Reports 2024 – Rollesby Broad Sailing Club

WEDNESDAY SERIES REPORT 2024

The evening races were enjoyed by members again this year. Thirty-Six different helms took part at various time during the series. A couple of evenings were not sailed because of a lack of wind but for most of the summer the wind stayed up giving some good sailing.

The main contenders for the trophy this year came down to David Taylor and Stuart Highfield. David had some good results toward the end of the series to win and will get his name on the cup for the second time. The regular Wednesday sailors were all quite close on points with Stuart second and Daniel Harvey third. The full results can be seen on the club website.

There were quite a few novice sailors coming for the evenings this year which was nice to see. The pursuit race with the personal handicap is an ideal way to try sailing a race.

Now that the sun has set on the 2024 series we look forward next summer. There will be a slight change to the rules in that each helm will have their personal handicap scored irrespective of which boat they sail. ( previously it varied with boats) New participants will start on scratch time for the class but new experienced racers will start on an agreed handicap.

John Saddington.

RACE REPORT – SUMMER SOCIAL – 13TH JULY 2024

The social was held on a cloudy summer day. The rain held off for the afternoon races with a variable WSW wind.

THE ANNUAL PURSUIT RACE was keenly contested with 16 entries. A range of boats from three Toppers, four Splash and other classes up to the faster Phantom gave a wide range of start times.

The Toppers held for the first lap with Charlie Purkiss leading, but by lap 2 Ellie Edwards gained a substantial lead in her splash. Places changed throughout the race. As the wind increased towards the finishing time the faster boats pulled through. Dan Bull just took the lead from Ellie in the last minutes to win the “Pike Goblet”

Clive Girling in his laser generously capsized 30 seconds from the race end to allow Dan Harvey’s laser into third place and Auriel Gibson with Lindsey in the Wayfarer fourth.

RESULTS: 1 Laser Dan Bull, 2 Splash Ellie Edwards, 3 Laser Dan Harvey, 4 Wayfarer Auriel Gibson & Lindsey, 5 Laser Clive Girling, 6 D zero Tom Quayle, 7 Albacore Keith & Jane Minster, 8 Wayfarer Geof & Liz Phillips, 9 Topper Suzanne Tompson, 10 Topper Matt Pittam, 11 Wayfarer Ken & Julie Johnston, 12 Topper Charlie Purkiss 13, Phantom Clive Wells, 14 Splash Andy Adcock, 15 Joe Sagger, 16 Splash Rhiannon Alger (rtd)

At the break, prizes were given for the junior races, the Club Spring series and the Pursuit Race. Everyone enjoyed the wonderful cake baked by Angie.

THE WATSON CUP where a double handed boat is crewed by the helm only, was contested by three good sports. Phil Harlow had a good start in his Wayfarer and held the lead to win the Cup. Keith Minster followed in the Albacore and Commodore Wells took out an old Enterprise to finish third.

IN THE SINGLED HANDED BOATS RACE seven boats took part. Tom Quale in the D Zero lead all the way to the finish but on handicap was beaten into third place by Dan Bull second and Ellie Edwards who won and took the “Gray Cup”

RESULTS S.H. 1 Splash Ellie Edwards, 2 Laser Dan Bull, 3 D Zero Tom Quayle, 4 Laser Dan Harvey, 5 Harrier Phil Alison, 6 Splash Liz Phillips, 7 Topper Matt Pittam.

A special mention for Matt Pittam a junior, sailing a topper who took part in the morning junior races, the Pursuit race and stayed for the single hander race.

John Saddington

Wed Report May 1st.

Race Report – Personal Handicap Pursuit – Wed 1st May 2024
The first of May came with some warmer weather at last. Thirteen boats went out to enjoy the race in a moderate North Breeze which held up all evening for the second week running.

Henrietta Highfield set of first, this week sailing a Topper. She held her lead for two laps before being overtaken by Mike McNamara and Ian Curtis in their Wayfarer who went on to win the race. Three generations of the Highfields were out with the senior, Stuart showing the way with a second place in his Laser. Chris Foster helming the wayfarer with Auriel claimed a third.

At the end of the race there was a close competition between the Streaker’s of
Roger Wilson and Phil Highfield.
With the number of boats racing the first and last three will all have changed
handicaps for next week.

Results

Wednesday Race report.

Wednesday Evening Personal Handicap Pursuit Race – Report 24/04/2024

The cold fresh wind during the day put members off coming for an evening sail. By the time of the race, however, the evening turned out to be bright, with a pleasant steady N.W. sailing breeze. Six boats took part.

Henrietta Highfield had an early start in the Oppie and had a couple of fast laps while the wind was still fresh but then decided to retire. David Taylor, returning after the winter, was next away in his solo. David was soon overtaken by the next starter, Auriel Gibson in her Wayfarer crewed by Chis Foster. Auriel then held the lead for five laps to win the race.

As the race timed out Mike McNamara with Ian Curtis was 2^nd, Dave Taylor 3^rd, John Saddington 4^th, Jason Elmer with Steve Gibbons in a Wayfarer 5^th followed by Phil Alison who can now start a minute earlier next week!

Solo open report

RBSC Eastern Area Solo Open Meeting Report – 20^th April 2024

The freezing cold and strong northerly wind conditions may have deterred some from travelling to the RBSC Solo eastern area travellers open meeting on the 20th April but at least it made the decision about what to wear simple. Spring may be here, but full winter thermals and dry suits were the order of the day. There were 12 entries including 6 visitors.

Four races were scheduled but with wind speeds recorded up to 29 knots and gusting regularly in excess of 23-24 knots and mindful that some competitors would be headed to Hickling the following day, the OOD settled on a 3 race format with a single discard. With the wind direction predominantly in the north to north/west it was possible to set a long upwind/downwind course starting from a committee boat half-way down the broad. However, there were frequent shifts to the west, coming over the trees, which inevitably meant that the beat to No 5 mark would have to be a bit one sided.

Race 1 was won by Mathew Frary from NBYC with Chris Bunn from LYC 2^nd and another visitor from NBYC, Duncan Ellis, taking 3^rd. In Race 2 the positions were reversed with Chris Bunn taking 1^st and Mathew taking 2^nd and Steve Ede from Ardleigh SC coming 3^rd.

Conditions were taking their toll and many of the competitors, having done enough to qualify already , decided not to push their luck and venture out for the 3^rd race after lunch but with Mathew and Chris each recording a 1^st and 2^nd place, the podium positions were still all to play for. Conditions remained challenging and with Mathew leading Chris Bunn up the 2^nd beat, rather than deciding to cover Chris, Mathew split left over towards the trees and was hit by a particularly vicious gust which resulted in a capsize and, alas, the end the race for him, gifting Chris the overall win. Steve Ede finished 2^nd which secured him 3^rd place overall and Roger Wilson finished 3^rd securing him 4^th place overall and 1^st local club boat. The full set of results can be found here Sailwave results for 2024 RBSC Solo Eastern Area Open Meeting at 2024

At the prize giving Chris Bunn thanked the OOD, Clive Girling and his team of assistants and safety boat crews for their excellent race management in tricky conditions and the competitors travelled home tired but very satisfied with an excellent day’s racing.

New Years Day Regatta Report

It was feared that with the forecast over the Christmas holiday period being what it was and for some suffering the effects of a late night seeing in the New Year, that some people may have been deterred from turning out but as the car park started to fill and the dinghy park was abuzz with boats being rigged with plenty of friendly banter and shouts of “Happy New Year” any fears were soon dispelled.

The day was bright with blue skies , wall to wall sunshine and a moderate south westerly breeze – possibly too much westerly blowing over the trees to make it a perfect direction and resulting in some wicked wind shifts to master.

With 3 races scheduled, the Sallis family, who once again had kindly volunteered to run the regatta, made the decision to set a conservative 3 Lap first race to “test-the-water” and see how everyone would manage shifting wind conditions. With 28 boats including 6 visitors representing 12 different classes (I bet nobody had heard of the “Unit” class before!) all sharing the same start line this seemed very sensible. With a long start line set across the broad in front of the clubhouse the decision was to either take advantage of the starboard bias and start at the far end of the line closer to the trees or hedge your bets and go for the middle of the line where the wind was more consistent. A long first leg down the length of the broad to No 3 mark meant that tactics would also come into play as to whether to point high, stay on the wind, taking advantage of any lifts to possible lay the mark without needing to tack at the risk of maybe sailing slower and capsizing to windward in the vicious headers as the wind came over the trees, or to go for speed and sail freer, with the possible downside of needing to tack to make the mark.

It was the single handers who seemed to make the best calls in Race 1 with Daniel Bull in his Laser leading the way and a visitor from WOBYC Adam Yoraston in his Streaker 2nd and Chris Barker with his Radial rig on his Laser in 3^rd.

With wind continuing to shift further right for Race 2 the start line was once again loaded with boats all keen to pull the trigger and get clear of line as soon as possible, so much so that a general recall was required (much to Phil Highfield’s relief in his Streaker) . Everyone got away cleanly on the second time of asking and with a longer 4 Lap Race now set it was possible for the Wayfarers of Mike McNamara and Dave Houghton with their deft spinnaker handling to pull clear of the fleet and secure 1^st and 2^nd place respectively. Daniel and Adam, after their stella performance in Race 1 were both buried well down in the pack making everything to play for in Race 3 after lunch.

As the wind became lighter and continued to shift further right in the afternoon a course change was needed to try and get a couple of true upwind beats diagonally across the broad from No 6 to No 4 and No 2 to No 3 . It was Daniel Bull securing 2^nd place, making him the overall winner and Adam who came 3^rd, securing 2^nd place overall who once again found their touch to make the most is this new course and the lighter wind conditions but the story of Race 3 was the spectacular asymmetric spinnaker work of Howard Ashley-Jones in his RS Vareo which gave him the race win and pull him up to 3^rd place overall, ahead of Dave Houghton in 4^th and Mike McNamara in 5^th, both of whom had decided not to venture out in the afternoon.

At the prize giving Jon Sallis presented the New Years Day Regatta Binnacle, surely the Norfolk Broads most sought after trophy , to Daniel Bull in his Laser and thanked all the competitors, particularly the visitors, for turning out to make it such a spectacular way to kick-off the new year.

Full set of results can be found on the website at

Sailwave results for 2024 New Years Day Open Regatta at Rollesby Broad 2024 (rbsc.org.uk)