Yacht Racing

Once again in the height of our Summer, we were blessed with some fabulous weather albeit with some variable winds which often went light as the evenings drew on. Having said that only one race was abandoned due to no wind. Photography by David Harding ©

Our numbers on Monday nights showed some signs of improvement, we had a total of twelve boats entered for the Class 1 and 2 Series, and four for class 3. Turnouts averaged eight to nine boats each evening, peaking, unsurprisingly, in the Summer Series. In the Spring Series, Denis Brophy in his Parker

27 Selina was finally rewarded for his consistently good sailing and took 1st place, with Howard Baron in his Sonata Piccolo 2nd and Stephen Bailey 3rd in Beneteau 260 It’s Now or Never. In class 3, Shane Wilkinson in a Furia 332 Pampero was 1st, with Bob Lowden in his Jeanneau Sun 2500 Blew 2nd. The Summer Series saw Howard back on the Class 1 and 2 top step with Denis 2nd and Mark Carey in his Archambault A31 speed machine Zorra 3rd. Shane again won Class 3, with Sadler 25 Suzie (sailed by her new owner Sara Briscoe) in 2nd spot with Bob 3rd.

Two boats from Parkstone Yacht Club made the passage to Cowes in late May for the 2019 VPRS National Championship, hosted by Chichester Cruising Club, to join a fleet of nineteen boats representing five clubs. Rod Harris in his Pogo Shed of Arjuna and Keith Lovett’s Ecume de Mer QT were to make quite an impact, but for differing reasons. With three races back to back, following hospitality at the Island Sailing Club on the previous evening, the fleet had a real wakeup call with up to 25 knots in squally conditions and an intimidating Solent. Rod, as is his way, was out there sailing single handed to the amazement of other competitors, fully crewed for the blustery conditions. Not daunted, Rod was out for the first start fighting his way around the course earning huge respect across the fleet. As race two loomed and conditions gusting up to 30 knots, the little Pogo wisely retreated to Cowes - the point had been made. Keith and the QT team however had other thoughts. The Ecume, as one of the smaller boats, undeniably revelled in the conditions. They took both line honours and the handicap result in race one, having flown their spinnaker across the Eastern Solent at over 12 knots and wondering why others had decided to stick to white sails. Their wind instruments had failed and frankly they didn’t appreciate just how windy it was! The second race was a repeat, and holding off a carbon rigged Hustler 30 from the host Club VPRS NATIONALS 2019 The winning team from Parkstone

51 Class Yacht Racing Class captain Peter Taylor

Autumn brought us some stronger winds, but that didn’t deter Howard who just pipped Denis to 1st position with equal points but an advantage on count-back giving him the top spot. Edd Wilton in his floating barbecue Beneteau First 31.7 TomTit took the 3rd spot. Sadly there is no prize for the boat wafting the best barbecued sausage smells around the harbour during racing. Shane achieved his hat trick by once again winning Class 3, with Bob 2nd. As I write this in early November, the Parkstone Yacht Club ‘Bay’ Winter Series has just reached its half-way point, with the first mini-series having just finished. We have ten boats entered in Class 2, and Keith Lovett in his Ecume de Mer MS AMLIN QT has won this convincingly, with Mike Fox in his Contention 33 Matchmaker 2 2nd and yours truly in Parker 27 Pied Piper 3rd. In Class 1, four boats are entered but only two have featured so far, with Pete Wintle and Nick Fullager in their Archambault A35 Amigos in 1st place and Harry Brewer in Space8 second. There are some whispers we may see more entries next year; I know of three owners or potential owners (one of the three is looking for a Super Seal or Parker 27 to race) who may join us in the Monday night Series, it would be great to see some fresh faces on the water. Here’s to 2020!

PETE TAYLOR

QT wins the start at the VPRS Nationals

on the water certainly raised a few eyebrows. Ultimately the National Championship went down to the wire between QT and Terry Stuart’s Quartet Genesis from Poole Yacht Club. The victorious Parkstone team took the championship by one point over their Poole rivals. A packed prize giving at the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club concluded an eventful Championship for many. For 2020, the VPRS Nationals forms part of the International Paint Regatta between 23rd and 25th May. On home waters a larger entry is expected and hopefully just slightly more moderate conditions.

KEITH LOVETT

The Royal Dartmouth Regatta is always one of the favourite racing events of the year, with Dartmouth providing a stunning backdrop to some excellent racing. MS Amlin Enigma was racing in IRC Class 3, against a mixed fleet which included various J Boats (a J97, several J92s, two J80s and a J70), two SJ320s and two Elan 333s. The tight rating band meant that racing was very close on the water, with frequent changes in position as races progressed. The first day of racing was held in a stiff 18 - 20 knot SW wind and bright sunshine. Race one was a windward/leeward course and MS Amlin Enigma got away to a good start and was with the leaders at the first windward mark. Enigma, one of the lower rated boats in the fleet, managed to hold onto the faster yachts, finishing 3rd on the water and 2nd on corrected time. So far so good! With the wind building, a change to the number two headsail was needed between races, which put the team behind on their start positioning. Starting away from the favoured end of the line meant that MS Amlin Enigma was buried in the pack by the first mark and struggled to gain ground on the triangle/sausage/triangle course. By the end of the race, the team were 8th on the water and 4th on corrected. It was a challenging first day, with short legs on the courses and a good breeze giving the crew a few aches and pains to recover from overnight. The Salcombe Gin RIB was a very welcome sight as the boat headed back towards the entrance to the Dart. Day two was even windier and the large headsail stayed safely stowed in favour of the number two. Again a windard/leeward course and a triangle/sausage/triangle were provided by the excellent race officer. The first race saw an extremely close finish on the water, with four boats finishing within ten seconds of each other and another two boats only nine seconds behind. Again MS Amlin Enigma posted a 2nd and a 4th, which put the team 2nd overall at the halfway point, from the SJ320 Scarlet Jester counting three wins and a 3rd. Again the Salcombe Gin RIB delivered some very welcome refreshment. Day 3 brought a change of course with the longer Bay Race taking the fleets on a tour of Start Bay lasting around three and a half hours, again in a brisk south westerly breeze. The boat to beat, Scarlet Jester, was quick off the line, with MS Amlin Enigma close behind. At the halfway point, the mental calculations suggested the yachts were just seconds apart on corrected time. Scarlet Jester managed to pull away further on the spinnaker reach towards Blackpool Sands and by the finish were five minutes ahead, which resulted in a win by one and a half minutes on corrected time. This being a longer race, it counted double in the results and so MS Amlin Enigma's 2nd place was very welcome, as were the G&Ts on the way in. Perhaps we should mention why Salcombe Gin featured so heavily in the report. Each day the first ten boats to ‘like’ the Salcombe Gin post on Facebook were rewarded with a bottle of gin, enough (plastic) glasses, tonics, ice and slices of grapefruit for all the crew. James Hartley was the hero on Enigma who successfully hit the ‘like’ on each day. Saturday was again windy and this finally took its toll on MS Amlin Enigma, with the spinnaker pole end fitting failing half way through the first race, resulting in a 6th place. Undeterred, the team managed to jury-rig the outboard end of the pole between races using a sail tie, duct tape and a snap hook. This at least allowed a spinnaker to be flown, although it has to be said that the gybes were not very slick! The final result was a 2nd place, securing 2nd overall in the regatta series, behind Scarlet Jester, with another SJ320, Seajade, in 3rd. Overall an excellent regatta; we had well organised racing, a fantastic venue and excellent hospitality from the Royal Dart Yacht Club. The fantastic crew on MS Amlin Enigma were Claire, Mary, Carrie, Nick, Mark, James and Harry, proving that a mixture of experience and youthful enthusiasm is a great combination! And perhaps we have discovered a new performance enhancing secret weapon - G&Ts on the way back to the marina! Full results can be found here: http://www.dartmouthsailingweek.com/single /latest-results

IAN BRAHAM The crew reviving with Salcombe Gin

I have always been in pursuit of speed. ‘More speed is good,’ as one of my crew likes to say and was the path I had followed from the first Magnum, the MG335. As many know I love a campaign and thrive in the organisation and pursuit of improving myself and the team. So after the sale of the IMX40 I was looking around for something that was going to excite me and the crew and perhaps on occasions even frighten us! Jason Ker was just bringing out

MAGNUM3

his new design, the Ker40, and I immediately spoke to him and arranged a meeting. It was a lightweight 40 foot flyer of just 4.75 tonnes, a whole new concept in 2011 when compared to Magnum2 which was an IMX40 racer/cruiser of 7.5 tonnes. It was an untried and untested design but it just looked the part. It looked right. The order was put in for build in 2011 with delivery to the Hamble in December. In looking around for a professional to look after the boat, essential at this level, I met up with Sam Pearson. It helped that I already knew Sam from my racing days in Poole and a formidable team was forged. This was a whole step (or two) up from the IMX40 and so we were out training from January with Jim Saltonstall every weekend. I am very fortunate that Jim has supported all the Magnum campaigns providing the team with much experience and focus.

David crafted the model of Magnum3

IRC National Champions 2013

We launched into the usual round of Magnum racing: Warsash Spring Series, Vice Admiral’s Cup, the full RORC Offshore programme, IRC Nationals, selection and then racing for GBR in the Commodore’s Cup, Hamble Winter series and the International Paint Poole Regatta. As usual, sixty plus races during the season. I particular enjoy offshore racing where a single-minded focus is critical. Pushing boat and crew for the duration of the race with no let up even for a minute is the only way to win these races and this effort needs to be kept up for many hours or even days. One aspect of this offshore racing is a detailed understanding of the weather and tidal influences. One person had a huge influence on our success on these offshore races, Nick Stone, whose vast offshore experience was invaluable. Each day for the week preceding each offshore race I would ring Nick and discuss weather, tides, tactics. These conversations were invaluable. Highlight for the year was undoubtedly being IRC National Champion but the race that sticks in all our minds was the infamous Eddystone race. Early in the RORC season I was looking forward to a sleigh ride back under kite that the Ker40 would guarantee. It is a race that I normally always enjoy but 2012 saw us heading out of the Solent with over a hundred other yachts into 30 - 40 knots SW, and as we went past Bridge buoy by the Needles we were met with huge seas, climbing the most enormous waves and then finding another one immediately behind and climbing skyward even higher. It was character making! One by one the fleet quickly retired and by the time we were south of Poole there were just three yachts left - unprecedented in Magnum3 Cowes Week 2013

Magnum3

RORC racing. It was a war of attrition but with gritted teeth we beat on into the SW gale with the goal of an incredible sleigh ride back from Eddystone. We certainly got that, surfing at over 18 knots all the way back to the Solent finish. 2013 and again we were out there early in the season with Jim training for a packed season as in 2012, but now a Fastnet year and my very favourite race. On the race out to the Fastnet Rock we were in the leading pack, but then on the way back across the Irish Sea we seemed to just pick up our skirts and flew back broad reaching at 16 - 18 knots and by the time we were approaching the Scillies and dawn on the third day my tactician Wouter Verbraak announced that we were lying 1st in Class (and after a short silence), “and we are lying 1st overall.” As can be imagined this caused quite a stir amongst the crew, and for the last one hundred miles to the finish at Plymouth the crew worked like Trojans. We were one of the first boats to finish and were greeted by TV crews and the press. Quite a moment, but I had to warn them that there were still three hundred and fifty yachts out there racing and so not certain yet. In the end we were beaten on handicap into 6th overall but won our Class and were the top UK boat to finish. In addition, we were crowned IRC National Champions again, won the Vice Admiral’s Cup, were 2nd in the Commodore’s Cup and won the RORC Class season’s points. It is a very great honour to have a half model of Magnum3 mounted in the Club and is a testament to the huge commitment from so many in Poole to support Magnum. Experiences that will never be forgotten range from ghosting along on a magical Caribbean type sea at dawn to sailing in seas with waves as big as houses and F9/10 conditions. Friendships forged over the years thanks to Magnum remain as strong today.

ANDREW PEARCE

What another fantastic year for the Poole Yacht Racing Association (PYRA). The weather gods were mostly kind to us with a quiet start to the season followed by a glorious summer then a wet and blustery autumn, providing great racing in a variety of conditions but always in good company. There were thirty seven races in total, seven Channel races, twenty two along the UK coast and ten in the Solent as part of two PYRA week-long tours. Ten of the races were supported by Parkstone who presented forty trophies across the classes to the winners. There were many highlights in the year. For some it was the Portland race with the evening rendezvous and meal within the bounds of Portland Castle. For others it was the tours in the Solent but for me it was the summer solstice race to Cherbourg on the shortest night of the year. A glorious sunset followed by a close reach along a moonbeam and the dawning of a long summer’s day. Quite magic! Eighteen Parkstone cruisers raced with PYRA at some time during 2019, a very good turnout that included relative newcomers Heartbeat a Maxi 1000 sailed by Joe Viveash and family; Ampere, a 1939 classic Xyris sloop owned by Nick Kidd; Peter Norman’s Impala 28 Firebird and Cara an Elan 333 owned by Robin Annett. One Parkstone boat, Pluto, an Elan333 sailed by Simon and Bobbie King that had raced with PYRA in the previous season, enjoyed particular success in 2019. Racing in class 2 she won eight individual races thereby winning the Passage Series A trophy, coming second in Passage Series B and ultimately being awarded the Yachting Monthly Trophy for the best points across all classes. Parkstone were to support the Lymington weekend in June but a gale prevented racing on the Saturday so we stepped up to provide two Bay races on the Sunday, followed by a rendezvous on the balcony with new member John Short of Marqco Marquees providing the drinks and prizes. John’s MG Spring 25 Genesis was racing in Class 3. Esprit, Neil Vardy’s Elan 410, won both races in Class 1 with Matchmaker a winner in Class 2 along with QT in Class 3. A good day for Parkstone. The PYRA Round the Island (RTI) feeder race to Cowes was a very windy affair followed by a very light RTI rounding on the Saturday. Many boats retired in the ISC classes during the RTI, but It’s Now or Never skippered by Steve Bailey finished 7th overall, with Binkie II skippered by Colin Wetherall 8th. Both good results but the PYRA Aimee Trophy is awarded to the highest placed boat in the ISC fleet that also competes in the feeder race. As It’s Now or Never sailed to Cowes early to avoid the bad weather the trophy was won by Binkie II. PYRA Class 1 did not see much of Dave Butter’s JPK1010, but when Joy was able to put in an appearance, Dave was usually successful. After his win in the PYRA pursuit race in April Joy was off competing in RORC races to qualify for the Fastnet before nipping down to the Azores and back in the AZAB two handed race where she was 2nd in both races and 2nd overall. Dave was then off to compete in a wet and breezy Fastnet race with a full crew before returning to Poole for more pleasurable racing with PYRA. I was fortunate to be invited to crew on Joy for the PYRA August Bank Holiday event to Cherbourg and St Vaast where Dave won all three races. I found the JPK to be a very rewarding boat Rod Harris solo in his Pogo Joy leads the pursuit race Seagull watches Simon King trimming spinnaker

54 Class Poole Yacht Racing Association Class captain Peter Biggs

to sail, where every detail is focused on racing with little compromise towards the comfort of cruising. A somewhat different experience to my usual PYRA berth on a Hallberg Rassy 412. Joy went on to also win both of the races on the PYRA Yarmouth weekend. Another Parkstone boat enjoying success in 2019 was Shed of Arjuna, a 6.5 metre Pogo 2, sailed single-handed by Rod Harris in Class 1. Rod won the overall trophies for Passage Series A and the Channel Series with a number of 2nd places but without winning a single race, a situation I am sure he will be keen to correct next season. With the return race from St Vaast to Poole forecast to be very foggy with little wind in mid channel Rod was wisely concerned for although he had a class B AIS he was not looking forward to a slow crossing under outboard motor. Fortunately there was an Elan 40 with a large engine but with failed AIS. Rod thumbed a lift, and we all listened on M2 to Rod giving navigational advice to his “tug boat” Amethyst as we crossed the shipping lanes with little visibility.

Family Vivease on Heartbeat

With racing for the year completed and race winners’ trophies awarded at the various club prize-giving evenings, the season was rounded off with the annual PYRA Candlelight dinner dance. This year it was the turn of Parkstone to host the event at which the overall series winners’ trophies were awarded. Eighty five handsomely clad PYRA members, partners and guests, some of whom I hardly recognised with their hair combed, attended the Candlelight enjoying a super location, excellent food and some energetic dancing till gone midnight - as with all PYRA events, in great company. PYRA kicks off next year with the Spring Party at The Royal Motor Yacht Club on 29th March 2020. All yachties based in Poole Harbour are welcome. See you there.

PETER BIGGS PARKSTONE PYRA REPRESENTATIVE

I think we would all agree that the summer of 2018 was going to be a very hard act to follow! The new clubhouse, the weather, the racing and most importantly the time spent with friends and family meant that it was always going to be a ‘stand out’ year. Within our exclusive class, hope for 2019 was further hampered by the lead boat’s skipper, Edd Wilton, managing to destroy most of the ligaments in his knee while attempting kite surfing heroics. Not only that, but the condition seemed to be catching with another regular and integral member, Matt Hardy, doing the same but on colder water! Alas, neither TomTit nor Space8 saw as much summer club racing as we would have liked. This nonetheless seemed to add emphasis to the larger events. As many club sailors know, this year’s Round the Island was a sedate affair. For me though, my first year on my own boat, the conditions were welcomed. Space8 (a J109) thankfully had an early start which meant that we did not see the full impact of the further dropping breeze as the evening drew in. It was odd, not only to be playing bumper cars at the Needles where the tide was king, but also to spend from there on sailing into the wind. At the end of the day, although a late one, I was very happy with our mid J109 finishers result. Edd on TomTit with a later start, not only finished, but did so in 36th overall in ISC (six hundred and fifty entered) and he allowed the crew a mid-race swim too! It was an event when the barbecuing class came into its own.

Taittinger Regatta The next event was the Taittinger Regatta in Yarmouth. Again both boats were utilised for what has become a very special weekend for us all, with young and old enjoying the truly BBQ while racing

friendly competition. On Space8, as defending champions, we wanted to have fun but not make the previous year look like a complete fluke. This task mainly fell at the feet of Matt Eeles, who this year would not only navigate again, but also be solely responsible for trim and tactics as Matt Hardy could not be there. Thankfully, both Dan and Lucy Howe were on hand to the rest, ably assisted by the next generation of Howes, Eeles and Brewers. On the first day, great conditions with relatively light winds helped us take a couple of bullets. Sunday saw winds strengthen for the final race. I was therefore very thankful that Ed and Joe Williamson joined us. This last race was great! We were unsure if we were over at the start so re-crossed as we definitely did not want to risk the alternative. We fought our way back though and with some amazing crew work and tactical decisions, got ourselves back in the race and took our third and final bullet. This meant that we again won our class and took the overall prize. The season ended with a bit of a flurry with Youth Week being a highlight, followed by more Monday night sailing, where not only did TomTit fight a very close race for 2nd, but they were also able to help educate the next generation of barbecue racers in readiness for the Commodore’s Challenge.

HARRY BREWER

Taitinger success - again

AMIGOS - SOS TO THE RESCUE

Sometimes things do not go the way you planned and this happened to Amigos in the run up to the Round the Island Race at the end of June 2019. Shortly before the event we noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to hoist the genoa and spinnakers (nothing to do with old age) and sure enough up the mast we located seized sheaves. However, more importantly, a further inspection revealed cracks in the mast adjacent to the rigging which, left unattended, could have had catastrophic consequences. And so out of the water comes the boat, the mast is removed and the riggers confirm our findings. The required work to rectify is agreed and at that point all was moving forwards. This was three weeks before the Round the Island Race. However, not all was well …… The dinghy sailors in the Club must have wondered why this long mast was sitting idle on the small stubby pier with no sign of any work being undertaken. The crew on Amigos were also becoming concerned as the days were ticking by. Then the riggers, who were fully aware of our commitment to the Round the Island Race, announced that they did not have time to undertake the work because

they were fitting out a super yacht. Disaster! One week to go to the event. Enter ex-boat builder, rigger, sailor and allaround good guy, George Stead, to save the day (usual brown envelope for this plug George!) Realising that, as part of the crew, he was not going to see the Round the Island Race unless he took matters into his own hands; he set about solving all the issues. New sheaves were installed, re-enforcing plates were manufactured to strengthen the mast over the cracks plus one hundred and one other jobs. Activity was furious and frantic. Finally on Thursday 27th June, with a day to spare the mast was stepped, the rigging checked and the boat re-launched ready for action. Well done George! On Saturday 29th June, it was dry and sunny with a light, reasonable breeze. For some reason when the start gun went for our class we were miles away from the line and so presumably the skipper had decided to give everybody else a bit of a chance. By the Needles we had clawed our way back to the front of the fleet and then an event, that we have only experienced on the race a handful of times before, occurred - the wind dropped leading to a raft-up of the whole fleet which, as far as Amigos was concerned, triggers lots of shouting from the helm (well, more shouting than usual). Eventually the fleet managed to claw away from the melee and off we went slowly towards St Catherine’s. This was not going to be a quick race. We knew we were in a good place by this stage but then at the back of the Island the wind, or rather the lack of it, and the tide came into play. We crawled along eventually reaching Bembridge Ledge, by which time the exodus of retiring boats had begun. It was also getting late in the day. By the time we reached the Forts there was virtually no wind at all and usually at this stage of the race, thoughts of beer and food come to mind and we retire. However, contrary to our normal plans we decided that as so much effort had been expended getting Amigos to Cowes, we ought to carry on. Sure enough as evening set in the wind filled from Cowes and we were rewarded with a finishing gun. The 2019 Round the Island Race will be remembered more for the vast numbers of boats that retired from the race rather than the boats that finished but the final result was that we were 1st in our class, 3rd in IRC2 and 47th overall out of one thousand two hundred boats. A job well done. We subsequently entered the Taittinger Regatta at Yarmouth during which the gear box in the engine packed up but that is a story for another day. Did someone say that things do not always go to plan? …..

MIKE ANNEN Amigos crew

Class Shrimper Year of Design 1978 Designer Roger Dongray Style Keelboat with no spinnaker Year First Adopted by PYC 2005 Length of Boat 6.8m Class Captain Mike Nichols

SHRIMPER CLASS REPORT

Our season started off as usual with a Prizegiving dinner in the clubhouse. We had a wonderful evening with great food and a lot of chatter! Trophies and engraved glasses were presented. The 2018 series winners were spread over four different boats; the Endeavour Trophy was awarded to Colin Calver and Nigel Alcazar in Cygnet in recognition of their racing improvements over the previous seasons. Mike Nichols

Our fleet is split into two camps, those who race, and those who cruise, with a smattering of those that do both. The racers try and encourage cruisers to have a go at racing, and the cruisers are always nagging the racers to come out for the day. It does not matter what you do, as long as you are out on a Shrimper! A weekly cruise was established a couple of years ago by Andrew Holmes, and continued this year with great success. We had cruises in Out for the day just drifting around

In the Bay with a reef At the start

and out of the harbour, sometimes with a dozen boats from all of the harbour’s Clubs sailing in company. A raft-up for lunch made for some great days out. We had a brilliant racing season, not the glorious weather of last year and generally a A change was made for Poole Week this year, and nine Shrimpers enjoyed three great racing days with the overall winner being decided between three boats on the last day. Rod McBrien in Rascal was the one who held the trophy aloft at the prize-giving. The training session with replays of the drone footage was

bit on the windy side, but great fun. Richard Hornby in Kingfisher has re-established his racing credentials and has taken a few series trophies this year. Malcolm Bell in Black Magic and David Lack in Crabby Gaffer also won series. We are still racing on Wednesdays as I write this, but boats are being put away and there will not be many of us by the end of the month. especially well received; let’s hope we have that again! There was a mid-week meal enjoyed by many Shrimper crews. Things have changed at Poole SOA, and Cathy Newland is our Organising Secretary. She has mixed things up a bit this year and we have had a different person leading each SOA outing. This has been a great success, and we look forward to seeing who is doing what for next year! Poole Week The 2019 Shrimper Week was in Plymouth and there were four boats from Parkstone who attended - Ian and Angela Roberts in Emma J, Cat Lee-Elliott and Marion Hallett in Samphire, Mike Nichols and Kevin DillonWhite in Blackjack and Mark Jenkins in Bluejay. It was a very successful week, although two days were too windy to sail. Some boats sailed back from Plymouth, taking three days in increasing winds (from the west fortunately). Blackjack was accompanied by a huge pod of dolphins part way across Lyme Bay - a thrilling encounter! Our numbers are increasing year on year, and we expect a couple more boats to join us for 2020. That may well take the tally to above forty Shrimpers at Parkstone. We welcome new members to the Class, either moving down from cruisers, up from dinghies, or in from other areas. Thank you to all who have supported and helped me this year, a job made easier by the enthusiasm of all Shrimper sailors. John Stephens and Ian Brindle stand down from Class offices after four years’ service. Thank you very much for your work and support. While I am in a thanking mood, we are all grateful to the Race Officers and their teams, without whom, there would be no racing! A special ‘thank you’ goes to Alan Hescroff and his team - our Wednesday race officers who turn out every week and provide us with great racing.

MIKE NICHOLS

Class J24 Year of Design 1975 Designer Rodney Johnstone Style One design keelboat with spinnaker Year First Adopted by PYC Late 1970s Length of Boat 7.32 Class Captain David Lush

Local news is that the fleet had several new members this year, so welcome to Dan Vickers and Sam Pearson. We now have three boats dry sailed from Poole Yacht Club - soon, I believe, to be five, with a boat from Plymouth joining, and one of our old Club J24s being restored by a Poole member. Sam impressed everyone by winning the Nationals in his recently acquired J24. Refusing to join the arms race he used a pre-owned genoa and masses of skill, he is not dry sailing and didn't have masses of time for boat prep, so well done Sam. Turnouts have been rather down this year on Thursdays as Poole Yacht Club also now run a Tuesday series, but Mondays have been well supported. However, many owners keep their boats out of the water to use for World qualifiers, and new owners have struggled to find a dry sailing option if not a berth holder and lifter owner. Increasingly the J24 appears to be finding a new role as a regatta boat on a trailer rather than as a club racing boat for families and friends, possibly reflected in lower local racing turnouts. Owners wishing to qualify for the Worlds have been regular visitors to Plymouth and even Greece and Lake Garda, removing them from local racing. William Pollock won both the Spring and Twilight series and Joe Cross won the Summer series, in our old 4263, proving that it was me that was becoming slow and not the boat. The Club has reduced the J24 Club fleet to one boat. XP Rigging has been managed brilliantly by Steve Phelps, with large numbers of new youngsters experiencing keel boat racing, whilst the old team of the Kuzyk brothers and George Kennedy, in a loan boat, are still competing with success at National level, and have also chartered a boat for the RS21 Nationals. Duncan McCarthy missed the Nationals but represented the Club in a well supported Kiel week, gaining a second place to a top US team in a field of twenty eight J24s. As I write this, three Parkstone teams are off to the 2019 J24 Worlds in Miami, so good luck to teams Phillips, McCarthy and Pollock; that’s quite some hand luggage. Next year is a busy year for the local fleet with the Nationals as part of the International Paint Regatta and the 2020 Worlds in September.

DAVID LUSH J24 Summer Cup 25th - 27th May 2019 I might be somewhat biased, but what a regatta! Wind, sun, close racing, good banter, and a friendly dolphin off the start line creating some distraction. PRO Bryan Drake and his skilled Parkstone Yacht Club committee raced all ten races as planned in Poole Bay; all good practice for the National fleet and the impending J24 World Championship next year. Back to the racing; a clean start by all which was very unlike the J24 fleet with Nick Phillips in Chaotic leading the fleet from the start with David Cooper in Jawbreaker hot on their heels and David Hale in Cacoon from the steadily increasing Poole Yacht Club fleet coming in third. Race two saw Alan Harris-Guerrero and his team in Illegal Alien return to form coming in first, followed by Chaotic and Duncan McCarthy in Madeleine. Newcomer Sam Pearson (welcome to the fleet) in Hustle is one to watch and, whilst learning on the job with his team, came in fifth on his second race which must be highly commended. It took our team in Chaotic two boats, ten years and an obnoxious amount of protest committees to get anywhere near that sort of result at the beginning. The penultimate race of the day saw Chaotic take another bullet, and another Poole Yacht Club boat sail a stormer, with Niss Booth on Phoenix sailing into second place and keeping fellow Poole Yacht Club member Joe Cross in Jambalaya at bay. Race four saw Chaotic win their third race of the day, Jamabalaya sailed another superb race with a solid second and James Torr from Saltash SC had a great race in MaJic (spell check is not happy with your choice of name by the way.) So day one was over with one last beat to the chain ferry to finish off an already weary fleet of sailors as we bid farewell to our friendly spectating dolphin. Back to Parkstone Yacht Club’s new clubhouse for drinks and frivolity on what had been a classic day’s racing. Sunday saw more breeze and no marine mammals of note, and a few tricky wind shifts for the sailors and race committee to deal with. Praise to the mark layers who were pulling up and dropping marks at quite a rate; who needs a gym when you’re a mark layer and have a perfectionist such as Bryan as PRO! Race five, the first of the day, saw William Pollock in Flying Colours storm to the lead after a brilliant start and holding it for most of the race, whilst Chaotic and Madeleine fought for the top spots, having to work their way through the fleet keeping a close eye on a number of dramatic shifts. Chaotic raced to a fourth win of the regatta having sailed past Madeleine downwind, and without the aid of a protest committee this time. Flying Colours came in third with Pearson in Hustle close behind in fourth; didn’t I say to keep an eye on him! Another increase in wind strength saw McCarthy and team in Madeleine keep the fleet at bay as they usually do in increased winds, with Chaotic in second and Illegal Alien of the Royal Fowey Yacht Club in third. The wind by now had decided to stay at that annoying J24 wind strength where it’s debatable whether to fly a jib or genoa. As all foredecks know the helm will only call the sail change with minutes to spare to the start. Although the wind was up, there were still a lot of wind holes to sail into and the fleet was split down the middle with half the fleet going left in search of more wind, and the other half going right, also in search of more wind. Thankfully due to the wind direction the sea state was relatively flat throughout the regatta. Race seven saw Madeleine back in the game again with another bullet keeping Chaotic in second, and as with the previous race Illegal Alien in third place. Team Impact U25 helmed by Giles Kuzyk and crewed by George Kennedy, Eden Luke, Alaric Bates and Harry Gilchrist had another good race and came in fourth, proving again what a good team the youth are and we should encourage more into fleet. The final race of the day was owned once again by Duncan McCarthy and team on Madeleine with Illegal Alien in second and Chaotic coming in third. Another long beat back to the chain ferry and then home. The final day saw Chaotic in a safe leading position only needing to get a position and thus playing it safe in race nine. The rest of the fleet saw some intense racing with a black flag flying after one false start as the wind pressure increased with heavy gusts hitting the J24s. Roger Morris in Jolly Roger took first after a brilliant race, followed by Austen Davies and his team from Bude S.C. having a great sail in Jam Too, and then Illegal Alien and Madeleine in third and fourth. The final race of the regatta saw every team working hard for their final points, and wonderfully the usual suspects weren’t in the top two. Jambalaya had a stunning first beat and held it coming in first followed by Jawbreaker whose last podium position was in the f irst race, and then Illegal Alien and Chaotic in third and fourth. If the racing in Poole Bay for the J24 Summer Cup was anything to go by, it puts us in good stead for the J24 Worlds next year with incredible racing conditions in a stunning setting. Many thanks to Bryan Drake and team for a great event and to all at Parkstone Yacht Club, and to the fleet for making the effort to come to Poole. Congratulations to Chaotic for a convincing win and to Madeleine and Illegal Alien who also took the top spots.

TOM MONTGOMERY Winners DolphinRacing J24 CLASS REPORT