Winter Sprint 15 Racing

[WaveyDavey]

Despite a valiant attempt to fit a towbar to my new car on Friday evening, I was not able to complete the job due to some tricky wiring and finally gave up at 1am. No towbar meant no trip to Stewartby on Saturday.

Carsington is a only month away but I think 170 miles each way for one day's sailing is just a bit more than I can justify in time and money. Draycote at 114 miles is also borderline though I'm tempted. So, how to get my next sailing fix until Queen Mary?

I'd be interested to hear what winter series are popular with 15 sailors in and around the south east - ideally ones which are open to non-members for a winter membership fee.

I know Grafham does such a thing, although there's very little information beyond fee info on the website. If anyone knows the dates, race format, and typical 15 turnout I'd be grateful to know.

Staying on the Grafham theme for a moment - the Grafham Grand Prix sounds like a good way to work of some Christmas pud, but only 4 Sprint 15s took part last year - what chance of a better turn out this year - I'm up for it?

All thoughts on winter racing welcomed.

[George Stephen]

Hi,

Queen Mary offers winter membership. Like it's full year membership and boat park costs it's expensive - it would cost you £180 until end March. But no duties.

Racing-wise you would have 2 races nearly every Sunday morning, which should be around 45 minutes each. You would race in the fast handicap class against dinghies and some keelboats (but not those classes that favour windward leeward courses and Lasers, which constitute separate series and starts) and at best a handful of cats (for health reasons I haven't sailed at Queen Mary for over 3 months - but Gordon Goldstone may well be sailing fairly often, and there will probably be a Dart 18 that you might be able to sail close to over the water....). Courses are "cat-friendly" less often than we would like. Instead of 2 races there will usually be a single long pursuit race and a set of short races once in each series (each series c2 months). Additionally the Club normally runs open pursuit races on Bank Holidays.

"Cruising" can be done at any time within Club "on the water" hours (typically 0900 - 1600, but shorter in Dec and longer in Mar) Wed to Fri.

There will be no cruising or catamaran sailing on the Sunday on which the Bloody Mary is raced - early Feb?

More details about the Club on http://www.queenmary.org.uk/

George

[Andrew Hannah]

There will be no cruising or catamaran sailing on the Sunday on which the Bloody Mary is raced - early Feb?

George

Why is it called Bloody Mary? Is it because the reservoir is named after Queen Mary, wife of George V? But she was no "bloody" tyrant.

The "bloody" Mary was Queen Mary I (1553-1558).

So which queen is the reservoir named after?

Yours confused,

Andrew.

[Erling]

I will be going to Carsington and will have to drive about 450 miles and think it's well worth it to have good class racing and good company.

[WaveyDavey]

I certainly wouldn't doubt the quality of the racing or the company and "hats off" to everyone that travels those distances regularly.

As a seasoned sailor but newbie (and wussy!) traveler £50 of Diesel and 7 hours driving seems a lot for 1 day's racing. Perhaps I should give it a go and it won't seem so bad.

Out of interest, do folks tend to stay over on either the Friday and/or Saturday night - or do they do the whole thing in a day?

[George Stephen]

Andrew,

The reservoir is named after Queen Mary, wife of George V.

I think you're barking up the wrong tree about the reason for the name of the Bloody Mary open pursuit race. It's held at the Queen Mary Club, and at a time of year when it can be very cold, with either too much or too little wind, which is a bloody awful time to hold an event in which so many competitors enter. And perhaps only BFs enter in such conditions! Of course it might also be thought to be named after the drink.......

WaveyDavey

Only very rarely do entrants to the Winter traveller events stay overnight - in fact I can only think of one who did in recent years. Expect everyone to travel there-and-back in the same day.

Note that in addition to Erling's 450 mile round trip, he also has the cost and time of the ferry crossings from/to the Isle of Wight!

[WaveyDavey]

Well now I feel like an even bigger wuss!

Thanks for both bits of info George.

[hhawkes]

If you sail at Marconi during the summer, why not come to Thorpe Bay for the winter? We race approximately fortnightly and the series until March costs £45. There were 10 of us out last Sunday and we are a fleet varied in standard ranging from beginners to experienced.

Ring me on 07973 388553 or Andrew Hannah on 07855 289795.

Howard Hawkes.

[WaveyDavey]

Thanks Howard. That could be just the ticket.

[Andrew Hannah]

I concur with Howard, my fellow TBYC member. David: let me know if you would like to come. You can e-mail me: neilhnnhatyahoodotcodotuk

We are a bit tight for space in our boat park, but we never turn away a keen sailor. We'll squeeze you in somehow. Thorpe Bay always welcomes visitors. In previous years, Eamonn Browne has joined us for the winter.

Howard: you under sell us. We had 12 out last sunday, not 10!

[Pewing]

Your all wrong,

The reason why the Bloody Mary is called The Bloody Mary, is because in the days when I was a young man sailing Enterprises and living in the area,

The Race was Sponsored by Smirnoff Vodka and Schweppes Tomato Juice.

Hence a bloody mary, the prizes were vodka and tomato juice.

Anymore questions.

Pete

[capella]

Hi Dave, not sure how far east you are but gurnard sailing club races every sunday till 7th dec. Have about 4 sprints out and race with fast handicap mono's. Race starts 10.40,no membership required and easy to sail across from lepe or calshot(subject to weather).
Martin.

[Andrew Hannah]

It does seem then, that Bloody Mary is named after the drink, not the reservoir. Thanks Peter for clearing that up.

The last time I sailed at Queen Mary Reservoir SC was also in an Enterprise. At the time, they were very popular.

[Gordon]

Thanks for that Pete, I sail at Queen Mary and I didn't know that.
I bet there aren't many at the club who know either.

Incidentally, I often see Charles and Jackie Wand-Tetley at the club, and they remember you well.

Regards
Gordon

[Bob Carter]

I'd be interested to hear what winter series are popular with 15 sailors in and around the south east - ideally ones which are open to non-members for a winter membership fee.

I know Grafham does such a thing, although there's very little information beyond fee info on the website. If anyone knows the dates, race format, and typical 15 turnout I'd be grateful to know.

Staying on the Grafham theme for a moment - the Grafham Grand Prix sounds like a good way to work of some Christmas pud, but only 4 Sprint 15s took part last year - what chance of a better turn out this year - I'm up for it?

All thoughts on winter racing welcomed.

Hi Dave,
Over recent years the winter series has been almost as popular as the summer series. Typical attendances are in the 12-25 range. Most people just travel for the day as camping or sleeping out in the car is not great in the winter. We get a slightly different group taking part in the winter - those who prefer one day events so that it is not a big imposition on the family. In my time I have had a number of request to do the same sort of thing in the summer but when we have tried it it is not popular in the summer as it is a long way to go for one day. The winter series so that those that are less serious can just do the 3 events that are near - Stewartby, Queen Mary & Grafham for the Southerners and Carsington, Draycote & Grafham for the Northerners. Try a couple and see what you think.

On the Grafham Grand Prix the catamarans race with monohulls on PY basis. It is great if we get a strong wind, but in light winds we are not competitive with the monos. This year after much debate the Club has agreed to give separate prizes fot the Catamarans if we get 8 or more entries in the start. The Sprint 15s go in the medium handicap fleet (around the cans) with the Dart 18s, Prindle 15s, Dart 16s, etc. So if we get 8 or more entries then it will be a Catamaran handicap.
Fast Asymmetric Cats do the upwind downwind course with the Asymmetric monohulls. If they get 8 or more entries they will also get their own prizes AND their results will be worked out on SCHRS - as some prefer that. In the Sprint 15 class we prefer PY as it give the Sprit 15 Sport a fairer rating when judged against the Standard Sprint 15.

Cheers

Bob