SAILING
Heritage Group Frostbite Series – Race 6

The final race of the Heritage Group Frostbite Series, organised by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club (RCIYC), was contested in the Little Russel on Saturday morning.  Blustery wind conditions F5-6 from the south/south west, maintained a lumpy sea for the 15 yachts – six of them in the Cruiser class – to battle it out not only for race number six but also for the overall honours. The consolation was that for this race the air temperature was quite tolerable and the rain managed to hold off.   In fact, only five races have been completed in the series since gales and the subsequent dangerous conditions had forced the abandonment of the first race in January.

It was a clean, north to south start followed by a hard beat down to the first mark at Anfre Beacon, tacking against the tide and with most yachts opting to stay fairly close inshore where there was less adverse tide.  White Rabbit (S Henning) led the fleet to this first turn before launching the kite and heading northeast towards the Brehon mark.  Most yachts followed suit with spinnakers but a few opted for caution in the conditions and set only their white sails.  The Racers sailed south to the Lower Heads buoy before returning north, rounding Vivian Beacon, Anfre once more and to the finish.  Majic 2 (P Howe) looked quick and indeed produced a fast time but finished well down the list on handicap.  Blue Jade (A Clark) and X-Celerator (M Ozard) battled together and an elapsed time of just one minute separated them at the finish with Blue Jade finishing third in class and X-Celerator fifth. Vamoosh (R Dorey) was sailed particularly well and finished in second spot in the Racer class but it was White Rabbit that took both line honours and first place.  Only 16 seconds on corrected time separated the whole of the Racer class – an example of excellent handicapping.

For the Cruisers, leaving Brehon and heading for Aigillon near Jethou, Reffee, Anfre and the finish, it was always going to be a fight between Tomahawk (G Wilson) and Busker (S McKerrell/B Parkin) in this last race and at the finish, less than half a second separated them on corrected time – Tomahawk scooping both line honours and first on handicap.  Busker took second place with Haven Gem (John Squires) sailing into third spot despite frantic repairs to the rig on the way round!

The overall results after the five completed races showed in the Racer class, Vamoosh the winner by a clear 4 points from X-Celerator in second and White Rabbit in third place.

In the Cruiser class, Tomahawk was first overall by 3 points from Busker in second and, just 1 point behind, Haven Gem in third place.

Heritage Group Chief Executive Officer, Richard Tee (who took part in this race as a crewmember on Tomahawk) presented prizes for this last race and for the overall placings, in front of a large gathering of RCIYC members in the Clubhouse.  In view of the popularity of this winter race series, it is already scheduled to be repeated once again – race number one to be in January 2011! 

Pictures below

Pic 1. Vamoosh (series winner Racer class) ‘Vamoosh pushes through the fleet’

Pic 2. Tomahawk (series winner and Race 6 winner Cruiser class) & White Rabbit      (Race 6 winner).

SAILING

Royal Channel Islands YC Heritage Group Frostbite Series – Race 5

Bright, sunny weather with a cold F4 north-easterly wind, was the order of the day for the fifth and penultimate race of the Heritage Group Frostbite Series organised by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club (RCIYC) on Saturday morning.
 

Sixteen yachts including 5 Cruisers assembled at the Castle line for a south to north start and a beat up towards Brehon Tower.  Excitement right from the start when Banjaard (J Falla) found herself over the line amongst the crowd and had to return for a restart.  Both classes made for the Brehon mark with White Rabbit (S Henning), Madcap (G&J Hamilton), Dreamtime (R Babbe) and Blue Jade (A Clark) rounding virtually together in the Racer group and Tomahawk  (G Wilson) leading the way for the Cruisers.  Two Cruisers had to retire fairly early – Aztec Gold (C Le Tissier) with sail damage and Dark Horse (M Dunster) also with gear problems.  The Racers had a dead run down to Anfre Beacon before returning to Brehon, then Anfre again before the finish.  The Cruisers visited Aiguillon (near Jethou) and the Vivian mark before their finish at the Castle.

Line honours for the Racers went to the Melges class White Rabbit but this fast yacht would only finish third on handicap.  Only 10 seconds separated Madcap and Dreamtime but they were placed 8^th and 5^th respectively on corrected time. The winner was Blue Jade closely followed by the well-sailed Banjaard (despite the false start) in second place.  Only seconds separated the first three yachts after the handicapping.

Tomahawk for the Cruisers was first over the line and first on handicap with Haven Gem (J Squires) getting second spot on handicap and Busker (S McKerrell/B Parkin) third place.

This was great winter sailing with near perfect conditions – and satisfyingly cold!  Prizes were presented by the Heritage Group.
With only one more race to go in the series, Vamoosh (R Dorey) leads overall in the Racer class but by only one point from X-Celerator (M Ozard) who did not start in this race.  White Rabbit is in third place.  Overall in the Cruiser class shows Tomahawk in the lead but only two points ahead of joint second Haven Gem and Busker.  Still all to go for in both classes in the final race scheduled for Saturday 20^th March with a 10.00 start.

John Frankland

SAILING
RCIYC Heritage Group Frostbite Series

Organised by the Royal Channel Islands YC, race 3 of the Heritage Group Series saw no less than 21 boats at the start on Saturday morning.  The wind was a brisk F4/5 from the North/Northeast – more than on the previous event and promising a good sail.  The 14 yachts in the Racer class lined up together with the 7 Cruisers for a south to north start and a beat up to the first mark at Vivian.  These conditions suit the fast Melges yachts and White Rabbit (S Henning) and Madcap (G&J Hamilton) led the fleet away from a good and crowded start.  Vamoosh (R Dorey), X-Celerator (M.Ozard/C Morris) and Blue Jade (A Clark) were also in contention in this early stage of the contest.  The Racers had a course that took them between Vivian and Anfre, involving beating upwind and running downwind – most launching spinnakers.

The Cruisers, after Vivian, were sent to the Aiguillon mark near Jethou thus involving a fast reach and suiting this type of yacht.  Tomahawk (G Wilson) led the way in this class with Busker (McKerrell/Parkin) chasing hard.  The slower but long handicapped Haven Gem (J Squires) and Dark Horse (M Dunster) were sailed well and would always be a threat to the two leaders. Relative newcomer to the fleet, Aztec Gold (C Le Tissier) was also sailing fast but with a difficult handicap to overcome.

Meanwhile in the Racer class, Blue Jade managed an involuntary gybe under spinnaker, damaging the main track forcing this very competitive boat to retire.  One of the two RS Elite yachts Fidelite (D Aslett) also had gear failure and retired, leaving the similar D’Elite (M Priest) to struggle alone with the larger boats.  There was no stopping White Rabbit in the Racer class who took line honours and first place on handicap.  Vamoosh came in a creditable second with X-Celerator a mere 10 seconds behind for third spot.

It was Busker who out tacked Tomahawk in the last stages and took line honours in the Cruiser class and first place on handicap.  Tomahawk finished less than 10 seconds behind in an exiting finish to place second.  Dark Horse was third after a steady and efficient sail.

Another excellent winter sail in good conditions and, with 3 races to go, the overall places are still wide open.  About 60 crewmembers gathered at the RCIYC for the usual prize giving, hosted by the Heritage Group.  The next race is on Saturday 20^th February with a 1000 start time.

J Frankland

Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club Heritage Frostbite Series 2010.

In contrast to race number 1 of the Heritage Series that had to be abandoned two weeks ago due to potentially dangerous conditions at the start line, no less than 21 yachts appeared off Castle Cornet on Saturday morning for race number 2.  The weather was near perfect this time with a north easterly force 3 to 4 wind and gentle sea conditions.  Organised by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club (RCIYC), this is a series of six races for both Racing and Cruising yachts, each race being sailed every two weeks.

With 21 boats at the start line including six Cruisers, it was an exciting few minutes with yachts jostling for the best position as the gun was fired.  It was a clean start however, despite much shouting and waving as the boats applied the rules and weaved their way between one another heading northwards towards the first mark at Vivian Beacon.  Most of the fleet pushed out into the Russel to find the best tide with Blue Jade (A Clark), X-Celerator (M Ozard) and White Rabbit (S Henning) showing the way.  Moojoo (R Martel) chose to take the inshore route but was still in contention at the mark.  The Cruisers were led by Tomahawk (G Wilson), Busker (S McKerrell & B Parkin) and Impi (R Redelinghuys).

Spinnakers were launched at Vivian and it was an impressive and colourful sight to see the whole fleet running back down towards Anfre near Fermain.  The Cruisers had a slightly shorter course than the Racers and had to cross the finish line in the opposite direction – always an interesting manoeuvre!

The Melges 24 White Rabbit took line honours for the Racers in a little more than an hour and three-quarters but could only place 8^th on handicap with X-Celerator clinching overall first spot.  Vamoosh (R Dorey) placed second with Moojoo squeezed into third.  For the Cruisers, Tomahawk had both line honours and first on handicap from Busker who finished just over one minute later.  In third place was the long handicapped Have Gem (J Squires) who did well to get within 25 seconds of Busker on corrected time.

An excellent event, which more than made up for the disappointment of the cancellation of Race 1 – and with over 100 persons taking part this time, it highlights the popularity of this winter series.  Prizes were presented by The Heritage Group immediately after the race at the RCIYC clubhouse. The next race in this series is on Saturday February 6th  starting at 1000.

John Frankland

(Photographs for the Press by Peter Frankland)