Sailing from the heart of Portsmouth

Saturday 4th May

3rd Saturday Race

It’s not over until it’s over.

With 3 boats having raced across the last 2 races - it was a really a race between 54, 75 and 70 all with the trophy in sight on the penultimate race of the first Saturday trophy

Two more boats joined including 78 and 53.

78 set the course and was gate boat. PSC/ gate, LT, BT, MR, SS, LT, SS

Sun was shining, it was officially shorts and t-shirts for those brave enough.

The start was competitive, as we fought for the Pin end to gain the advantage of the tide to take us up to LT rather than being sucked into the harbour.

70 had a good start above 75, as they followed eachother toward the channel, before tacking towards the leading lights north of LT.

54 tacked early to follow 78 towards the channel. They key was judging the strength of tide on LT. Lucky for 54,78 and ,75 the tide was in their favour as the braved it to LT, 53 and 70 being more careful and baring down onto the mark.

The 3 leading boats played cat and mouse down the BT with their kites up, they were zig- zagging down to the mark with z70 behind followed 53 trying to complete a windward hoist.

When rounding BT, the boats headed out to the channel to benefit from the tide out of Southampton to round the Mary rose with ease.

Kites up - 78 in 3rd - heads to the left of SS while 54 and 75 continue to play cat and mouse.

The beat up the LT had the added challenge of a parked Ferry but certainly wasn’t too difficult to round LT in the tide.

The final kite leg was again a cat and mouse between 75&54 - 78 stayed out the way using the channel to escalate him down to SS - sailing above and over 75&54 !!

Finish order was : 78,75,54, 70,53

All that and the race was over is just over 1h50mins! All in glorious sunshine - see photos!

MC - Z70

Saturday 4th May

Thursday 2nd May 2024

1 st Thursday, race 3.

The evening started with launching, (yes we are, no we aren’t, yes we are) Z80 and it was good to see the block and

pulley system in use on the camber slip. Heads were scratched as to how it was all to be rigged as its been a while…but

we got there and it was a graceful slip into the cold water with Russell on board..

By that time, we knew we had a race as both 54 and 77 were on hand, we knew that 78 was going. We were also

hopeful that 74 had found a crew. Sure enough, as we were entering the harbour entrance, we heard the dulcet tones of

74 requesting permission to cross the harbour, so we had 4 boats for the evening.

OOD for the evening was 73, with Liz driving Sapristi and your correspondent aboard as a guest (the charge being to

write this). Interestingly, Jim had brought refreshments…what would be in the flasks? As we set out from the harbour,

the wind was a good 16 knots, and with 90 minutes to high-tide, the Solent was quite flat and a good wind from a

direction just north of west. We headed for KB as PSC was just too far north to set a start. The line was established

between Sapristi and a laid mark, just South of KB, and before long the 4 boats were milling about, it was evident

where the windward mark would be, and we watched as the boats set off in that direction to see how tight it would be.

So, having decided on the course: Sapristi-LM, Baker Trayte(BT) (P); Linnington (LT) (P); LM (P), LT(P) and finish at

Suffolk Sails, we watched as the wind started to get up (and more annoyingly, moved north by about 10 degrees), but

we started on time, with Jim almost hanging over the side to get an eye on the line (he was filming too…don’t tell

Angela), but we had a clean get away and after a couple of tacks the lead boats were at Baker Trayte within 8 minutes

(ooops..had we set too short a course?) 77 was first round, followed closely by 74, 54 and 78, but it was 54 that got the

speedy hoist as the others seemed to struggle. The black peregrine was next up, followed by 77 and 78, who was

struggling. The crew must have all been to Pret before sailing as they had a monster wrap. (they obviously went for the

full 3 course…read on ) and she ended up white sailing for a good stretch of the first run. As they passed Sapristi, it was

evident they were having to work hard as it was dead down wind and the gusts were increasing. There was plenty of

rolling taking place as they proceeded, and 78 almost lost it as she pitched from one side to the other, but they caught it

with a harden up. It was 74 that reached LT first, with the lead 3 very close together after 20 minutes of racing. All

opted to take a tack on the rounding and headed out towards the central Solent, with no-one taking the alternate route

(Apparently this is using “the drain”...for more info ask Liz) all stayed on this tack until the rhum line and as they

approached the LM, 78 had made a miraculous recovery having closed to within a boat lengths to 74, with 54 and 77

also in touch, you could almost have thrown a blanket over them all. And off they set again for LT, this time with a

split, 78 taking a starboard gybe, but it was again 54 that stole the march on the hoist as they all again, managed the

gusting conditions. We lost track of which boat was which as they disappeared in to the gloomy sky, having dropped the

kites on the approach to LT and so we motored to SS to await their return, with all 4 boats still within shouting distance

of each other, it was 54 leading to the mark, followed by 78, 54 and 77. After a 49 minute race, all 4 finished within a

minute of the winner.

This was Victory racing at its best; competitive, close and unpredictable. And with 80 now in Haslar and 67, with a

mast fitted, on the trots it bodes well for next week as more boats join the racing list.

And for Jim’s refreshments…..well, it wasn’t rum after all.

Clive, Z79

Tuesday 30th April

Rock and Roll Sailing ! F3/4, SE

Written LIVE!

7pm- BEEP! Line clear!

Geoff Dixon in z54 started the committee boat end and is being pushed up to the first mark, LT (P)

The other 4 boats proceeded to the ‘esilator’

They are tacking up the channel! Powering through the waves!

They are Rounding Lymington on Port - each with a clear lead in each other following each other like ducklings around the first mark weaving through the carrier lights.

19:16 - the first boat rounds LT .. but they are taking time to get their kite up. It’s z74!

It’s close racing tonight they all round the first mark in just 1min.

They are racing down wind, spinnakers flying 74,78,54,79 followed by 77 who looks to be struggling with the spinnaker - (apparently they were having a ‘fiasco’! )

74 jibes - hoping to be swept down the kB.

78 Jibes a few mins later…

19:26

74 looks very far ahead now.

19:27

74 rounds less than 90secs splits the fleet!

Followed by 78,79,77,54

The strong east tide making the laid Mark difficult to make!

19:30

74 rounds and joints his kite for a short run back down to kB! 74 Drops, jibes and rounds kB. 78 follows! 79,77,54. The double mini sausage making them dizzy!

42 mins into the race:

And they finished with a final beat to Suffolk sails 74,78,79,77,54 - all within 90seconds of each other !

Safe to say the rock and roll sailing made for some soggy sailors but it was flat by the time they finished so I don’t know why we’re complaining

Z70, committee boat. MC

Race Report - 20th April

1st Saturday Race of the Year

Force 3/4

KB , SS, KB, SS/ finish

“The sea air cures all”

The night before was the class captain’s birthday, which was spent in the pub ( not sure what time we left) - so just the 2 boats made it out for the first Saturday race of the year!

The class captain in Z70 braved the wind along side Z75. Each boat had a member of the social community (Max and MC) - we kept the course short and sweet to nit miss that evening social. Z75 was gate and Z70 crossed there line just being them on starboard.

After 2 sausage laps- 75 crossed with line ahead of the class captain who by this point was starting to feel a bit fresher - reenergised and ready for the next party that evening - the season opener

Written by MC, Z70

Race report: Sat 27th April 2024

Wind: changed from Northerly to Easterly, cue to potentially bumpy windward legs. Yet comfortably 9-12 knots.

Course: gate from KB Dry Stack, 2x sausages between Linington and Suffolk Sails with second loop finishing between the wall and Suffolk Sails.

Two whole Victories made it on water down from three as other Victories are still coming out of hibernation and a few are complaining about mast or rudder pains and aches, some crew as whimsical as Spring this year - today you see them, tomorrow you don’t.

On this occasion, one of the boats even managed to scramble a non-sailing crew from the legendary sailing city Bristol ( Baltic Wharf Sailing Club) wind whisperers at the fickle Harbour will verify the credentials…

It was agreed to have a reasonable duel with ETR at Portsmouth Sailing Club bar before 4pm.

Once larger sailing boats on their last race of Spring series cleared KB Dry Stack, prompt gate start at 14:00 kicked off tacking to the distant Linington mark through fierce high tide pushing into Harbour and west. Between experience and guessing both Z70 and Z54 were making their way around the corner between ferry routes and harbour entrance.

Z54 benefited from lesser tide closer to land and made ground ahead of Z70 who were pinching breeze in stronger tide.

Once around Linington, Z54 shot off with the wind in spinnaker and tide towards Suffolk Sails (please tag if you can). Some high fives and obligatory chocolate were had on Z54 on this pleasant 2nd leg.

By the time spinnaker was packed and Suffolk Sails rounded, the wind had changed and the tide was going slack.

1/3 into the 2nd leg Z54 decided to keep an eye on Z70 as it has surprisingly sneaked up as close as 3 boat length on the 3rd tack.

The wind was dropping and the tide not yet slack enough, this 3rd leg started to drag out into slightly pounding tacking- too- soon match. Eventually, Z70 called what was supposed to be the last tack too early getting pushed out in stronger tide and loosing some ground.

Around 57minute mark into the race Z54 and Z70 were still doing ‘last tacks’ again and again to get around Linington.

Once there, spinnies and wind brought pleasure finally taking back to the shore and just like that the race was over!

Z54 crossed the finish first and sailed back into harbour.

Well done all, the drinks and crisps in the busy Portsmouth sailing club bar did not disappoint!

Lelde

Key Dates for 2024

Key Dates for 2024

Race Report - 23rd April 2024

Race Report - 23rd April 2024

Record numbers of wooly hats reflected chilly and challenging conditions, exacerbated by the ever interesting Northerlies fluctuating around the harbour and challenging sailors for the second Tuesday race of the 2024 season.

Z48’s crew and Liz set the start line between Sipristi and a laid mark (LM), with a simple windward/leeward x3.

At the gun, a healthy competition developed amongst the fleet to control the committee boat end, with tide flooding into the harbour, pushing boats upwind. A clear lane and the ability to control the fleet through the first few tacks would surely pay dividends and allow crews to navigate the washing machine that is so often the SS corner!

74, 78, 79, 77 headed left with 75 (who started slightly lower), 54, 75 and 70 went right earlier.

Towards the top, most of the fleet had opted for the “top right” of the beat - except 79 who went further towards the wall. By the windward mark, 74, 79 and 75 rounded in quick succession, with 54, 78, 77 and 70 just behind.

Rhumb line vs great circle was the downwind challenge - 75 got their noses inside 79 but couldn’t make it count, with 78 sailing a lower course than the rest.

By the leeward, positions were unchanged, 54 catching the leading pack and claiming a good exit into the final upwind - getting the inside lane between 75 and the finish.

Shifty conditions off the wall with plenty of over the shoulder looks meant that bows were pointing at most areas of the compass. Finishing positions: 74, 79, 75, 54, 78, 77, 70.

Thank you committee and thank you to Scam & Max for letting me play with your new toy! 75 felt like a Ferrari, although I missed the sound of the automatic bilge and the sweet smell of varnish! (Ps I didn’t prang it so all in all a nice, albeit chilly, race!)

Joppers

Z75 (for tonight!)

Race Report from Thursday 18th April 2024

‘Tis the season to be jolly, falalalala lalalala

Sailing’s back, so who needs holly? falalalala lalalala

Yes, its April and this is week 1, race 2 of the 90th year of Victory racing. What’s not to like!

After Tuesday’s curtain raiser, a couple of open questions were answered. Would Tom Verstappen and Team Red Bull Peregrine carry forward last year’s winning form? Would anyone be snapping at their transom? How would the new crews on 75 and 79 fare?

After a cracking, sunny day, would anyone be fooled into a false sense of security? Having learnt from Tuesday night, your correspondent was well layered up, and as Sapristi left the harbour and hit the Solent chop, it was proven to be a good call. Perhaps the reference to holly was relevant; with a 9 degree air temperature and a 15knot South Westerly, it was more like the Frostbite Series.

So, to tonight’s race and 6 hardy crews ventured out, with Sapristi set up in the vicinity of KB. 54, 70, 74, 75, 77 and 78 made there way towards the start area, but it wasn’t long before we were down to 5, as a problem with the main halyard saw 78 retire having to retire before the start. The wind direction meant the course was going to be fairly easy to set, but the question was how many times should we send them round? Bearing in mind the temperature and sea state, the OOD (Liz and Sid) took a big hearted approach, and set a course of Sapristi-KB to Baker Trayte, (P), KB(P), BT(P), KB (P as a passing mark) and finish at the SS line.

As the boats all milled around, the amount of full on warm head gear was apparent; a beanie was the favoured option, but full marks to Duncan for his use of a neck buff! And who was this at the front of 74? Joppers at the pointy end? And, it looked like he was going to be feeling the cold!

A clean start saw 4 boats maintain a starboard tack and head out into the Solent, whilst 70 made an early tack, and sail towards the shore. It only took 8 minutes before 74 rounded the windward mark and out popped the peregrine. 75 was next round but took a while to get the kite up, whilst 54 had obviously been to Greggs as it appeared to have a monster of a wrap, and ended up sailing the whole leg with white sails. 77 was 4th round and as she too took a long while to get the spinnaker airborne, whilst 70 opted to take the more cautious option and sailed with white sails only. There was no change of order at the leeward mark, but this time, everyone opted to sail into the shore after the rounding. But wait! as they neared the windward mark for the second time, it was evident that 75 had got a lot closer. From the committee boat, they looked side-by-side as they tacked away from the shore and headed for the mark…but it was the black peregrine that rose 1st as they rounded. 54 seemed to still be having hoisting issues as they again, sailed the distance from the windward mark to the passing mark with white sails and the kite appearing about 1/3 of the way up, and then disappearing again. 77 was again late hoisting but would they have the legs to catch 54 on the longer kite leg to the finish line. 70 opted to maintain a white sailing option. They remained in this order, as 54 finally got the kite up on the leg from KB to SS to hold off 77.

The final order being 74, 75, 54, 77 and 70. It was only a 31 minute race, but there were some cold bodies out there. 75 is obviously happy with the their new toy as they were only a few seconds behind 74, but Peregrine has had the perfect start to the weekday series, with 2 wins.

Roll on next week, when we can do it all again.

Clive

Z79, Zada