fleet for the first two laps but this was enough to take the win on corrected time from Nick with Phil in third place.
Race three start
Despite a forecasted low water time of 11.02 it was still slack water at the start of race three. The wind had increased to a F3, NNE. Phil headed the fleet around the windward mark followed by Phil2 (Contender). Phil did a horizon job and was awarded with an extra lap and the race win. Richard & Mark slipped past Phil2 on the downwind leg eventually pulling clear of the other RS400’s and was second on corrected time. At the finish the other two RS400’s crossed the line one second apart with Team Beckett the victors. Jonathon once again managed stay close enough behind this time to claim third, his worst result in the regatta!
Congratulations to Jonathon as overall winner with Nick second and Phil third.
After a rather calm morning the wind did eventually arrive and by late afternoon there was a warm F3 from the south. There was a good turnout of fourteen boats, due to both the arrival of visitors and turnout of the asymmetric fleet.
However, by the time we were lining up for the racing the wind had eased to a F2 and the flood tide was in full flow making short work of the beat.
Race one – Team Brown (RS400) and Phil (RS700) were early leaders closely followed by Curtis (RS700) and Roger & Keith (RS500). However, close behind were visitors Simon and Bruce in their Lasers who took the first two places on corrected time with Mark (wishing he had picked the full rig) in the club Laser Radial third.
Phil took an early lead in race two with Team Brown in hot pursuit. Three boats were vying for third and after the first lap, one second separated Roger & Keith, Big Phil (Phantom) and Don & Hattie (RS400). Once again the Lasers were holding their own and it was another 1,2,3 for them with Simon recording another first, Bruce second and Mark third on corrected time.
The final race of the day proved to be a sprint, with just one lap. Phil and Team Brown once again leading the fleet, with Phil crossing the line five seconds ahead. However, it was proving a difficult evening for the asymmetrics to hold their handicaps and Simon and Bruce took another 1,2. However the Laser stranglehold of the podium places was broken with Dan, sailing the club Solution third, having improved every race and obviously getting to grips with the boat.
Many thanks to Phil ‘A’ for stepping in as Race Officer, a lovely evening to be on the water and followed supper by Mr Brown on the prom.
Gt Yarmouth and Gorleston Sailing Club Beach Regatta 2021
Thursday Evening Regatta
Thursday 17th June -– Start time 7pm
This is likely to be 2 or 3 races over a shorter inshore course than Sundays and with usually lighter evening winds a great opportunity to race on the sea.
Visitors are welcome to leave their boats in the dinghy park until the weekend if attending the Beach Regatta (subject to available spaces)
Beach Regatta Regatta
Saturday 19th June – Start time 13:00 (Briefing 12:00)
Sunday 20th June – Start Time 10:30
This is our main open event of the year with 3 races back to back each day.
Directions to GYGSC can be found on the club website (About/Location)
After sailing on Saturday there will be Fish & Chips on the prom if you would like to stay.
Any Questions please contact info@gygsc.co.uk
Entry for visitors will be Day Membership, which is £5 per person per day.
Sunday was the last of the Spring series and at times when the sun managed to find a gap in the clouds it felt more like summer. Any one of five crews was in with a shout for overall honours so all to play for in the final days racing.
With a pleasant F3 from for NE the race team set a good sized windward –leeward course and with the tide still in full flood it would be a good beat, particularly for the slower boats.
With the wind increasing gradually throughout the day and slack water for the final race the changing conditions would suit all boats at some point which was evident with three different winners in three different class of boat.
Lovely conditions for the start of racing
Race one saw most teams stick close to shore before heading out to the windward mark. Richard and Robyn (RS400) judged this perfectly to lead at the windward mark, closely followed by Dave & John (400). These two enjoyed a race long tussle with the latter slipping pass in the third lap taking line honours with Richard & Mark (400) finishing third. On corrected time Dave & John beat Nick(Phantom) by just six seconds with Steve (Europe) beating Richard & Robyn by twelve seconds for third
Race two start
After lap one of the second race, Dave & John held a small lead over Nick who was heading off a trio of 400’s close behind him. Over the next three laps Nick exchanged places the 400’s several times but managed to cross the line just ahead with Richard & Robyn just ahead of Phil & Lorna(400). However, the two ‘slower’ boats had managed to stay in contention with Steve(Europe) taking the win on corrected time and Keith (Laser) second, beating Nick by just two seconds
Nick mixing it with the 400’s
By the start of the final race it was slack water inshore although still some tide offshore.
After lap one Dave & John held a small lead over Richard & Mark. Close behind them and rounding the leeward gate just two seconds apart were Nick, Richard & Robyn and Phil & Lorna, with Tom & David (505) not far behind. At the line Dave & John just lead Richard & Mark and Nick sailed well to hold off the charge of the 400’s and 505.
On corrected time Nick won by seven seconds from Steve with Dave & John third
Many thanks to the race team for a super days sailing, great conditions and an excellent course which proved a good test for everyone and opportunity for all boats. The team were also busy taking photo’s which are now on the club Flickr page – all 109 of them !
Well done to Nick for winning the Spring Series, managing to count only firsts and seconds toward his tally.
Next week is the first instalment of the Triad series.
Finally, and the best story of the day, after the last race, sailing the 400 back to shore, Phil got down on one knee and proposed. Many congratulations to Phil and Lorna, hope you have a long and happy voyage ahead of you.
