YACHT RACE RESULTS | 27 June 2018

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.

Present: Mark Buckley, Clive Dudley, Pat Scannell, Nick Gough, Matt Palmer, John Walker, Phil Badger, Charles Richardson, Steve Kestin.

Agenda: To review 2015 yacht racing season and discuss plans to attract more yachts to participate in racing and cruising in 2016

NG. voiced the general feeling that it was a great shame that the fleet racing had fallen away from around ten 707s and some PY yachts on each start line in 2013 and 14 to only half that number of 707s and no PY yachts last year, despite very good close racing.

NG said that he had been approached by a few PY yacht owners saying that they wished to be included and felt left out. He proposed that we try to include PY yachts by having a joint 707 and PY start.
There were some objections but NG asked that we try that for the first series and see if PY yachts do actually want to race.

It was generally agreed that we must try to encourage more participation and include PY yachts.

NG presented some ideas that had been sent to him by Tom Smith and also thanked Phil Badger for sending some ideas all of which were discussed.

It was agreed that:-

Yacht owners should be contacted to ask what support and encouragement they would like and what type of racing. NG to contact owners.
Occasional Cruise/Races to be organised, also cruises in company. NG, PS and CD to take forward.
Courses to be varied sometimes two short races other times one longer at discretion of the OOD.
The race night should remain on Wednesday for the coming season at least.
Juniors should be encouraged to join the 707 racing.
CD to talk to Nick Allsop, Capt Juniors, to identify likely elder juniors. PS to talk to Dominic and Ian Lawrence to ask if their boys might be interested.
NG and PS to consider offering Avocet as a ‘junior boat’ skippered by one of them with junior helm and crew.
PB also volunteered to skipper a junior boat if necessary.
VHF sets to be used by all racers on channel 72 for safety reasons and also to enable self starts if no OOD was available.
OODs should be encouraged to attend but if that meant a boat not sailing on that evening then self start should be agreed.
Rule infringements should be owned up to on the water and the appropriate 360 or 720 penalty taken. However protests can be a learning exercise and should not be discouraged. They should be conducted as an opportunity to talk through the rules and issues.
CD has a Protest pack and offers to chair the protests.
The relative small cost of owning and racing a 707 should be widely advertised.
NG to work out average cost and add to news letter and put on notice board.
Race day meals should be good value to attract racers back to the club. £10 meal and pint was suggested. MB to discuss with new stewards.
Culdrose Naval base should be encouraged to enter a team. The possibility of the club buying or chartering a 707 for […]

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

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.

1 Jambo
2 Wildebeest
3 Dragan