A cold , overcast day did not deter 7 boats from shaking off the memory of winter and starting a new sailing season. It followed the annual dinner/dance the previous evening from which many of the sailors were both well fed and well exercised.
The wind was W to SW, F2, and as ever variable in both strength and direction. It seemed reasonably constant outside the Club as we launched so Ian Nethersell in the safety boat set a long sausage A-course with a downstream buoy at the City Barge. The upstream mark was about 50m upstream of the Bell and Crown start line.
The fleet was 3 Enterprises (James Armitage and Lev Kolobov single-handed in Zephyr and Porpoise, and Dave Berger (helm) and Mary Brown in Big Polly); 3 Lasers (Ben Chappell, Rob Adams and Keith Clarke); and Tim Young in his Wanderer, Ait Knots.
The whole fleet moved off in unison with a following wind against the tide. It took about 10 minutes for the leading single-handed Ents to make it to the downstream buoy, and another 8 minutes for the rest to follow. The wind was much more variable at that end of the course and the flood tide was unrelenting. James and Lev were inseparable on the return upstream and passed the start line seconds apart (at just over 15 minutes for the lap) as they sped down stream to catch up with the Lasers. Big Polly was third, about 8 minutes behind the leaders.
It was unquestionably a day for the extra sail-power and momentum of the Ents. On the second lap James had put 4 minutes between him and Lev, who diminished the gap to 20 seconds at the third lap and finished less than a minute behind, by which time they had overtaken everyone else. Big Polly finished her third lap just after Lev finished his fourth.
The following Lasers and Tim all finished three laps after swapping places several times. There was a lot of close-order sailing with, at the end, Rob, then Ben, then Tim and finally Keith. And in keeping with tradition, the First Race Cup returns to James.
There was much heaving and shuffling getting the boats back into the yard, which served to warm-up cold fingers and limbs. And fresh from her triumph of organising the Dance on Saturday night, Marian was there with a steaming pot of the most delicious and welcome spicy, fruity, rummy punch. It was a revival of a tradition started years ago by Paul Williamson. And tea and biscuits were there as well.
So the 2023 season has started and promises well for the future. Next week is another A-course, starting at 16:15.
After a week with lots of rain, this Sunday was dry and overcast with a very light S to SSE wind said to be F2 at Kew Gardens. It added to a spring tide, which didn’t help on an A-course. We chose a short course starting at Zoffany House and hoped for the best.
Three boats turned out: the Browns in their Enterprise; Tim Young in his Wanderer; and Nick Floyer in his Gull. It should have been a beat down to the downstream mark (just above the grid) with a run back up to mark just downstream of the Bell and Crown, but the actual wind at river level was all over the place.
Unsurprisingly, the Enterprise took the lead and ended with 6 laps in the hour, followed by Nick with four laps and Tim with three. And the points mirrored those positions.
Thanks to Felicia for supervising the sailing and providing tea and biscuits afterwards, and to Chris who was on hand to ensure that no one drifted off under Kew Bridge. Fortunately no one was threatened with that fate.
Next week a contingent from the Club is away sailing on the Norfolk Broads but those not attending will have a D-course to challenge them, starting at 14:30.
And remember that on 25th September we are hosting South Bank Sailing Club for a race with a modest feast to follow.
As a result of previous D-courses (Hammersmith and back) the Committee had decided to advance the start time by 15 mins or so to make it easier to reach London Corinthians, our turning point. The message had not reached all concerned, or even the website, and so the race started later than intended.
Three boats rigged: James Armitage in his Enterprise crewed by Felicia, Rob Adams in his Laser, and Nick Jeffery in his Duckling, crewed by his daughter. As expected the Ent and the Laser led the way, but Tim Young in the safety boat wisely put a buoy down at St Nicholas’ to enable Nick to make it. As it happened the tide had turned before he got there but he was still able to complete the course.
James and Rob finished back at Strand after 74 and 78 minutes respectively, with Nick 3/4 hour later after just over 2 hours on the water.
Next week it’s an A-course starting at 14:40, and take note that the week after that, 25th September, South Bank Sailing Club are coming up to test our waters, and to enjoy post-race food and drink, so please turn up and give them a good race.
OOD: Nick Floyer, Safety Boat: Henry Brown and Nikita Bierkark
Sunday’s race was an experiment. Faced with a sequence of D-course the Committee decided to try an experimental low-water course, mid-tide, against the seaward flow of the river. An E-course, E for experimental. There was a piece about it in the Newsletter. The preference was for an upstream course so that if the wind died the fleet would be swept back to Strand rather than Hammersmith, and that dictated an E, NE or N wind to make progress against the flow. And on Sunday we had a forecast of a light ENE wind. And sunshine. And there’s been no rain for ages, so the river was docile. Perfect. Or, perfect?
Five boats slithered through the slime and launched: James Armitage and Ayanda (Ent.); Lev and David Kolobov (Ent.); Felicia Bierkark and Ariel in Chris’ Leader; Ben Chappell (Laser); and Tim Young (Wanderer). The first challenge was to make it to the Bell and Crown start line in the very light and very variable wind. Two tried on the Surrey side of Oliver’s Island and three on the Strand side.
Eventually, after a 13-minute delay to the start, all reached the line and were ready to meet the next challenge: the wind-shadow of Kew Bridge and the passage through the bridge. All but Ben made it through the bridge. James led the way, followed by Lev (who struggled with an improvised tiller, without extension) and then Tim. The patch above the bridge was a mess of little winds from all or no direction.
Nick Floyer had wisely suggested that the safety boat lay a turning buoy just ahead of the leader at about 15:45, which was about halfway along the Brentford Aits. James rounded and sailed / drifted back to the Bell and Crown with the current in about 5 minutes. Lev was about 25 minutes behind him, but Tim and Felicia, like Ben had retired before then.
Was the experiment a success? We proved that Enterprises could do it even in very light winds, but for a satisfactory race we needed a reliable E, NE wind and another point on the Beaufort Scale.
Race report inferred from the race sheet. An eye-witness account would be welcome. Six boats were out enjoying the sunshine, led by James and Chris, who actually had a lead over James at the third lap. Lev appears to have had a bad start but worked his way back through the fleet to finish his 7th lap just behind James and Chris on their 8th. Tim was consistently up with the leaders.
It was busy work for Steve as Race Officer with six boats completing 6-8 laps. I don’t envy him that. And he was kind to Nick in his delightful Gull, finishing him on his 6th lap although he was 25 seconds ahead of James.
Next week it’s the garden party on Saturday (don’t forget to tell Marian if you’re going) and a possible experimental C or D course on Sunday on the rising tide starting at 15:00. Or it may be changed to an A course starting around 18:30.
It was a morning C Course, with a planned 11:20 start which was delayed by 6 minutes to 11:26. A hot sunny day with a strong down river breeze with many gusts and choppy water. The start point was from the last moored boat on the pontoon, in line with the mooring posts on each side of the river and the partly-hidden by new buildings Steam Museum Tower.
Six boats started: Zephyr, James Armitage and daughter, 23444, Enterprise. Porpoise, L Kolobov, 21408, Enterprise. Phoebe, Rob Adams, 174570, Laser. Kaia, Keith Clarke, 195250, Laser. Distant Thunder, Chris Greenwood & Felicia, 1043, Leader. SY2, Sam Shemtob with two young crew from America., SY2, Wayfarer.
A good start with a James leading, followed closely by Rob, Keith, Lev, then Chris with Sam far behind with his well reefed sails. After about 10 minutes Lev capsized near Kew but he speedily righted the boat and set about emptying all the water out. Good progress was made by the first 5 boats with Sam still well behind. The buoy was placed in line with the Sion Park wall near the London Apprentice. Alas, soon after rounding the Buoy Keith decided some capsize drill was needed. He righted the boat well, but had two more capsizes and decided it was wise to retire and the Safety Boat started towing him back. James and Rob were well ahead in the distance followed by Lev. Chris and Felicia had pulled into the side near Kew and Brentford Ait and lowered the sails and mast because of a broken rudder due to loose pintles. During all these events Sam gently ambled along from well behind and made up lost time. As the safety boat was towing Keith’s Laser back they passed us, lowered the sails, and then gently and gracefully drifted by the finish line with no help from oars. Finish times: James, 12:15:30 Rob:, 12:16:00 Lev, 12:25 Sam, 12:45 Keith Retired Chris Retired
Race Report: Election Candidates. Sunday 17 July 2022 The Election Candidates trolleyed their policy boats, immediately axle-deep in fetid, mud-green sludge and sleaze, onto a de-oxygenated riverbed. Could there possibly be a clean start – or was it a sign of much more mud- slinging to come? The wind of change was in the air: a hot and strong Westerly. Late on the scene, delayed by the ruthless routing-out all other contenders, the 1922 Committee Safety Boat with James and Nikita onboard, agreed with the OOD it was a perfect day for long and selection-testing questions on an’ A’ for Politically Correct Answers course with the downstream buoy at the SGSC ramp and upstream at the Bell & Crown – with even the possibility of Round the Island, if anyone had a new idea to offer. Three Lasers stood up first for Questions. Rob, the “No Fairy Tale” [NFT] candidate was followed by Keith, “Mainstream Tacks Policy” [MTP], and then by John, determinedly both standing and sitting for a traditional: “Blood, Sweat, Toil & Tears” [BST&T] policy. They were followed by Chris and Felicia, who were claiming the votes for: “Diversity & Gender Balance” [DGB]. All four then found that the fresh hot wind, almost from the start, was dying out. So politically which way to go? All were certain that taxing to the Left, while tacking to the Right would be a sure race winner. Only Keith [MTP] stuck to the mid-channel position with minor adjustments, fine-tuning his policy-trimming, taxing this way and then axing taxing that. But they all struggled to get as far as the grid, where they were all becalmed. Oliver’s Island, representing the Great British Public [GBP] with its tall bulk of trees, had stubbornly blocked a slight shift in wind to the South-West – and refused to allow the fresh breeze of honest public opinion to take any interest at all in the squabbling and argumentative in-fighting that was now breaking out amongst these racing Election Candidates. Whose: “Broken promise” to give way had left a bitter taste? Who was the: “Snake from behind” who had found that tiny nudge of wind to get ahead and spoil the fact they were: “Ready to lead”? Where had the ambition to “Get things done” found that their path to victory was obstructed and unachievable?
What had their experience of: “Serving on the front line” all been for? They were all obviously now deeply: “In The Thick Of It.” But John, [Blood, Sweat, Toil & Tears], was certain that now was exactly the right moment to: “Hit the ground running”. And he did so. Literally. Dramatically shifting tack to go inside the grid, his centreboard struck the timbers – and he both broke off a chunk of fibreglass, and nearly broke a thumb; leaving a smear of blood that could potentially be a good clue for a future role in Death in Paradise, should he need a post-political career? The 1922 Committee went to see if [by some mysterious and secret means] they could shift the position of the downstream buoy to enable a different kind of voting, and a quicker outcome – and saw that there was a significant breeze of journalistic investigation that meant they couldn’t. They retired to moor for the duration in contemplation at the Bell & Crown. At long last, Rob, [NFT], turned round the buoy and sped upstream on the incoming tide with a determined: “Will to win”. He was followed by Chris and Felicia [DBG], beautifully goose-winging their way to the votes they could see for themselves with an: “Inclusive and united” policy. Keith with his policy programme now clearly defined as: “Is he Left, is he Right, is he Centre, is he Anything?” was delighted to find that his third place for the first lap meant he was surely now on course for victory. Only John [BST&T] found he was still backsliding in the opinion polls. Could now be the right moment for the launch of his own excruciating video version of: “I Vow to Thee My Country”, and get him round the course? The normally watchful and attentive pub-side lobby groups of Political Correspondents [PCs] and Special Advisers [SPADS] were more concerned with raucously bellowing their own ideas to each other on Life, the Universe and Everything – rather than anything to do with this contest. So, what could this Election Candidates’ Devils’ Brew of conspiracy, bad ideas, unbelievable strategies and unwavering self-interest produce from this “A” for Answers course, other than a head aching-inducing and horridly-mixed cocktail Cabinet? Perhaps all of them deserve banishment to the 7th Circle of Hell. It is also called the Hell of the Violent and the Bestial, very appropriately for the hottest day of the year, as described in Cantos 12-17 of Dante Alighieri’s “Inferno”, for sins of violence against neighbours, against themselves, and against God, Nature, and Art – for failing to commit to Net Zero on climate change.
So, in absolutely no comparison, in our entirely innocent event, who would turn out to be the ultimate Leader of this Leadership race that is perfectly obviously and always: “Less about the Leader, more about the Ship”, – and is never just a flotsam flotilla of fantasies. And we now have an Answer! Everyone eventually got round the course! Rob [No Fairy Tale] completed three laps, as did Chris & Felicia [Diversity & Gender Balance]. Keith [Mainstream Tacks Policy] completed two. And John, [Blood, Sweat, Toil & Tears] persistently took a whole hour – and triumphantly finally completed a lap. So, on the day, everyone was a Winner! All political and sailing sins of omission and commission were then exonerated and forgiven and forgotten with South African Rooibos Tea and Lemon Drizzle Cake. But which of them is now actually the Leader? OOD Andy Ross 17 July 2022
A warm and sunny morning, with a zephyr (westerly wind) just strong enough, most of the time, for boats to make progress against the incoming neap tide. The course was changed by necessity from the planned B to a short A. There were many changes of position early, but James (Enterprise) soon stretched out a lead and lapped John (Laser) once and Tim Y (Wanderer) twice. However, he just failed to lap Chris (Leader), and those two completed 8 laps. Ian, David and friends were in the safety boat.
It was a delightful day with warm sunshine and a steady F 2-3 wind making it well suited for a B course in the late afternoon.
The safety boat was manned by David Jones but happily his services were not stretched. 5 boats competed, each being of a different class. At the front of the pack for most of the race was Family Armitage, namely James in his Enterprise with his daughter Ruth as crew, fighting it out against his son Joe in his Laser. All bar one of the boats completed 4 laps within the hour, the only exception being Nick Floyer in his Gull who saved a final lap by allowing the Armitages to steam pass him to the finish line.
The two other boats were Distant Thunder with Chris Greenwood and Nikita Roketskiy sailing together for the first time, and Ian Nethersell sailing his Vibe single handed.
