Winter solstice and the throwing in of the towel

Grimly harsh cold with 6 to 8 knots buffing 10 from the north and a lovely white coat of freshly laid snow set the scene as the Essex sailing world threw in the towel.
The winter solstice fell two days later and one has to ask why a sailing club would set a 9:00 start with a 10:40 HW? That in itself would write off half a sailboat fleet on a good day, just add minus 8.0 on the wind chill dial as opposed to shut eye and a cuddly woman and it’s end of series, game over.

IOS S.C. webcam



The day looked beautiful from the inside, the sun came out, the gulls drifted by and we looked at the white shiny snow covering the slipway with not one foot print in it and our thoughts went to the results.

With no elapsed or corrected time available it is anyone’s guess as to how the series was won; whether it was well sorted or really close.



Brightlingsea S.C. webcam

Richard sailing a RS700 is the winner scoring 2,1,2, but sailing of a PY of 875, which removes 1 minute 16 seconds off his elapsed time in every hour. But it is Christmas and we should wish him well.

The Fireballers Mark and Nigel scoring 1,3,DNC were 2nd with Martin and Tony 3,2,5, taking 3rd and it looked like the boat to sail if you wanted a boat race with racing tactics and more place changes than you could wave a stick at.

It is with a sense of embarrassment that I write that Jacko and Simon ‘Merlin’ scoring 10,5,4, robbed Alex ‘Blaze’ scoring 5,4,DNC, of 4th place. Alex having beaten Jacko on the two occasions that they met and it seems most unfair on Alex, but sailing a Blaze of a PY of 1046, and talking to Jacko on the way round the racetrack and holding a straight face, well it is Christmas.

The Chrimbo races start on the 2nd of Jan. at Up River Y.C. at 10:30. This is something to look forward to as I am sure Mr. Little will once more try to fit into his nice, new looking N12 and tack it around Bastard Point without resisting the limerick of Jules Harms about Bells or was it Balls but it always ended late in the day with glassy looking eyes and a slight crushed sobbing sound though a empty beer glass.
The Blackwater Icicle Race hosted this year at Harlow (Blackwater) S.C. takes place on the 9th Jan. 13:30; we pray, but do know that it will not feature Bill’s odd little sound signal. It is a shame that BSC is starts it’s Frostbite series on the same day.

Blackwater S.C. webcam

The questions are will it be nut removable cold, will Brightlingsea Merlin fleet feature up the river, is Maylandsea By really not going to see a Frostbite series, will Batty find a crew, will Ron use his toe straps, will Jacko get back into his wet suit post Chrimbo nosh.
Now read on dot dot dot.
B.S.C. witer results

We should be so lucky, wind chill –3.1 on the Essex Riviera

As luck would have it Sunday dawned grey and only -3.1 on the wind chill factor with 12 knots from the NW.
The Blackwater dinghy fleet was diminished to 5 boats but all were quite perky and with a sense of keenness hit the start line bang on as the flag fell.
It was Martin and Tony ‘Fireball’ that won the start with a nippy hoisting of the kite and a splurge of speed on the short hop to the Ballast Hole turning mark. Jacko and Simon should have being doing something like the same, had it not been for Jacko having a senior moment in rigging the kite, not dissimilar to a women’s shoulder strap handbag resulting in signs of a Jacko hissy fit as he lobbed the pointing stick to Simon. Simon now in his fifth week of sailing showed “cool” as Jacko made two attempts to sort the mess by which time Martin and Tony had taken to the horizon pursued by Ben sailing a Blaze.
In the time it takes the fleet to reach South Doubles navigation buoy the leading foiling moth was half way to home with the RS flying bedstead not far behind. It is sad that we find ourselves in a fleet of one offs with the business of sailboat racing being the short straw and the racing being more about error against the clock.

Martin and Tony now hard on the wind with Jacko and Simon making and losing time as the shifty wind played against the well-practised race tactics, and it was race on. As the three boats rounded Mill beach turning mark for a tight fetch up Colliers Reach there was barely six-boat lengths separation.
Martin with his lovely big round Fireball spinnaker was gagging to break it out and put in some space, and as the wind backed slightly went for the hoist. Jacko and Simon, teeth gritted and head out the boat, pushed the bow down and preyed to Mecca as they crept over to the windward side. But all this was to Ben’s favour as Jacko and Ben rounded Nav. mark Lock and Boundary with Martin now out the back door and the whites of Jacko’s eyeball well visible, Ben munched on the PY numbers to be 3rd in the race of fortune.

It was a stunning day to be out on the river with the sight of the wading birds circling over Maylandsea Bay and the empty mooring buoys twirling round the tidal flow. The clear cold winters air reward enough for the early rise.

No Racing took place at the Maylandsea Bay winter Series as it was postponed till the 19th
Maylandsea Bay winter series Results

Blackwater S.C. Results (and as I under stand it) after 3 races with 1 discard.
1st    Richard Foulds      RS700       3 points
2nd   Mark & Nigel        Fireball     4 points
3rd   Martin & Tony       Fireball     5 points
4th   Alex                      Blaze        9 points

Next race day Nov. 19th