Page 16 - Yachter Autumn 2024

16 RACING
2024 RSYC ANNUAL REGATTA
The Club’s 3rd Annual Regatta was held on the weekend of the 7th and 8th September, which was combined with Gins’ 60th Anniversary Party in the evening. Originally planned for early July, with the Brow out of action, it was moved to coinside with the 60th Anniversary Party. Just as well as the weather was appalling with heavy rain and wind speeds of over 30 knots on both days!
Saturday dawned overcast and grey with a forecast of rain and light winds – that is just what happened. The Committee Boat, Ripple of Kyle, with the Commodore, Guy Darby, as Race Officer assisted by Zoë, anchored close to The Boss buoy to the west of the Beaulieu River entrance. Two Windward/Leeward Races were scheduled.
The first race, leaving the marks to port, headed east and after three rounds, Now or Never was first and Eva second.
The heavy rain had arrived by this time and though Race Two started with a good breeze, towards the end of the first round, the wind had been killed by the rain. The competitors were going backwards on a building ebb tide, so eventually the race was abandoned.
Unfortunately, the planned activities ashore at Gins were not well attended due to the inclement weather.
The fleet returned to Gins to dry out and prepare for the 60th Anniversary Celebrations. Sunday dawned with a few sore heads and feet from the previous night’s celebrations but
the Warning Signal for Race Three was not scheduled until 1300, so time to recover.
The forecast again was for light winds and rain, but this time with the added excitement of thunder and lightning! With about 10 minutes to go before the Warning Signal, the wind veered round from the east to the southwest and a good breeze came up. After a short AP,
the Third Race Round-the-Cans started. The rain never appeared, the sun came out, the breeze was perfect – champagne sailing. The course took the fleet to the west, over to the Island shore with a good spinnaker run, then back to the north shore to finish. The race was won by Eva with Now or Never second.
After the results were calculated, Mark Fryer on Eva and Bob Gardner on Now or Never were awarded Joint First Place.
Next year’s RSYC Annual Regatta is planned for 12th & 13th July 2025.