This was a warm cloudy evening race, two days before midsummer. The wind being in the northeast, meaning that the A course was in the shelter of Strand houses, the course was changed to a B downstream, where there was a goo wind, in fact rather too much for the smaller boats.
Six boats started. James (Enterprise), Rob (Laser) and Chris (Leader) made a good start close along the Surrey shore, broad-reaching against the flood tide. Tim Y (Wanderer), Ian (Vibe) and Nick (Gull) preferred Middlesex. The latter two decided that was a mistake and crossed over, a long way behind the leaders. Tim persisted and rounded the downstream mark fourth, but retired after the beat upstream, having shipped too much water over his lee gunwale. The race then became a procession, with the fleet well spaced out by the finish. All boats completed three laps, except Nick who was lapped by James shortly before the finish.
Keith Clarke was OOD, and the safety boat, manned by David Jones and Andy Ross, was in watchful attendance.
It was good that there was sufficient wind to warrant a B course rather than the fallback option of an A course. It was a delightfully sunny morning and the conditions at the upstream end of the course were calm though the wind was prone to vanishing completely for short periods. Further downstream the sailors reported a tendency for changeable wind direction and wind speed.
The safety boat was manned by David Jones accompanied by Paco and Kieran Biekarck whose services were only called upon after the race finish to help Keith Clarke in his Laser get back to the club under the railway bridge on the rising tide.
Nick Floyer in his lovely Gull got off to a quick start and was first to reach the downstream buoy but was beaten to the first lap by Chris Greenwood and Felicia in his Leader. Chris maintained his lead on the second lap but then Lev Kolobov and David (Enterprise) sneaked ahead and stayed there to finish the fourth and final lap 10 minutes ahead. Keith and then Nick followed after a further ten minutes, only 6 seconds apart.
Next week is an A-course after a working party, and the Master of Sums is off to Greece for 7 weeks. Could OODs please leave results sheets in the Arch so that Nick can collect them and do the sums?
Could it be the Queen herself about to parachute-in to join the SGSC fleet assembling for the 4-day Platinum Jubilee Race Regatta?
The SGSC flag spun around its pole in dizzying anticipation – but the helicopter moved over and slowly descended on the allotments on the opposite Kew bank; an air ambulance had been called for some reason.
Although Ait Knots rocked, while not being given exactly the right Royal Regatta send-off, we cheerfully made up for it with really great bunting! Unflustered by this kerfuffle, the SGSC fleet mustered; James with Ruth, Chris with Felicia, Ben, Tim, and Sam with a crew, and David Jones, Andy Ross and Tim in the Safety Boat; all lined-up for a tow down to London Corinthians in beautifully sunny weather.
The Y-shaped arrangement of the towline, with two arms extending from the rear cleats with boats staggered alternatively proved hard to control. Swinging across the river as each of the lines took up the strain was only suppressed by keeping to a very low speed; a problem answered on Day 2.
The fleet arrived at LCSC well ahead of time and moored on the rowing pontoon. And found no-one else there at very low tide.
Eventually, LCSC opened up and said they thought 4 or 5 of their boats would be sailing. But that quickly increased to about 10 -15. Then a message came from Ranelagh, and also from Southbank, to say that they were each bringing 10 – 15 boats, which began to panic the catering staff. And it eventually turned out that close on to 40 boats were assembling! It was going to be a massive Regatta! A vast fleet was soon moored all along the riverbank.
The LCSC OOD announced there were going to be three races, around two buoys. The first would be of three laps, then two, then one. It was slightly breezy warm day, but now with a very strong incoming tide. At the starting signal, very few boats were at the line; most were drifting back with the tide – and it seemed several could be washed away completely.
Sure enough, the SGSC SB went to rescue the LCSC Commodore, Beverley, from Chiswick Ait – and also towed back up Tim who, unobserved by the OOD amidst the struggling throng, recovered his position in the race. But the great majority failed to complete even one lap. After an hour the OOD ended it. The second race fared no better, only a few got round, – and it was to the great relief of a by-then completely exhausted fleet that the remaining number of the original 40 boats finally managed to complete the third and final race, but only because the tide had slackened enough. Throughout, Sam’s boat was heard: its magnificent bunting fluttering, with Chris also thundering along.
The SGSC boats were hauled up into the LCSC yard and our SB was moored onto the pontoon, ready for the trip down to Ranelagh next day.
The LCSC catering crew in the meantime had managed find extra food for the unexpected number of sailors – and the beers from the bar went down very well. The bicycles that had been piled up on the Safety Boat took their owner’s home.
James with Ruth, who managed to finish all three races in the in the time available, came in third place overall.
Day 2.
As we gathered on the Hammersmith foreshore the Red Arrows flew by on their ‘Round the Country’ tour, accompanied by a fly-past of dozens of veteran aircraft that dispersed over Hammersmith in every direction.
The cure for the swinging-about of towed boats on a single line was solved by using separate towing lines from the port and starboard rear cleats, with the heaviest boats first, lighter ones after. This indeed proved to be far more satisfactory during the journey to Ranelagh, as we sped downriver.
After dropping off some LCSC passengers and re-rigging, about 30 boats were assembled there. On another warm and sunny day, but still with a very light wind, the Ranelagh OOD announced there were to be two races: one down to Battersea Bridge. And another back, after the tide had turned.
Given the long slow bend round the Fulham reach, the fleet quite soon spread out and were far apart – with James, it seemed, in the lead.
After about an hour the OOD boat hurried away – and laid a buoy just before the bridge, though beforehand they had asked us to inform the fleet that the finishing line was between their Safety Boat and the buoy.
Unfortunately, this was misinterpreted by some in the fleet to mean it was between us and the OOD. And so, as we had moored between the OOD, and a very shallow shore, several boats headed to finish between our two boats – and they could not understand why we were waving them away!
The two OOD’s in the Ranelagh boat were then both simultaneously raising and lowering flags, sounding hooters, writing down times, – and taking photos of multiple boats crossing the finishing line on both sides at the same time. They needed a photo finish to separate everyone out!
The return race from Battersea Bridge began precisely at 12.30pm – and, sonorously echoing across the whole of London, came the sound of the 16½ ton Great Paul bell of St Paul’s cathedral to mark the start of the Thanksgiving Service for Queen Elizabeth II.
Simultaneously, the eight bells of St Mary’s church, right beside Battersea Bridge, burst into ringing chimes that were, in effect, the most extraordinary starting gun sound ever heard. Tintinnabulation of church bells on a sailing Sunday morning, blowing in the breeze across the river, marked both a magnificent sight and sound – and an unforgettable moment in history.
And so then, our own ceremonial Platinum Sailing Procession began in great style.
After finishing at Ranelagh, all the SGSC boats carried on up to Southbank and were hauled out to await the start there of the race on Day 3 – and the SGSC Safety Boat returned to Ranelagh to moor out on a mid-river pontoon. Nearly everyone then walked back to Ranelagh for a pre-plated buffet supper. But where was the Platinum Pudding? Not there. Where was it?
James and Lev finished third overall based on the two races, having come first on the beat downstream and Tim distinguished himself with a fourth place on the run back upstream.
Day 3
Overnight, the weather forecast deteriorated dramatically: gales and rain were expected. An early morning consultation with everyone then led to a decision to abandon completely SGSC’s participation in the Southbank race – and to head back upriver straightaway, while the tide was in our favour.
Accordingly, Andy Ross took the train to Putney to collect the Safety Boat – and found the Ranelagh clubhouse locked and, at very low tide, nobody at all on the river. Not a single rower, and more significantly, not a single onboard boat could be seen anywhere to help get him out to the mid-river pontoon.
A call to Chris – and his gentle persuasion on Southbank, enabled the commandeering of a Safety Boat to come and rescue ours, and so our fleet [in fine and sunny weather again] forsook the charms of Southbank [and the promise of its BBQ] – and we all prepared to head for home: Sam and Ben sailing, James, Chris and Tim in tow.
The sailors were forewarned not, under any circumstances, to attempt to limbo under Hammersmith Bridge – even if tempted. And indeed, they stopped on the foreshore beforehand and de-masted to enable a walk-under, tilting their masts – and then, joined now by James, sailing on up.
The weary Safety Boat after days of motoring, protested at the gross indignity of being hauled by a winch up the ramp by its trolley with a split-flat tyre – but, as with all the other boats, and their sailors, everyone was glad to get home.
Except, not yet.
Day 4
The precaution of sailing back ahead of a great storm of rain proved totally illusory. Sunday dawned as warm and as sunny as the preceding three days.
So, the only remaining event on the Platinum Jubilee Race Regatta weekend was the Strand on the Green Association street party.
Sunday was cloudy with a F3 N wind – appropriate conditions for a B-course.
Five boats rigged on a rapidly shrinking foreshore: Lev and David Kolobov in his Enterprise; Chris Greenwood and Felicia in his Leader; Sam Shemtob with two crew in his Wayfarer; Tim Young in his Wanderer; and Nick Floyer in his Gull. Mary Brown (OOD) commanded the start line and Henry with David Jones and Tim Williamson manned the safety boat. Nick made two attempts at launching but both times he was assaulted by a nasty gust upstream of the railway bridge and, fearing worse conditions further downstream, decided to retire.
The others started on time and running before the following wind set off in line abreast, abreast the tide. Sam, with his well-ladened boat fell astern but the other three kept pace pretty well with Lev mostly in the lead. We had dropped the bottom mark just upstream of Chiswick Marina and Lev, then Chris and Tim rounded it after about 15 minutes and started the steady beat back upstream with the tide. Lev was well clear at the top mark (just downstream of the railway bridge) and completed his first lap after 25 minutes; two minutes ahead of Chris and Tim, who were a mere 2 seconds apart. The second and final lap followed the same pattern but at a much slower pace: the wind had dropped considerably and the flood tide was still strong. All four boats took between 80 and 84 minutes for the lap. Lev finished about two minutes ahead of Chris, leading Tim by 4 minutes with Sam about 5 minutes astern.
Tim then had an unfortunate contact with the bridge as a gust caught him before he had lowered his mast. The damage to Ait Knots remains to be determined. But he has the compensation of winning in all three points series in a very consistent display of sailing. And all participants were rewarded by a plate of flapjack provided by the OOD.
Next week is the 3-4 -day downstream marathon to our neighbours at Corinthians, South Bank and Ranelagh.
OOD: Leona Shepherd Safety Boat: Lev Kolobov Weather: Fair; Light wind moving between E and SSW. Course: A
Six boats launched by 18:40 in a light E wind. Race started at 19.00. On the water there was: Keith Clarke in Kaia; Distant Thunder, helmed by Chris Greenwood with Felicia crewing; Ben Chappell in Envy; James Armitage with Nikita as crew in Zephyr; Rob Adams in Phoebe; Nick Floyer in Flo. A fine evening down by the river. Thanks to the earlier premier league game there was an unusually large audience cheering our racers along at the start of the race. A steady wind from the East made for excellent times with pacey upriver legs in the initial laps and it was neck and neck for a while. The audience support continued too. On the fourth lap the wind remained tangible but moved around, coming from the South and the West – though it was quite inconsistent on the water. As the sun dipped Ben, always the competitor, was seen racing 2 geese with their 4 goslings – Ben won of course! After seven laps James crossed the line first at 47 minutes, followed by Rob, Chris, Ben and finally Nick. Leona (OOD)
Eight boats took advantage of the good sailing weather. The combination of a flood tide and easterly wind was unpropitious for the scheduled ‘B’ Course, so a triangular ‘A’ Course was substituted, with the orange River buoy serving as the downwind mark on the Surrey Bank, matched by one laid opposite The Steam Packet steps, with an upwind mark towards the eastern end of Oliver’s island.
Half the fleet achieved a sub-10 minute first lap, Rob Adams making a very fast start on the Surrey side and pipping James by nine seconds to be first boat round. This duel continued, with positions reversed on the second lap but only six seconds separating the two, a margin which James and crew Felicia slightly increased over subsequent laps.
Chris and Lev also dualled throughout the race, switching places several times over the six laps which they sailed, chasing James and Rob. Ben, sailing hard and never far behind Chris and Lev, crossed the finishing line a lap but only two seconds behind frontrunner James, seemingly not deterred by the near-prospect of having to make another full circuit.
The larger and smaller boats – Sam’s Wayfarer, Tim’s Wanderer and Nick’s Gull were, perhaps, less suited to the conditions, Sam, achieving five laps in just over an hour but Tim and Nick only four.
Weather: Fair; Light wind moving between NE and S.
Course: A
Four boats launched at 14:25 in a light NE wind. Race started at 14:41.
On the water there was: one Laser – Keith Clarke in Kaia; oneEnterprise – Dave Berger helming Big Polly; one Little Boat – Tim Young captaining Ait Knots; one Leader – Distant Thunder, helmed by Felicia with her husband Pacu crewing.
The rain cleared just before the starting whistle, and a steady, if light, wind ensured that the race got off to a good start. Keith almost made the perfect start but unfortunately had to come round again in the last 7 seconds allowing Dave to take an early lead. This did not last long and throughout the first three laps the fleet was neck and neck.
On the fourth lap the wind became more variable in direction and strength, making the down-river stretch slow and tricky, while the up-river leg was quite pacey. Unfortunately Tim accidentally caught the up-stream buoy at the end of his 3rd lap and took a penalty. As near-by competitors struggled to see the buoy, which was hidden by Ait Knots, this was a moment when the race started to spread out.
The wind eventually died making the last laps much longer than the first three and bringing the average lap time down. After six laps Dave crossed the line first at 64 minutes, followed by Keith 12minutes later with Felicia and Pacu only 3minutes behind him, and finally Tim.
Six boats launched at 16:10 in a light NE wind, heading for Hammersmith.
Three Lasers took to the water: Joseph in Punt; Rob in Phoebe and Keith in Kaia.
Enterprises were represented by just Lev and David in Porpoise, and by Big Polly, the latter helmed on this occasion by David Berger.
Nick Floyer brought a little variety to the fleet in his attractive wooden Gull (flo).
A run took the competitors as far as Barnes Bridge, but it was beating beyond that, and quite gusty in places. However, the River outran the race, with the tide turning just before Chiswick Pier, so James in the Safety Boat dropped a buoy to shorten the course.
Returning, the boats had a run to near the brewery, but beating thereafter, meeting some renewed gusts after Chiswick Bridge.
Nick put discretion before valour on the return leg and initially sailed on the jib but, confounded by contrary winds, subsequently retired, accepting a tow.
The OOD resumed his post neatly in time to record Joseph and then Rob over the line, separated by less than a minute, followed 5 minutes later by David in his borrowed Ent. Then, a bit under 10 minutes later, Keith pipped Lev to the line by less than 30 seconds.
A dry, sunny afternoon. High spring tide with varying wind conditions 2 gusting 4 from SSE.
A “B” course was set with an upstream buoy laid at the Bulls Head Pub close in and a downstream buoy laid at Chiswick Staithe.
Four Enterprises: Zephyr (James and Ruth), Porpoise (Lev and David), Big Polly (David and Shelia) and Ixion (Tim and Emma).
A Leader (Chris and Felicia in Distant Thunder) and Envy (Ben in his Laser) and not forgetting those tan sails of Eeyore (Nick and Nicole plus Poppy the dog).
The race commenced at 14.40.
A good start was made by all apart from Eeyore, swept under the railway bridge well before the start. Ixion was also struggling against the tide and wind. Sam helped in the safety boat with a tow – accepted by Ixion but Eeyore decided to row back to the Club Ramp. Poppy was very pleased.
A difficult sail against the Spring Tide and the SSE wind but incident free, no capsizes but long lap times.
Zephyr raced ahead and maintained the lead throughout the race.
Zephyr completed three laps in 70.25 minutes.
Big Polly and Porpoise also completed three laps in 91.22 and 92.40 minutes – close racing.
Distant Thunder and Envy completed two laps in 87.00 and 91.55 minutes.
Ixion persevered with stemming the tide but eventually retired.
Thanks to Sam and Nikita in the Safety Boat for course setting and for safety watch.
It was a fine spring day with a south wind gusting at the top end of F3, five boats starting. James got a really good start to windward with a lift that sent him clear of the others. Ben did a quick capsize after Rob had persuaded him to sail with the Laser main sheeted in tighter than his usual habit. The course was shortened by the safety boat because the tide turned at St Nicholas Church. On the way back there was close racing between Chris and Ben with Chris crossing the finishing line just before Ben.
The star of the day was Nick in the Duckling with a well sailed leg to St Nicholas’s Church well behind the leaders, but then benefitting with plenty of rising tide under him to make a swift passage back to Strand to the cheers of the front runners. Next week it’s a B-course starting at 14:40.
