Category: Reports

After receiving 2 sides of paper on what we needed to do to gain RYA recognition at our first inspection, the Rollesby committee got to work on making sure that these things happened. From sourcing fire extinguishers for the powerboats and a map of the broad in case we get lost, preparing the training boats and replacing the accident book with hopefully more future entries than the 2 in the last 3 years!  

This year we have had 15 different junior sailors participating on Friday sailing sessions and we have gained several family and junior members as a result.  Not only have our junior sailors received certificates but we also have parents keen to learn to sail on our adult courses next year. The atmosphere on these evenings has been amazing with parents helping with launching as well as tea and coffee and home-made sausage rolls for everyone.  

We ran our first RYA L1 course for adults in September which was a very enjoyable 2 days training,  gaining 5 new members who are competent enough to take club boats for a sail and hopefully join in with club activities.  

A special thank you goes to Ellie Edwards who came to every Friday evening to coach her group, including running the evening when I was unable to attend. Thank you to Liz Phillips who helped most weeks during both blocks of sailing, her calm approach built everyone’s confidence. Thank you to Rhiannon Alger who joined the team in September; a big favourite with the children after spending an evening in the water while they all capsized an opi. Thanks also to Chris Foster who helped Ellie’s group before the summer and Richard Brown filling in when needed.  

Next year we are intending to run more junior sailing on Friday evenings, adult courses and an assistant instructor course.  The adult courses are in particular high demand so if you are interested or know someone interested they will need to reserve their place quickly.  

Tamsin Highfield 

(Vice commodore)  

WEDNESDAY EVENING SERIES 2021 FINAL REPORT

Over the Spring and Summer seventeen of the eighteen races scheduled were completed. One was abandoned part way through because of a thunder storm. The wind co operated on most occasions. The evenings were good fun and well supported with up to eighteen boats out on some nights. When this number are racing the personal handicaps of the first and last four are adjusted! A total of 38 different helms took part over the series.

The last race took place on a dull and blustery night on 25 August and Sixteen boats set out. Prior to the start there was only four series points between the places of the first five boats so the trophy was “ up for grabs.” A final discard would come into the calculation and Jack Ibbotson looked a good favourite for a
series win. Jack set of in his Wayfarer with crew James and was soon in the lead. In the wind and excitement however they repeatedly missed one of the marks on the course and so had to be scored “DNF.” ( as we all know the most important thing about being in front is to go the right way!)

As the race timed out seven boats had closed up together. Roger Wilson with his handicap at plus nine minutes had pulled through the fleet and just passed Richard Foster for a second place. Daniel Bull in his Laser was still
ahead to win the race and the series.

Series Places.

1st – Daniel Bull in his Laser
2nd- Richard Bailey and Ian Curtis in their Wayfarer
3rd – Ellie Edwards in her Splash–

Full results on web site here.

Dan has now accumulated a handicap of Plus seven minutes and so will need to work hard next year to retain the crown.

With the series complete an informal fun race will now be set up on Wednesday evenings for the next few weeks. This will be a pursuit race based on boat handicap only. Start time 17.30 hours

John Saddington

Report – 1^st Annual Summer Weekend Regatta – Saturday, 24^th July 2021

It was a good start for an event which was delayed by Covid for a year plus. It finally happened, a chance to enjoy some socialising as a Club over a BBQ and some drinks.

The day started with a well contested pursuit race made up of 11 boats. The finish was quite exciting with Daniel Bull over taking Mike Horwitz in the last 30 seconds to take 3^rd. And with seconds to go Roger Wilson’s bow crept ahead of Ellie Edwards to take 1^st place.

The social began with prize giving: Roger 1^st, Ellie 2^nd, Daniel 3^rd. The BBQ was then lit and the drinks came out. The evening ended with the three campers enjoying some whisky and putting the world to rights.

For those of you that missed it, no worries our plans are to do it again next year, but this time with Covid hopefully out of the way, we will be able to publicize and set a date earlier. And who knows maybe we will even expand it a bit and encourage more of you to join us.

Mike…

Halfway through the series, the evening handicap pursuit racing is proving popular with members.
In spite of our annual weed event the broad remains “sailable.”
Sixteen boats turned out on a “tropical” night. Shorts and tea shirts were the order of dress in the evening sunshine.

Daniel Bull recently joining the Wednesday sailors had an easy win but is now adding minutes to his start time to build up to a proper handicap. Richard Bailey in the Wayfarer in second place is also building minutes to his start. Mike Horwitz and Kevin Edwards had a competitive race with Mike edging in front for a third place.
At the other end of the fleet some of our members are on minus handicaps and enjoy leading round the first laps.

So far 28 boats have taken part in the series this year.

Results upto the 9th June here….

The third race of our summer pursuit season started under auspicious circumstances; it was not too cold and the wind was moderate!

It was good to see a couple of people who had not sailed before in a Rollesby race amongst the turn-out of 13 boats. We hope to see you back next week!

There was one Wayfarer, flying the flag for the double-handers! The wind behaved (as well as Rollesby wind ever does) and the sun sank slowly as the race progressed.

The Officer of the Day team was kept busy tracking movements up and down the fleet, so they never did manage that second cup of tea.

The result:

• R Bailey (Wayfarer)
• K Edwards (Solo)
• C Foster (Laser)

Perhaps all of us who, after the race, heard the bittern booming over the Broad were winners.

Ken.

There was a lack of wind at 6 pm and some members decided to give the race a miss. By the time the race got going though the sailors who stayed had the benefit of a gentle South West breeze. The breeze  gradually increased giving a lovely evening sail.

Jack Ibbotson joined the evening sailors this week and started in his Finn on a “scratch handicap.” Jack soon got to the front and stayed ahead to win the race. Next time he starts a minute latter and will soon establish his personal handicap.

The forecast for strong winds kept many regular participants at home. Six keen members went out however, to enjoy the pursuit race, with the north wind blowing down the broad.

With fast lap times Ellie Edwards in her Splash completed the first lap as the four Lasers were just starting.

The laser sailors had many capsizes and Ellie kept pace with them to keep the lap ahead and win. Clive Girling eventually pull clear other the other lasers for a second place.

Special mention of our new member David Taylor. With limited experience Dave set of sailing his GP 14 single handed and managed several laps of the course to finish the race still dry,

Despite a heavy downpour during pre-race rigging, nineteen boats took to the water for Rollesby’s 2020 Autumn regatta. 

In the multisail fleet, only the Wayfarers had listened to the sailing instructions, starting on time but enjoying a close race with Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons taking a narrow but important win from Auriel Gibson and Lindsey Nettleton. In race 2 Howard Astley-Jones was hot of the line in his Vareo and did a horizon job on the Wayfarers. Sparrow took second and the class cup!

In the much larger single-sailed fleet the racing was much more mixed; indeed the overall winner counted two thirds it was that mixed up! In race 1 Richard Brown and Chris Foster in Lasers led from Ian Ayres’ Solo early on. Daren Pike took his Phantom past them all but could not establish a large enough lead and it was Roger Wilson in his Solo who recovered from a slow start to take the win from Ayres with Ellie Edwards sitting comfortably well in mid pack in her Splash.

In race 2 the slower boats all wanted to get onto port tack as soon as possible, but only Wilson cleared the faster craft, who chose to start on starboard and he established a good lead early on. The breeze was somewhat erratic, but enough to capsize several of the leading bunch, including Wilson. The Lasers of Dan Bull and Matt Boreham (despite some penalty turns) were able to take advantage of this and pull out good distance as the rest recovered. There was a good ladies race going on in the bunch with Edwards beating Tamsin Highfield (Streaker) by just 4 seconds to give her the overall win over Wilson and Bull.

The Autumn (Oct / Nov) series begins next weekend with separate starts. If we manage to get catering back up and running as as is planned we may even get some afternoon racing in!

Multisails (4 Entries)

1. Bob Sparrow & Steve Gibbons (Wayfarer) – 3 pts
2. Howard Astley-Jones (Vareo) – 4
3. Auriel Gibson & Lindsey Nettleton – 5

Single Handers (15 Entries)

1. Ellie Edwards (Splash)– 6 pts
2. Roger Wilson (Solo) – 7 pts
3. Dan Bull (Laser) – 8
4. Ian Ayres (Solo) – 10
5. Matt Boreham (Laser) – 12
6. Tamsin Highfiled (Streaker) – 12
7. Richard Brown (Laser) – 14
8. Chris Foster (Laser) – 14
9. Jack Ibbotson (Finn) – 19
10. John Saddington (Solo) – 20
11. Richard Foster (Laser) – 25
12. Tom Quale (RS300) – 27

With the lockdown restrictions still in place,  today saw the commencement of the second e-series.   This follows the conclusion of the clubs initial series last week in which Phil was crowned overall winner and hence having the responsibility of representing the club in the e-sailing regional championship.

With the ‘newbies’ to the game now getting to grips with their craft the racing is proving to be closer with just about everyone heading the fleet at some point. And with the exception of one race everyone finished with 46 seconds of each other, another indication of how everyone was improving.

It proved to be a slow start for our newly crowned champion as it took a couple of races to get back to his winning ways !

In race one Tamsin, Dan & Keith led the fleet by some distance with Phil having to go back after a premature start.  On the final downwind leg Tamsin appeared to have the race until the technical gremlins ejected her from the game leaving Dan to take the win. The has led to a new race classification of GBO !

Dan took an early lead in race two which he held throughout the race with Keith, Phil and Dave fighting over the next three places. On the line Keith crossed just ahead of Phil then Dave.  Just behind Antony and Ian enjoyed a close tussle throughout the race with Antony crossing the line 1.5 seconds ahead. Tamsin again ‘disappeared’ from the water, perhaps she needs to speak to technical support !

The fleet were closely bunched up the first windward leg in race three. Dan was choosing the upwind routes well and edged round the windward mark first followed by Dave. By the final downward leg Dan had opened up a good lead over Dave who was just ahead of Keith and Phil who were covering each other, Phil eventually crossing the line half a second ahead of Keith.

Phil finally got back to his winning ways in race four after leading Dave and Dan round the course with Dan edging Dave out of second place by 0.1 seconds and Keith and Ian just behind.

In the final ‘official’ race of the day Phil again lead the fleet closely followed by Dan. Only a few seconds separated Dave and Keith on the final downwind leg with Dave just managing to hold on against a charging Keith.

So Dan takes an early lead in the series but Phil is close behind. With the racing thus far taken place in 49er’s the general consensus was to try another craft for next week. This lead to the decision to try all them so for the following weeks we will be sailing, Stars, Formula 18, F50, J70, Offshore Yachts and finally the Nacra 17. So in order to prepare for this Keith kindly set up a few practise races in Stars, F18 and F50.

Full Results on Website here…..