Author: Keith Sykes

The air temperature had certainly seen the day’s title as ice was cracked off of covers and decks for Rollesby’s Frostbite Regatta on Sunday 3^rd February; fortunately the sun was out and the wind relatively light so everyone felt much warmer than the 4 degrees air temperature. Unusually, only 2 Wayfarers joined the 18 mixed single-handers; so it was decided to run the racing as all in, rather than in separate fleets.

Phil Highfield (Streaker) and Ian Ayres (Solo) took the furthest left and right hand routes up the initial beat before rounding the first mark overlapped, with Mike McNamara (Harrier) in closest pursuit. McNamara rolled over the two slower boats on the first reach and rapidly built a lead. Dave Houghton & Jon Symonds (Wayfarer) recovered well from having been a long way over at the start! dragging David Frary in his Finn up to the top group with them. On the last lap some large gaps opened with McNamara taking a 15 second handicap win from Ayres; compared to the 3 minute gap back Highfield and Frary who almost dead-heated in third and fourth.

A change of wind direction and course saw Steve Leigh (Solo) with an almost perfect start; however he and Ayres were quickly sandwiched by the faster travelling McNamara and Frary and by the time they could take remedial action were back in the pack led by Daniel Bull and James Letts in their Lasers. Highfield had taken full advantage of the bunching behind to sail along the bank and lead round the first two marks. The wind increased as the race progressed benefitting the faster craft most and McNamara took another narrow win, this time with Frary second and Houghton third.

A slightly reduced but still substantial fleet of 13 took to the water after lunch; McNamara and Highfield were best away with Houghton close behind, however the wind had swung a little further and Ayres and the second Wayfarer of John Saddington & Dennis Manning were the first to spot this, closing in at the first windward mark, this pack all finished within 25 seconds on handicap! McNamara rightly led on the water, but a better spinnaker course gave the win to Houghton. Highfield and Ayres had a bit of an epic cat and mouse race with Ayres close enough behind on the water to just take second place on handicap and for the day overall.

Overall Results (20 entries)

1. (& 1st Singlehander) Mike McNamara (Harrier) – 2 pts
2. Ian Ayres (Solo) – 4
3. (& 1st Multisail) Dave Houghton & Jon Symonds (Wayfarer) – 4
4. Phil Highfield (Streaker) -6
5. David Frary (Finn) – 6
6. Steve Whitby (MiniSail) – 12
7. Matt Boreham (Solo) – 13
8. John Saddington & Denis Manning (Wayfarer) – 14
9. Terry Palmer (Solo) – 14
10. Kevin Postlethwaite (Solo) – 17
11. Keith Sykes (Laser) – 19
12. Steve Leigh (Solo) – 20
13. Dan Bull (Laser) – 24
14. Chris Codling (Laser ) – 24
15. Phil Alison (Solo) – 24
16. James Letts (Laser) -24
17. Stuart Highfield (Laser) – 28
18. Vince Steele (Solo) – 31
19. Richard Foster (Laser) – 33
20. Richard Brown (Lightning) – 33

Race 1

This week was the final week of winter series and in the singlehanders fleet the points situation was extremely close with any one of four helms in with a shout for overall honours. After a few weeks of full off or full on conditions the forecast looked to be following the same old pattern with 20 -30 mph winds from the NW predicted. This presumably deterred some from attending but despite the occasional gust the wind appeared quite manageable and with bonus of the sun making an appearance conditions looked quite good! Despite this a few still opted to enjoy tea and freshly baked cakes in the clubhouse but 8 intrepid helms ventured out for an all singlehander race.  With the wind coming from the NW the race team set a simple triangle course comprising of marks 5, 3 & 6.

 Ian Ayres (Solo) nailed the first start to lead up the beat to mark 5, opting to go to left.  Tamsin Highfield (Streaker) opted for the right hand side hooking up on a nice lift to round the windward mark first, closely followed by Mike McNamara (Harrier), Ian and Roger Wilson (Solo). Tamsin and Mike gradually extended their lead crossing the line in that order. Ian and Roger continued their battle for the rest of the race with Ian holding on to cross the line third. On corrected time Tamsin took the win by 38 seconds, with Ian and Roger taking the next two places.

Race 1: 1 Streaker 1493 (Tamsin Highfield), 2 Solo 5232 (Ian Ayres), 3 Solo 5259 (Roger Wilson)

Race 2

In race two Mike crossed the line with speed to lead up the beat. However, despite being last to cross the line Stuart Highfield (Laser) worked the shifts well to lead at the mark unfortunately rounding a bit too close and touching it resulting in a penalty turn. Mike took over the lead with the rest of the fleet just a few metres behind as they headed for mark 3.  Roger opted to run low to avoid the wind shadow of the bank and looked to be leading as the fleet approached the mark but Mike held on to round first but hot on his heels was Roger and Phil Highfield (Streaker). Mike extended his lead on the reach to mark 6 and the next beat. Unfortunately on approaching mark 3 he caught probably the biggest gust of the day and shipped some water allowing a charging Phil to take the lead which he held to the finish line followed by Roger. On corrected time just 34 seconds separated the first four boats, Phil making it a family double finishing seven seconds ahead of Roger with Ian third.

Race 2: 1 Streaker 1493 (Phil Highfield), 2 Solo 5259 (Roger Wilson), 3 Solo 5232 (Ian Ayres)

Winter Series Results

Once the day’s results were added to the overall series the positions were very close. Race 1 honours went to Ian Ayres with Mike McNamara second and Kevin Postlethwaite third.

The situation was even tighter in race 2 with two points separating the first three boats, Phil Highfield finishing on five, Roger Wilson on six and Mike McNamara on seven.

It was a Wayfarer 1,2,3 in the Multisail Winter series with David Houghton & John Symonds taking first, John Saddington & Dennis Manning second and Bob Sparrow & Chris Gibbons third.

Single handers  (26)

Race 1: 1 Solo 5232 (Ian Ayres), 2 Harrier 70 (Mike McNamara), 2 Solo 4896 (Kevin Postlethwaite)

Race 2: 1 Streaker 1493 (Phil Highfield), 2 Solo 5259 (Roger Wilson), 3 Harrier 70 (Mike McNamara)

Multisail fleet (11)

Race 1: 1 Wayfarer 10000 (D Houghton & J Symonds), 2 Wayfarer 11111 (John Saddington & Dennis Manning), 3 Wayfarer 10213 ( Bob Sparrow & Chris Gibbons)

Race 2: 1 Wayfarer 10000 (D Houghton & J Symonds), 2 Wayfarer 11111 (John Saddington & Dennis Manning), 3 Wayfarer 10213 ( Bob Sparrow & Chris Gibbons)

Next week the club holds its Winter Regatta after which the Frostbite series commences.

After a short delay for some deliberation a small fleet of seven boats set out for the one and only race in definitely top end racing conditions at Rollesby Broad on Sunday January 13 th .

Several competitors were so keen they decided to start racing 5 minutes early; with only two starting at the proper time Race Officer Chris Mann felt sympathetic to the others and abandoned for a proper restart. With a wipe-out squall taking out the entire four strong Laser contingent in the last minute before the restart – led in performance by Daniel ‘I can stand my Laser on its bow!’ Bull – none of them made it to the windward mark …..

Ian Ayres (Solo) and Tamsin Highfield (Streaker) started overlapped on starboard but mid-beat had to duck Matt Boreham (Solo) who had taken the opposite route. Ayres reached the windward mark a couple of boat lengths in front; Highfield tried to pinch the mark and on a lighter day would probably not have got rolled in to windward as the wind backed on her!
Boreham had to take a rapid avoidance action and the race looked decided. Ayres slowly extended away but Boreham had a brief ‘wet moment’ allowing Highfield to catch up before her second capsize left her narrowly in third.

Having spent nearly an hour on the water to get in a 30 minute race the fleet retired for an early and well needed lunch!…..

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Single Handers
Race 1 (7 entries)
Ian Ayres (Solo)
Matt Boreham (Solo)
Tamsin Highfield (Streaker)

Perhaps encouraged by the relatively mild weather; and certainly by the excellent catering; an impressive fleet of 30 dinghies, including 5 visitors, came to the line for the annual New Year’s Day open meeting at Rollesby Broad SC.

With the wind direction not quite cooperating, a long opening fetch was set with the start line at the far end of the broad. Daniel Bull put his Laser somewhat riskily at the more sheltered windward end of the line, with Paul Wren (Phantom) and Ian Ayres (Solo) starting mid line but above the main pack of boats that ended up losing out by covering each other. Wren led round the first lap from Bull and Ayres. Only Mike McNamara in his Harrier managed catch them on the water to finish second with Ayres taking a big handicap win. Veronica Falat (Steaker) led Ben Falat in his Phantom for much of the race to take third at the front of a close knit pack.

The wind increased for a shorter race 2 giving the faster craft a chance to stretch out in front.

Veronica sailed really well to hold on to the transoms of the faster boats and take the narrowest of wins (3 seconds) from Ben with Wren 3^rd, McNamara 4^th and Ayres 5^th, just 27 seconds covering these five on handicap…

The sun came out in the afternoon as the wind rose a little more. Daniel Harvey and Andy Smith nailed the start in Wayfarer 1804 to be third behind Richard Fryer (RS300) and McNamara round the first two marks. Ben Falat worked his way through well as the faster three craft took out a big lead on the water. McNamara won with Dave Houghton enjoying the heavier breeze to bring his Wayfarer home second ahead of the Falat family; Ben followed by Veronica in third and fourth.

Overall Results (30 Entries)

1. Mike McNamara (Harrier) – 3 pts
2. Veronica Falet (Streaker) – 4
3. Ben Falet (Phantom) – 5
4. Ian Ayres (Solo) – 6
5. Paul Wren (Phantom ) – 7
6. Dave Houghton (Wayfarer) – 11
7. Phil Highfield (Solo) – 11
8. Richard Fryer (RS300) – 14
9. Matt Boreham (Solo) – 15
10. Daniel Bull (Laser) – 16
11. Tamsin Highfield (Streaker) – 20
12. Terry Palmer (Solo) – 21
13. Val Hanson (Wayfarer) – 22
14. Stuart Highfield (Laser) – 25
15. John Saddington (Albacore) – 26
16. Daniel Harvey (Wayfarer) – 27
17. Bob Sparrow (Wayfarer) – 28
18. Steve Leigh (Solo) – 29
19. Keith Sykes (Laser) – 30
20. Richard Brown (Radial) – 32
21. James Letts (Laser) – 34
22. Phil Alison (Solo) – 37
23. Mike Horwitz (Solo) – 37
24. Chris Codling (Radial) – 41
25. Vince Steele (Solo) – 44
26. Phil Harlow (Wayfarer) – 48
27. Tom Quale (Laser) – 50