Sailing from the heart of Portsmouth

A fitting place to celebrate our 90 years of dayboat racing and class history, surrounded by 830 years of Naval presence, in the shadow of Nelsons ‘Victory’ and with the 500 year old hull of the ‘Mary Rose’ as a backdrop. The prizegiving for the 2024 season included the Beazley Trophy for overall Cowes Week presented to Russell Mead and “Shearwater”, the Don Metcalf Memorial Trophy presented to Mike Ellingson by the Directors for his support, and the Captains Decanter for services to the Class also to Russell Mead. We were joined by past class captains and Cowes Week winners for a memorable evening.

More Photographs to follow..

A 'short sausage'

The breeze was fickle, and hence ambitious plans to cross the east going tide to a mark on the island shore had to be modified to stay a little closer to home. No harm in putting Stokes Bay East in as the first mark however, to provide a challenging beat around Gilkicker against the tide, followed by Linington – BT – Suffolk Sails, and a ‘short sausage’ to PSC and back if time allowed.

It has to be said that the gate boat had a small advantage, as its port tack run took it in out of the east going tide towards the Haslar wall. There was a general trend to start through the gate as late as possible to compensate, taken almost to extremes (or disaster) by Z75 crossing the line with only 5 seconds of gate left. Z73 also recognised the need to get quickly to the beach, tacking and following the gate boat’s line almost immediately.

In on the beach at Fort Monckton to dodge the east going and get around the Gilkicker corner. Z54 initially holding and opening a lead over Z75 followed by Z68 representing the ‘Petersfield Massive’. You had to get it right however, and the fleet was already starting to spread as the tacks kept coming. You also have to get the corner right, there is a time to come just that little bit further off the beach and aim to just lay the corner, ideally with a bit of help from a bow across the tide. Z75 got that one right, and took the lead from 54 as we cleared the point, with 68, 73, 53, 76 and 48 strung out behind. The leading pair pulled away from the pack, aided by the fluctuating breeze as the SW and SE components fought it out. Z75 in control and first around SBE with 54 close behind, and downwind with the tide helping to further spread the fleet at the tidal gate. 68 next around, 73 and 53 close together and 76 and 48 bringing up the rear but at least with someone to fight with.

As we headed east the breeze died further. Keeping spinnakers flying was tricky, did you go high and hope for breeze later or stay low. Z54 pushed a little further south above the line to Linington, and was eventually rewarded as the breeze built again and swung towards the South, allowing her to power over Z75. At Linington Z54 had the lead again, and started the slow beat back towards the Haslar wall in control, although still with 75 only some half a dozen lengths to leeward. Behind us the fleet largely maintained their positions as they followed.

It wasn’t over yet. Once the wall was reached there were shifts to work with as you dodged the tide again up to BT. How far to go in, or out? Z75 making good progress took the lead back. Tacking off the north corner of Monckton for the mark she looked good with several lengths in hand, It was also 15:55 by now, and the shortened course was called to finish at Suffolk Sails. No short sausage today…

It still wasn’t over yet! 54 squeezed closer to the beach and caught a lift as the two leaders pushed out across the tide to the starboard rounding of BT. Timing was critical, at the mark 54 was on the buoy on Starboard, 75 on port had nowhere to go and had to tack off, and 54 was around first by a couple of lengths. Kites up, run down the wall, nothing to do but keep moving. It wasn’t over until it was over, at the line 54 had maintained her lead by about a boat length over 75. Behind us the rest of the fleet no doubt had their own stories to tell, Z68, Z73,Z53, Z76 and Z48 followed to finish what had turned out to be a challenging race in the conditions, despite the sunshine!

Great to see so many boats racing, hope you are all there next week, and there is always room for more….!

At the start area 2 boats (usual suspects) gathered (Z54 & Z75), but Z75 had a guest on the helm, John Hartley.

With the course decided – MB(p)-KB(p)-BT(s)-SS(fin). Z54 took the honours to be gate. Wait a minute, looks like another Victory appearing at the Harbour Entrance. After delaying the start and

understanding that Z73 had come out for “RACE TRAINING” and was not going to race, Z54 opened the start gate at KB Boats (KB).

Z75 split tacks at the start with Z54 heading towards the shore at Spithead. Both boats decided to try and gain some tidal advantage at Gilkicker. Z54 leading the way and extending their lead to 8 lengths. Z75 pushed South into the main channel, tacking on shifts, the two boats swapped tacks with Z54’s lead only reducing slightly. Z75 tacked on the Starboard layline at Motherbank (MB) first with Z54 just tacking in front, leading by a couple of lengths. A smart hoist by both crews at the mark, then a deep run back to KB. Z54 going deeper, but Z75 gaining slightly on the lulls (thanks to great steering (JH) and kite trim (MR)).

At Gilkicker the lead had changed with Z75 arriving at the next mark just half a length ahead of Z54. Z75 then covered Z54 on the next beat but misjudged the layline slightly at Baker Trayte(BT).So the final run to the finish, first z54 tried to sail deeper to gain some leverage, but than resorted to a final attack covering the wind on Z75. Z75 held its slender lead to the finish.

What a race, a long Solent race, nearly two hours with the boats finishing within six seconds and hardly more than a few lengths between them for the whole race!

Beers were enjoyed at the PSC bar, with JH enjoying his first victory race for a while (I don’t believe him)!!

Thanks to Geoff and his crew for a great day sailing!!!

Scam

(P.S. Jim Page - you could have started the race then RTD/DNS - which I believe is better points than a DNC)

The course was set: BT(p) - SS(p) - BT(p) - SS(p) - PS(p) - SS(p) - PS(p) - SS(finish)

Despite some fiercely sharp starts during Cowes Week, everyone was a little line-shy this evening, with Z74 crossing the start line first at 9 seconds. They were closely followed by Z79 and Z78 all towards pin end, then Z70 had a lovely start nearer the committee boat in clear air. They were followed by Z54 and Z80 who both tacked shortly after crossing the start and headed in to the wall. Z68 and Z77 appeared to have a few issues towards the pin end and had to tack round to get across the start line. It made for good
viewing on the Committee boat.

There was a decided split in the fleet with half holding out to the left and half to the right. Just 9 minutes afrer the start Z74 was first around the windward mark, 60 seconds in the lead followed by Z54, Z78, Z80 then a couple of minutes later Z77, Z79, Z68, Z70. The majority of boats jibed around BT before hoisting, apart from Z70 who bravely hoisted first but then got into some difficulty which unfortunately took them away from the racing line.

Z79 overtook Z77 on the run down to SS but otherwise positions remained the same. Z74 rounded SS first and hardened up, heading towards the wall, tacking out when halfway there to put a loose cover on Z78 who had tacked on the mark. Z54 followed Z74’s line, all continuing out until roughly in line with KB, when Z74 tacked followed by Z54 and Z78. Z80 tacked back onto port earlier than the preceding trio and got ahead of Z 78 by the second rounding of BT. Z54 made good gains on Z74 on the second spinnaker leg but couldn’t catch her before the mark. Z74 rounded first, closely followed by Z54 , both continuing into the wall. Z80 tacked midway, Z78 tacked out on the mark Z77, Z68 following suit.

With the sun starting to dip towards the horizon the OOD decided to reposition Sapristi and shorten the course at the next rounding off SS (flag Foxtrot flying). The only positional change at PSC was Z70 overtaking Z68. No further changes before the finish, with the first boat finishing at 20:00

Final results: Z74, Z54, Z80, Z78, Z79, Z77, Z70, Z68.

Max

Video of Start

• A feature article was published in the official Cowes Week programme, which you can read through the link below.
• The Victory Class was featured on the cover of the Sis.
• Cowes Week produced an official video celebrating the Class, including interviews with Matt and MC, along with stunning aerial footage of our races. Watch the video here
• On Friday, our start was signaled by the firing of a large RYS cannon!

Sailing Today - Yachts and Yachting also published an article about the Class in their July 2024 magazine

Victory Class celebrates 90 years

Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2024, the Victory Class is a Cowes Week classic having taken part in the regatta as early as 1938.

The earliest of these sturdy, black-hulled, 21ft clinker dayboats trace their pedigree back to the gaff-rigged Bembridge one-designs, penned by eminent Solent designer Alfred Westmacott (also X One-Design, Mermaid and Sunbeam) and later modified by Sydney Graham – their shallow draft, speed and ease of handling under an updated Bermudan rig ensured a swift rise in popularity as the boat was readily adopted for club racing in and around Portsmouth Harbour. A spinnaker was added, along with the ‘Z’ insignia on the mainsail, and the class forged ahead as a strict one-design. The fleet numbered 29 boats by 1939, many sailed by naval officers, resulting in a number of boats being shipped to Gibraltar; a fleet still exists there today.

By the 50^th anniversary in 1984, there were 32 boats racing for the celebrations in Cowes.

90 years later, and the Victory class has maintained that competitive reputation (a busy calendar sees around 90 races run from Portsmouth in the summer months) and the Class has had no fewer than seven different winners in the last eight Cowes Weeks!

Celebrations for the 90th are set to be memorable, with a BBQ planned on the Monday night in Cowes to celebrate the Westmacott Trophy, followed by a special Class dinner on the Thursday evening.

Even as it celebrates its many years of successful racing, the Victory class is also embracing its future. Since the launch in 2007 of a GRP Victory, developed by the Class association and built by David Heritage Yachting, numbers racing have shown an upwards trend, with several new boats bolstering this very active and much-loved fleet.

Well the sky wasn’t blue, at least not to start with…and peaceful…ha! There was however a lot of open air, most of it whistling past at 20 - 25 knots from the Southwest. Anyway we had all decided thats what we were gonna do, and so at an hour that your average Victory almost never sees, 6 boats departed the harbour, some even before 9am, and headed up the wall for Gilkicker and beyond on Wednesday morning.

Their destination, confirmed en route, was Solent Mark 4V , Hamble Yacht Services, well west of East Bramble, where Victorys rarely venture outside of Cowes Week. There ‘Cowes United’ and a team from the Royal London Yacht Club’s Cowes Classics Week were waiting, for a days racing as part of the CCW Regatta. It was clear as we rounded Gilkicker in 18-20 knots of SW breeze that it was going to be a damp day. A classic short Solent chop was already building, on 54 Heather at the front was soaked by the time we passed Stokes Bay SC on the close reach to the West. She retreated aft..

All 6 boats made it on time for the start of the sequence at HYS, where we joined rather a lot of Swallows and some Classic Day Boats, all with their own start. By 11:25 Z79, with class legend Kim Taylor at the helm as special guest, was making an enthusiastic start to lead the fleet off the line for the first race, closely followed by the other players for the day, Z54, Z48, Z70, Z73, and Z77. With the breeze still around 18 knots there was a classic ‘Bramble chop’ to sail through, with the race area open to the west all the way to Hurst, and a strong east going tide to fight. Hard to keep the boat moving upwind.

The immediate decision was whether to tack onto port and push north towards Southampton water, or South to get behind the Bramble bank on its SE corner. Z79 went North, with much of the fleet following while 54 held longest to the SE corner before tacking under the bank, At the end of the 1 mile beat Z79 rounded the laid windward and spreader mark first, closely followed by 54 and 48, and in the company of rather a lot of Swallows, to add a bit of Cowes Week style excitement to the day. The hoist and dead run were challenging in the sea state, the fleet spread a little but 79 held the lead. Up the beat again and 54 tried to eat into 79’s lead, but they held the advantage and Kim tacked firmly on top to make sure! Down the run and to the finish, Z79 by a dozen boat lengths. 54 second and 77 holding the third fighting it out with Z48. 79, 54, 77, 48, 70,73.

A short break between races saw Z73 head for home with a sick crew member. Well done to Helen, Gareth and Jim for sailing so far and fighting around the first race in really quite difficult conditions. We hope everyone has recovered today!

Race 2, on the same course. The sun was out, serving to highlight that the wind has increased 2 or 3 knots, and the view to windward was bright green water and white breaking waves! Z48 leading the charge off the line, 54, 77, 79 in the mix. Again the decision was how far to get behind the bank and again 54 went the furthest. Then disaster! Black marks are hard to spot against the Island shore, Z79 and Z77, far to the north on the right of the beat, overstanding the windward mark by some way. Z54 also lured too far, and only Z48 picking the line, while Z70 crosses early. Z54 just in time to roll over 48 as the mark approaches to round first, Z70 gaining rapidly on those over stood. Z54 leads down a frankly rather rock and roll run. Action behind, but I had too much to concentrate on to keep things afloat to get the details! A thrash up the beat in very short waves, covering the fleet, and another mind concentrating run and 54 had the win, with 79 second having passed 48, and 77 and 70 astern.

No time to rest, and anyway everyone was ready to head for home, but you had to passage race there! Race 3 had a simple course.. Mark 47 (Contessa 32 Class), some 1/2 mile upwind, to port, followed by Suffolk Sails, some 7 miles of downwind sailing to the east. Z70 had the start of the day, no week, no.. month! on the line, on the committee boat, shutting out Z79 and bang on the gun! The rest of the class also on the ball, just to show the RLYC what we do. A short sharp beat saw Z54 take the lead round the windward mark a few boat lengths ahead of Z79, with the rest of the fleet close behind. And then comes the long downhill. Broad reach, 20 - 25 knots, quartering sea. An exhilarating leg for everyone, unless you were the one hanging on to the kite sheet (well done Heather and Martyn on 54). Z54 extending from 79 and surfing waves, and the fleet generally extending as we reached down to the mainland shore to dodge the west going tide. Around Gilkicker and on to the run, much to the crews relief! At the line Z54 after 1 hour 16 mins, followed by 79, 77, 70 and 48.

Long day, long report! Thanks to everyone who supported the day, to the RLYC team and to Heather and Martin especially in ‘Zelia’ ! (And a special thanks to the Pet Shop Boys….)

Sapristi was busy two trips over to Haslar Clive joined me for the first trip all crews chatting away. Second trip Frank and Angela joined Sapristi to help run the racing.

After dropping the second load of people off at Haslar Sapristi mad her way out to the race area.

With the wind in the north west but deciding it wasn’t going to stay constant but we decided the first beat will be to PSC after laying a starting mark. Once Sapristi had her anchor down Phame with Max on board joined us on Sapristi.

Course decision was changed a couple of times before the race as we wanted to make sure we could shorten.

Course:- Strt:- Sapristi-laid mark. PSC {P} Linnington (P) through gate X 4 PSC (P) Suffolk Sails to finish.

Ready for the start on time. Ok the visiting helms decided they wanted to get course side before the starting gun yes we do have boats over the line on race days but not so we can’t read the numbers about five boats over no idea who they were so general recall first time that I can remember. Set up start again. Asking all helms to behave and keep the right side of the line. Start gun goes good boys and girls except for one Z54 trying his luck not going to get away with it.

Round one in the lead Z75 with Eilidh McIntyre at the helm crewed by Scam and Jed In 27mins 01seconds 2nd Z78 with Jim Downing at the helm crewed Adam Mayor-Bowler and Zoe. 3rd Z74 Helmed by Ross Partridge crewed by Duncan and Adrian Second round decision had to be made to shorten the course or change of course. Decision made shorten course so as the leader went round Linington for the last time sound signal made to shorten and VHF call to let the sailors know so they can decide which way to go up the last beat. Nearing the finish who is going to cross the line first need to be right on the line very close Eilidh have you thrown it away after being 38 seconds in front of Jim Downing.

After racing there was a prize giving, with a supper of pizza and cake at PSC.

Results as they crossed the line:-

1st. Z75. Eilidh McIntrye 54 mins 39 sec

2nd. Z78. Jim Downing 54mins 42 sec

3rd. Z74. Ross Partridge 56min 10sec

4th. Z80. Dave White 56min 37sec

5th. Z54. Danny Murphy 58mins 22 sec. OCS

6th. Z70. Matt Alred. 59mins 37sec

7th. Z71. Jamie Benthen 1hr 03min 41sec

8th. Z77. Graeme Findlay. 1hr 03min 50sec

9th. Z48 Diggory Ross. 1hr 03min 52sec

10th Z79 Jim Wicks. 1hr 04min 05sec

11th. Z53. Ian Campbell. 1hr 13min 25sec

Thank you Clive. Frank. Angela and Max for helping with OOD Duties.

Six Victorys raced over to Seaview on Friday afternoon in quite bouncy conditions. First to finish on the SVYC line was Zilch (Z75) helmed by John Scammell; second was Zelia (Z54 - Geoff Dixon) and third was Zada (Z79 - Nick Benham). Z48 Isabel helmed by Jim Downing tacked early only to find himself rather close to the swimmers on Seaview beach! Subsequently they were joined by Zircon (67 - James Jopling) and on Saturday morning by Seagull (Z73 - Jim Page). After a very jovial informal supper at SVYC on Friday evening, crews met up on the staging mid morning on Saturday and as planned had a relatively short one round race around the SVYC buoys.

Victory Start 1 Saturday - https://youtu.be/o3z4pSx7na4

Looking completely in control, and making their spinnaker work well on the run to the leeward mark, Zilch (Z75) was the first to cross the finish line ahead of Zada (Z79) second and Zelia (Z54) third. With the fickle SSE’erly breeze coming and going, the third race was essentially a passage race to Under Tyne - a challenging beat as it turned out.

After a tight start close to the inner distance mark. it was soon evident that the front three were going to be the same boats (in the same order) as the previous race.

The final race of the day was another ‘round the cans’ race, making use of Tara as the windward mark, Fitzwilliam as the wing and Britten as the leeward mark; set three times round with the requirement to go through the line to complete each round. After a clean start (just) it was again Zilch (Z75), Zada (Z79) and Zelia (Z54) who lead the fleet as they located the correct buoys in unfamiliar waters.

Victory Start Race 4 Saturday - https://youtu.be/Wcqi1MbOg7o

Although the front group seemed to make light work of the fickle breeze, the bottom few boats struggled to stem the increasingly strengthening tide taking boats, against their wishes, back to Seaview. Indeed Dolphin (Z9) realised that they were on a looser so sensibly decided to retire and use their outboard to help them to the overnight moorings at Under Tyne. As the leaders had already taken an hour and a half as they came to complete the second round, the third round was abandoned and the S Flag (shorten course) was displayed.

After an excellent bbq at BSC on Saturday evening, it had been agreed that crews would meet at BSC the following morning at 10:15 to be ferried out to the Under Tyne moorings with the aim of the passage race back to Portsmouth starting at 11:00 so as to be off Seaview at 11:30 when the Red Arrows were doing a display over Ryde Sands. In the event it took a couple of boats a bit longer to rig but with the breeze holding and despite the very biased line, the seven Victory’s (Zada Z79 having returned the previous late afternoon) and although it was a beat all the way, good progress was made and they were treated to their own display overhead! Also a timely reminder for some of how far out Ryde Sands stretches! Self finishing off Suffolk Sails, the front three boats were Z48 - Isabel; Z54 - Zelia and Z70 – Unity who finished within three minutes of each other after a two hour race.

A fun weekend which it is hoped can be repeated again soon. Its been too long since the Victorys were regular visitors to the Eastern Solent.

The final results for the weekend were:

1. Z75 - Zilch

2. Z54 - Zelia

3. Z79 - Zada

4. Z48 - Isabel

5. Z70 - Unity

6. Z9 - Dolphin

7. Z67 - Zircon

8. Z73 - Seagull

Additional photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBxzAm

Words by Mike Samuelson