Osea Cup 2008

The Harlow (Blackwater) S.C. Maylandsea Bay saw the start of the Osea Cup trophy the second of the four joint club trophies raced for annually. The tide was soft and a 4 to 12 knot breeze setting north-to-north east in sunshine and blue skies
After an un-signalled delay Jacko and Lorna won the start and led on the short hop to Bay race mark and on rounding there followed a long tight three sail reach to Mundon spit and the relatively short windward leg to top of Osea Island.
Mark and Barry (505) took up the lead as they passed Mundon spit with Malcolm and Tony (Fireball) recovering from a dramatic start which included appearing to be very frisky and in butt kicking mode but sadly ended in mounting the jetty mark, leaving it on the wrong side but sailing a good three sailer to round the Mundon Race mark second. A boat on boat battle with Jacko and Lorna to the top of Osea kept them in touch and it was still race on; but sadly on the down wind leg past the Skumbles, Malcolm lost time to Jacko, but holding time on Batty and Barry.
The race was won as Batty and Barry as they fought with the wind shadow to the south of Osea eventually getting a goodly gust of wind that saw them speed away for the island and into Mundon creek with the kite up leaving the trailing fleet for dead to win the Osea Cup Trophy.
Jacko and Lorna made a good start but in a blond moment nearly left Mundon race mark out and making a pig’s ear out of the doldrums to the south of Osea, appeared to struggle up Mundon creek dropping the kite at one time! Then re-hoisting it, and then adding time by sailing the posted course, were lucky to finish 2nd
Malcolm and Tony as usual sailed a good race but could not get enough puff to do the buis to finish 3rd
As at the time of righting this report H(B)SC have not posted the results.
Notables: Ron having put L in the family way has now started working on a very handy new front-end girl, Elizabeth King. As is the way of sailing the Osea Cup was the first race for the new pairing where the wind was not blowing old boots. Ron in his excitement re-inacted the Poseidon Adventure in all its drama and sorrow. Having left the jetty and travelling quite quickly but un-noted by Ron the boat was already on it’s way to the bottom and as the boat crashed into a moored obstruction, first the gunwale, then the transom slid below the waves, Ron now clutching the detached rudder blade noticed that the centre board was neatly tucked away the its case. And explaining to the now rather wet crew, that it was always the crew’s duty to see that he knew that he had not requested, “plate” and returning to salvage the boat, by beaching it on the jetty to remove the water, was the norm and better than climbing out through the hole cut in the bottom.
The Sandhoppers felt that as opposed to the last Joint Clubs Trophy race, which had short racing legs and was too hard! this ninety-minute race around Osea Island was far too risky, as they might well not get back in time for lunch.

East point Osea Island

Merlin Magic Essex

Another coming together of the Blackwater Merlins took place at Brightlingsea S.C. this weekend. It was displacement sailing at its best with a shifty light breeze from the north on a gentle tide. Race team Bond had it all their own way with the competition finding new and odd ways to mess up a fairly easy starting day. It should be said that Craig and Jayne treat the club start line as it was their own back yard and after them you can be next to start. Jacko has already worked out that the line is always 10cm in front of Craig’s stem on the gun even if the line has passing river traffic and so many boats that you cannot see either bank/race box or transits. Needless to say Craig and Jayne won both starts and quickly built healthy leads showing good boat pace on all point of sailing resulting in two bullets and the series leaders.
Ozzie and Mel, Mel ducking out on the days racing on account of not binge drinking and never having had a hangover (ever) following her 21st? 31st? Birthday fest the day before, put in club star Sarah Bines. Ozzie, who was affected by the booze up and the neat spinnaker disaster, involving a new and interesting reefing system with no knots showing, but more twists than you could shake a stick at, or the team of medics that were called to resolve the monty on the preceding day and put to to restore some respect. It was Ozzie and Sarah that were nearest to sorting Craig. Finding good boat speed and nippy boat handling around the mark but could not quite ruining Craig’s day, finishing with a 3rd and 2nd and 2nd overall.
Jacko and Lorna had some good bits and some very ordinary bits. Not getting the idea of starting in front of Craig or any one else! And come to think on it, not even the one legged draft sliding sideways in the mud on the slipway left too much to do. But as is the way of things managed to wiggle past Ozzie and Dave by doing the opposite of what was expected on the long wind ward leg and finally cross tacking within a boat length of Craig at the top, but oddly still going in the wrong direction, to finish 2nd. In the second race things started to fall apart somewhat! dropping 3rd to 4th by quite a long margin and ending 3rd overall.
David and Celia lead the way in how not to start but did explore all parts of the line from every direction. But it was noted that boat handling and the speed about the boat put them right back in the race within seconds of starting. It’s tough boy racing, every error is boat lengths and trying to keep in the race is edgy at the best, and on a day of variable winds it can be grim. David and Celia are a very polished duo with heaps of sailing talent and are neatly posed to kick butt big time and when you’re down you can only go up and with only 4 point from top too bottom it is race on.

Thanks to Al Wigg for the Pics

On the 21st/22nd the Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Series comes to Brightlingsea for the first time. Ozzie and his team are a well-sorted club and no mater what the conditions are it will be the best that you will get in Essex this year. The sailing water is testing and the Adnams beer is well cared for. Car parking is no problem and the showers work (and the club is Barnsie proof); the ladies in the galley are not to be messed with, even Ozzie and Jacko say please and thank you. If the reader needs anything just ask.
The laugh is that Craig is looking to escape on the grounds that he is needed somewhere else. A better line than “I am moving house” “I have to be at an exhibition for work” and is he going to lend his boat to a Fireball sailor? Will any of the sounding Merlin sailors appear? David, Charles Simon, Ron, John.

The 6th July is the next race and we will see just who is cutting the custard at Brightlingsea.
Results so far
Now read no dit dit dit

The Mayland Mug Trophy

Maylandsea Bay S.C. ran the Mayland Mug Trophy Race on the 1st June. It was a light airs displacement sailing affair in a NE to E 2-8 knots on a soft running tide under grey skies.
It was the first of four Mayland/Harlow (Blackwater) joint trophy races and sadly not well supported by either club. The biggest disappointment was the Sandhopper class that felt that the light airs and in the bay/creek course would be too demanding for them to race on!
H(B)SC put out six assorted dinghies with MBSC fielding six more. The windward start against the tide passing the spit can to port resulted in a rafting at the windward end of the line and the door open for the smarty pants who hit the line in the right place. It was noted that the return of the H(B)SC fleet would indicate that not much has changed with boats being too early on the line and going the wrong way up the beat with no regard for tide and the wind bends around the boat yard pontoons.
Jacko and Lorna showed a measure of skill and picked up on the lifts and quickly broke clear not to be seen again and with well-practised spinnaker work and only thwacking of one race mark had a good day.
Martin Tarling in his Laser recovered well from a poor start and as usual did a very workman like job on staying in the wind patches and with smooth tacking and boat handling finished 2nd
Dave Islin and Don Ares in the Fireball (not a great Fireball day) made a good start and was clear of the pack and with his gentle words of wisdom and encouragement bouncing off the marina to Don and the rest of the fleet, kept all those sailing on their toes, to finish 3rd

Notables: Nick Longshanks in a Laser made a brilliant start and had a well sorted first beat rounding the Jetty mark in front the faster boats but with shifty winds sadly slipped out the back door.
Jan Nuttall sailing a Pico (not a great Pico day) had her moments but along with the new boys on the block also in a Pico failed to finish but did show that the Pico can mix it with the faster boats.
All in all it was a tough day at the office and the first light airs day for a long time. The next trophy race is at H(B)SC on the 15th at 9:45 and it will be race on as it is the Osea Cup a race around Osea Island and we should assume that the Ballers will be burning seaweed on the jetty in hope that the winds blow heartily and they don’t have to think too much. Lets hope we see the Sandhoppers in the race for there must be enough time and distance to get their kites flying.

For full results
!! now read on dit dit dit

Merlin Magic Essex (Brightlingsea)

For the first time this year four Merlin Rockets came to the line at Brightlingsea to contest who is cutting the custard. It was a full on event sailed in the bests of conditions; sun 12 to 16 knots across the tide. Each team had the lead at one point and also thrashed about in last place. It was noted that all overtaking was off wind with mostly boat handling errors. In the current sailing climate the volume of chat about boats, strings, crew weights and sails, it should be said that the boats sailed are of no consequence in relationship to the people sailing them and the skills required to win a sailboat race, as opposed to just sailing around the race cans in the shortest time.
Eyeball to eyeball dinghy racing can hurt; it does damage your sense of humour! There can be only one boat that crosses the finish line first, great to win but the pits to lose. And then we have the post bar inquest as to how the race was lost. It is at this point we can see that no one loses, each team is keener, sharper and more resilient for the experience, each gains some tips and knowledge and wishes to prove just how lucky the lead boat was to be lead boat at the finish!!
It would appear to me that racing a modern Merlin is about sailing skills and not what boat with what string. The art of stating and going the right way is everything. Boat handling and teamwork cannot be bought. Being extremely polite to your crew when things are going tits up is an essential part of keeping the marbles on the tray.
I can tell you that my crew looks stunning laid sunny side up on the fore deck whilst hauling out the spinnaker from under the bow in the Colne chop, but alas a helm needs to sail twice as good with a flat boat, gob shut and head up the mast.
For Ozzie and Mel (race winners and winners of the day) having upped the kite on a beam reach and powered to the front from last place, the trump cards where down, and for Jacko and Lorna having stonked the start and led at the first mark, dropped to last and pulled up to second (the word lucky has a new meaning)
The newest members to join the fleet, Dave and Celia Charlton, whose racing skills can only be said to be red hot are a welcome addition the Merlin fleet, finished in third place. For Craig and Jayne the understanding of the words “you’re never lonely in a Merlin” and “the fight for last place, it’s never over till it’s over”, plus Craig being responsible for having the club restructure the PY handicapping sum, is doing his uppermost to put more onto his race elapsed times, but with only 90 seconds separating the four Merlins I am not sure that it matters at all as boat on boat racing is what sailboat racing really is.
The Merlins are set to race in Pyfleet Week with a class start this year, the week itself has much to offer the Merlin sailor, the venue is ideal for the Merlin Rocket and you don’t get ripped off, and the club even lets Jacko sit at the bar, well some times if nobody’s there. The next race in this cutting the custard series is on the 8th June at 11:00 HW at 16:19.
If you’re feeling lucky give it a go.
Now read on dit dit dit

Thanks to Al Wigg for the Pics

The Douglas Charlton Blackwater Travellers Trophy

The Blackwater Travellers Series started on the 3rd with the Britannia Trophy, an open handicap event held at the Blackwater S.C. Heybridge. It was the most splendid of weekends with a sunny warm S.E. 12 to 16 knots of steady breeze.
With a 6 race, 5 to count over the three days, series supported by Maldon brew we might have be forgiven for thinking we had died and gone to heaven. The fleet made up of a fast variety of new and old dinghies from 49er to the glorious timber clinker built Sprite, made the starts one of the most demanding and skilful sailing moments one could possibly wish to encounter. As is the way of dinghy racing the thrill of the start on the tide in a mix of fast and slow boats led to groans from the race box and some very lucky competitors. But in all starts and restarts the fleet behaved well and not once was a naughty word used. The courses set were testing and a joy to sail with not too much farming and mystery as to where the race marks were hidden.
With asymmetric boats, single-handed boats and the traditional classes, plus catamarans the national PY numbers is still a mystery to the majority of sailors and the sailing skills factor unknown as a factor! and each class wishing for more or less wind. To win the event on the PY numbers is a bonus to go with the pleasure of sailing in the event.
I can tell you that the winner, Philip Newman (Phantom), made cracking starts and was often seen at the top of the first windward legs leading the Fireballs and Merlins, and was not seen to be rocking and pumping down the runs. (Unusual for a Phantom sailor). His starts, mark rounding and tactics were the winning factor. But more special was Philips joy of the race, taking on the Fireball and the Merlins boat for boat, a very worthy winner with 11.5 points.

Runner up was Jacko and Lorna/Al Wigg (Merlin Rocket) with 14 points. Sometimes known as the boat of laughs on account of the endless stream of errors and hands full of string pulling and the odd idea of leaving the rudder in the Dinghy Park, scraped and battled their way around the courses, occasionally putting some interesting team work together, but was seen to be in the right place for most of the time.
Ian Smith (Vortex) finished in 3rd place with 23 points. I know not what to say on account that we never saw the Vortex. It was gone in a flash and sailed for the most part on the horizon somewhere and was off the slip before our return, but for sure little error was made and a good time was had in what could be said to be not ideal conditions for a Vortex.
The Blackwater S.C. famed for its Fireball fleet appeared a little subdued. George Whitchurch, overwhelmed to see Jacko again, made the visitors welcome and Martin Scarth sporting a new Fireball as ever rallied the fleet lending a boat, sorting and nurturing the newer members. It would appear that the loss of Nigel (regular crew) led Martin into a sight seeing tour of the river, zapping across to the Scum-bells and into the saltings, but in good spirits and offering to put Jacko in his tea group with biscuits, and on passing out to Southy creek with a little bit of trawling (but no fish) kept the fleet knocking at the door. The leading Fireball was Julian Wild and Ben Arnold who put 4 good races together but sadly could not quite get in the chocolates.
Races 3 and 4 combined count for the Douglas Charlton Blackwater Travellers Trophy with the next race being at Brightlingsea on Aug. 16th at 14:00, the Carol Cruickshank pursuit race.

Full Results

I would like to thank Douglas Charlton Accountants for there sponsoring the Blackwater Travellers Trophy series and the Blackwater S.C. for running the Britannia Trophy as an open event and for all the club members for their help and support in making the river Blackwater a friendly and pleasurable place to be sailing.

Easter Mayland...sea, snow,wind and freezing

High winds, snow and freezing conditions cracked the Maylandsea Bay Easter Regatta.
Sea spray lobbed high in the air from the sea wall, travelled across the commodores lawn at 40 knots both on Friday and Saturday and as the wind died down on Sunday a goodly layer of snow and a wind chill factor ended another days sailing.
However Monday’s winds were fair and the skies had brightened. The club elders gathered and the smells of bacon and coffee wafted out from the clubhouse.

What was left of the dinghy fleet with a stout sense of ‘lets go sailing’ rigged the boats as Geoffrey, Mike and Richard heated up the race box and manned the support boat. The wind now 16 knots N.E. and gusting 20 knots and as cold and dense as it had been all winter, put a brilliant end to what was now one race for the Easter Cup.
The winner of this event was with no doubt Ann Dyson sailing a Laser Radial closely followed by Richard and Mike in the Support boat. Ann showing great courage before the start, plaining up and down the start line looking as she was going to give Jacko and Lorna in the Merlin an Easter egg poaching. Jacko and Lorna won the start and were not to be seen again, but over all they put up a very lack lustre performance (all very boring). On the other hand Ann, loosing the start by being slightly too far down the line at the flag, dropped, tucked in and settled down to the tacks hanging in to see if Monsieur Jacko would go farming in the saltings or possibly sail a new and more challenging course. For Ann the race turned into the most impressive performance the club as seen this year. The course had every point of sailing with the windward legs against the tide and a punishing long tight fetch back to the club line. As a large black cloud passed to the west the wind rose and held steady up in the 20 knots plus for some time, distressingly just a bit more than Ann could keep hold of. But in a truly outstanding sail proving that you don’t have to be 80 kilos and 2 meters high. And as she flashed across the finish line some 97 minutes after the start a well respectable round of applause and worthy cheer rattled out from the club veranda.
Ann will in due course be awarded (to keep) the splat the duck trophy and the Easter Cup for an outstanding result in the only race not to be blown off or snowed in.

Thank to Peter Freshwater and Richard Lytheer for sending in the photos

Maylandsea Bay Frosty series

Grey skies and a solid 10 knots from the S.W. greeted the runners and riders on the last race day in the Maylandsea Bay Frosty series. It was written in the seaweed that it was to be a last race cliffhanger and with the Race Box now in the hands of Geoffrey Walkley who summed up the conditions, eyed the gathered competitors and set a fair course around the cans in the Lawling creek. There (as is the way) was some banter as to who needed to do what to win the series.

To the left sailing logic:

And with approx. two hundred and something years of sailing wisdom in the leading boats rattling around the top of the slipway, reverse tactical logic and an adjustment of sailing clothing failed to prevent another wickedly poor start from some of the fleet leaders. However it was Dean and Rob (younger blokes) that won the start. The following fleet rounded mark 0 overlapped, with Martin (Laser) well placed on the inside. The fleet quickly split with Martin and Nigel (Fireball) leading around the marks in the Bay and out to Steeple Point. The windward leg back up Lawling Creek and into the Bay was spiced up with the wind backing, only to head steadily towards the top. Jacko, this week crewed by Alan Wigg, slowly sorted their way through to take the bullet.
However, it was Martin in the Laser who badgered away and stayed in the race two finish 2nd and 4th overall. A very worthy result putting Martin and Dean who had been swapping places throughout the race on equal corrected time in 3rd place.
The last race was not to be lost. A keen start was had by all, with Jacko and Al Wigg rounding the first mark, hotly pursued by Martin and Nigel. Martin gained an overlap, only to see Jacko break clear on the upping of spinnakers and jibe inside at mark 1. It was race on. It all slipped away for Jacko and Al as Martin and Nigel upped the pace on the reaching legs out to Mundon navigation mark and back to Steeple Creek, following exercises in farming carried out on the submerged salting at the head of Steeple creek.

To the left Al Wiggs return:

It would appear that lifting rudder blades are not as efficient at digging up lugworms as fixed blades, although it appears that it encourages the helm to have two goes at gathering more worms, whereas a boat resting on it’s nose and rudder blade seems to have a greater deterrent and really gets the crew actively involved watching for grass in the water.
To the right: Martin and Nigel, having regained the lead on corrected time in Lawling Creek were not to be messed with again and took the bullet. But sadly the 3rd placing in the penultimate race cost them the series to be 2nd overall.
For Dean and Rob in the Hornet time just ran out, finishing 2nd on the water and 3rd on corrected time and 3rd in the series, but being able to mix it with the fireball and breaking clear of the Merlin they just needed a couple more races to sort the competition out.
For Jacko and Al Wigg! The words “I should be so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky” rang out around the men’s changing room (and where was Legs) and what of the Jacko jam pot.

To the left Rger details with beer mats how the capsize occurred: Notables: Roger, crewed by Dave, had a good go at robbing Peter of the Splat The Duck Competition putting in a marvellous capsize just off Lawling point ending with the mainsail in the trees on the shore. But no worries, Peter kept up a full round of steady duckings all through the series and was not really touchable and won by a short swim and a backwards roll.
Sailboat racing is alive and well in Maylandsea Bay with many sailors returning year after year much too the appreciation of the club elders who maintain the club and it’s facilities for the benefit of us all. The sight of Len Wright pulling pints behind the club bar and the gentle encouragement given to Jacko on how to put more string into a Merlin is warming to the heart.
A programme of “friendly” sailing in company around race marks in Maylandsea Bay is being put together to help new sailors join in club events and details and help can be found at the club or contact Alan Jackson.

To the right Martin Tarling leadig Laser:

Next Race Day March. 21st a 10:30 start
Results overall