For a trial period of 7 weeks, well-behaved dogs on a lead are allowed in the bar area. Please use the balcony entrance. Misbehaving dogs may be asked to leave at the discretion of The Stewards or a Committee member.
There were 30 yachts entered for the 2018 Helford to L’Aber Wrac’h race. It was a race of variable winds! Very light winds, if any, for the majority of the fleet, for the first six hours or so then it blew ENE 6 for the rest of the passage. Fourteen yachts finished and sixteen retired, some of whom motored towards France until the wind filled in.
Results
The winner this year was Richard Hall in his Westerly, Physis, with French yachts in 2nd and 3rd place.
Near Roskruge Beacon looking back to Helford. Picture © Dom Brandreth
Race 3
A breezy easterly, sometimes a bit NE. Mild easterly swell with sets of waves coming every 10 mins or so. I didn’t take any sailing photos, so this pic was from the journey home. If anyone has any photos to share please either email me or post them on the Facebook group.
Picture © The Corporation of Trinity House 2016
Helford River Navigational Aids Committee are pleased to announce that they have secured a grant from Trinity House Charitable trust to renew the Voose buoy. It will be larger than the present buoy and will also be lit. Light sequence Q fl 1sec. We hope to have it on station by mid July.
Members are also warned to keep well clear of Bar buoy at low water springs. Remember it is only an aid to navigation. The same applies to August Rock buoy!
Mid Summer Series
To allow continuity for the 707 One Design racing series and to encourage new PY boats to race I have created a Combined Fleet super-series. We will keep the existing One Design series, but we’ll also have a Combined Fleet series that allows PY boats to race 707s (and each other) using the TCC / IRC handicapping system.
The TCC ratings were taken from various sources found online. Handicap can and will be updated over time as ratings become more accurate.
Race 1
A breezy start to the Mid Summer series. Avocet had issues with an overpowered kite causing broaching and loss of position, but a lift on the last leg allowed them to get back past Dragun. Morgawr were two-handed and chose to go white sails only.
The results are in, the numbers have been crunched and the winners are…
Early Summer Series (One Design): Dragun
Early Summer Series (PY): Kari II
In the final race of the series (Race 6) Dragun pipped Avocet for the win – tying the series on 9 points each (with discards). But with more first places Dragun takes the series on the tie-breaker (see ISAF Appendix A8.1 for more info). And after joining the series late Kari II takes the PY title. Well done all.
Picture (c) Dom Brandreth
We are looking into fixing the webcams. Stay tuned…
Due to family commitments and PTBO work I’ve been a bit slow getting the results out for the last two weeks. Here are the combined results for 16 and 23 May. Note, due to my poor sailing instructions I have had to split the results by fleet, creating two parallel race series. I will update the instructions for the Mid-Summer Series so that we the PY fleet can race against the 707s. Dom.
Racing tonight was a little problematic with a forecast of 20 plus mph winds and rain, the start line at central seemed to be the least windy place on the river. The course Committee start, Gew, Voose then back to Committee ×2, we decided to shorten the course to one lap, at the finish the wind picked up to the predicted 20mph and it rained, but what an exciting although damp journey back to the moorings.
It was great to have the first PY entrant in tonights race a Sadler 26 owned and helmed by Martin Fenton, crewed by Kitty Brogden and Sam Adams. See you next week. Chris Hosken, Rear Commodore Sailing.
Pictures © Chris Hosken
Perfect sailing weather. Looked like it might be too breezy though so 3/4 boats elected not to fly their kites. Dragun was brave and used their spinnaker to stretch ahead on the first downwind leg. Closer racing between the 3 remaining boats. A fight for the line between Avocet and Mawgawr with Avocet strongly defending their on-starboard line. Great racing.
Hi Everyone
I’ve taken over as Captain Yachts this year. My aim for the next three years is to:
Make yachting as easy and enjoyable as possible for all
Introduce more dinghy sailors and social members to yacht racing
Entice more boats onto the water and boost racing on Wednesday nights
Help sociable sailors to communicate and cruise in company
