Category: 2020 Reports

It was the last of the official Thursday evening sailing and the weather was perfect, a warm F3 from the south to start, easing to a F2 at the end of the evening.

The race team set a great line and course which provided some close racing for the nine boats.

At the start of race one there was the last of the ebb tide flowing tempting most of the fleet to head inshore on the beat. After the first lap four seconds separated the first three boats led by Richard in his RS300.  Close behind was Curtis in his RS700 and Phil and Lorna in their RS400. During the next lap Richard and Ed (Team Brown RS400) closed the gap on Phil and Lorna with the latter holding on to the line. Behind, Steve (Europe) and Dave (Laser) were enjoying a close race with Steve ahead at the windward mark and sailing like he had another party he needed to get to !  Richard finished well clear of the next boat but the ‘slower’ single handers were close enough behind to grab the podium places on corrected time with Steve first, Dave second and Dan, ‘guesting’ in the club Laser Radial third.

There was no visible tide at the start of race two. A few boats ventured further offshore on the beat but there did not appear any advantage although the sea was smoother inshore. Richard managed to pull clear on lap one followed by Team ‘Commodore’ and Dave, with Team Brown suffering a knotted spinny halyard delaying their drop somewhat. On the final lap both Richard and Dave opted to go offshore which appeared to pay off. It was another 1,2,3 for the ‘slow’ boats with Dave winning on corrected time closely followed by Steve and Dan

Many thanks to the race team of Richard and Max for an excellent evening. Although it was the last official Thursday Evening racing, boo!!, the unofficial Thursday Finale series starts next week, hooray!, weather and light conditions permitting!

Full results here

Sunday was the first instalment of the new Triad series. The proposed programme for this is to race around a triangular course rather than the usual windward leeward courses. However, with asymmetric boats making 50% of the fleet the race team decided to make the second race a windward leeward.

The forecast of sunny and warm conditions plus a F3 wind tempted a few more members out making for one of the largest fleets this year with 15 boats launching. There were 10 different classes ranging from a Europe to a RS700.

The offshore breeze proved challenging for both sailors and the race team with frequent gusts and shifts and on at least one occasion evidence a sea breeze trying to take over as the wind become light and fickle.

In race one Richard, sailing his RS300 was first to the windward mark followed by Dave in a D-One. The next leg proved to be a tight reach which proved too close for Dave who capsized shortly after hoisting his kite. Nick (D-One) demonstrated how it should be done and took the lead after the first lap. Close behind were father and son teams in RS400’s,  Simon & Bruce Beckett and Richard & Ed Brown followed by day guest Nick Crickmore, sailing a Phantom. These five gradually pulled away from the rest of the fleet with Nick putting in a great last lap to pull clear of the others and easily winning on corrected time with Nick C second and Richard third.

The course for race two was back to the more usual windward leeward format. The wind at times a little fickle testing everyone’s concentration. Richard and Dave rounded the windward just ahead with Richard just ahead after the first lap.

Dave pulled ahead on the second lap with Team Brown moving into second place. After a further two rounds Dave crossed the line just ahead of Team Brown with Team Beckett third. On corrected time Steve, sailing his Europe won the race by one second with Dave second and Team Brown third.

The wind had settled for race three. After lap one Team Beckett held a small lead over Nick. At the finish these two crossed the line together with Team Brown making up a lot of ground crossing the line just five seconds later. Steve, obviously conscious of a family engagement later in the day and needing to get back ashore put in a very fast last lap (first lap over 12 mins, last lap under 10 mins) to win on corrected time by over two minutes. It was very close between the next four boats separated by just 20 seconds, Nick in second and Team Beckett third.

Thanks to the race team for organising a great days sailing over a variety of courses and wind conditions….. and great weather.

Full results here

In view of the current situation which meant a delay in this years activities the sailing programme has been revised in order to balance out the Summer and Autumn series with remaining weeks we have in the calendar. The table below details the proposed programme changes.

The course for the Triad series will be triangles as opposed to the normal windward leeward courses and intended to cater for the increased number of non asymmetric boats now sailing due to the current sailing guidelines.

The Thursday evening programme officially ended this week but will be extended one week. We then intend to continue with the Thursday Finale series as long as possible, weather and light conditions permitting!

SUNDAYS		ORIGINAL	REVISED
APR	5	SPR 1+SOS
APR	12	SPRING 2
APR	19	SPRING 3
APR	26	SPRING 4
MAY	3	SPRING 5
MAY	10	SPRING 6
MAY	17	SOL+S/H
MAY	24	PASSAGE 1
MAY	31	TRIAD 1
JUN	7	SUMMER 1
JUN	14	PASSAGE 2
JUN	21	BEACH
JUN	28	SUMMER 2
JUL	5	SUMMER 3
JUL	12	SUMMER 4	SOS + SUMMER 1
JUL	19	PASSAGE 3	SUMMER 2
JUL	26	SUMMER 5	SUMMER 3
AUG	2	SUMMER 6	TRIAD 1
AUG	9	SUMMER 7	SUMMER 4
AUG	16	TRIAD 2	SUMMER 5
AUG	23	AUTUMN 1	SUMMER 6
AUG	30	AUTUMN 2	TRIAD 2
SEP	6	AUTUMN 3	AUTUMN 1
SEP	13	AUTUMN 4	AUTUMN 3
SEP	20	AUTUMN 5	AUTUMN 3
SEP	27	AUTUMN 6	TRIAD 3
OCT	4	AUTUMN 7	AUTUMN 4
OCT	11	TRIAD 3	AUTUMN 5
OCT	18	EOS	AUTUMN 6 + EOS

It was warm, sunny with a pleasant F3-4 wind, conditions were looking good for the third Sunday of sailing.

Eleven boats launched for what were the best sailing conditions this year.

The race team were to be kept busy with a change of course, a drifting mark and a few capsizes to deal with, all of which were dealt with fittingly.

The wind shifted just before the start of race one which saw Phil (Contender) and Steve (Europe) first to realise it was a fetch to the windward mark whereas several others had pointed considerably higher for a while before realising and ending up broad reaching to it. Phil and Steve rounded the mark first followed by Richard (300) and Simon & Bruce, aka Team Beckett (400).

Due to the wind change the race team decided to shorten the race after the first lap which Steve looked to have in the bag but a death roll about 100 metres from the line denied him of that. Phil crossed the line first closely followed by the 300 & 400. On corrected time Dave (Laser) pipped Phil by four seconds for first place with Richard third.

After a change of course race two got underway. Dave and Richard  port tacked the fleet and rounded the windward mark first closely followed by Team Beckett. Richard took the lead on lap two and Phil recovered from a slow start overtaking Dave on lap four. Conditions were good with some great off wind legs riding the waves. Richard opened up a small lead to finish first with Phil second. On corrected time Dave took the race with Steve in second and Richard third again.

Many thanks to Lorna, Phil & Nick for a great, if a bit tiring day.

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Full results here

With a stronger than forecast SW’erly and surfers enjoying some good waves conditions did not look too promising for any sailing. However, after a suitable amount of dithering both the wind and waves decreased and so we set off for a slightly delayed start.

By the time the boats reached the start line the wind had shifted to the west and varying between a F1 and F3.

Phil (700) and Dave (Laser) opened up a good lead in race one and managed to put in an extra lap with Dave winning the race with Phil & Lorna, sailing their 400 for the first time since last year second and Phil third.

The race team decided we needed more light wind practise and so set a second race. Phil managed to sail well clear with Phil & Lorna and Dave leading the chasing fleet. The downwind legs were proving testing in the light winds and big swell.  It was a David one-two with Laser Dave first and David, sailing his recently acquired Solution second and Phil third again.

By the time we headed for shore the light was beginning to fade and the wind had picked up. Whilst it made for some good surfing in the swell it did make getting ashore a little more difficult but excellent teamwork ensured everyone got back safely.

Thanks to the race team of Richard and Ed for two enjoyable races.

Full results here

It was damp and overcast on arrival at Gorleston making for a rather gloomy start to the days sailing. Thankfully it gradually cleared during the day with even a few sunny periods.

For the second week of Sunday racing there has been a noticeable change to the boat classes. Last year the majority of boats racing were two-man classes, this year all have been single-handers. Due to the current virus guidelines this is likely to remain the case for some time.

There was a F2 gusting F4 Northerly so the race team set a course parallel with the shore. The sea state at this point was flat but it slowly increased through the day.

Seven boats made the start for race one with Phil (700) and Nick (Phantom) getting the best starts. The fleet split into two with the faster boats heading inshore and the slower offshore. At the windward mark there did not appear to be much advantage each way although with the tide having just turned and now ebbing, there soon would be.

Phil gradually sailed away from the fleet leaving Nick and Richard (300) fighting for second place, behind the three lasers and a Europe were enjoying a close battle. Unfortunately for Will, who was sailing the club laser his racing was curtailed when the top section of the mast broke. At the finish Phil had opened up a good lead and almost lapping some boats. Nick and Richard enjoyed three laps of close racing with just a few seconds between them throughout the race. Dave, sailing his recently acquired Laser leading the ‘slow fleet’ home and winning on corrected time with Nick second and Steve third in his Europe.

There was a little more wind and more chop for race two.  Phil and Steve retired with the latter suffering with some gear failure. Nick and Richard were neck and neck for the first three laps but on the final lap Nick sailed the downwind leg to perfection opening up a two minute lead and winning the race. Dave claimed second and Richard third.

Thanks to Don for volunteering to be OOD ably assisted by Phil and Lorna.

Full results here

Following last week’s leisure sailing on Thursday, racing commenced this week. With a light warm breeze it provided a pleasant start to the Thursday race series.

Richard and Ed (RS400) wisely checked out the tide at the windward mark prior to the start and kept to the shore after the start whereas everyone else headed offshore, presumably in search of more wind. Having timed their moment to head offshore to the mark perfectly Richard and Ed had a comfortable lead on the others which their extended on the second lap. Richard Fryer (RS300) led the chase closely followed by Tamsin sailing the club Laser.

Following a change in wind direction OOD Phil relayed the course for race 2. However the wind gradually began to fade so everyone decided to head for shore.

Full results here

With the wind turbines barely moving coupled with the forecast suggesting a near 180 degree change in wind direction sometime around midday it did not look too promising for the much delayed Start of the Season races. Normally the clothing dilemma for the SOS races is concerning how many layers do I wear underneath my drysuit, but today it was shorty or full wetsuit – has to be the warmest SOS races ever !

Despite the light winds nine boats took to the water with eight joining in the racing with the wind building to a pleasant F2 from the SE plus sunshine by the start of race one.

Phil H sailing his RS700 and Nick, opting to sail his Phantom led the fleet building up a good lead on the rest and almost lapping most. Steve (Europe) and Richard (Laser) enjoyed a close tussle throughout the race with just two seconds between them on the first two laps and seven on the third and fourth. On corrected time Nick claimed his first win of the day with Steve second and Phil H third.

At the start of race two the wind had increased to a F3 and the skies now overcast. Phil H opened up a good lead and three quarters through the race had lapped some boats. Nick again led the rest of the fleet. Behind there was a four way battle between the Lasers of Richard and Will, Steve and Don sailing his D-one. Unfortunately for Don his spinnaker was proving to be difficult to hoist so opted not to use it. On corrected time it was a repeat for the first race with Phil H just pipping Phil A (Contender) by four seconds for third.

There was a little more wind for the last race, the sea a little rougher and a noticeable drop in temperature. Phil H and Nick again leading the fleet by some way but this time Nick not far behind. Phil A led the chasing pack closely followed by Don. Behind Steve, Richard and Will were again enjoying some close racing with just ten seconds between them after the first lap. Nick claimed a clean sweep winning the final race with Steve second and Will beating Phil A by just … four seconds for third.

All in all a very pleasant days sailing, hopefully the conditions next week will be as good.

Full results here