SVYC Regatta Day 2
Published 01:00 on 14 Aug 2024
After a successful first day, the race committee was expecting tricker conditions on day 2. The suspicions were immediately proved correct, when the forecast SW breeze had not materialised, instead replaced with conditions very similar to the previous day (8-12kn E).
With the tide running strong, the SVOD Cadets struggled to make headway in the 6-8kn breeze, and after a shorten course Benjy Edwards secured his second trophy ahead of George Cecil and Charlotte Self. The Cruisers had a similar course to yesterday, out to Bembridge and back twice. Tiaki put up a valiant fight, but ended up around 8 minutes behind Paul Newll skippering Chartereuse on corrected time. The Mermaids and Squibs followed off a rare Green Line start, giving square windward starts in unusual wind directions. With an unfortunate wind shift the Mermaid course ended up more like a procession, Ben Few Brown lead ahead of Fred Few Brown and Nick Stuart. Harry White won the Squibs race after a great ding-dong with Chris Gear, levelling the overall series.
The Cadet Squad fleet was much improved this morning with 10 boats out, giving them a real fight at the front. Ollie Glasgow held his lead across the line to win on handicap, from Barney Edwards and Felix Ives. The Luggers followed on a tricky downwind start, in which Ben Clayden dominated the race.
After various APs and delays, the Lasers finally got away a few minutes late. With 21 on the start line, they too had a good race in the easterly, with Thomas Green leading ahead on handicap from Senan Bottomley (who took line honours), and Ed Chads. The Mermaids set off again on a classic sausage course up and down the shore Noel. Though it did have to be shortened, Noel Dobbs took the Donald Bowl.
The SW was threatening to come in from the Duver, and eventually did just as the Slow Handicap got underway in fairly breezy conditions. The Race Committee kept a very close eye on the fleet to ensure that they could cope, but with no capsizes Charlie Stobart-Hook took both line honours, and the win on handicap. The Redwing and BOD courses had to be changed as a result of the 135 degree shift from the original offshore sausage that had been set up, to go out to Somers and Bunny respectively to get a beat back in the new breeze. Mark Downer won the Redwings, and Mark Grzegorczyk the BODs.
Everything was looking good after lunch, as the breeze held steady and from a good direction. The Fast Handicap, Mermaids and Squibs all started in classic Seaview SW courses to Somers and Bunny, along with Cadet Squad out to the west. However, the wind disappeared around 15:00 in a very unusual fashion, leading to some extremely difficult 0-2kn sailing. Some boats picked up the faintest breath of the NE gradient and got their kites up on the way back to the line. Mike Acton won on handicap in the FH, from Tom G, Patrick Mattinson and Charlie Stobart-Hook being the only finishers. Colin Simonds won the Mermaids from Senan Bottomley, and Chris Gear won the Squibs from Harry White, sealing the overall series for him by just one point. The Cadet Squad race unfortunately had to be abandoned.
After a short general AP, the wind filled back in for some cracking final races, before going hard north-west towards the end of the day! Barnaby Cotterell won the Pam Donald Trophy in the final Mermaid race of the regatta, Tracy North the SVOD Victory fleet race, and Gavin Simonds the Amber fleet, after a general recall, an AP, and plenty of shifts!
A successful prize giving was held shortly afterwards on the staging, and the Organising Committee would like to thank the Principle Race Officer (Caspar Gray), the Race Officers (Richard Dobbs and Jimbo Mitchell), and all the deck crews, boatman and safety boat teams that made the regatta such a success. We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year for the Sea View Yacht Club Regatta on 17th-18th August 2025.
