SAILINGBRADING HAVEN YC
SEVEN boats attempted to blow away the Christmas excess during the traditional Boxing Day race at Brading Haven, with three in the fast handicap fleet and four in the slow.
Although the winds close to the clubhouse were very light, conditions improved towards the centre of the harbour resulting in the two Solos of Garth Jones and Steve de Boise running head of Duncan Bates in his Wayfarer as the fast fleet left the harbour, but as they turned onto the beat the heavier boat was able to power its way to the front to finish almost a minute ahead, earning Bates line and handicap honours, from Jones.
Race officer John Garlick restricted the slow fleet to two laps of the harbour, providing Keith and Georgina Gentleman, Michael Quinn and Ken Ratcliffe, with a seasonally relaxing sail.
The race became something of a procession with Keith leading the small fleet around the course followed by Michael, Ken and Georgina bring up the rear. Race positions did not alter on handicap.
BEMBRIDGE SC
A lower turnout of 16 boats, including four guests, made it to the club’s Illusion Christmas Cracker last week.
On a challenging course in Bembridge Harbour on Boxing Day, Bruce Huber was the unbeatable and won every race by a comfortable margin.
However, for the next five places, racing was very close and John Raymond with some new sails surprised himself scoring two second places on this first day of racing.
Nick Foden Pattison, who took his boat out first time this year, had two third places having a close racing with Rudy Jurg. Probably most eventful was race two where, on one of the downwind legs, a very strong gust came through causing at least seven boats to broach and Arthur Jurg nearly holing the committee boat in the process.
On Tuesday a few of the top guns came out in much lighter conditions.
The second race of the day was probably the most spectacular, with numerous place changes especially on the downwind legs were the tide played a major roll.
In the last mark rounding it could have been any bodies race but it was Andrew Christie who slipped through to take first place, followed by light air specialist James Meaning in second and Rudy Jurg in third, beating Huber in fourth by only a few inches.
Race three unfortunately became a procession due to a wind shift. Huber regained his form to take first place and win the event overall.
Rudy Jurg was second with Edmund Peel third.