At our Commodore Andrew Berisford’s suggestion we held our own regatta on the Solent on Monday 1st September.
Four teams were assembled – One by the Absolom’s headed by Tom, another by Thomas Foods with Jeremie Goepfert , and 2 others headed by Andrew and myself as Mates.
We were sailing Jeanneau 41’ yachts from Sunsail in Port Solent, with their professional skippers in charge. We had many non-sailors with us and the forecast was for wind and rain – fortunately we missed the rain and though we had plenty of wind we had no seasickness in the sheltered Solent waters.
We met at Port Solent on in the morning to meet our skippers and teams, and for oilskins to be provided for those who needed them. We then boarded our yachts to learn the ropes and be briefed over tea and cake. After that we motored out and headed for Osbourne Bay with lots of tacking practice before lunch on board while at anchor then the racing!
We had a fairly simple course – which was from near the mainland coast tacking back upwind to a buoy near Osbourne then downwind to the start buoy for 2 laps.
On my boat the skipper Richard didn’t say a lot unless something went wrong! Apart from me we had the Master – John Allton Jones, Rod Adlington, Chris Godfrey and Liz Thrussell from the Bankers’ Livery.
We started about 3rd but soon up to 2nd behind Tom Absolom. It stayed like this, with some exciting sailing until the end of the last upwind leg when they cut it too fine and got swept on to the buoy by the tide. When they took their penalty we went into the lead and took the win.
The second race was similar but with the final leg towards Portsmouth. This time we went ahead at the start and stayed there with Tom Absolom again second.
Andrew Berisford very kindly donated a perpetual trophy called The Master’s Cup which will stay in the Hall. It was appropriate that The Master was on the winning boat and was able to receive the trophy from club Admiral Tony Morrow during the evening (indoor) very good barbecue
Everyone – including novice sailors – had a great day and all round approval to book again next year.
Bill Jermey, WCBYC Vice- Commodore.
