BRISTOL SAILING ASSOCIATION

Newsletter August 2012

Contacts:Kath Liddiard (Commodore)01443 227928

Jock Playle (Secretary)0117 973 8855

Jane Jenkyn (Treasurer) 01275 880318

Future Trips

1.1Jeff Birkin will skipper a trip for a week in September, from the 10th - 16th, to go to the Scilly Isles, starting from Plymouth. The charter will be from 1200 on Monday September 10th until 1700 on Sunday 16th. The boat originally booked is not now available and we have been upgraded at no extra cost to an Elan 384 with room for one more crew from the reserve list. The cost, including gas and an outboard is therefore down to £160 per person, all fully paid.

1.2There will be an extended weekend trip on September 27 – 30 skippered by Alan Howells. We have chartered a Jeanneau SunFast 37 from Sail West at Sutton Harbour Plymouth, which is available with an extra day from the Thursday evening until Sunday at the standard weekend cost of £570. Alan will arrange this to accommodate anyone going who cannot arrive until the Friday evening, as well as those arriving on the Thursday evening. This is now fully booked and paid.

1.3One member intends to take his Yachtmaster exam in the autumn and others have said they would like to crew for the preparation for this. Alan Howells will skipper the pre-exam preparation (as he did for two members who were successful in their Coastal Skipper exam a few years ago) and would sail the GK29 from Plymouth for this. It will be around one of the last two weekends in October (18 – 22 or 25 – 29) with practice on Thursday to Sunday and the exam on the Monday. This is probably fully crewed, although there may be one place available as one crew has yet to confirm. This would be ideal for anyone thinking of taking a Yachtmaster Offshore or Coastal exam in the future, as it will concentrate on topics likely to occur in the exam.

2.Recent Trips

At the August meeting Sue Fowle’s report of the day sail from Hamble Point on a Najad 400 on July 19 to watch the J class race was read in her absence. Jeff Birkin who skippered the other day sail boat, a Dufour 40, and a subsequent cruise to Fécamp gave these two reports. Peter Wakeling gave a report on sailing a CSSA yacht from La Rochelle to Lorient.

These reports follow, with an extract from the J class website report of the race we watched. Chris Wallace also described an interesting experience sailing on a relative’s yacht from Cardiff to Lydney, on Severn spring tides. However, the first report below is Becky Goddard’s of a week’s charter in Turkey which was briefly mentioned last month.

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Trip on Dost, skippered by Bob Buchanan

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Trip on Ca’ Canny, , skippered by Gordon Ogden

The following report of the J class race we watched was posted on the J class website that evening.

Solent Regatta – Race 2 Report

15After a delayed start in the vicinity of Gurnard, Race 2 got underway towards Lymington in a stiff 15 knot breeze. With the remains of the flood tide Ranger and Velsheda approached the leeward end, but just too early. Ranger found herself trapped and had to shoot between the inner distance mark and committee boat. Velsheda crossed 2 seconds early and had to complete a fast bear away jibe to restart. Meanwhile Lionheart and Rainbow made clean starts but Lionheart was fouled by Ranger, who was clearing the line on Port. Lionheart bore away under Ranger’s stern and shortly after flew a Protest flag.

After a long beat into the last of the flood tide to Solent bank, the rounding order at the top mark was Lionheart followed closely by Rainbow, then some distance behind Velsheda and Ranger. Places were unchanged after the leeward gate.

With strengthening winds the yachts headed West again, into what was now an ebb tide, to Lymington Bank mark. Lionheart consolidated their lead and put a covering tack on Rainbow. Velsheda and Ranger closed some distance, benefitting from a full spring ebb tide.

Lionheart rounded first and elected for a spinnaker jib set, to sail towards the North shore and out of the strong tide. Rainbow and Velsheda followed the same course. Ranger still some distance behind elected for a bear away set, to sail the Island shore – the shortest distance to the finish off Cowes. Whilst Lionheart, Rainbow and Velsheda sailed against less tide they would still need to cross over to the Island shore for the finish so Ranger’s choice of sailing the island shore was a major tactical risk.

At the finish line Lionheart crossed first, followed by Velsheda, and Rainbow. However, with a small handicap advantage, Velsheda won on corrected time by just 5 seconds. Ranger was not able to benefit from the decision to sail on the Island shore.

A very large fleet of spectators was assembled to watch this race and almost all respected the requirement for sea room for the yachts to tack and gybe, but a few larger powerboats did get in the way of the race yachts and put the race in jeopardy.

1st : Velsheda

2nd : Lionheart

3rd : Rainbow

4th : Ranger

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Reports by Jeff Birkin – day sail on eVent and Hamble to Fécamp

Possibly the most complicated triple boat double trip combination to organise. Thanks to Jock for all his efforts to make this happen. For that reason, this report cannot tell you who was on eVent at the start of this report (i.e. those who slept on board before the next day’s day sail on the two boats).

Trip on eVent, skippered by Jeff Birkin

Trip on Loxley B, skippered by Jeff Birkin

Trip on SEA ESSAY, skippered by

3.News and notices

3.1Xmas Dinner

Following last year's very successful Xmas meal at the Avon Gorge Hotel in Bristol we have decided to repeat it this year. A booking has been made for the evening of Tuesday December 18th. The cost will be £20 per person, with a similar menu to last year. At the August meeting about twenty members have booked, but Avon Gorge have been advised that this may rise to about 30. However, they want a firm booking, with payment, by the end of this month.Gordon Ogden is organising the booking. If you wish to go, please send a cheque, payable to G Ogden, for £20 per person, to Gordon at 18 The Crescent, Backwell, Bristol, BS48 3NL. Time is tight, so places will be booked only for those whose payment is received by the end of August. The hotel has said it may be able to accommodate a few later additions, but this is not guaranteed.

BSA August 2012- 1 -