|
|
Tom Felgate Annual Points Series August Classics Cruise 2005
So the Challenge Cup started with the North Sea Classic Passage Race race from Woodbridge Haven to Roompot, a port of entry on the Oosterschelde in South Holland. With tide and wind adverse, it was not a nice start, and many entrants chose to steer an easier course form Harwich and not take part in the race, which was a pity. The ones who did had some interesting times, many choosing to reef for security and crew comfort! But not so Ragamuffin, the supercharged Falmouth Working Boat, or the 50ft Steel Bermudan Cutter Windbreker, who both pressed on regardless for line honours. Ragamuffin scraped a sand bank on the way into Roompot in the darkness and Windbreker took line honours. However, Ragamuffin, with her smaller size won on handicap. Vlieter was second, the Folkboat Erik the Red was third.
At the Shipmate (Dutch) Classic Yacht Regatta at Hellevoestsluis, boats raced in their own classes, and points were scored on their positions. In the gaffers class there was influence from Belgian (Anenemone) and near- Belgian ( Snug) entrants, but still Kestrel and Transcur began to build up their points, making up for their NSPR performances. Ragamuffin was unable to do all the DCYR Races, and saw her Challenge Cup chances subside. Erik did well in her bermudan classes. I admit my predjudice, but it was good to see gaff taking 3 out of the first 4 places. Kestrel really sailed well and was expertly crewed. Erik de Roode, crewed with a family with two children did very well to come second, despite bermudan rig. Similarly the smack Transcur was family crewed, albeit some family to manage a heavy working boat so well in such conditions, took European Bronze. Our thanks go to Maud Kieft of VKSJ for working out the results. It is understood the Dutch President will present the Challenge Cups at the OGA Dinner at Burnham on March 4.
The calculations were based on the RYA Negative Points System, with one race discard. If you did not take part in a race, points were based on the number of participating boats plus five. So even if you did not finish a race, you still gained something for turning up at the start! Even so it was still possible to score reasonably well just by doing a couple of races and winning. We may review the scoring system next year so people who turn up regularly score better than those who just turn up in a fast boat on the odd race. The idea of the points series is to reward the good all rounder who turns out for all the races.
Apart from the East Coast Old Gaffers Race, the local performance adjusted handicap system was used. This is only applied to the slowest and fastest boats, most are on standard OGA THCF. Some sixty plus boats were in the series. Compared with previous years, it was interesting to see changes in form. Ric is clearly getting used to Kelpie 2, a lovely gaff sloop, re-rigged this year with new sails. Itchen Ferry Reverie ( ex Merlyn) was enthusiastically sailed by Pete and Sarah, and with re-tuned rig did well in many races, there being some speculation on just how fast she will sail with new canvas. The smack Transcur shaped up well, following a bit of practice at Hellevoetsluis! The Memory Class Nipperkin was also getting a bit dangerous, but at least her owner has bought a new boat! ( but that’s even worse being the Ayesha). 
Perhaps the greatest improvement was on Bonify, the big ferro Colin Archer. Howard and Sue have got her going well this year, and that little bit of underwear strung across between the peak and the masthead (was it really a topsail?) seemed to make a big difference. Anyway, whatever her secret was, she has won third prize in the series.
Then we come to last year’s winner, Deva, the only one with a loaded handicap at the top of the table. Poor little thing, she can’t really go any faster! But she stuck it out in the dusk to creep into third place at the Crouch, punched her way through heavy weather under full main round the Spitway race to get second, chased Fanny’s tail on the Sole Bay to get another, and had a lovely race to get third on the Presidents Race. However there was absolutely no sympathy from handicap sub committee, who would not even consider a minor last minute review of the scoring system, so she has to make do with second! Well I suppose everyone can guess who was the winner. For years she plagued the East Coast in the 1960’s, even the modern boat races of the time. She had a red hot crew and helm, and was almost unbeatable. We all breathed a sigh of relief when her rig was cut down and she went into retirement. Then a certain Orwell boatbuilder acquired her. It’s taken him a year or two of re-rigging and tuning, but it is horribly deja-vu. She did not hit full form until after the East Coast Race, but my goodness it has been first past the post and on corrected time ever since (and including races against modern plastic). Nigel has been exemplary in sail setting and tactics, often egged on by his daughters crewing, and the combination of this with an unusually fast boat has proven unbeatable. ( He might even trigger the performance handicapper’s computer, more likely cause it to go up in smoke). The winner of the Tom Felgate Memorial Trophy for the 2005 Points Series is the Itchen Ferry, Fanny of Cowes! Rob Williamson’s Vertue, Maid of Tesa, took an early lead in the series with a fine win at the Blackwater and Colne Festival, and she also went on to win the Maldon Regatta bermudan class. But she was away cruising for many of the races in the middle of the summer, so only takes third prize. We were wondering what to expect when Clive Church swapped the sleek M A Solitude for the sturdy cruiser Rhumba. But Rhumba is beautifully fitted out and rigged, and with Clive’s magic touch on the helm, she is nearly as fast as her predecessor! She picked up form for Southwold Sole Bay Race, to go on for further wins on the Two Rivers Race and the Presidents Race in August. But she was only second! It was Barry’s Random’s steady-as-she goes form which took her to the top of the table. Picking up a third at Brightlingea and at Southwold, and second places on the Two Rivers Race and the Presidents Race, she went on to win the 2005 Points Series for Bermudan Classics.
Most of the participants met up at Stone Point, Walton Backwaters on the afternoon –evening of Sunday 21st August having sailed from their home ports. In the evening we had a good social event, the now traditional BBQ and some good music. It was really good to have several new members and visitors, including OGA members from MNK. Some boats had raced from their home ports – the passage race was won by Maid of Tesa – the only boat to have crossed the finish line on the same day as the race started ! On Monday we held the Penny Hole Bay Race, out round the buoys and back in to Walton. Melvin Fox in Margaret J started the race at Island Point, then went off fishing, and Margaret Catchpole (under her new ownership) kindly volunteered to be finish boat. Fanny of Cowes who was seen disappearing up Hamford water just before the start then set a cloud of sail and came romping through the fleet, she had started as she intended to continue – by getting both Line Honours and 1st on handicap. She won the Penny Hole Bay trophy, 2nd was Nipperkin and Moonstone VII was 3rd. 1st Bermudan was Random. It was great to see Jasmine out sailing with the OGA again. On Tuesday the weather looked very unsettled, with strong winds forecast for the next couple of days. It was decided to cancel the cruise up to the Alde since we didn’t want to get stuck there and be unable to get south again for the second half of the week’s events. So everyone had a quiet day in the Walton Backwaters – some sailed up to the Yacht Club for lunch and to re-provision, others visited the seals in Oakley Creek. Goosander and Random wisely berthed in the Pond behind the Yacht Club, knowing what was in store for the rest of the fleet. On Wednesday the wind arrived, blowing a good gale all day and scattering the boats. Transcur adopted the crew of Reverie who had had a small plumbing problem overnight and needed to dry out ! But on Thursday the weather was better and we were able to cruise to Woolverstone. The smacks’ boats ventured out for time trials but the freshening wind gave interesting sailing. Happy Days retired after one lap, followed by Lettuce who had lost her tack downhaul when the cleat pulled out of the mast ! Papa Stour convincingly won 1st prize. The storm clouds wee still about and very threatening. Not many people risked the walk along the riverside path to Pin Mill despite the attraction of the Butt & Oyster because of torrential downpours.
On Friday we squeezed in an extra race (the re-routed Passage Race from Orford Haven) from Woolverstone to Wrabness. Letitia acted as start boat, and the finish was self timed. Nigel Waller with Fanny of Cowes and his three daughters (the ‘Fannyettes’) came first again, winning the Scandinavian Seaways Bell, followed by Moonstone VIII then Molly Cobbler, 1st Bermudan was Rhumba.  The smacks’ boats raced again later in the afternoon in much better sailing conditions. Lettuce won 1st prize, helmed by Mike Feather and Edward Roberts helming Papa Stour won Junior Helm. The evening was then topped with an excellent BBQ at Paul Webster’s beach hut – many thanks to Paul and Wendy for hosting this, and for Sarah and Pete TK for organising the food. Kelpie II and Gwenili both arrived to join the fun. On Saturday we held the Two Rivers Race to Levington. Gwenili nearly missed the race due to finding the mud, but luckily got plucked off just before the start gun ! Again the race was won by Fanny of Cowes with 2nd place going to Nipperkin and 3rd to Transcur; 1st Bermudan was Rhumba. Again the smacks’ boats held time trials, this time Sarah Adie in Papa Stour won 1st prize, with William Thomas in Happy Days getting the Junior Helm prize. Sunday was the prestigious President’s Race out round Stone Banks and Outer Ridge and back to Levington. The stronger winds favoured some of the heavier boats, with Bonify storming through to 2nd place just behind Fanny of Cowes, and the slippery Deva making 3rd. First Bermudan was Rhumba again. The Scottish pilot boat Rely was sailing beautifully and actually completed her first OGA race. Then we held our final prize-giving and dinner in the Lightship. Many prizes were awarded, with the Overall Points trophies going to Fanny and Rhumba (how did you guess ?). A number of ‘special’ prizes were awarded, including Kestrel who won a special prize for sailing single-handed all week (except for one day when he kidnapped a Fannyette) or was he just trying to stop Fanny winning every single race ? Reverie won the ‘Keep Bailing’ Trophy and Gwenili won the ‘Bowlocks Maximus’ trophy. On Monday the boats set off to their respective home ports on one of the sunniest days of the summer.
We’d like to thank all our race officers and start / finish boats – Margaret J, Letitia, Margaret Catchpole and Avola and all the 25 boats which participated over the week. We’d also like to thank Moray McPhail of Classic Marine and Pat Eve of Seafarer Books for their very generous support of the event.  |
