Neyland Yacht Club

Races 6 & 7 of the Frostbite Series

Sunday 2^nd February 2025

Races 6 & 7 – 2nd Feb 2025

138 years to the day after the first official gathering for Groundhog Day the fleet of sailors at Neyland YC may have thought they were in a constantly repeating cycle - another Frostbite Sunday with shifty wind from the SE, would the prevailing Sou’westerlies make an appearance in this series?

14 boats in division 1 and 6 boats in division 2 made a clean start at 10:30 in the first race of the day in a F3-4 from the south east, on a starboard hand triangular course starting at the club, but using a red mooring buoy as the ODM to give a squarer line, Bath House (S), Dockbank 4 (S), dropped buoy near the centre of the Promenade (S), TTL.   The majority of the fleet opted to start on starboard at the ODM but Jon N in his ILCA 7 took an immediate lead by starting mid line being able to tack sooner as an early shift to the left hit and making better use of the back eddy running eastwards close to the Neyland shore.  The onlookers ashore were treated to some close to the shore racing as the bunched fleet kept themselves in the favoured tide before tacking for the first mark, Bath House (S), with the calls for “water” and “starboard”, predominantly from the youngest sailors in their Teras, clearly audible.  Jon N was clear away at the first mark followed by the ILCA 6 of Noah S who had a small gap to the melee of the Supernova, then Stratos, then ILCA 6 of Alec D and then Ross P.  Gusts at the bear away were causing some to have difficulty in getting their bow to go down to the next mark.  Alan G in his Dart 18 had worked through the pack and was able to lead the fleet to begin the 2nd lap in a slightly increased wind.  Jon N in his ILCA 7 was next to complete the first lap, only 46 seconds behind the Dart 18.  Geoff T in the Supernova was next, having opened up an almost 30 second gap to the bunch behind, his reduced sail area obviously wasn’t holding him back on the downwind legs.
Division 2 was confidently led around by Dylan W in his ILCA 4, the 5 RS Tera’s grouped in distant contact having their own tussle to lead them.
By the final lap, 3 for Division 1 and 2 for Division 2 each boat had a little space between the boats around them, some had been for a swim after being caught out by the increasing strength of the gusts and with it, the reduced steadiness in direction of the wind.
The Dart 18 crossed the line first, followed by Jon N (ILCA 7), Geoff T (Supernova) and Alec D (ILCA 6).  On corrected time it was an entirely ILCA affair, Jon N followed by a trio of ILCA 6’s; Alec D, Eloise C and Noah S.
 

Dylan W was first to finish for Division 2 but was beaten on corrected time by Isabelle N and Anwen S respectively.

The second race of the day, number 7 of the series, started immediately after race 6 had completed.  The course was adjusted to remove Dockbank 4 so replacing 2 reaching legs with a run, perhaps giving more tactical options with the increased outflowing tide
Each division was treated to their own start, the youngsters in Division 2 off first.  Liam F in his RS Tera Pro was millimetre perfect at the pin end at full speed, leading the tightly knitted boats in division 2 up the beat.  The tidal flow was in full ebb across the width of the river with no back eddy at the Neyland shore but the entirety of this division judged the lay-line to the windmark well, Anwen S rounding first with a small gap over the rest having avoided the tacking duels that the others engaged in on the first leg.  Positions and gaps remained unchanged until the downwind leg of lap 2 when the breeze was at its freshest, the 3 Teras of Liam F, Isabelle N and Iolo B had caught up to the lead Tera riding a gust on the run.  Anwen S capsized gybing at the leeward mark letting the 3 other Teras sail past, only for Iolo B to get knocked over by a gust as he rounded up onto the beat.  Liam F covered Isabelle N to the line, only for her to find extra pace as they approached the line and poke her nose just in front to take line honours.  Iolo B, Anwen S and Dylan W followed crossing the line at the same time.

Division 1 started 5 minutes after Division 2.  Pole position was tightly contested between Geoff T, Jon N and Noah S.  Geoff T had the best position of the three to windward but couldn’t stop Jon N squeezing through to leeward.  By the time they reached the windward mark the outgoing tidal flow was very strong, catching nearly all the pack out.  Jon N and Geoff T made contact on rounding requiring them to exonerate themselves with 360° turn on the run.
By lap 2 the Dart 18 of Alan G had broke through to the front but 2 ILCA’s were very close.  Jon N was closely followed by Eloise C who had sailed away from the pack and up to the front on the run.
By the second and final lap the wind was now at it’s shiftiest - coupled to the cold and fatigue several boats had capsized and opted to return to shore.
The Dart 18 was first to finish, although he had not pulled any further ahead of the 2 leading ILCA’s on his final lap.  Jon N crossed second after a ~30° header had resulted in a capsize to windward close to the finish.  Eloise C rounded off the first three finishers.

Many thanks to Sledge for running the racing & Becky for assisting in the starting hut.  To Lloyd & James and Vaughan & Roger for providing safety cover, and to Paul for assisting on shore.

Footage of R6 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-pHtMcKkc0

Footage of R7 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHwdBaWiC7M