Ice coated puddles, frozen flags and the Blackwater Icicle

With ice coated puddles and the flags frozen to the flagpoles the Mayland fleet gathered to contest the Blackwater Icicle trophy.

A third of the fleet were visitors from near and not so near and added a healthy upturn the spicy mix of who’s who in the line up of line honours.
It was to be a day of tremble and shiver as the light northerly breeze started to fail with Bill Wright heading the Race Box team, which had now taken to the water in the committee boat for a start in the middle of Maylandsea Bay.

By the time the start flag fell the light breezes had headed to the East with the fleet tending to be line shy, notably the Fireball class all but Maria and Nigel, rafting up to join in later.

The short-ish leg to the first rounding mark, laid on the outer curve of the deeper water at the top of the bay, presented a gain and loss decision of more pressure against less tide which split the fleet with half taking to the south side while the rest headed to the north. The north side won with Dave and Celia Charlton rounding first closely follow by Andy Mclver sailing a Blaze and Andy and Derek sailing a Merlin. The fleet rounded mark 4 and headed out up Lawling creek against the incoming tide and a failing wind and another twitchy choice to tack back to the south side or continue on up to Mundon spit on the north side.

Wind now had all but died with the tide holding the fleet almost to a standstill; Neil Fulcher, ‘Phantom’ smacking his lips, was the first to put in an early port tack and nearly did not interfere with Piers and Peter’s ‘Merlin’ right of way boat which sadly seemed to end the race for the two competitors who of had a real chance of taking the trophy. Dave and Celia sailed part way before also taking the south bank and had broken well clear of the fleet to be joined by Jacko and Lorna, ‘Merlin’ having hung on for a little longer. A short battle followed in which Dave went farming and sounded a little miffed and Jacko’s head went into the bottom of his boat as the wind slowly backed to the north east ending Jacko’s bid for the lead. The fireball fleet having stuck to the north side, took advantage of the new N.E. breeze and made good time as they crossed past Mundon spit to Steeple race mark but with the fleet having stood still on the tide and the elapsed time running the real race was back in the mid fleet, some 7 minutes behind. The fleet rounded Mundon race mark and with 6 knots up the chuff and with the tide it was a drag race to the finish line.

Mick Wright ‘Laser’ beavered away holding line in the light airs against the tide to finish 3rd

Dave and Celia having made a good start, and seeing off the Fireballs, being lead boat and taking line honours to finish 2nd.
Tim Riley sailing a Solo making a good start and picking the side to be at the right time, holding concentration in the doldrums, sailed an error free race sorting some pretty accomplished sailors to take the bullet and the Blackwater Icicle Trophy away from the Blackwater River, and very deservedly so.

Notables: Peter Playle finished 8th beat Martin Tarling by 8 places. Maylandsea Bay S.C. had the biggest club entry. The Merlin class was the 3rd biggest class in the fleet. No competitors took part in the Splat the Duck Title. Maria Richards with Nigel Sheppard won the Fireball race in fine style showing worthy boat cool. Nine sailing clubs and eleven classes took part.

Next Race Day is the start of the Open Frostbite Series starting on the 17th Jan. at 12:00 with 2 races
More info at http://www.maylandseabay-sc.org.uk/
Thanks  to Alan Johnson for sending the photos
Results

Overall
1st Tim Riley Solo
2nd Dave and Celia Charlton Merlin Rocket
3rd Mick Wright Laser
4th Alan Jackson and Lorna Laval Merlin Rocket
5th Andy Mclver Blaze
6th Neil Fulcher Phantom