Southern - Royal Southern Yacht Club

ROYAL
SOUTHERN
YACHT CLUB
WINTER 2013
the
SOUTHERN
the
CONTRIBUTORS
The Editorial Team would like to
thank the following contributors
to this Spring edition of The
Southern.
Eddie Aldridge
Serena Alexander
Ken Andrew
Mike Austen
Peter Bateson
Hedley Bewes
Bill Blain
Paul Blainey
Georgia Church
Kate Church
Kate Christie
Colin Hall
Naomi Hall
Jan and Peter Halliday
Tim Harrison
David Henderson-Williams
Geoff Holt
Richard Hughes
MOS Fitzgerald
Mark Inkster
Katie Jackson
Cailah Leask
Len Lochrie
Dick Long
Sandy McPherson
Eddie Mays
Alistair Mackay
David Mead
Graham Nixon
Judy Nutt
Brenda Pridal
Valerie Pritchard
Matthew Richardson
Phil Riley
Susie Reynolds
Lis Robinson
Tim Robinson
Louise Sproule
Peta Stuart-Hunt
Alan Sharman
John Stork
Sally Sturt
John Walker
Jenny Walton
Wolfgang Weber
Maggie Widdop
Jan Wright
Paul Wyeth
SOUTHERN
contents
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p10-12
p13-17
p18-19
p20-23
p24-36
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p38-44
p46-47
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p51
p52
p54
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p56-62
p64-65
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p72-75
p76-79
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p82-83
p84-86
p88-91
p92-97
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p100
From the Commodore
New Members
Obituaries
Charitable Trust
King’s Royal Hussars
Southern History
Southern Sponsorship
Niklas Zennström
Racing
Red Cap Party
New York Invitational Cup
XODs in Hamble
SB20 Championships
Short Course Racing
Forward Look to 2014
Canute’s Regatta
Poole & Back Race
Cowes/Deauville Race
Cruising
Academy
Youth
Motorboats
Southern Winners and
Prize Giving
Shooting Society
Golf Society
Ladies Committee
Southern Insignia
Photography Competition
Snippets
Ashore
Programme 2014
COVER PHOTOGRAPH
Paul Harlow’s Striker at the
Motorboat Spring Rally
Courtesy of Kate Gough
EDITORIAL TEAM
David Mead - Commodore
Tim Robinson - Vice Commodore
Sheelagh Cohen - Editor
John Walker - Marketing
John Sparshatt-Worley - Advertising
Pat Aspinall - Sub Editor
Brian Curtis - Art Director
Design & Artwork Owl House Limited
Editorial:
editor@royal-southern.co.uk
Advertising:
advertise@royal-southern.co.uk
© The Southern is published by the Royal
Southern Yacht Club Ltd., Rope Walk,
Hamble, Southampton SO31 4HB and
distributed free to Members and other
interested parties. Opinions expressed
are those of the contributors and are not
necessarily shared by the Editor and/or
publishers. Although the greatest care has
been taken in compiling this publication, the
publishers and Editor accept no responsibility
or liabililty for any errors, omissions
or alterations, or for any consequences
ensuing upon the use of, or alliance on any
information given in this publication.
Royal Southern Yacht Club is the trading
name of Royal Southern Yacht Club Ltd
Registered Office: Rope Walk, Hamble
SO31 4HB No. 05372495
ROYAL SOUTHERN YACHT
CLUB CONTACTS
Office & Administration:
023 8045 0300
Chris Pullinger 023 8045 0301
Club Secretary
secretary@royal-southern.co.uk
Natalie Gray
023 8045 0302
Sailing Secretary
sailing@royal-southern.co.uk
Lesley Walford 023 8045 0315
Administrator
secretary.admin@royalsouthern.co.uk
Accounts:
023 8045 0304
Lawrence Hall 023 8045 0300
Head Chef
catering@royal-southern.co.uk
Reception
023 8045 0300
admin@royal-southern.co.uk
David Williams
Bosun
07900 872 461
1
COMM
from th
ODOR e
E
It is hard to believe it is over
six months since I wrote for
the Spring issue of the Southern and ten months since the
AGM last November. How
time flies being Commodore
of your Club which I am finding thoroughly enjoyable,
attending and taking part
in events both at home and
overseas and meeting likeminded people. I remember
John Beardsley (JB) quoting
“two years is not enough lad
and you will find you would
like to go on for a further two
years” I am not so sure as by
this time next year you will
have probably had enough of
me and be ready for change
which is a good thing.
Having been voted Yacht
Club of the Year by Yachts and
Yachting back in January I feel
we have more than qualified this
year moving the Club in the right
direction – upwards. The Sailing
Committee have worked hard as
a team organising new events
and improving our annual events
and thank you to our many
sponsors Harken, Joseph Perrier
Champagne, Mount Gay Rum,
the Barbados Tourist Authority
and Gaastra Clothing. Also a
big thank you to Aveva plc who
sponsored this year’s September
Regatta with superb engraved
and cut crystal glass prizes for all
classes.
Congratulations to our Members (too numerous to mention
all) who have won many International, National and Club events
this year around the globe. Ben
Ainslie for his achievements on
Oracle Team USA in the America’s Cup and Niklas Zenstromm
who continues to win event after
event with his crews aboard RAN.
2
We had many successes
during Cowes Week with a well
supported and enjoyable Commodore’s Party at the Commodore’s House with Members and
guests.
cluding Food and Beverage and
Entertainments under the chairmanship of Sheelagh Cohen
have more than supported the
Sailing Committee organising
with Club Secretary Chris Pull-
At the party we distributed
out provisional events programme for 2014 – has this ever
been done before? Thank you
to John and Jane Terry for letting the Club use their wonderful facilities on the waterfront in
Cowes over the past three years.
I would like to thank former
Commodore Colin Hall for all
his work as Chairman of the
Sailing Committee who steps
down at the AGM this November. The House Committee in-
inger and his staff some hugely
popular and well supported
themed evenings throughout
the year. The Ladies Committee
under Valerie Pritchard just goes
from strength to strength helping
with the Club furnishings and
raising money for local charities including over a thousand
pounds at the MacMillan coffee
morning at the end of September. The monthly Ladies Athena
lunches held on the first Friday in
the month have also been highly
successful and well supported by
Members and guests and as a
spin off their partners have also
been getting together for lunch at
the Club – a double bonus.
I was delighted to be able to
travel to Newport, Rhode Island
in early September to support the
Royal Southern entry “Magical
Mystery Tour” in the New York
Yacht Club Invitational Cup
presented by Rolex. The invitation goes to twenty Clubs from
around the world to race in identical Swan 42 Club class boats
over five days. The Southern entry came fifth overall which was
a fantastic achievement against
very tough opposition. Of the
twenty Clubs invited eight were
International Council of Yacht
Club Members and the Southern entry was the highest placed
ICOYC boat to finish so we did
have a first! A full report on this
fabulous event which we were
very honoured to be invited to
appears in this issue. The NYYC
Harbour Court Clubhouse in
Newport with superb facilities
made the crews and support
teams most welcome and walking around the clubhouse made
us aware that it was steeped in
tradition. One is the ceremony
of lowering the Ensign. At the
firing of a cannon all present
stand quiet and still. The Ensign
is then lowered and dropped
into a box, without touching the
ground, and a Flag Officer then
announces “Carry On” and the
normal social hubbub resumes.
During the summer we have
agreed reciprocal arrangements
with the Royal Melbourne Yacht
Club in Australia and the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode
Island. If you wish to visit either of
these Clubs or any other Reciprocal Club overseas my suggestion
would be to request our Secretary
to notify the Club you wish to visit
in writing before you leave. Really
just a matter of courtesy.
When you read this I will
have been to Hong Kong for the
ICOYC Commodore’s Forum in
early November and we will be
into the traditional November
routine of the Prize Giving, Laying Up Dinner and the AGM –
a busy month - and then into the
Christmas celebrations.
In this issue of the magazine
is another first for the Club – a
comic strip in The Southern.
This article connects two Members - Richard Campbell-Walter
and Bill Blain and makes fascinating reading. The Southern
has continued to innovate but
the magazine does not just happen and we would welcome any
Members who would like get involved in its production whether
with writing, proofing or with
photography. Please contact me
if you wish to help with your
magazine in any way.
Finally I would like to thank
by fellow Flag Officers, Committee Members and, most importantly, you the Members for your
fantastic support throughout the
year – you only get out what you
put in and we have had fun.
With best wishes for the
coming festive season and to an
even better 2014.
David Mead
PRINCE
PHILIP
YACHT
HAVEN
Nearly fifteen years since
the link pontoon was deployed for the first time we
are in sight of a permanent
walk ashore solution to the
Club moorings.
Earlier this year, after many
years of hard work, dedication
and a massive amount of cooperation with our neighbours,
the RAF Yacht Club, we were
granted planning permission
for the Prince Philip Yacht
Haven. The current plans will
bring about so much more
than was originally envisaged;
not just a fixed link to the land,
but a brand new facility to secure the waterfront for the next
fifty years with improved flood
defences for Rope Walk, all tide
access to the water, improved
facilities on the pontoons and
the only disabled access on the
Hamble. However many more
statutory permissions are required as Hamble contains
internationally
recognised
areas of habitat that have to
be protected. The needs and
wishes of the local community
also have to be taken into account in the design and implementation of any development
and we readily agreed to some
twenty seven conditions being applied to our planning
permission having suggested
some as a demonstration of
our good faith.
Replacement of our 130
metre sea wall, a key element
of the scheme which represents a significant percentage
of the total cost is now becoming urgent. Without it the other
works would not be possible
but it would have been short
sighted not to use this once
in a generation opportunity
to provide world class facilities for the future and also get
maximum value from essential
works.
Since the grant of planning, work has progressed on
many fronts; discharging the
conditions of our permissions,
PRINCE PHILIP YACHT HAVEN
refining the design details, appointing contractors, considering the financing and many
more, all in close co-operation
with the RAFYC. The scheme
details are now close to being
finalised as are the costings but
there is more work to be done.
We are delighted to have appointed consulting engineers
Opus International Consultants
a leading international infrastructure consultancy with a
worldwide network of offices but
also local expertise. Work is expected to start in October 2013
with piling for the new sea wall.
This will be followed by dredging
and, finally, the construction of
our new facilities.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Past Commodore Mark Inkster and his
Yacht Haven Committee and
our neighbours, the RAFYC,
particularly Ian Redsell, for their
tireless work in taking forward
this development which is to the
mutual benefit of both clubs and
the wider community.
A huge thank you to and Ian
Redsell from the RAFYC for obtaining this.
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP The Commodore in Newport, Rhode Island
with ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ during
the NYYC Invitational Cup
OPPOSITE PAGE CENTRE
Members and some of our younger
guests at the Commodore’s Cocktail
Party in Cowes
TOP Magical Mystery Tour racing
at Newport, Rhode Island, USA
BOTTOM Ida Lewis Yacht Club,
Newport, Rhode Island, our latest
Reciprocal Club
3
NEW MEMBERS
The Commodore and Flag Officers would like to
welcome the following new Members to the Royal
Southern Yacht Club:
Stephen Armitage
Philip Farbowski
Jonathan & Sarah Assael
Patricia Fitzgerald
Matthew Ball
& Anna Meurling
Shelagh Fitzpatrick
Stewart & Chia Barnard
James & Alyson Frampton
Aiden Barr
Robert & Laura Bishop
and Eleanor
Paul & Cathy Blainey
Frank Bowden
Peter & Emma Bowyer
Thomas Foskett
Peter & Judith Franz
Toby Fuller
Mary Furley
Vahid Ganjavian
Maurice & Ann Girling
Malcolm & Sarah LeMay
and Oliver
Colin Stewart
Adam Lees
Sean Leonard
John & Lucille Taylor,
Jonathan and Toby
Toby Litton
Jack Thoms
Sonia Haddock
Anthony & Sally Mack
Aude Tilbury
Timothy Harding
Neil McKingley
& Denise Barbour
Stephanie Wagner
& Daniel Cross
David & Tracy Miles
Barry White
Adam Munday
Keith Whybrow
& Lucy Spencer Smith,
Lucy and Harry
William Gregg
Edward Bracken & Hollie
Stallwood-Bracken, Jemima,
Penelope, Scarlett and Miles
Susan & Jessica Griffiths
and Luke
Mark Breton & Amanda Pirie
Roger Gunn
& Shirley Hendersen
John Burton
Victor Buss
& Emma Yeoumans
Stephen & Sonia Butcher
Mark Hathaway
Robert Butcher
Shirley Henderson
Philip Clapp
Philip & Michelle Hildyard
and Holly
Adrian & Debera Clark
Sam Cooper
Nichola Curwen
Jeffrey Dakin
Christopher Murray
Dominic Horner
Justin Noble
Richard Hosking
Perry Noble
Carl Wilcock
& Susan Tyrwhitt-Williams
Raymond Howell
Nicholas & Rosie O’Donell
and Darcy
Nicholas Wilkinson
Iain & Linda James
and Matthew
Jeffrey Orford
Ian & Anna Wilson,
Nicolas and Peter
Conrad Jansz
& Diana Hoskins
Colin & Rosalind Osmer
Michael & Angela Wimsey
Richard Patrick
Nicholas & Grace Dunn
and Isabella
Alexandra & Francesca Jaques
Jane Windsor
Gael Pawson
Andrew Wishart
Andrew Edwards
Jon & Jane Kickham
William Lane
Eurof Phillips
& Barbar Mackay
Grant & Lisa Woodall
and Samuel
Stephanie Pinnells
Colin Wray
Trevor Davies
Hannah Diamond
Jamie Diamond
Oliver Egan
Philip & Susan Elkin
Robert & Elaine Langley,
Edwin and Thomas
Keith & Tracy Plumridge
Katie Powell
HONORARY MEMBER
Elizabeth Richardson
Lt Col & Mrs Justin Kingsford
Philip & Juliette Riley
Justin Kingsford has replaced
Alex Potts as the Commanding
Officer of the Kings Royal Hussars
Peter Rowson
Anisa Sheik-Board,
Eiliyah and Ismail
Nicholas & Denise Skinner
Kim Skov-Nielsen
John Stattersfield
& Diane Wells
4
Helen Stone-Ward
MEMBERSHIP
Membership can be viewed fee for a 3 month period. I am
as a surrogate for the health certain that the success of this
temporary removal will be repaid
of a Club.
Like any Club the Royal
Southern, despite its long
history and tradition, reflects
the environment in which we live
– an increasingly active ageing
population with time to enjoy
their yachts but with diminishing
investment returns to fund what
many view as luxuries; younger
families feeling the pinch with
the cost of housing and school
fees eating into their disposable
incomes; time pressures on all.
Membership
numbers
have always ebbed and flowed
but, in the last few years, the
Executive Committee had come
to notice an adverse impact
on our numbers and income.
We froze subscriptions or held
increases to below the level of
inflation but this only provided
a temporary solution as, like
any business, our costs were not
reducing. So earlier in the year,
the Executive agreed to an Open
Day, planned and executed by
the Sailing Committee with
other Hamble Clubs, to show
our wares to the community
and, hopefully, encourage new
Members. All parts of the Club
pulled together to make it a
great success.
Since the Open Day our
staff have processed over 250
applications to join the Club.
This number was undoubtedly
swelled by a well timed, one-off
incentive, to remove the joining
by the new Members joining in
with all that we have to offer as
a Club. I urge all Members, old
and new, to embrace the many
activities available. I counted
over 200 events on last year’s
calendar and the provisional
calendar for 2014 is full of new
events to entice you.
Welcoming new Members
to our Club is everyone’s
responsibility at all times. The
Executive team interviewing
them all were delighted to meet
so many interesting and vibrant
new boaters and they will be an
asset to our Club.
On the question of the Club’s
vitality it is important that we do
not let the average age increase
by a year every year and I am
sure we all know clubs where
this is happening. Our Academy
obviously has a beneficial effect
with its 130 members in the age
range 18 to 26 but even without
their ages skewing the statistics
the average age of our Members
is now in the mid fifties from a
figure of 60 plus a few years ago.
In terms of the future, we
have a Membership Committee
which is charged with identifying
current and future membership
needs, ensuring that existing
Members continue to get good
value and enjoyment from being
a Member of the Southern
and considering recruitment
of Members. I currently chair
this committee with Maj. Gen.
Alan Sharman representing
the Executive, and picking up
chairmanship after the AGM,
Richard Hughes representing
Sailing and John SparshattWorley representing House.
I have tried in this report
not to dwell on the numbers.
We have around 1700 souls
who are Members today. The
Executive, many years ago, set
a target of 1900. I am sure with
our efforts on the Clubhouse,
restaurants, pier, bedrooms,
and hopefully soon, the new
Prince Philip Yacht Haven, we
will easily reach this number in
a few years. All in all I think we
are in good shape.
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Tim J Robinson
Vice Commodore
5
OBITU
ARIES
John Beardsley
1937-2013
John Beardsley died on the
18 August, his 76th Birthday,
in the presence of friends
and family. He had been born
into a small, closely knit mining community in Featherstone, West Yorkshire. Both
his grandfathers had been
killed in mining related accidents and his father worked
at the local coal mine as a
winder; a highly responsible
surface job maintaining and
operating the winding gear
taking miners underground
to the coal face.
As a child John was never a
model of good behaviour and
he spent much of his childhood
trying to keep out of trouble with
his father, whose punishments
included gardening detail. This
engendered in John a lifelong
6
dislike of gardening. His father,
a staunch churchgoer, believed
that John’s free time should be
spend as a chorister but John
‘bunked off’ church duties to
attend the local Model Aeroplane Club. All went well until
the local newspaper reported
him winning the first prize in a
competition held on a Sunday.
There was the inevitable retribution when his father read
the report. Although a reluctant
chorister, he lived in a musical
household and this gave him a
lifelong love of classical music,
especially opera and Beethoven.
His entrepreneurial spirit was
evident from an early age and he
held down several ‘after school’
jobs which enabled him to have
plenty of money for Sunday
School and Boy Scout trips.
Although he had a burning
ambition to join the RAF or
Navy, he did as expected by his
family and followed his father
and grandfather into mining be-
coming an engineering apprentice with the Coal Board. However, he continued to design and
make things in his spare time
and helped an old school friend
build a boat in his bedroom
– getting it out proved problematical and involved removing the window and brickwork.
He also renovated a Morgan
and joined a local motor club
through which he met his future
wife Jean.
It is difficult to identify when
he developed a passion for the
sea but on a family trip to Blackpool he once bought a model
yacht and his favourite treat
was to visit the lifeboat station.
A career change and move to
Edinburgh heralded John’s serious involvement in sailing and
he built a blue Scorpion dinghy,
Rondo, which he campaigned
nationally. On his return to
Yorkshire in 1976 he became an
active member of Whitby Yacht
Club, racing as crew on Dragons and GK 24’s every weekend.
He was never ideal ‘crew’ material and it was a happy day in
1979 when he took delivery of
Delta Dawn, a Delta 31.
He disputed with his daughter Fiona which of them came
to Southampton first, Fiona
to study medicine or John to
escape the freezing grey North
Sea. Irrespective of the reason
for coming south, in 1982 he
joined the Royal Southern and
inevitably his knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication attracted
the attention of the Club management who quickly recruited
him to their service. His rise
through the committees to Flag
Officer and eventually Commodore, in 2006, was a natural progression. He was fiercely proud
both of his Yorkshire heritage
and the Southern and calculated that by the time he stepped
down as Commodore he had
travelled 326,976 miles between
Yorkshire and Hampshire.
It was around the time that
he joined the Club that he also
bought Jorvik Rose, a Contest
46, which was built for him
in Holland. The Cruiser Race
then became an essential part of
John’s sailing programme. His
total commitment to planning,
competing and organising the
social side was clear, and many
happy evenings were spent on
board Jorvik Rose, where his
cooking skills and extensive
knowledge of wine were practically demonstrated. He had
always had a number of interests on the go and had diversified from engineering into hotel
ownership, renovating and then
running the Parsonage Hotel
near York for many years. This
inspired his love of fine dining
and fine wines and he undertook a Sommeliers wine course,
subsequently becoming a St
Emilion enthusiast and Member of the Jurade of St Emilion.
John’s sailing interests were
not restricted to cruising. For
over fifteen years he was Chairman of the York Cruiser Training Centre which introduced
over 200 people to sailing. He
was also a founding member
of the White Rose Yacht Club
Sir Mark
Norman
1927-2013
Sir Mark Norman joined
the Club in 1990 and by
1994 was a member of the
then Managing Committee.
A tall patrician figure, Sir
Mark was a key member of
the team that developed the
new Clubhouse building. His
influence gained support
for the project from many
of the older Members who
preferred the staus quo, not
recognising that the old dining room was disintegrating
– as indeed it did.
which was set up to put up an
entry for the America’s Cup.
Unfortunately the entry had to
be withdrawn when sufficient
funds could not be raised to
build the first hull. He also used
his engineering talent to design
specialist equipment for Geoff
Holt’s circumnavigation of the
United Kingdom and was at
Cane Garden Bay, BVI to welcome Geoff after his transatlantic crossing.
He was Chairman of the
Royal Southern Charitable
Trust and in early August this
year HRH The Princess Royal
visited him in hospital and spent
a considerable amount of time
talking about the work of the
trust and the benefits it brings to
young people.
Despite never being ‘ideal’
crew material, in 2010 he signed
on as one of Mark Inkster’s crew
to bring Iorana, a Dunkirk Little
Ship, from the Pool of London
to Hamble. It was a memorable
journey and John described it as
“his best ever voyage”. A memorable incident of the voyage
was when the handle fell off the
kettle. Mark called on John’s engineering expertise for its repair.
After a short, silent examination
he calmly threw the kettle across
the wheelhouse and into the sea
– Mark took it as a signal that
the kettle was beyond repair.
John was a talented and
skilled engineer with a long successful career with many projects
in mining and heavy industry to
his name. He was particularly
proud of the construction of a new
bridge after which, the capital of
Barbados, Bridgetown, is named.
He also deployed his skills for the
Club and was involved in all of
the recent major refurbishment
projects which have transformed
the Southern. He designed and
oversaw the construction of the
new pier and also kick-started the
Prince Philip Yacht Haven; without him it would not have come
into being and he was involved
and concerned about the engineering aspects of the piling and
the seawall until his death.
John can be summarised in
the words of his close friend and
former Commodore, Alastair
Davidson, “Of all the people
I have known, John was the
straightest and one of the most
honest men. He totally lived up
to the perceived character of the
Yorkshireman; careful, precise,
obdurate on occasions, not suffering fools gladly, but generous
to a fault with an irresistible personal warmth and a keen sense of
humour. He could take, as well
as dish out, any amount of teasing of his northern upbringing
responding in kind to our soft,
southern effete”.
Alternatively one could simply use his granddaughter Amy’s
description of her Opa – “Epic”.
“S’mark”, as he was often referred to, was acting Rear Commodore for several months after
the early retirement of Donald
Pepper as Commodore due to
ill health. His many friends will
remember him as a true gentleman and recall his fondness for
good claret and a good party.
Latterly he was less able to visit
the Club but we remember him
for his humour and company,
and his input into the building
that we now enjoy every day.
His motoryacht Unicorn
was his pride and joy, never
less so than when he ferried our
Patron to Cowes while HRH
raised the floorboards to inspect the engineering.
7
Admiral Sir
John “Sandy”
Woodward
1932-2013
“The Admiral was a truly
courageous and decisive
leader, proven by his heroic command of the Royal
Navy Taskforce during the
Falklands conflict,” said
the Prime Minister, David
Cameron, on hearing of Admiral Woodward’s death on
the 4th August at the age of
81. “We are indebted to him
for his many years of service
and the vital role he played
to ensure that the people of
the Falkland Islands can still
today live in peace and freedom.”
When Argentina invaded
the British Overseas Territory of
the Falkland Islands on 2 April
1982, Sandy Woodward was a
newly appointed Rear Admiral
and acted as Commander of the
Carrier Battle Group from the
flagship HMS Hermes. Three
days after the invasion the first
British Task Force ships left
8
taken the Queen’s shilling. Now
you’re going to have to bloody
earn it. And your best way of
getting back alive is to do your
absolute utmost. So go and do
it.” His last appointment in the
service was as Commander-inChief Naval Home Command
and in retirement he was Chairman of the Falklands Islands
Memorial Chapel Trust and the
chapel, at Pangbourne College,
was opened by the Queen in
2000.
Sandy Woodward enjoyed
sailing his Hunter Sonata, especially when he took part in
the National Championship at
the Southern. He told Hunter
Boats’ Peter Poland that he was
given his Admiral’s Broad Pennant from HMS Hermes when
he retired from the Royal Navy,
and as it was languishing in his
attic he would donate it to the
Club as a trophy. And so, this
historic flag resides at the Club
having been the trophy for our
annual matches against the
Yacht Club de Dinard, but only
on the basis that if they ever
won it, they couldn’t have it and
would have to find one of their
own.
He had been an Honorary
Member since 2002.
Britain, and by 14 June, following a number of key battles, the
British had liberated the capital,
Port Stanley. He worked out
the timetable for the campaign,
starting from the end and working to the start. Knowing that
the Argentine forces had to be
defeated before the winter made
conditions too bad, set a latest
date by which the land forces
had to be ashore, that in turn set
a latest date by which control of
the air was achieved. The conflict was a maritime campaign
from beginning to end, characterised by a struggle for air superiority between Woodward’s
ships and the Argentine Air
Force, and in its later phases by
a series of amphibious landings.
On the passage south Sandy
Woodward visited as many ships
as he could, though his message
to the various ships’ companies
of the destroyers and frigates
was uncompromising: “You’ve
It is with the deepest
regret that we also
record the passing of
the following Royal
Southern Members:
Audrey Jenner
1921-2013
Audrey Jenner died only
months after her husband
Ken. She was attending
her birthday party, drinking
champagne in the company
of friends and family, when
she was taken fatally ill. There
is still a family connection
with the Club as her daugher,
Sally Rowe, is a Member.
Bill York
1926-2013
Bill York joined the Royal
Southern in 1985 with his
wife Mary. Bill bought Happy
Girl S, a Nicolson 32, in 1978
and sailed from Hamble. He
was a qualified Yacht Master Instructor teaching many
people practical sailing. He
bought Blanquilla in 1992
from David Herbert. He continued to drive down from
Leicester to the club until
shortly before he died.
May Herbert
1926-2013
May Herbert with her husband David joined the Royal
Southern in 1974. At weekends they drove to Hamble
from Leicester where they
sailed their boat Blanquilla. In
1992 they sold Blanquilla to
Bill York and bought My Way
which they sailed back from
Finland. Following David’s
death May continued to visit
the Club where she always felt
at home.
John chaired the Trust with
a deep sense of responsibility and fairness, recognising
needs where we could make a
difference inside and outside
the Royal Southern family. We
remembered him with a smile
for his sense of humour and
also admiration for his work for
those less fortunate than others.
The Trustees are all committed
to continuing this work always
showing, as required by the
Charities Commission, a public
benefit.
First, a brief explanation of
the Trust itself: set up in 2007
following receipt of a bequest by
the late Sir Michael Cobham. If
you have ever wondered why the
Club’s big RIB is ‘Sir Michael’,
that is the reason. Since then,
the Trust has lent most of its
capital to the Club to provide for
the re-build of the old cottages
into offices and bedrooms, and
in return, receives interest income from which the grants are
awarded. Donations to funds
have also been received from
Members so that the balance of
funds now held has grown from
£318,802 in 2012 to £334,499
this year. Some of these funds
are ring fenced donations made
as a result of an Appeal for
funds to help provide the Academy J/80s. These boats are also
available for charter by Members. We also have a number of
‘Friends of the Trust’ and their
annual subscription make a very
welcome addition to the amount
available for grants.
Grants are awarded twice a
year following publicity to a list
of organisations actively seeking
help for sailing activities. Where
merited, we usually grant up to
50% of the cost of such things as
participation in RYA coaching
or Championships, for disabled
coaching, events or participation in Tall Ships sailing. Grants
are made to Members and nonMembers entirely on the merits
of the case submitted and most
grants have historically been to
non-Members.
In the current round, the
point was made that the proportion of applications from Members has actually declined. There
is no guarantee that Members
will get a grant on application,
but equally, there is absolutely
no way that they are discriminated against. Do check out the
Academy part of the website for
the criteria and how to apply
or ask one of the Trustees. The
next date for applications to be
received is 10 March 2014.
In the current round we
supported applications from
Rutland Sailability for replacement life-jackets for their disabled sailors, a coaching grant
for a Lymington Sailability vol-
unteer, and a training grant for
a disabled island sailor in the
Paralympic development squad.
We gave grants to three young
people, siblings of terminally
ill children, to go on a special
Ocean Youth Trust week, and
to two profoundly deaf young
people to go on voyages with the
Discovery Sailing Project based
at Universal Marina. Grants
for event entry went to a young
man for entry into the RYA
National Topper Squad, to the
Southampton University Yachting Team who won the BUSA
National Championship and
are the official entry to the Student Yachting Worlds in France,
and finally to the Royal Southern Academy for entry fee support to the RYA’s Winter Match
Race coaching series at the
Weymouth & Portland National
Sailing Academy.
The new Chairman of the
Trust is Brian Mead FCA, who
was a founder Member and remains as Hon Treasurer. Fr John
Travers and Colin Hall retired by
rotation and were elected for a
further term of three years. Lisa
Rochford, a ‘local girl’ and practising solicitor with three children, has accepted the Trustees’
invitation to join the them and
will bring valuable additional experience. The Trustees are now:
Brian Mead FCA (Chairman
and Hon Treasurer), Colin Hall,
Annette Newton, Dr Susie Tomson, Fr John Travers, and Lisa
Rochford.
CHAR
ITABL
E TRU
ST
The Trustees meet regularly
every six months to consider
requests for grants, but the
first sad duty at our October
2013 meeting was to remember our recently departed
Chairman, John Beardsley.
HRH the Princess Royal visiting
John Beardsley in hospital on the
Isle of Wight. She spent considerable time discussing with John the
acheivements of the Royal Southern
Charitable Trust
9
10
KING’S
ROYAL
HUSSARS
Newer Members and nonmembers may be somewhat surprised to be confronted with photographs of soliders and tanks in
a yacht club magazine but this is
a result of the unique ‘twinning’
arrangement between the Royal
Southern and the Kings Royal
Hussars which was inaugurated
in 2011. The Club takes considerable pride in this relationship
and looks forward to developing
further links with the regiment.
Their new Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Kingsford’s
review of their activities in 2013
gives an insight to what happens
when they are not on active service. To keep up to date with their
activities look at the regiment
website www.krh.org.uk.
If 2012 was a year spent entirely focussed on operations in
Afghanistan, in contrast 2013
has allowed us to deliberately
slow the pace and generate some
space to allow soldiers and their
families a degree of stability. As
well as programming some long
overdue leave, we have been
able to invest in a good deal of
sport and adventure training,
with Regimental teams visiting
any number of countries – Argentina, USA, New Zealand
and Egypt to name just a few.
Notable successes have been the
securing of the Inter Regimental
Polo cup for the first time in 26
years, and the inclusion of one of
our officers – Henry Foster – in
the Army sailing team during the
Fastnet race.
MAIN SHOT A typically beautiful
Canadian prairie dusk silhouettes the
KRH vehicles
TOP RIGHT Lt Col Justin Kingsford
C.O. The King’s Royal Hussars in
command of his ‘enemy’ tank
CENTRE A group of KRH sailors; most
trying it for the first time
BELOW CR2 on the Canadian plains
POLO TO PRAIRIE
11
After concentrating on dismounted tactics for the past few
years it has been something of a
relief to re-learn (or simply learn
in many cases) our armoured
warfare skills. We deployed for 2
months over the summer to Canada to train in our core role, and
return there next year for more of
the same, prior to adopting the
Lead Armoured Battle Group
role. From September 2014 until
the end of 2015 we will be held
at readiness for any world wide
contingent operational requirements. As a Regiment we have
been extremely fortunate under
the recent Army 2020 plan in that
our manpower has increased to
580 personnel, as have our Main
Battle Tanks from 44 to 56. We
are also conducting many more
training activities with our paired
Reserve unit – The Royal Wessex
Yeomanry – as part of the overall
direction of travel to increase integration between Regulars and
Reservists.
In summary, this year has
been an excellent opportunity to
reinvest in the moral component
of the Regiment, with the future
looking bright in terms of our role
and opportunities for training.
Lt Col Justin Kingsford
TOP The ‘enemy’ tanks of B Sqn, KRH
ABOVE The inaugural ‘Tough Mudder’
Regimental Endurance Race
FAR LEFT Tpr Shaw and LCpl Hopes,
novice KRH soldiers
LEFT Tpr Kirby, HQ Sqn, trying
parachuting for the first time as part of
the past Afghan advernterous training
focus
BELOW In readiness with our
Battletanks
12
However at that time in my
life I was less interested in
the prod-
uct of these giants of the fourth
estate and more interested in
the publications of DC Thomson, not least because as a child
I was not allowed in the lower
bar and on several occasions
had to sit on the front step
with a bottle of coca cola and
a comic. I read all of their comics: The Beano, The Dandy and
The Victor in a pre-vegetarian
time when the prospect of eating cowpie was mouth watering, corporal punishment was
the norm and referring to Germans as ‘Huns’ in a pre common market/European Union
era was almost obligatory.
How excited I was to learn
that a current Member of the
Many Members may have
made the papers but in my
book you’re nobody unless
you made it into the comics.
Mark Inkster
HISTO
RY
In the late 1960s and early
70s the Royal Southern was
the watering hole and Club
of choice for many members of the national press
and media as well as the
leader of the opposition and
later Prime Minister of the
day, Edward Heath. I recall
Members such as Bob Edwards who edited the Daily
Express, Sunday People and
Sunday Mirror, as well as Sir
Hugh Cudlipp (later Lord)
the youngest ever editor of
the Daily Mirror, founder of
The Sun and Chairman of
IPC, sampling the Club red
in the lower bar.
Club, offshore yachtsman Bill
Blain is none other than the
grandson of the Editor of DC
Thomson’s Beano, Dandy, Victor
and Hotspur, who went by the
name of William Blain. Indeed
Bill Blain’s yacht Batfish V is
named after a favourite expression of his comic book publishing Grandfather, (he used it in
place of words like ‘whatdyamacallit’ and ‘thingymajig’). Further, that the story of Gordon
Campbell VC DSO and 2 bars
was depicted in the January
1968 edition of The Victor that
we reproduce overleaf in this
edition of The Southern.
Southe
rn
GORDON CAMPBELL VC
AND THE MYSTERY SHIPS
© DC Thomson & Co. Ltd. 2013
13
14
15
Five Victoria Crosses were
awarded to one extraordinary man and his crew.
The war of 1914-­18 was
known as ‘the Great War’ and
‘the War to End all Wars’ and
history records the great acts of
heroism and courage. Whilst
the mud and misery of the
Somme, Ypres and the Western Front are well known
few recall much about the
war at sea and even fewer
can recall anything much
beyond the great set piece
battle of Jutland. But
the First World War was
when the submarine was
established as a weapon
of war and long before
Asdic, Sonar or Radar
there was very little that
could be done in the way of
detection and attack. The submarines of the German Kriegsmarine wreaked havoc upon
the merchant ships supplying
the British Isles. In an effort
to solve the question of how to
destroy submarines the Royal
Navy commissioned a number
of former merchant ships to
be secretly fitted with a variety
of guns and disguised to draw
the German submarines close
enough to reveal the guns and
open fire. The very nature of
the ships was clouded in secrecy
and they went by a variety of
names and classifications most
commonly known as Mystery
Ship or Q-­Ships.
16
One man became one of the
Royal Navy’s greatest heroes
during his time in command
of three of these ships. He employed the desperate tactics of
deliberately allowing the submarine to torpedo him to lure
the U-Boats to surface close
by where he could then open
fire with his hidden guns. The
charade included his crew being trained in mock panic and
a number abandoning ship and
rowing away to give the watching U-boat the confidence to reveal himself.
Gordon Campbell’s first encounter resulted in the sinking of
a U-Boat and he was awarded
the Distinguished Service Order,
but when he sunk a second UBoat the King himself awarded
him the Victoria Cross. On the
sinking of a further submarine
the King approved the award of
a Victoria Cross to one officer
and one man of the ship employing Clause 13 of the Statutes of
the Victoria Cross. This clause
stated that, “It is ordained that
in the event of any unit of our
naval... force, consisting in the
case of our Navy of a squadron,
flotilla or ships’ company. Having distinguished itself collectively by the performance of an
act of heroic gallantry or daring
in the presence of the enemy in
such a way that the Admiral... in
command of the force to which
such a unit belongs is unable to
single out any individual as es-
pecially preeminent in gallantry
or daring, then one or more of
the officers. Seamen in the ranks
comprising the unit shall be selected to be recommended to
us for the award of the Victoria
Cross in the following manner.
The selection to be by secret ballot...”. It was the first time in history that a whole ship had been
honoured. Campbell received a
bar to his DSO.
Following his final action
against a U-Boat, Members of
Campbell’s Crew received a further
two Victoria Crosses and Campbell a second bar to his DSO.
Gordon Campbell VC, DSO
and 2 bars eventually commanded the Battlecruiser HMS Tiger
and ended his naval career as a
Vice Admiral before becoming
ADC to King George V. Later he
became MP for Burnley.
Even more incredible is the
fact that some years later his
nephew Brigadier Lorne Campbell, commanding the Argyll &
Sutherland Highlanders, won a LEFT HAND PAGE
VC serving in North Africa dur- TOP: Gordon Campbell VC, DSO and
ing the Second World War.
two bars
It may interest Members
to know that this incredible
story of maritime heroism is
connected to the Southern
almost 100 years later by the
fact that his nephew Richard
Campbell-Walter, ex-Argyll
and Sutherland Highlander
and former Flag Officer, now
chairs the Royal Southern
Executive Committee.
CENTRE: HMS Q5 after being torpeedoed and sinking the submarine U-83
BOTTOM LEFT: 1st Day limited edition
envelopes commemorating the 70th
anniversary of Commander Campbell’s
Victoria Cross. Also a 1st Day cover
commemorating the award of two
Victoria Crosses to the officers and crew
of HMS Pargust
RIGHT HAND PAGE
TOP: HMS Q5 (Farnborough) after
being beached in Ireland
RIGHT: Campbell’s final command the
Battlecruiser HMS Tiger
FAR LEFT: Gordon Campbell VC, DSO
and two bars
BOTTOM LEFT: Lorne Campbell VC,
DSO and bar, OBE
BOTTOM RIGHT: Richard CampbellWalter, Chairman of the Royal Southern
Executive Committee
My Mystery Ships by Rear Admiral
Gordon Campbell VC, DSO is
available to buy from:
www.periscopepublishing.com
17
THE KING’S
SHILLING
Yachting began to flirt with
sponsorship fifty years ago,
but what does it bring now to
our sport and our Club?
When monarch and country
needed the flower of its youth
to volunteer in defence of the
realm or in occupation of new
lands, the military sent out into
towns and villages to find new
talent to join the ranks. Attractive inducements began with
stirring posters and marshal
music, followed by honeyed
words and by this time, the poor
benighted boys were queuing
up, to sign on. Until 1879, Recruiting Sergeants had one final
inducement to sway any wavering reeds and it was the offer of
one shilling; the King’s Shilling.
The Navy’s ‘press’ did the same
job with a quick tap behind the
ear, but sailors were always
more subtle.
From Emmet’s Insurrection
through the Peninsular War, the
Rum Rebellion to the difficulties
with Napoleon, the second Opium War and the Zulu War, Tommies in unsuitable uniforms
were ordered to do unpleasant
things by their superiors and the
saying arose, ‘those who take
the King’s Shilling must dance
to the King’s Tune’. How, you
may wonder, does this have anything to do with yachting or our
Club? It is simply that for many
decades, the great and good of
18
the
yachting
establishment were deeply
suspicious of sponsor
influence and as the late, great
and supremely influential Bernard Hayman once opined
whilst in the Editor’s chair at
Yachting World, ‘commercial
pressures will lead our sport
into doing things that it should
not be doing’.
Even as late as the 1960s,
amongst the leather and cigar
smoke of old established clubs,
there was still an attitude that
suggested that yachting was a
sport for gentlemen who didn’t
need to be subsidised by anyone, much less by people try-
ing to promote their companies,
their products or, dare one whisper it, themselves. And talking
of tobacco, it took companies
as up-market and well breeched
as Alfred Dunhill to insinuate
themselves into yachting with
their Finnfinder’ scheme, designed to reveal untapped sailing talent and boost the UK’s
Olympic ambitions. What brilliant marketing.
Nor were Dunhill alone
amongst the tobacco barons
in their support of boating and
for years, it seemed that yachting existed almost exclusively on
a diet of fags and booze, supported as it was by cigarettes,
champagnes, brandies, rums,
gins, wines, whiskies, absinthe’s
and beers, but as the sport developed and the health police
moved in, its qualitative connotations attracted sponsors
from more diverse and allowable market segments. Cars,
computer software, financial
institutions, oil companies and,
famously, watches, have all
backed the boats and waved the
flags.
The Royal Southern has
always been circumspect in its
courting of sponsorship and as
befits a Royal Warrant Club, has
promoted itself wisely and partnered selectively. The erstwhile
fears amongst the old guard
that taking the Shilling automatically meant dancing to an
unwelcome or unholy tune have
been replaced by the realisation,
that correctly targeted and managed, sponsorships can bring
good things and add value for
Members. The 175th anniversary
year gave an urgency and impetus to establishing relationships
and happily, many of our partners have stayed aboard for the
longer haul. Those relationships
have been carefully and assiduously cultivated and all have one
common theme; these partners
of ours love the sport and social
milieu that accompanies the sort
of yachting that we do.
Gaastra Pro Gear is run by
Marc Blees, a Dutch Olympic
sailor, currently regular crewman
aboard Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou
yachts and who understands the
Jamie Matheson, then CEO of Brewin
Dolphin, faced the camera during the
British Open Metre Regatta, which he
sponsored. Photograph by Mike Austen.
The Mount Gay Rum party at last year’s
175 Regatta, which was awarded Red
Cap status. Photograph by Mike Austen.
provenance and meaning of our
burgee as well as what is required
of sailing and leisure clothing.
Harken in the UK is run by Andy
Ash-Vie, a 6-Metre owner of some
note. He got to know the Royal
Southern whilst sailing Wildcat
II in the British Open Metre
Championship, itself sponsored
by Brewin Dolphin under the
enthusiastic management of
Jamie Matheson. If knowing the
Club helps the partnership, there
are few people better placed than
Chris Day. Through his efforts,
GJW Direct has been the insurer
of choice for many Members
for many years and he has been
instrumental in guiding their
support to motorboating and
other activities.
Two of our sponsors carry
a distinct Caribbean theme.
Mount Gay Rum markets its
brand as ‘the sailors’ rum’ and
so it is in every country and club
where yachts joust and yachtsmen gather. The Royal Southern has always stocked the golden fluid and used Mount Gay as
prizes but last year, Brand Manager, Alvin Saal, gave the Club
‘Red Cap’ status for the 175
Regatta and has continued to
support our activities. Through
him, we met UK marketing supremo, Petra Roach and her
Barbados Tourism Authority,
whose Summer Regatta Series
Champion Of Champions prize
is an all expenses paid week in
the sun for our most successful
sailor, to experience the Round
Barbados Race. Perfect synergy
and symmetry.
Champagne Joseph Perrier
is a more recent recruit to our
sponsor ranks but in many ways,
has the most venerable link. This
house is one of the smaller and
more exclusively marketed boutique champagne marques. Its
founder supplied his fizz by
appointment to many crowned
heads, including HM Queen
Victoria in the early years of her
reign and of her patronage of
our Club, and it was this initiative that gave him the appellation La Cuvee Royale. Current
owner, Jean-Claude Fourmon,
though no sailor, recognises the
value of historical links. Lastly,
we have welcomed Aveva plc
to our group. A pioneer in engineering design and information management solutions with
their software, operating in 44
countries and servicing 3,000
clients with their 1,400 person-
nel, their energetic CEO, Richard Longdon, is a Member and
enthusiastic sailor himself.
By now, the Club has a very
specific and well defined policy
on sponsorship, developed and
honed over many years and policed by the Executive. The most
important criteria are that the
Club’s distinct quality of activities has to fit with the sponsor’s
aims and ambitions and they
with us, never over-sold and always in the clear knowledge that
sponsorship is an investment,
not a gift. The bottom line is that
our sponsorships, whether in
cash or kind, must help the Club
stage its events and provide an
incentive to participation.
Over the past half century
the Royal Southern Yacht Club
has, by design or serendipitous
happenstance and in its own
individual way, mirrored the
sponsorship trends of the world
and sport at large, but throughout its history, whilst taking the
sponsor shillings, has definitely
and decidedly not danced to
any tunes not of its own making.
That’s why sponsorship works.
John Walker
19
NIKLAS ZENNSTRÖM
If you were to contemplate
‘who is the yacht racing
world’s most prolific owner-driver’, you’d be hard
pressed to surpass Royal
Southern Yacht Club Member, Niklas Zennström.
Zennström estimates he and
his wife Catherine sail for 80-90
days each year. “It is quite a lot,
a commitment, but it is something we enjoy doing,” he says.
Heralding from Sweden,
where he grew up sailing Optimists and Lasers and cruising with his family around his
country’s magnificent coastline,
Zennström had to put his sailing on hold for many years as
his impressive business career
took-off. The 47-year-old made
his fortune in ground-breaking
technologies such as the peerto-peer file sharing system, Kazaa, although he is best known
as a co-founder of Skype. The
world-famous internet telephone and messaging company
was launched in 2003 and sold
to eBay in 2005. Then, as part
of a consortium, Zennström
reacquired it in 2009 and two
years later sold it again, this
20
time to Microsoft. He currently
heads Atomico, an investment
company that principally assists
fast expanding companies with
ground breaking technology to
take their products global.
Zennström and his French
wife Catherine, who is also a
keen sailor, got back onto the
water in the mid-2000s when
they chartered yachts, before
committing to buy their first
boat, a Marten 49. Having
moved their base to London,
their sailing often took place in
the Solent.
Getting increasingly allured
by racing, the Zennströms took
a significant step down this road
when they acquired the TP52
Patches 2. Renaming her Rán,
this was the first in a series of
yachts they owned, named after
the mythological Norse sea goddess. During the 2008 season,
they campaigned the new speedster on both sides of the Atlantic.
Key to their transition into
serious yacht racing was putting
together a team of elite pro sailors, a squad they have nurtured
ever since. While Zennström
helms, his crew is mainly Brit-
ish, led by multiple Whitbread
and Volvo Ocean Race sailor,
Tim Powell and including many
of the UK’s top names such as
navigator Steve Hayles, Adrian
Stead, Jeremy Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Andy Hemmings
and Jules Salter.
In 2009 the Zennströms
went a step further, venturing on
to the international stage with
the launch of a Judel-Vrolijk designed 72 footer, Rán 2 to compete on the burgeoning Mini
Maxi circuit. On this Zennström
would line up against some of
the leading international race
boat owner-drivers such as
Hap Fauth, Jim Swartz, Neville
Crichton, Sir Peter Ogden and
Udo Schütz. But significantly
Rán 2 was also designed to
compete offshore in the world’s
famous 600 milers.
Thanks to Zennström applying the same passion and
drive to his yachting as his impressive business life, Rán 2
proved to be one of the most
successful and well travelled
race boats of all time. Around
the cans she was the Mini Maxi
World Champion three years in
a row and won her class in the
2009 Rolex Sydney-Hobart. She
was also back-to-back outright
handicap winner in the Rolex
Fastnet Race in 2009 and 2011,
a feat not achieved since Dick
Nye’s Carina in the 1950s. In
2013, the weather conspired
against a third win, but as a
consolation prize Rán 2 won
the Mini Maxi title for a fourth
year, a fitting end to the yacht’s
career under Zennström’s ownership – she has now been sold
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT ‘Ran’ in
the 2013 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Porto
Cervo, Sardinia
Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
OPPOSITE PAGE LEFT Niklas
Zennström at the helm of Ran2 - TP52
Photo: Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries
TOP ‘Ran’ in heavy weather during the
2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.
Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
CENTRE Ran 2 crew, winners of the
Mini/Maxi Rolex World Championship
Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
LEFT Ran 2 at the start of the Fastnet
Race 2013
Photo by Rolex/Daniel Forster
21
but a replacement for her is due
for launch in 2014.
As if the Mini Maxi was
not enough of a challenge, in
2011 Zennström joined the
Audi MedCup, explaining at the
time that the TP52 circuit represented the most competitive
box rule keelboat racing on offer, and a real challenge for the
helmsman. Rán finished her first
season in the TP52 fleet in fifth,
but winning the last event of the
year in Barcelona.
With Audi’s withdrawal of
sponsorship and the subsequent
collapse of the MedCup, Zennström teamed up with fellow
52 owners Argentinean Alberto
Roemmers (of the Azzurra/
Matador team) and American
Doug de Vos (of the Quantum
Racing team) to fill the void
with the 52 Super Series circuit
for the 2012 season. For his
team, 2012 represented further
improvement finishing third
overall and winning the Royal
Cup in Palma. While they may
have improved their position on
on the 2013 52 Super Series leaderboard against the pro-sailor
steered Azzura and Quantum
Racing, the team did win the
22
Gaastra 52 World Championship in Miami.
Niklas and Catherine Zennström also have their own
charity Zennström Philanthropy. This carries out work supporting organisations that fight
for human rights, work to stop
climate change and encourage
social entrepreneurship. However this has also extended to
the sailing world. When not
competing in the Mini Maxi or
TP52 class, Zennström still has
a Farr 45 he races out of Hamble, but also owns a second,
Kolga, campaigned by a British
Keelboat Academy crew.
Occasionally lucky BKA
sailors also get the opportunity
to experience being part of a big
team, joining the Rán Mini Maxi
crew. “I think it is a great encouragement for them coming
to sail with us,’ says Zennström.
‘We want to integrate more with
those youth programmes, not
just with us, but with other big
boat teams. Some go on and do
something else, but for others it
becomes a big passion and they
choose it as a profession. If we
can encourage more of those, it
would be great.”
Sailing out of Hamble, the
Zennströms have been Members of the Royal Southern
Yacht Club since 2007. “It was a
natural choice, because we race
from there and also a lot of our
core team comes from the area.”
He has also contributed
to the Club’s own youth programme. “It is great,’ continues
Zennström. ‘It is very important
to encourage youth, not only to
do dinghy sailing, but to get involved with big boat sailing. The
Club is good at supporting that.”
As to the racing in the Solent compared to the Med, Zennström says, “racing with the
45 is always very enjoyable – it is
a small fleet, but it is good racing, with very short courses. It is
a bit more relaxed racing than in
the Med where there is always
a high stress factor. In Hamble,
you race and you go to the pub!
You don’t need to debrief.”
Going forwards Zennström
is locked into the Mini Maxi and
52 classes for the foreseeable
future. With Rán 2 now sold,
the replacement will be ready to
campaign in 2014. Plus, as one
the three stakeholders in the 52
Super Series, he is committed to
getting a new 52 built for 2015.
Personally the main difference between the two classes is
that the Mini Maxi is ownerdriver whereas the 52 is not.
“With the 52 Super Series, while
you can beat Quantum and Azzurra in a single regatta, as an
amateur to win the 52 Super
Series overall is a pretty big
ask. With the 52s the circuit is
more organised and of course
compared to the 72, the TP52 is
much more like sailing a dinghy
- you can throw it around.”
To add to his commitments,
Zennström is also President of
the TP52 Class Association,
which is in the throes of building itself back, as the global
economy slowly recovers.
Does he hold any other ambitions in sailing? “With these
new boats, that is a three year
commitment – that is where
we are right now. We wish to
win the 52 Super Series. There
have been owner-driver winners
before, but if that happens next
year, we will celebrate a lot!” he
concludes.
James Boyd
www.thedailysail.com
OPPOSITE PAGE AND ABOVE
TP52 Super Series
Photos: Xaume Olleros
RIGHT ‘Ran 2’ at the start of the 2011
Rolex Fastnet Race
Photo: Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
23
RACIN
G
Adam Munday, then an applicant for Academy Membership (and now a full Member), capped a class-winning
racing performance with a
piece of impressive, no-nonsense seamanship in rescuing
an MOB from another boat.
All in all a pretty good weekend on the water.
24
In Saturday’s racing, run by
the Royal Southampton Yacht
Club and incorporating its prestigious Clarkson Cup Regatta,
Adam posted three bullets in
IRC3 as skipper of the J/97 Induljence. Then in Sunday’s first
race, the 20 year-old and his
crew were, thankfully, in the right
place at the right time. Conditions at the time of the incident
were typical of the regatta on
each day, a building breeze and
an increasingly lumpy sea, particularly when tide turned against
westerly wind in the course of
racing, with Stephen Bromley’s
A31 Aneetdjinn dismasting in
MAY REGATTA
testing conditions on Saturday.
Jeopardy 2’s female crew was
transferred back to her yacht by
the Southern’s mark-laying RIB
Sir Michael, seemingly none the
worse for her experience in water
as apparently it was “not as cold
as she’d expected”. Induljence
received redress for her rescue
and, with a further win in the last
race, took IRC3 ahead of David
Greenhalgh’s J92 J’Ronimo and
Andy Howe’s J92S Blackjack.
The Clarkson Cup was on
offer to Saturday’s winner in
IRC1, with Edward Leask’s
Swan 42 Magical Mystery Tour
claiming the trophy by a point
from Tokoloshe, Dave Bartholemew’s South African flagged
Mills 40. However, Tokoloshe
turned the tables on the Sunday with two wins to take May
Regatta honours. “The weekend
was about the May Regatta, but
hitting a mark in the second race
on Saturday knocked us down to
third, which made the day less
successful than it should have
been,’ said Tokoloshe skipper and
helmsman Dave Bartholomew.
‘Sunday was a better day. Everything just went right and we
made fewer mistakes than anyone else, and had a couple of
really good starts. Magical went
through three spinnakers this
weekend I think, so that didn’t
help them – if they’d kept them
in one piece it would have been
closer, but we only beat them by
a point as it was.’ He added, ‘It
was good to see a better turnout amongst the big boats this
regatta. There were some really
decent boats in our class and I
think some of them will be doing the rest of the series’ regattas.
It makes for an even more valuable event.”
Amongst the crew on Magical Mystery Tour, trialling for a
place on the crew for the NYYC
Invitational Cup, was Academy
Member Ed Fitzgerald. “We saw
tops of 35 to 40 knots by the end
– the boat was going really well
downwind and was quick around
the race track,’ said Ed. ‘We had
a few issues but it all paid off
with a win in the Clarkson Cup.
Sunday was nip-and-tuck with
Tokoloshe all the way round and
they just pipped us at the last.”
Meanwhile in IRC2, Mike
Bridges’ Elan 37 Elaine posted
four firsts and a second to take
the class ahead of Robbie and
Lis Robinson’s Beneteau First
35 Hot Rats and Peter Morton’s
Corby 33 Salvo.
In the XODs Dux (Elliot
Motherwell) and Leading Wind
(Hamish Calder) traded first and
second places with Elicia (John
Sparshatt-Worley)
disturbing
the pattern with a win in the
third race. Eventually Dux took
the class win by a single point.
In the J/80s Betty (John Powell)
had a comparatively cavernous four point advantage over J
Out Of The Box (Yannig Loyer),
with Seafire (Rob Bunt) taking
the final place on the podium.
In the J/70s, Ruairidh Scott’s
North Sails won five of the six
races, ahead of Tristan Jacques’s
Django and Tony Hanlon’s
RAFBF Spitfire.
The weather proved inhospitable for the 6 Metres and only
one race was possible over the
regatta, with Peter Andreae’s Erica leading home Christian Teichmann’s Abu and David Roberts’
Melita. In the Club Class, Tim
Corner’s First 36s7 Girolle took
three wins to finish ahead of
John Rutherford’s Sigma 38 Degree of Latitude.
Phil Riley
Main photograph by Peter Bateson
25
26
JUNE REGATTA
All those who experienced a
moment or two in the Royal
Southern Yacht Club’s Mount
Gay Rum June Summer Regatta can take some small
consolation from the fact that
the robust conditions caught
out the best – including Paralympic Gold Medallist Helena Lucas MBE.
On Sunday Helena raced in
the competitive SB20 fleet in a
solid westerly breeze that rarely
dropped below 20 knots with
frequent 30 knot gusts, and a sea
state that began to kick up when
the tide turned against wind.
A promising beginning took
an abrupt downturn, recalled the
Paralympic sailor, “We just had a
big pitchpole. We were all at the
back of the boat so there wasn’t
much we could do, and all of a
sudden we ploughed the boat
into the wave in front and just
kept on going and ended up on
our side, and then I fell off the
boat in to the water. That wasn’t
so clever.”
Helena, who generously
agreed to present the June Regatta prizes in the Club after
racing, became Britain’s first
ever Paralympic sailing medallist
in Weymouth in 2012 when she
won the 2.4mR class, coincidentally on a line whose race officers
included Simon and Georgie
Hand as part of a group of seven
Club Members.
Despite a fourth in the
first race, Helena and her crew
on Volvo dropped down the
order after a radio malfunction meant they did not hear a
course change which saw them
DNF in the second. The class
was won by Craig Burlton’s Gill
Race Team with a first and a second place, ahead of Jerry Hill’s
Sportsboatworld.com and Jerry
Vigus’ Henri Lloyd.
With Saturday’s racing
blown out by weather that saw
40-plus knots, and only two races
possible on the Sunday, avoiding
27
errors was the key to success. It
was a strategy successfully employed by Chris Jones and Louise Makin on the J/105 Journey
Maker 5 who scored two bullets
to win the class as well as the
J/105 Nationals.
“The forecast was pretty accurate so it was pretty much as
we expected,’ said helmsman
Chris. ‘Keeping it all together
in those conditions was the real
challenge. We had one or two
hairy moments as you’d expect,
but we’ve been working quite
hard to get everything ready so
the consequences weren’t too
bad for us luckily.”
Journey Maker 5 took the victory ahead of Roger Williams’
Jos of Hamble and Vernon Bradley’s Jackpot. In the J/109 class
Iain Mackinnon’s Tigh Soluis II
and Tony Dickin’s Jubilee each
took a first and a third, the former claiming top spot on countback, ahead of David Richards’
Jumping Jellyfish.
It was nip and tuck for honours in the keelboat classes as
well. In IRC1 Mark Devereux’s
Swan 42 Brevity took the win
with a third and a first, just
ahead of Mike Bartholomew’s
Mills 40 Tokoloshe whose victory
in the first race was offset by a
Chinese gybe which dropped
them to fourth in the second.
Tony Mack’s J/111 McFly took
third overall.
Mark said, “We kept it together most of the time, though
we had one small moment coming out of a gybe when we laid
it down a little bit, though we
managed to recover it better than
most.’ Mark added, ‘The breeze
was getting up and the seaway
was kicking up with the tide, so it
was a very good decision to end
it after two races.”
In IRC2 Mike Bridges’ Elan
37 Elaine again showed admirable consistency to take both wins,
ahead of Robbie and Lis Robinson’s Hot Rats who were tied on
points with Julian Tickner’s A35
Aztec. IRC3 saw a 1-2 scoreline
from John Allen’s X302 Antix
to secure top spot in front of
Nick and Adam Munday’s J/97
Induljence and Neville Hodkin’s
X362 Xtra Djinn. IRC4 was won
by Paul Treliving’s Odd Job.
Consistency again paid off in
the Club Class with Ian Stowe’s
International Folkboat Connie
taking the honours ahead of
John and Sandra Pickles’ Grand
Soleil 40 Bombardino and Barry
Peddley’s Dehler 37 Illywhacker.
Phil Riley
28
MOUNT GAY RUM
RED CAP PARTY
This summer we have not
only had weather worthy of
the Caribbean in Hamble
but, courtesy of Mount Gay
Rum and the Barbados Tourist Authority, the June regatta had a party worthy of any
Caribbean jump-up.
Accompanied by dancers
in carnival costumes the Club
echoed to the sound of pans,
dancing, and general revelry,
possibly encouraged by the copious quantities of Mount Gay
that were consumed.
Sustenance was provided in the
Sadly the tropical weather
had not arrived in time for the
June regatta and so, with the
day’s racing abandoned due to
high winds, frustrated racers had
plenty of energy left to dance the
night away to the music of the
appropriately named Hurricane
Force. They were joined by Club
Members and guests who had
memories of last year’s Red Cap
Party and they were not disappointed.
form of a caribbean style buffet
complete with an exotic fruit
arrangement. Serious partying
continued well into the night
but, happily, there is no record
of the state of the hangovers
the following morning, just the
memory of much enjoyment at a
superb Regatta Party.
Our thanks to Mount Gay
Rum and the Barbados Tourism
Authority for their sponsorship
of the regatta and the party.
29
JULY REGATTA
Regatta wins can come from
smart sailing or a consistent performance – and sometimes just
from rounding the right mark.
Two classes in the Champagne Joseph Perrier July Summer Regatta were ultimately decided by this simple approach.
In the first of Sunday’s races
a bemused Race Officer, Tony
Lovell, watched as the SB20
fleet passed their first downwind
racing mark, the ODM, and
headed towards the more distant laid mark which was their
final mark before the finish, but
on the second lap not the first.
Only one boat turned at the
ODM and headed back upwind,
Scott Graham and Nick Elder’s
Chill Pill Plus. “We’d had a poor
start so were towards the back
of the fleet,’ said Nick, ‘we’d
discussed the course before the
30
start so we were convinced it
was the right mark and went for
it. Without it we wouldn’t have
won the regatta.”
The win, followed by a second and another bullet, saw
Chill Pill Plus take the class
ahead of Jerry Hill’s consistent
Sportsboatworld.com by two
points. Phil Plumtree’s PP Projects was third.
It was a similar story in the
XOD fleet with John SparshattWorley’s Elicia. As he admitted
after racing, “It all came down
to the first race and being in the
right place at the right time. We
had to check three times to make
sure we were going to the right
mark as everyone else was going
a completely different way. We
ended up 35 minutes in front of
everyone else which meant they
were all DNF.”
Elicia’s subsequent results
were enough to fend off the
hard-charging Clare Pengelly
with four successive first places
in La Mouette. Diana Wilson
was third in Mischief.
John added, “What was very
special for me was that we finished at William, which is my
brother’s mark. He died in 1997
and that’s why the mark’s there
– we normally pour beer over
the side when we go past as it’s
where we scattered his ashes
and put the buoy in afterwards.
The fun bit of it was that the
Royal Southern, in particular,
changed the racing rules for the
ABOVE: Solent mark ‘William’ was
named as a memorial to William
Sparshatt-Worley, a Club Member
who died in a road accident in
Florida in 1997
Photographs Paul Wyeth
31
following two years so that you
could hit William, or go round it
any way you liked – so long as
no one was looking!”
William Sparshatt-Worley, a
Club Member, died in a road accident in Florida aged 29 and a
memorial trophy in his name is
awarded annually by the Club.
The closest contest of the
regatta came in the J/109s with
Tony Dickin’s Jubilee tied on
points and winning on count
back from Mike Wallis’ Jahmali.
Iain Mckinnon’s Tigh Soluis II
was a close third. “It was still
pretty close racing though, and
with Tigh Soluis II and Jahmali
it was nip and tuck all the way
round”, said Tony.
Racing in the J/109 fleet was
marred by an injury to a crewman on Designstar 2 during
Sunday’s first race and led to
the yacht’s subsequent retirement from racing. The crewman was treated overnight in
Southampton General Hospital
for two fractured ribs but made
a full recovery. Designstar skipper Roger Phillips praised the
Coastguard, paramedics and
the South Central Ambulance
Service for their prompt and efficient response.
It was also close racing in
the J/80 class with Mike Lewis’
Jester and Patrick Liardet’s
Aqua J each taking three wins,
with Jester shading her opposition by a point. Chris Body’s
Swallow was third. In the J/70s
Jack Davies’ Jugador won five
of the six races to finish ahead
of Ian Wilson’s Joyride. Steph
Merry aboard Midnight Cowboy
had the 1720 course to herself.
Phil Riley
32
SEPTEMBER
REGATTA
Shifty conditions upset the
pecking order on a few occasions, and final results in two
classes required protest room
judgements, but the Royal
Southern Yacht Club’s AVEVA September Regatta put a
lot of smiles on a lot of faces,
with handsome trophies for
the successful.
The season finale was blessed
with sufficient breeze to ensure a
full programme of races, though
final races on both red and green
lines were shortened.
Some of the tightest racing
of the weekend came from the
J/80s, with wins across the six
races shared between the top four
boats. However, Patrick Liardet’s
Aqua J took the lion’s share with
three successive victories to take
the class by two points from Mike
Lewis’ Jester, with Colin Hall’s
Boysterous filling out the podium.
A delighted Patrick said, “It’s
been a good fun regatta. The
great thing about the J/80s is
that the boats are really evenly
matched so it’s really about the
boat handling, so going round
the corners well means you can
win or lose a little bit, and in the
tacks as well.”
That consistency can bring
its own rewards was demonstrated in the always competitive
J/109 class, which was won by
Iain Mackinnon’s Tigh Soluis II
with a string of top-three finishes
though no race wins.
34
Mike Wallis’ Jahmali took
second, with one victory, and
Tony Dickin’s Jubilee third. Jubilee took four wins but her regatta
was marred by a collision which
put her out of two races.
The J/70s also saw a tight
tussle for top spot, with Mike
Flood’s J7T edging Simon Carvey’s Pheebs – by four wins to two
– with Ian Wilson’s Joyride third.
Meanwhile, youth for once
got the better of long experience
in the XOD fleet with 31 year-old
Elliot Motherwell’s Dux getting
the better of second and third
place boats whose skippers’ average age was 80.
from sub-10 to over 20.’ He added, ‘The courses were absolutely
brilliant and the race management was first class. It’s the first
time we’ve raced from the Southern, and we’ll be back.”
IRC3 was also won with a
perfect scoreline, with Adam
Munday, 21, sharing driving duties with his father Nick on the
J/97 Indulgence. Adam said, “I
drove on the Saturday and my
dad on Sunday. We’ve been sailing for about six years, and dinghies before that, so we get on
pretty well. The boat gets used a
lot – I think we’ve done 40 races this year, so we get out most
weekends and that means the
crew gels together really well.”
David Greenhalgh’s J/92
J’Ronimo pipped Neville Hodkin’s X362 Xtra Djinn for second
place on countback.
In IRC2 Peter Morton’s
Corby 33 Salvo emerged as class
Elliott – with a mere 20 years
in XODs – took four wins before
a ‘navigational error’ saw them
give best in race five to Philip
Almeida’s Fantasy, which took
second overall. Gerry Golding’s
Pepper was third.
“They’ve got the experience,’
conceded Elliott, adding, ‘it was
very shifty but that’s what you
need for a good regatta.”
IRC1 was won with a string
of bullets by Cowes-based Zero
II Local Letterbox, taking part in
her first Royal Southern regatta.
Skipper James Gair paid tribute
to the way his crew dealt with
sometimes tricky conditions. “It
was great, though really shifty
conditions – we had everything
35
winner after taking two wins on
Sunday, ahead of Robbie and
Lis Robinson’s First 35 Hot Rats
and Mike Bridge’s Elan 37 Elaine.
The latter had looked set for better with two wins on Saturday,
but steering failure ruled her out
of both races on Sunday.
NHC Club Class was won
by Dudley Stock’s X302 Xtract
ahead of John Rutherford’s
Sigma 30 Degree of Latitude and
Daniel Anthony’s Grand Soleil 39
Malaika.
Gary Baker’s Trio narrowly
won bragging rights in the SB20
class with four straight wins to
finish a point ahead of Natalie
French’s Turbulence Too.
IRC4 was won unopposed by
Lucy Wood’s Quarter-tonner Rum
Bleu, as was the 1720 class by
Steph Merry’s Midnight Cowboy.
Phil Riley
All photographs by Mike Austen
36
NEW YORK YACHT CLUB
INVITATIONAL CUP
38
39
TOP FIVE TRIUMPH
It is not often in a Club sailor’s
career that he or she has the
opportunity to walk freely inside the New York Yacht Club
at Newport, USA, taking in
the staggering marine memorabilia, and race aboard boats
designed in collaboration
with leading names Nautor’s
Swan and Frers. This would
be an experience most likely
reserved for only the world’s
most wealthy and well-connected or a serious paid crew.
The New York Yacht Club
Invitational Cup Presented by
Rolex, however, is the exception
to the rule. This biennial event
is an invitation only regatta, but
it does not entertain the likes of
professional crew. Instead the
only guests welcome during this
designated mid-September week
are amateur sailors, including the
Royal Southern’s Magical Mystery Tour team who just want to
sail for the sheer fun of the sport.
Racing as a leisure pursuit is
what this hugely popular event is
all about and is the perfect platform for international yacht club
members to mingle in what many
might refer to as a Corinthian
spirit. Racing for the 2013 edition
included an overall entry of 20
teams from 13 different countries.
A very unique event on the Club
Swan calendar, this is an established favourite among amateurs.
The Club Swan 42s originally
commissioned by the NYYC are
all one design allowing for fleet
racing and avoids complex handicaps. This model from Nautor’s
Swan, is light and extremely fast –
their sportiest model to date. The
1,991 sq ft asymmetric spinnaker
provides plenty of downwind
speed flown from a carbon bow
sprit and foils are designed for optimal performance. Edward Leask
heading up the Magical Mystery
Tour team as helm, spotted these
design qualities a few years ago
putting in an order at the Rolex Swan Cup. He is now sitting
comfortably at the top of the ladder as Gazprom Swan European
Regatta Champion, winning back
in July with his son Magnus.
No stranger to the professional scene, Edward Leask
competed in the 1984 and 1988
Olympic Games as a Soling
middle man with Chris Law and
then Lawrie Smith backed up by
bowman Jerry Richards. Swan
racing however, has always been
on Edward’s agenda and the
NYYC Invitational Cup a must
do event with a top ten result.
Edward spoke about his
crew credentials, “the main aim
for the team was to keep it young
and with an average overall age
safely within the 30 bracket the
emphasis has definitely been
upon the next generation”. The
selections started back in late
Spring with talented Members
battling a series of strong winds,
40
PREVIOUS PAGE Edward Leask and
his crew putting Magical Mystery Tour
through her paces on Day 3
CENTRE New York Yacht Club in
Newport Rhode Island – a beautiful
setting for the Invitational Cup. Photograph by David Henderson-Williams
Designated number 14 Magical Mystery
Tour can also be recognised by the
RSrnYC burgee on her mainsail and can
be seen in all the photographs
All other photographs courtesy of Rolex/
Daniel Forster
heavy seas and cold temperatures during some of the Club
events, all with a dream of competing in Newport. The three
youngest team Members Annabel Vose (19), Dan Saltmarsh
(21) and Ed Dyer (24), made
the final cut being a real asset to
the team. “The Royal Southern
Academy Members have not
only sailed incredibly hard during racing with flat out hiking
and lightning speed match race
style boat handling, they have
worked diligently to get the boat
ready and have excelled themselves ashore at high profile
functions. I am blown away by
the quality of these sailors who
are all determined to also have
great careers, all three of them
opting for Masters at university. Great fun and positive at
all times, they have been a pleasure to get to know and I look
forward to future regattas with
them all” said Edward.
Renowned for tough competition the NYYC Invitational
Cup takes no prisoners. Ed Dyer,
Grinder and Rolls Royce employee, commented, “It was a
high scoring series, every point
counted right until the end. The
Club Swan 42 is very rewarding
to sail if you work with her, every
speed build out there is critical.
If you get it right there’s massive gains to be had, but it’s also
punishing if you get it wrong”.
Annabel Vose, 420 World Champion, was impressed with the
standard of competition, “due to
the fleet all being the same losses
are massive on tiny mistakes,
they cost you loads. Gains are
equally huge”. Dan Saltmarsh,
Bowman, pointed out the quality of the racing and highlighted
consistency as key, “the organisation is so precise”. Annabel
summed up the trip for the
Academy Members, “We went
to Newport to learn and we have
learnt loads, we got to know the
fleet and local winds as well as
making new global contacts to
help with our long term racing”.
Edward followed an Olympic
career with a Sigma 33 campaign
enjoying time racing with family including his father and close
friends. Lucky enough to have
an excellent core crew, Edward
has sailed with the likes of Angus
Hemmings and Mike Richards
for around a decade of highly
diverse yacht racing. It was Mr
Hemmings who originally sold
the idea of the first Swan 56 purchase called Magical to the family noting that it would be the
ultimate cruiser with vast opportunities for relaxing. The original
41
Swan concept for Edward has
clearly changed over the years;
after a stint at cruising, Edward
soon found his way back to racing, sparking the Club Swan 42
purchase. Even now in his more
mature years, Edward is a racer at
heart and has made the unusual
crossover from crew to helm, a
tough transition to pull off.
“Helming is not my number
one role, having grown up as a
Flying Dutchman crew; I need
back up at the aft of the boat
and have been lucky enough
to race with the highly talented
Tim Burnell for the first time at
the NYYC Invitational Cup.”
Stepping up to the role of tactician from his normal job as
trimmer, Tim was up against
some of the most experienced
Olympic and big boat circuit
minds, pulling off an incredible
set of solid results for the Royal
Southern Yacht Club team.
Edward summed up the
event. “My goal was a top ten
and we surpassed this with a 5th
overall, mentally and physically
testing the NYYC Invitational
Cup was a complete success for
our Magical Mystery Tour team,
thoroughly enjoyed by all the
crew including family, close sailing friends and new upcoming
talent. There is one additional
person I would like to thank
which is my skipper, Martin
Bain, working tirelessly to make
this happen for us.”
Cailah Leask
42
2013 NYYC INVITATIONAL CUP presented by Rolex
FINAL RESULTS TABLE
Pl. TEAM
TUESDAY
Last updated: 1800 Saturday 14 September
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Bow MNA R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9
R10 Total
1
Royal Canadian YC
05
CAN
14
7
9
1
1
1
1
1
3
7
45
2
Larchmont YC
07
USA
2
2
2
16
3
4
5.1
2
1
14
51.1
3
Royal Thames YC
12
GBR
3
6.3
16
2
11
2
4
6
5
8
63.3
4
Royal Cork YC
08
IRL
7
7.8
7
6
5
10
8
11
10
6
77.8
5
Royal Southern YC
14
GBR
5
17
5
14
6
10
13
10
9
2
91
6
Japan Sailing Federation
03
JPN
4
1
10
10
10
7
11
16
8
15
92
7
Seattle YC
17
USA
9.2
12
14
7
2
3
2
12
19
12
92.2
8
YC Argentino
16
ARG
18
16
13
4
19
13
7
3
2
1
96
9
New York Yacht Club
11
USA
8
13
6
5
4
18
17
8
7
11
97
10
Cruising VC of Australia
06
AUS
15
9
12
15
8
5
5
9
18
5
101
11
Royal Prince Alfred YC
18
AUS
1
5
1
11
18
21
6
7
15
19
104
12
Royal Yacht Squadron
02
GBR
9
6
5
13
20
8
12
5
12
17
107
13
The San Francisco YC
15
USA
12
11
4
3
15
21
14
13
4
13
110
14
Yacht Club Italiano
04
ITA
10
19
9
18
7
9
21
4
13
3
113
15
Royal Hong Kong YC
13
HKG
13
3
17
8
20
14
3
17
6
16
117
16
Royal Freshwater Bay YC
09
AUS
6
5
19
12
9
16
16
19
11
10
123
17
Royal Belgian Sailing Club 20
BEL
11
8
11
9
17
11
15
18
16
18
134
18
Nylandska Jaktklubben
10
FIN
16
13.9 18
19
17
6
9
14
17
9
138.9
19
RCN de Barcelona
01
ESP
17
18
15
17
12
17
10
15
20
20
161
20
Royal Swedish YC
19
SWE
21
16
20
21
14
12
21
20
14
4
163
RDG
AVERAGE POINTS FOR RACES 1-10
(except in the race in question)
AVERAGE POINTS FOR RACES 1-5 AND 7
ZFP
20% “Z” FLAG OCS PENALTY = 4 POINTS
DSQ
DISQUALIFIED
RDG
BSP
1pt BOW SPRIT PENALTY (x2)
BSP
1pt BOW SPRIT PENALTY
OCS
ON COURSE SIDE AT START,
DID NOT RETURN
Edward Leask, had a single
minded objective to fulfil in
the Royal Southern’s first
invitation to the New York
Yacht Club’s Invitational
Cup Presented by Rolex – to
be in the top half of the fleet.
Your reporter’s objective was
to beat the NYYC on their
home patch. Tricky, not just
on their home waters but in
their own designed boats.
There was a great deal of
preparation for what has turned
out to be a major achievement
for the Magical Mystery Tour
(MMT) team who finished fifth
out of twenty of the world’s best
Yacht Clubs. Last year, Edward
agreed to represent the Club at
this, the most prestigious Corinthian Regatta in the world;
no pros, huge attention to detail
in equalising the boats, and with
twenty of the top Clubs in the
world racing One Design forty
A SPECTATORS VIEWPOINT
LEFT HAND PAGE Photograph by
Rolex/Daniel Forster
TOP Magical Mystery Tour in training at
the RSrnYC June Regatta. Photograph by
Paul Wyeth
CENTRE The Royal Southern contingent
at Newport. Photograph by Graham Nixon
BOTTOM Magical Mystery Tour in full
flight on day 4 on the way to a second
place finish. Photography by David
Henderson-Williams
footers in really close quarters.
The boats are so evenly matched
that they arrive at the weather
mark at the same time and
most of them also arrive at the
leeward gate at the same time.
With on-water umpiring, these
were critical times. One bad
move and you lose 10 places
or more. Equally, one inspired
move and you’re away.
New York Yacht Club had
won their own Invitational Cup
first time around in 2009. Royal
Canadian Yacht Club won in
2011. They keep and race their
own boat at Newport and were
hot contenders this time, as
were nearby Larchmont Yacht
Club from New York State and
recent winners of the US National championships. Edward
has been a Southern Member
since 2001 and raced with his
son Magnus making it a family affair. They used the Club’s
May and June Regattas as part
of their crew selection trials before shipping MMT out to Newport. Fast forward as the crew
arrive including three Academy
Members; Annabel Vose who
was a Splasher as a tiny, has been
Women’s World 420 Champion
and is now campaigning a 470;
Ed Dyer, Splasher and Junior Cadet since 2004 and serial Match
Race winner and bowman Dan
Saltmarsh who joined the Academy two years ago and who is
at Southampton University with
lots of successes under his belt.
The results sheet shows the
ups and downs of the fleet during five days of the most close,
intense Corinthian racing that
there is for one designs of this
size. Early on we had a couple
of fifths with some tough races
in between culminating in a
stunning second place towards
the end of the event showing
that time on the water really
pays off. We team supporters
were able to follow the fleet on
our own and other spectator
boats, and I recall our guys ap43
proaching a finish in line abreast
in 6/7/8 position, but which? Ed
Dyer, Academy crew, said to me
afterwards that he and the crew
had never hiked so hard in their
lives. The 8th became a 6th in the
race which proved our final position of 5th overall, ahead of our
rivals over the Solent and more
importantly ahead of the NYYC
on home ground.This was really
intense, exciting racing – almost
no holds barred apart from the
on-water umpiring.
On the last day, the wind was
fitful, a contest between the offshore gradient wind and the sea
breeze. We were following on a
mega vintage motor yacht called
simply America, with computerised tracking on board. After
a few hours delay it seemed
there was enough wind to go.
We watched our guys head left,
come in strong to the weather
mark in 7th place, get penalised
down to 18th, but then surge
downwind to 6th on the tracker
ABOVE The parade of yachts.
Photograph by Rolex/David Forster
and 4th on the water – before the
wind faded to nothing and the
race was cancelled. Oh well, we
were up there and who knows
what might have happened.
First, congratulations to Edward and the whole team. They
surpassed their top ten objective,
were true Corinthian competitors and I am sure that NYYC
RIGHT Magical Mystery Tour giving
chase on day 4. Photograph by David
Henderson-Williams
BOTTOM Edward Leask and his crew
relaxing after race 1 on day 4. Photograph by David Henderson-Williams
will ask us back. Congratulations also to the New York Yacht
Club, Rolex and Nautor’s Swan;
this was a true world class event
on and off the water, great race
management, well-resourced with
lots of volunteers, a really friendly atmosphere and with competitors and spectators applauding
each other’s efforts. The NYYC
hospitality and organisation
were unsurpassed.
This is an Invitational event
in its third edition; the Squadron has been invited three times,
the Royal Thames twice and
now ourselves. I am sure that
this is a result of our growing
reputation – 175, Club of the
Year – and a tribute to all those
who created the opportunity. To
them, let’s raise our glasses, and
to the Skipper and crew, to our
sponsors Gaastra who helped
push the boat out with great
sailing gear, and to those very
kind Members who helped to
fund our Academy Members to
get out there.
A final reflection – these occasions allow people to meet
who would not normally have
the opportunity. I noted that
our Commodore, David Mead
and Rear Commodore Sailing, Karen Henderson-Williams,
were very busy talking to their
opposite numbers from Clubs
all around the world. All of the
shore support team, as you
would expect, paid their own
way and more, helping with
food and lodgings for the crew.
But above all, thanks to Edward
Leask without whom none of
this would have been possible.
Truly an event and a result to
remember.
Colin Hall – Chairman of Sailing
44
XODs IN HAMBLE
The summer has been so
wonderful since July we have
almost forgotten the wet and
windy early season back in
April. As is our wont a few,
like Eliot Motherwell, brace
the cold and get racing on the
1 April. Only for the brave say
the majority. So the Wednesday and Saturday Early Bird
Series is run.
46
Come May a few more have
entered the fray with the May
Regatta one of the highlights.
X159 Dux took the honours by
one point with Hamish Calder
in Leading Wind heading John
Sparshatt Worley in Elicia into
third place. X150 and X124
made up the ‘menage a cinque’.
At the end of May the first of the
Friday evening races was run, the
planned first being lost because
of too much wind.
In total eight X boats took
part in the Friday series. We hope
for a larger number in 2014. Into
this mix came X166 with Marcie Russell at the helm. Gaining two firsts and a second she
was showing the others the way
to go. Incidentally she also has
pace in her go-kart and normally
has the boys in her wake as well.
Consistency is what a series is
all about with X13 heading X124
and X150. But look out for Miss
Russell. If school, racing go-karts
and other competitive activities
weren’t there she would have
been top of the tree. But then
variety is the spice of life as you
approach your teenage years. By
the way Marcie takes after her
dad Simon, double Captains
Cup winner to name but one accolade. Royal Southern please
keep this series going in 2014; it’s
not only a good breeding ground
for the future but great fun for all
–finishing off at the Club, under
spinnaker.
June came and with it Sunday morning racing at the Southern. A shorter series compared
with Friday’s but fun nonetheless. Tim Harding in X90 Calypo
headed MOS FitzGerald in X124
with Ken Williamson in X144 in
third. Ken flew in from Houston
to give it a go which was a great
effort. He is now a proud Dad,
his daughter being born during
Cowes Week. Doubtless a budding sailor in the making.
July and it’s all getting busy.
The XOD Inter Solent Regatta
run by the Southern, Friday
evening racing, Wednesday and
Saturday A series and Classic
Cowes to mention just a few.
Every weekend from July to mid
September there is a regatta to
compete in within easy reach
of Hamble. At least one of our
boats covered most including a
4 day long weekend post Cowes
Week in Bembridge/Seaview.
The regatta that epitomises
our theme is Classic Cowes.
Ben and his sister Abby took
equal turns to helm their XOD
X2 Palassie ably assisted by their
Dad as crew. 37 boats competed.
At the end of the week Abby and
Ben were on equal points with
Kim Slater (with Simon Russell
as crew) and only slipped back
into 4th overall on count back.
WHAT A FANTASTIC RESULT. By the way the combined
ages of Abby and Ben averages
at 11.5 years! So you might well
ask is there a future in an XOD.
You can bet your life there is and
the youngsters are showing their
elders the way forward.
The Aveva September Regatta saw another good turnout of the XOD fleet with Ed
Fitzgerald in X159 Dux leading
them home in all but one race
ahead of Philip Almedia in X96
Fantasy and Gerry Golding in
X150 Pepper. As a fleet we want
to thank the Southern for the
racing they have organised on
our behalf and hope 2014 will be
even more successful compared
with 2013.
What have we learnt this
year? Age is no barrier. Our
youngest helm is 10.5 years our
oldest is Gerry Goulding at 85.
Sailing and particularly racing an XOD is good for your
health. Spending time ashore
post racing with prizes and fun
and much chat is good for one’s
being. So please Royal Southern
keep it all going. We as a fleet
much appreciate being able to
come ashore on a Friday evening
at 2145 and still be welcomed for
supper. It’s all good news for our
Club having happy competitors.
MOS FitzGerald – X124 Kathleen
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP Abby Childerley,
having to put up with her father Stuart
as crew!
Photograph by Eddie Mays
OPPOSITE PAGE CENTRE LEFT
Gerry Goulding, our oldest XOD
competitor in the Hamble fleet
Photograph by Mike Austen
TOP Phil Almeida collecting his Aveva
decanter from Karen Henderson-Williams
and the Commodore. LEFT Eliot
Motherwell making waves.
Photograph by Mike Austen
CENTRE Andy Hamlett with Phil
Almeida and John Roberts crewing
Photograph by Mike Austen
ABOVE Marcie Russell with the Stanley
Steel Challenge Cup won at
Bursledon Regatta this year in X166.
47
SB20 WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
After 4 days of racing a number of crews were in contention to be World Champions.
On the final day of racing,
and the decider for the World
Chamionships after 4 days of
racing, the Race Committee
attempted to get the 90 strong
fleet racing on schedule but the
fleet was recalled twice and the
second recall was made under the black flag. Fourteen
competitors were called over the
line and were forced to wait for
the start of a second race; which
never came.
With the championship still
up for grabs in what was to be
the final race, the arrival of the
fleet at the first windward mark
rounding was tense for all involved. Edward Russo (FRA)
sailing his beautiful ‘Black
Magic’ emerged leading the fleet
and maintained his lead to the
leeward mark. Championship
48
contender Roger Hudson (RSA)
arrived in fourth position ahead
of Craig Burlton (GBR). Hudson called a foul on Burlton,
who promptly took his penalty
turn on the spreader leg, which
provided the opportunity for
Rodion Luka (UKR) and JeanBaptiste Bernaz (FRA) to pass
him.
At the leeward mark little
had changed except Iain Ainslie
had joined the leading boats. By
the second windward rounding,
Ainslie had taken the lead and
Hudson was ahead of Luka,
who was ahead of Burlton.
On the race to the finish,
the result was still unclear and
it was after some quick calculations from the press boat that
the winner emerged. Burlton
had done enough, he was three
points clear and the 2013 World
Champion.
When the result was confirmed, the Gill Race Team crew
gasped with relief, Burlton’s
first comment after the result
was confirmed, “I can’t believe
it....! It’s been such a good
week. When we came round the
top mark and Roger [Hudson]
called a penalty on us, we had to
take it...all the time we were trying to close in on the twelve or
so boats ahead of us. It was really hard. It’s been a tough week
of racing in a really tough fleet.
We’ve absolutely loved it.”
Fellow Club Member Roger
Hudson complimented Burlton’s success, “This win for
Craig sets him apart; all the
other boats in the top five have
professionals sailing on them;
Craig’s crew have been together
for a long time, they sailed really
well; they were awesome this
week.” Praise indeed.
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I N D U S T R I AL
SHORT
COURSE
RACING
This year saw Friday evening
racing back at the Club for
the first time in many years.
This initiative was put in
place after consultation with
Members and day boat users
who wanted more opportunities top take part in shorter
races. Saturday afternoon
and Sunday racing were
also on offer, but it was the
Friday’s that were the most
popular.
With the focus on short, snappy
and easy to organise races, ‘Sir
Michael’ was elevated from mark
laying RIB to committee boatwith the simple of addition of
some tubes to take the flags. This
allowed a much smaller team usually a pair - of race officers to
run the events. Our race officer
training day had been planned
with this in mind and now Race
Management has a larger team
of volunteers to call on.
Unsurprisingly, the series did not
get off to a totally smooth start
as the early summer weather
conspired to blow several events
off the water. When better sailing weather finally arrived, the
new race officer teams found that
even with smaller fleets of little
boats, the same number of tasks
were needed to run two starts in a
bouncy little RIB on an exposed
anchorage. Being versatile, they
managed to start their races with
the clock between their ankles, a
hooter under a knee, a pencil in
one hand and a flag in another.
By arrangement with the Harbourmaster, Friday evening races
were permitted to progress up the
river to the traditional Club finish
line (between the flag pole and the
far pile). Thus for the first time in
decades, Friday evenings saw a
succession of spinnakers racing
past the Club House and preprandial drinks being enlivened
by the regular toot of the hooter.
This was particularly pleasing on
the 13th June, when Chairman of
Sailing, Colin Hall, who had en50
thusiastically endorsed the series,
celebrated a very special birthday.
The sponsored prizegivings saw
the successful competitors walk
away with some excellent Gaastra and Harken equipment, as
well as some fortifying rum to
encourage their efforts. Our Sailing Secretary, Natalie Gray, was
the overall winner in RYA/NHC
Club Class having helmed J80
Boysterous in some very competitive racing and Mos Fitzgerald
in Kathleen took honours in the
XOD class.
The Autumn Friday night series
attracted fewer competitors, but
by now Race Management had
worked on some new courses
giving greater variety. Sadly, as
the evenings grew shorter we had
to draw the racing to a close but
much has been learnt and Race
Management are looking forward to another season of short
course racing next year.
Very many thanks to all those
who helped out, including Phil
Riley who officially was there to
write a report on the races but
ended up being a very versatile
race officer. Thank you also to
the competitors who gave such
encouraging feedback, to Philip
Gage for the courses and to our
sponsors, Gaastra and Harken.
Serena Alexander
Photographs by Phil Riley
FORWARD TO 2014
Colin Hall retiring Chairman of
Sailing and Graham Nixon current
Vice Chairman of Sailing review
the 2013 season and consider the
2014 sailing programme.
CH: It’s been a busy year and
Regatta numbers have held up
well after the extra 175 activity
but we’ve had to work hard to
get those boats on the water and
tried a number of new things, like
short course evening racing and
the RYA’s National Handicap for
cruisers. How do you see racing
developing next year?
GN: Over recent years, event
turnouts have suffered across
the board internationally – from
dinghies through to keelboats –
so we have done well to hold our
numbers. In the 2014 provisional
programme we have retained all
the popular regattas, passage
races and Friday evening series’,
as well as introducing some new
events.
CH: What about the cruising
side? The long distance cruisers
met the Clyde Cruising Club,
RAFYC and Royal Cork in Benodet this year. Will there be similar
opportunities next year?
GN: Yes, the Cruising committee is looking at options for more
interclub collaborative events, as
well as fly & charter cruising in
warmer waters and the ICOYC
cruises. As well as boosting entry numbers, this sort of event
creates the opportunity to meet
and make new friends. We’re
also keen to promote more family-friendly cruising in the Solent
and are considering a week-long
family Channel cruise next summer. People starting or returning
to sailing generally start by cruising and we need to encourage
this and help them develop their
sailing skills through cruising and
cruiser racing.
CH: The new Youth Group
Committee held a seriously good
Splash Week and our Match Cup
attracted international entries for
the first time. What are the plans
for them next year?
GN: Splash Week was a fantastic
success and it has been great to
see the Club full of youngsters on
regatta weekends this season as
well as during match racing. They
give me confidence that the Club
has a bright future. The Youth
Committee have already put their
events into the programme and
are ambitious to expand the range
and level of events they organise.
We are also planning to repeat the
BKA match race and are working to raise the profile of keelboat
racing within the RYA. But we
really need to focus on getting
that fourth Club J/80, to enable
us to organise match racing cost
effectively.
CH: We were invited to the New
York Yacht Club’s Invitational
Regatta for the first time and
came away with a great result.
Do you think we will be able to
do that again in two years’ time?
GN: Just being invited was confirmation of how far the Club
has come in recent years. It was a
privilege to be in Newport for that
event and the whole week was
just amazing. Edward Leask and
the team did really well, amongst
competition from the top Clubs
in the world. Virtually every boat
was on the line at the gun and
again two miles later at the windward mark; it was really close
racing. Two years’ time? We just
have to be there and need to start
planning now to make it happen.
CH: Graham, you’ve got another
two years on the Sailing Committee. Is there anything else you
like to see achieved in that time?
GN: Hmm? There is one thing.
There’s a gap between motorboats and sailing in the Club,
which I would like to see narrowed. I’d like to see more joint
events, with the two sections
arriving at the same destination and socialising together. We
managed to get one motorboat
on the Poole and Back event this
year and the mid-week cruises
have attracted a mix, so we’re
making some progress. Next year
Deauville is hosting the Figaro
and the 70th anniversary of the DDay landings is just a few miles
down the French coast a few days
later. So it would be wonderful to
get more Royal Southern motorboats accompanying the race to
Deauville. Royal London Members do it, so why can’t we?
51
Henry of Huntingdon, the
12th-century chronicler, tells
how Canute set his throne by
the sea shore – the precise location is the source of some
disagreement but the odds are
that it was on the Solent – and
commanded the tide to halt
and not wet his feet and robes.
Yet ‘continuing to rise as
usual [the tide] dashed over his
feet and legs without respect to
his royal person’. Then the King
leapt backwards saying, “Let
all men know how empty and
worthless is the power of Kings,
for there is none worthy of the
name, but He whom heaven,
earth, and sea obey by eternal
laws.” Canute may have proved
that Kings are mortal and cannot control the tides or other
natural phenomena but the
Royal Southern Yacht Club’s
weekend Regatta, named in his
honour, delivered one of the
best day’s sailing of the year on
Saturday 31 August.
Set up as a special one day
event to compensate for all the
early season events blown away
CANUTE
CONFOUNDED
by bad weather, the free to enter Regatta saw cloudless blue
skies, a moderate northerly
wind, many pirates and a few
parrots, several zebras, Father
Christmas and the good King
himself take to the water.
With the wind in the north,
there were big swings in the wind
coming off the land and so keeping in time with the wind shifts
made all the difference. In the
NHC Cruiser Class, Jonty Sherwill and Vicky Weston in their
Classic Cockleshell won both
races and so were clear winners
from Keith Bridges in Amigos
and Paul Waxman in Imperator.
Adam Munday’s J/97 just
pipped Andrew Christie’s J/111
Icarus on countback to win the
IRC Class although Andrew
had the satisfaction of line honours in both races. Robbie and
Lis Robinson’s Hot Rats completed the leader board.
In the NHC Sports Boat
Class Ivan Trotman’s J/80, J’ai
Deux Amours, won both races
and so the day, followed by Gary
Baker’s SB20 Trio, and Rebecca
Anthony’s SB20 Striptease.
The hero, King Canute, having proved his worth with the
weather was placed second in the
first race but had to retire from
the second – a little local difficulty with the tides according to his
alter ego, John Rutherford.
Asked if he would be returning next year, pirate Captain Bill
Blain said, “Arrrgh...” He could
be asked back.
Colin Hall
52
53
POOLE & BACK RACE
Saturday’s race was really
quite eerie – not a single
cloud in the sky and a north
easterly wind blowing 15-18
knots; that is in an almost
direct line from Hamble to
Poole. I had to pinch myself
to make sure I had remembered to get out of my bunk
that morning.
This race is all about tidal
strategy. How long to stay inshore on the mainland side,
before crossing to the Island
side for the stronger tides; then
whether to go through the North
Channel around Hurst Castle
for a more direct line to Poole
but with weaker tides, or whether
to stay in the Needles channel as
far as SW Shingles buoy, which
is a longer distance but gives
stronger tides.
Nine boats assembled for
the start at East Knoll, where
Martin Bedford and Mike Foster, the race officers, set a short
beat to Hill Head then non-stop
to Poole Bar No.1 – remembering to go around Hurst Castle,
of course. Magic was just ahead
of Bold Eagle and Wishful Thinking around the mark, when a
scramble followed to see who
could get spinnakers up first.
Magic and Wishful led with their
symmetrical spinnakers, which
were ideal for the broad reach
down the Western Solent and a
direct line to Hurst.
At Hurst, most boats elected
for the North Channel and hardened up to stay in the channel.
At this point Magic’s spinnaker
exploded and, with only 3 crew
on board, it was a scramble to
get the remains down and a replacement up again; by which
time Bold Eagle and Wishful
Thinking had made significant
inroads into Magic’s lead. In the
Club Class fleet, only Diamond
Blue elected for the southern
route down to SW Shingles,
which proved to be a winning
strategy.
Crossing Poole Bay was
truly Caribbean sailing surfing
on the following waves, with the
only problem being to remember to apply more factor 50 at
regular intervals! Then around
Poole Bar No.1 and harden up
for the finish line at No.3, where
Moon Shadow was waiting to log
our finish times. Magic took the
gun, but Wishful Thinking held
off Bold Eagle to take first place
on handicap. In the Club Class
fleet Bombardino took the gun,
but Diamond Blue came through
on handicap.
Once safely in Poole Quay
marina, the crews revitalised
themselves at a pontoon party,
before heading off to a local restaurant where, it has to be said,
the staff struggled to cope with
40 hungry sailors – en-masse.
Sunday morning dawned
more like an English summer,
with low cloud cover and the
wind still blowing NE. The tide
was already flooding, so the fleet
struggled to get out of Poole harbour and the start was delayed
by 20 minutes – this proved critical for the smaller boats later in
the day. By the time we started,
the cloud had broken up and the
sun was shining.
The fleet set off on a portbiased beat to Hurst and again
most boats elected to go inshore,
through the North Passage,
while Magic stayed out to SW
Shingles and then up through
the Needles Fairway – the winning tactic.
Only the first five boats
made it through Hurst Narrows
before the tide turned against
them and two retired, the ebb
getting stronger by the minute,
giving an advantage to the leading boats as they beat against the
tide to the finishing line. Again, it
was Magic and Bombardino who
took line honours in the IRC
and Club Class respectively and,
with the tidal advantage, took
first place on handicap as well.
All boats then started their
engines for the long run against
the tide back to Hamble and a
very welcome cold drink at the
Club bar.
Graham Nixon – Vice Chairman
Sailing Committee
54
A WILD & WONDERFUL WEEKEND
As Friday’s start time approached, it was blowing
dogs off chains, but Saturday
produced brilliant, bright
and lively conditions for the
Cowes-Deauville Race; raced
like its 50 annual predecessors under the joint burgees
of the Royal Southern, Royal
London, a mere stripling of
175 years compared to our
own 176, and, of course, the
Deauville Yacht Club.
TOP RIGHT ‘SX Girl’ going
through the lock gate at Deauville.
UPPER RIGHT A warm reception
at Deauville Yacht Club
LOWER RIGHT Some of the happy
prizewinners
Deauville consistently demonstrates such marvellous hospitality that even UKIP’s Nigel
Farage might consider Francophilia, and once again we enjoyed the patronage of the Yacht
Club de France and importantly,
the technical assistance and
support of the Junior Offshore
Group (JOG). This is truly a
classic Club event, which everyone should take part in!
The Cruiser race start was
scheduled for Friday afternoon,
with the IRC rated fleet due
away in the early evening. By
early afternoon, it was clear that
the gathering Channel storm had
arrived with a vengeance. On Friday evening, we cautiously approached the start line at Cowes
in a state of disbelief that the race
could be started: 2 reefs and the
boat was… well, under control.
We had 35 knots across the bows
and the prospect of the storm
gaining strength through the evening was most unappealing. We
took the decision to start, then
wait out the storm moored to a
buoy, but even that looked questionable in the northerly howler.
At 1700, we found ourselves
practically alone at the start and
wisely decided to retire to Cowes.
It was absolute carnage in Cowes
Roads as a small French yacht
took out the Red Jet, (amazing
how sharp the yacht’s bow was
and how thin the skin of fast cats
are), and a Challenge Clipper
thumped the moored Sonars. We
dodged the mayhem and tied up
among other boats, unwilling to
risk a night crossing in the gathering gale.
Shortly afterwards, the Race
Committee flagged a postponement, till 0800 Saturday, later
re-arranged for 0600. Sadly that
news did not reach all boats and
Graham Nixon turned up to an
empty Cowes start line in his
Elan 40 Magic, to discover he
was 2 hours late.
Having blown throughout
the night, the gale moderated by
the time we lined up for the rearranged start and a bright sunny
day and 20 knots from the North
East gave us a sparkling beat up
the Solent before rounding the
Forts. Some boats were able to
hold spinnakers at the cost of go-
ing slightly deep off the Rhumb
Line. Nicky and I in Batfish and
Noj & Chrissie White in SX Girl
reached across the channel, but
as the wind gradually backed SX
Girl got her spinnaker up and
drove past us, before we too
hoisted, and a channel chase developed. The weather was magnificent, with bright blue sea and
sky and decent winds.
When to gybe - that was
the question. As skipper, it was
my mistake to reckon the wind
had gone as far as it would and
I called an early gybe – big mistake. The other boats waited a
mere 30 minutes, as the wind
continued to back and allowed
them to gybe onto the right
course to make the finishing
line off Deauville. Batfish effectively added miles to her course
and was left playing catch up,
while boats that had waited ran
faster as the wind speed diminished during the afternoon. The
results said it all. SX Girl was
the first Royal Southern boat to
Deauville and won Class 2 and,
after redress, Magic was placed
second, an impressive result as
they didn’t have the good winds
enjoyed by the rest of the fleet
due to their late start.
New trophies this year were
elegant ship’s decanters donated
by Aveva plc, awarded to the
highest placed finishers from
the four organising Clubs and
Cruiser Class. The formal prize
giving on Sunday morning was
followed by an outrageous lunch
in Trouville where the Royal
Southern contingent got JOG’s
Secretary, Peter Chartres nicely
relaxed after his computing duties. Peter, it was, who presented
the Corinthian Offshore Racing Association (CORA) prizes,
again to SX Girl and Batfish, and
my partner, Nicola, deserves
special mention for winning the
prestigious European GPBP
competition, by being the only
girl brave enough to participate.
No doubt she will defend her trophy at next year’s event.
Bill Blain
Batfish V
55
CRUIS
ING
ICOYC
CRUISE
This year’s Summer Cruise
was brilliantly supported by
Nordeutscher Regatta Verein in Hamburg and took
the participants around the
southern Danish Isles.
Members of eight ICOYC
Yacht Clubs in fifteen yachts had
the chance to appreciate the superb cruising area of the southern Baltic with small Danish
towns and villages nestling comfortably into beautiful landscape.
These towns and villages are best
appreciated from the sea, it was
good to enjoy them in the company of fellow sailors.
I have always liked the
southern Baltic, having first
sailed there over fifty years ago,
so I was very pleased when
Wolfgang Weber and the NRV
flag officers agreed to host our
annual ICOYC event there.
I was not disappointed. The
events were perfectly organised
during the week-long cruise.
One was a memorable BBQ in
Hørup Hav after our first day at
sea. There was superb food from
NRV, cooked by club chefs who
had travelled all the way from
Hamburg to Denmark. Then
we enjoyed visiting Marstal and
Svendborg before working our
way through narrow channels to
Ærøskøbing, the perfect Danish
town that has changed little over
centuries. There the club organised an excellent Danish buffet in
from the first welcoming party in
the most hospitable Flensburg
Sailing Club to the last dinner
in Glucksburg Castle, owned by
the family of NRV’s Rear Commodore, Alexander Holstein. We
enjoyed wonderful locations,
good sailing and great company.
Many friendships were made
among the various yachts.
The weather helped. The
first five days kept to the tradition of the ICOYC Cruises always having good weather with
light winds and hot sunshine.
However, it then started to blow
hard and in the last two days we
were reminded that the sea can
be challenging and even in protected waters we had to draw on
all our experience as sailors. It
gave us lots to talk about when
we finally got to the shore.
There were many highlights
56
the courtyard of an old inn. After
a sail to Faaborg the fleet headed
back towards the mainland in
rough conditions and reached the
small harbour of Dyvig, where we
had another excellent dinner, this
time in a luxury hotel. It was a
cruise of contrasts.
The ICOYC Cruises have
two great benefits. One is that
all those taking part are from
yacht clubs that have a similar
standing around the world, so
we all enjoy each other’s company and have much to discuss.
The other is that the organising
club knows just where to go and
they often have an inside track
enabling us to get to the very
best places in each area. In this
cruise the best was saved for last
and the final reception and dinner was in the fairy-tale Glucksburg Castle, largely surrounded
by a lake and trees. We had
personal guided tours, hearing
at first hand about the family
history of Prince Alexander, and
discovering that his family was
related to almost all the royal
houses of Europe. It was a great
finale to a superb cruise.
We are now planning the
2014 event which will be based
around the magical mediterranean islands of Corscia and
Elba. All those who came in
2013 agreed that these Cruises
should continue as an important part of the ICOYC calendar. Importantly they are open
to all the members of ICOYC
clubs, not just their Flag Officers.
John Stork
Past President ICOYC
Chairman, Interclub Activities
Committee
Behind The Scenes
organize the various dinners we
are planning to have in person
with the patrons of the hotels
involved?”, I more than readily
agreed to his idea but could not
join him on this tour due to other
commitments at the time. So,
Harald took it upon himself to
single-handedly sail through the
area and to personally discuss
and organize all the planned
dinner events on location in advance. This was a brilliant idea
and contributed to the flawless
implementation of the cruise.
“Very nice, but why the southern
Danish Isles of all places? We
know all the ports already and
what could be the benefit of fleet
sailing when we can individually
enjoy the tranquility of the area
on our own?” quite a few of the
NRV’s cruising members remarked. However I was able to
convince them that this venture
was going to be something new
and thrilling in a sense they had
never been able to experience
before. So, with support from
the NRV’s General Committee I Wolfgang Weber
began to drum up potential par- NRV Delegate, ICOYC
ticipants and our Rear Commodore Offshore Sailing, Alexander Prinz zu Schleswig-Holstein
and Harald Kuhlei, who has a
vast knowledge of the area, were
early supporters.
By the end of 2012 the itinerary was fixed and the cruise advertised but as they say, “the devil
is in the detail”. Harald and I
were painstakingly reviewing every minute detail of our project.
We made changes in the schedule here and there and finally
came to the point when in our
opinion everything looked pretty
nice on paper. But then Harald
said, “Wolfgang, don’t you think
it would be a good idea to visit
all these ports in advance and to
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP AND BOTTOM
RIGHT Flensburg Sailing Club
OPPOSITE PAGE CENTRE Ærøskøbing
on the island of Ærø
TOP Svendborg, panorama across the
harbour
CENTRE Robbe & Berking Classic
Yachts Yard at Flensburg
BOTTOM Valdemars Slot, former home
of Danish nobility and now converted into
museums and a hotel
LEFT Glücksburg Castle, seat of the
House of Schleswig-Holstein-GlücksburgSonderburg
57
The sun shone on the righteous (Sailing Division) and
unrighteous (Motor Division)
alike for the Pursuit Race
and the impressive turnout
prompted the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, our hosts, to
check whether there were really 90 people coming for lunch.
PURSUIT RACE
This event is hotly contested
so nefarious goings on commenced early in efforts to gain
pole position. These ranged
from attempting to ply the race
officer with alcohol prior to the
start times being established,
disguising a Comet 41 as an A31
and even trying to put half the
fleet on the putty with a course
too shallow for many of deeper
keeled boats. Wise to such tactics
David Aspinall, (aka Solomon)
was the impartial PRO, the new
RYA handicap system was used
for all boats as it was considered
as being above reproach and
the revised start times and reset
course issued by Friday evening
enabled everyone to take part.
The fleet came out of the
mouth of the Hamble and many
disappeared into the mist cloaking the North Shore; it seemed
that the weather forecast was yet
another dud with light winds and
grey skies. However the mist began to lift as the first boats went
into start mode at 1000 and by
just after 1030 the day had become perfect champagne racing
with a cascade course mixing a
variety of beats, runs and reaches
58
regardless of where anyone was
lying in the race. Rumour has
it that some boats were already
well into their champagne by this
point.
The vast experience of
Kuutar under one Past-Commodore kept them at the front
of the fleet along with Boysterous, a J/80, helmed by another
Past-Commodore. Closing in
from behind Hot Rats managed
to overhaul Kuutar in the run up
to Fastnet Insurance and then
had the unenviable task of reeling in the J/80 whilst protecting
their back from Kuutar and Circus who had appeared over the
horizon. As Lis Robinson on Hot
Rats said, “the amazing 40 degree wind shift just after Mackley
Construction caused us to abort
tacking immediately after Boysterous had tacked and the mega
lift gave us a lucky break in reeling in Colin Hall and his crew”.
However Kuutar also benefited
from the same shift and the in-
creasing wind and started to
close down the two leading boats
closely followed by the Circus
powering up the last couple of
legs.
With the finish line in sight
an additional dilemma arose as
Hot Rats managed to pull past
the J/80 before the final beat and
realised that there was no committee boat on station but that
a vessel resembling Amberjack
was racing at full speed from
the north. With great presence of
mind Robbie Robinson crossed
the line one side of the buoy, as
appeared indicated by the sailing
instructions, and then unwound
and re-crossed again on the
other side, covering all options
having anticipated correctly that
Amberjack would skid to a halt
and anchor at the earliest opportunity to the North of the finish
buoy. With insufficient time to
take a similar option, having just
passed the J/80, Circus crossed
one side of the finish buoy with
Boysterous the other side closely
followed by Kuutar and the
Meads in Wishful Thinking.
Over on the ‘dark side’ in
the motorboat division the current Commodore was the hot
favourite but Nick Hollamby put
paid to that with an outstanding performance in Crystal. Nick
attributed his success to “the
fog which came down just as I
started and kept the water flat for
some time and then conveniently
disappeared before the other
boats started”. David Mead put
in a second place after enjoying
what he described as “excellent
fun” with Fortissimo in third
place.
All had a cracking afternoon
and a lot of laughs on the terrace
at the Royal Corinthian with an
excellent BBQ and the famous
(or possibly infamous?) jugs of
Pimms. A thoroughly enjoyable
day on all fronts but the true winner was Andrew Webster on Circus who demonstrated sportsmanship in the highest tradition
of the Royal Southern by retiring
from his second place due to
the technical offence of having
crossed the wrong side of the line
which subsequently became the
right side once the Committee
Boat had arrived.
Lis Robinson – Hot Rats
59
BENODET CRUISE
For at least the past three years
the cruising community has
run the gauntlet of inclement weather, few have reached
their chosen destination and
most have been stormbound
somewhere. It was therefore
with considerable trepidation
that we dreamed up the idea of
linking with the Clyde Cruising
Club of Scotland for the Blue
Water trophy race that was going to be completed in Benodet.
The Cruising Committee
was quick to endorse the idea as
did the Chairman of the Sailing
Committee, suggesting that we
also enquire whether the RAFYC
would be interested. The three
clubs had no hesitation in agreeing
that it was what was required to
kick-start more interest in cruiser
rallies and cruising in company.
Over fifty boats indicated a
keen interest and in the end forty
set sail. The weather was mixed
and several changes of direction
and stopovers were necessary to
accommodate the ever irritating
depressions. However in the end
thirty two boats arrived safely in
Benodet. Freedom of Hamble skippered by Charles and Susie Reynolds were the first in port and made
sure that the marina staff were up
to date with the fleet’s progress –
a challenging task. On shore at
Benodet we had the experience of
60
Louis Sallons who was supervising the berthing and liaising about
catering etc, and also giving Patrick
Trust, the organizer from the CCC,
guidance on all aspects of organisational matters.
During the voyage we were
communicating by text with some
thirty boats; some on their way
from Scotland but most from the
South Coast. For the CCC contingent the weather was very kind and
most carried their spinnaker from
Dublin to Land’s End. Two days
before the introductory party only
three boats had arrived and Louis
sent a text message to advise that
the harbour manager was very
concerned about all that berths
that lay awaiting – within 12 hours
he was wondering how to cope!
Royal Southern tradition dictated an arrival pontoon party for
a ‘get to know’ each other – it was
a very swinging affair and in the
wee sma’ hours some restraint (of
a gentle nature) was used to pipe
lights out. The parties continued –
lunch parties, pre-supper parties,
and parties without nomenclature
– as if it were needed. Finding anyone was a task because the hospitality was so overwhelming with
skippers and crews on everyone
else’s boats but their own.
It wasn’t all parties. The trip
to the Iles de Glenan was a huge
success although the sun was very
powerful. There were some disap-
The caterers provided a welcome
buffet and early fears of being
overcrowded melted away as the
perfect weather permitted the full
use of Club d’Odet’s promenade.
Needless to say a piper was
produced and kilts were in full view
from the CCC contingent, which
in turn produced quite a gathering
of local onlookers and tourists – it
made for a rather elegant “party
without equal” to quote the President of the Club Odet.
Colin Hall presented a bottle
of bubbly to the skipper of the
pointments; one was that due to
tidal restrictions we were unable
to cruise the River Odet up to Quimper. However, never daunted,
many took the coach and enjoyed
a land based trip.
The main event on Bastille
Day was the presentation by the
Mayor of Benodet of the Blue
Water trophy to Ken Andrew of
Argent. The Mayor apologised
for only being able to stay a short
time due to other commitments
but this was before he was introduced to the malt whisky supplied
by CCC’s sponsor. He finally left
two hours later.
By this time we were some 140
strong with the President of the
Club Odet, committee members,
marina staff and participants from
three Clubs present. The President
of Club Odet spoke and John Watson responded on behalf of CCC.
This was followed by appropriate
responses by Ian Redsell, Commodore of the RAFYC and Colin
Hall, our Former Commodore
and current Chairman of Sailing.
most meritorious voyager, Peter
Dubbok of Aurora, a 28ft Friendship. This was closely followed
by an agreement by all skippers
to have a lowering ceremony at
sunset of all boats dressed overall (which was everyone). Harry
Salmon produced the moving
music and to a man ensigns and
flags were lowered.
It seemed a bit sad until we
remembered the beach parties to
come and the firework display,
which was excellent and made all
the more memorable by the gathering on the beach of Benodet residents and visitors. Quite a scene
with singing and bonfires, with
small boats just offshore joining in
the activities.
Few who participated will forget the parties, the Bastille gathering, the fireworks, the new friends
and the cruising spirit which was
in abundance.
Len Lochrie
BENODET BY FLYBE
The joint cruise to Benodet by
the Clyde Cruising Club and
the Southern in association
with the RAFYC was a major
achievement, thanks to Len
Lochrie and his organisation
on this side of the water, with
help from Louis Sallons on
the French side.
It certainly warranted Flag
Officer support but at a busy
time of year, a profusion of events
conspired to keep the Flags at the
Club. So call on a Past Commodore (or is it Ex-, or Former-?)
and that’s how Naomi and I were
despatched to Benodet in one of
Flybe’s flying cruisers.
On arrival early evening, we
went to the Marina office to ask
for Velindra, when in walked Len
looking at his watch, “you’ll be
late for the party” he said heading for the pontoons, and sure
enough, the Scots were in full
cry having brought several cases
of Bruichladdich with them. All
joined the festivities before heading off to dinners afloat and
ashore.
The following day, visits were
made to the Iles Glenan just a
few miles off Benodet, but back in
time for the Vin d’Honneur with
M le Maire and M le President
du Yacht Club d’Odet. The Yacht
Club was crowded inside and out
and the Bruichladdich was being
sampled with enthusiasm until it
was time for the customary tributes. The Clyde Cruising Club
Commodore spoke eloquently in
French and presented M le Maire
with the Scottish spirit. Ian Redsell
also spoke eloquently as Commodore of RAFYC. Yours truly,
having practised some well known
phrases and sayings in French delivered them very loudly in random
order, presented M le Maire and
M le President with Club glasses
to sample the Scottish spirit and
a burgee for Club d’Odet’s collection. Eternal friendship to all
sailors was sworn and we tucked
into a fine spread with some of the
young Scottish contingent.
This long distance cruise was
a reminder of how a long passage
earns you friends when people
recognise that you worked hard to
get there. Other stories will be told.
Mine is of a quick dip into a fine
event that brought like-minded
cruisers together. As I step down
from Chairing the Sailing Committee, I hope that a long distance
cruise will become an annual event
that family members can enjoy. I
remember saying at a Wednesday
evening lecture some time ago –
get out of the Solent, get out of the
Channel and turn left. Our cruisers did, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Colin Hall
61
TURN LEFT OR RIGHT?
Once a year the cruising fraternity turn their backs on
the sea and head up-river.
Are they seeking some idyllic inland sea? Are they honing their skills at power boat
handling? Have they forgotten that sailing boats cannot get under the Burseldon
Bridge. No – it’s the annual
Club pilgrimage to the Horse
and Jockey.
In warm sunshine, the rain
having cleared, over 40 people
embarked from the Club in RIBs,
on the Club launch – ably skippered by Roger Harding – and,
setting the standard for elegance,
Hedley and Pippa Bewes barouche and Tim and Jeannie
Harrison’s blue launch Julie Jill.
Despite a very high tide everyone
was able to tie up near the pub
and they disembarked in readiness for a enjoyable lunch party.
As a result of Tim Harrison’s immaculate planning the party’s arrival was expected, luncheon orders had been placed in advance
and all were able to sit down together. The numbers were nearly
reduced as one RIB missed the
starboard turn and only realised
they were up the wrong creek,
albeit with a mechanical paddle,
when they were nearly in Botley!
Whilst all were enjoying
their lunch the tide went down
and came back up for the second high water. It was time to
leave before the creek dried out.
Upon returning, it seemed that
someone had pulled the plug
out and all made a fast voyage
back down the river except for
the barouche; returning to the
Club it made maximum use of
the ebb tide to come downriver
in an appropriately sedate and
stately fashion.
A NEW DESTINATION
At 1000 on a rather grey September morning ten boats
approached the start line
off Coronation which was
marked by Amberjack the
start boat. Three possible
courses had been set but the
chosen one was the shortest
as the forecast was for light
variable winds.
made its way to the entrace of
Bembridge harbour, passing a
fleet of brightly coloured Mermaids racing from their club
at Seaview. However when the
results were calculated Dudley
Stock had his revenge, coming first on handicap followed
by the Newton’s on Kuutar and
Paul Waxman on Imperator. We
As is often the case the fore- were joined at Bembridge by
cast was not quite correct and
there was a good breeze, assisted
by the spring tide, to take the
fleet speedily down to No Mans
Land Fort, the finish line. Dudley Stock’s Xtract, an X302, was
going well and flying an SB20
asymetric on the downwind legs.
He was ably assisted by an experienced crew of Nicky Gardner
and John Noe whose knowledge
of X-yachts is comprehensive.
Despite Xtract’s efforts Tim Corner’s Girolle crossed the finish
line first, closely ahead of Xtract
and Christopher Barker’s Belle
Serene.
After recording their times
crossing the finish line the fleet
62
Members who had decided not
to race.
Once comfortably moored
the rest of the afternoon was
spent enjoying ourselves in the
unspoilt surroundings in Bembridge harbour. There was an
early evening pontoon party,
where we failed to sink the rather
sturdy pontoons, and the crews
then either ate dinner on board
or at the Baywatch Cafe. The
following morning brought a
lack of wind and most boats
motored back to Hamble before
lunch, after their crews had been
for a walk along the beach or to
St Helens for the Sunday papers.
A short race to an interesting
destination appealing to all ages
is clearly a successful formula.
Given the success of our first
race to Bembridge I am sure that
we will be repeating it next year
and seeking out other novel destinations for cruiser races.
Maggie Widdop
Quicksilver 705
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ROYAL SOUTHERN
ACAD
EMY
ACADEMY
HOW THE ACADEMY
MATCH CUP ‘GREW UP’
It’s less than four years since
the Royal Southern Academy
ran its first match race triggered by an email from Academy member Guy Jackson,
then Captain of Yachting at
Solent University: ‘Could we
help run an Inter-University match race event if they
helped find the teams and
boats’? We’d never run any
match racing before but as it
was for a quiet time – the end
of March 2010 – and we love
a challenge, we said ‘Yes’.
Now, we’ve just had confirmation from ISAF that next
year’s Royal Southern Match
Cup will be an ISAF Grade 2
event – equivalent to a European Championship – ready to attract a field from the world’s Top
100 ranked match racers, and
not forgetting some of our own
Academy stars. If you watched
any of the recent America’s Cup
races, you were watching match
racing, one on one, and while
our boats don’t fly they can and
do get much more engaged in
the pre-starts and round the
64
course to provide the most exciting sailing to watch.
From the first, finding a fleet
of evenly matched boats was a
challenge, but Guy knew of the
Pelican Racing SB3s in Cowes
that we used for three years,
albeit at a cost, until they went
under last year. This stimulated
the Academy’s drive to acquire
some J/80s, by then established
as the boat of choice for team
and match racing in many
other locations including several ICOYC Clubs. Thanks to
generous donors, the Academy
now has two J/80s of its own
and access to others thanks to
kind owners willing to lend their
boats. (But it would still like to
buy at least one more so that we
can schedule team racing with
four boats which we can’t do at
present.)
ISAF specify criteria for
different Grades of match racing event covering the number
and strength of the teams in
the World rankings, the number
and qualifications of the Race
Officer and Umpire teams, the
number and quality of the boats
and their equipment…. It’s not
cheap to run as you can have
almost as many officials as
competitors and many of the
competitors are still students,
but if you can get it together it’s
a really exciting form of sailing.
After holding six events,
building our race officer teams,
getting more Umpires involved
and switching to J/80s, we
moved up from our previous
Grade 4 Academy Match Cups
to this September’s Grade 3
Royal Southern Match Cup,
equivalent to a National Championship. Despite first being
blown off in June and then reduced to a one day event in September due to no wind, the event
was won by some very nice guys
from France. In the process,
we’d done enough to go for
another upgrade, supported by
our International Umpires and
the RYA. Note that although it’s
still the same organising team
involved, we’ve moved from
calling the event the ‘Academy’
Match Cup to the ‘Royal Southern’ Match Cup to broaden its
appeal, and that seems to have
worked in our favour.
So who will take part? We
will invite ten teams. Our French
winners, who have just moved
up to ISAF ranking 35, will be
back and the winner of the Australian Warren Jones Invitational run by ICOYC Members, the
Royal Perth and Royal Freshwater Bay Clubs, wins entry as part
of their prize. We’ve invited Ian
Williams, the top ranked Brit at
No. 2 and Mark Lees, ranked
26. Academy Member Philip
Bendon, currently sailing for
Ireland has just moved up to
No 57 and there are a number
of other Academy sailors work-
ing hard to get into the Top 100.
Some of our former stars have
fallen back in the rankings as
they now have to work! Andy
Shaw, once 59th in the world is
now 267th! Can he pull back in
time? He was a very close second in our last Match Cup so he
certainly hasn’t forgotten what
to do! Similarly Ali Hall, once
39th and now 205th and Sam
Pearson, once 66th and now
224th could still make the cut.
We’ll encourage a mix of past
winners and new people includ-
ing some of the America’s Cup
competitors who are now back
on the scene like Chris Draper
and Sir Ben Ainslie, once World
No. 1 and now 223rd. Would
we? Would he? We’ll see!
As mentioned, it’s not cheap
and so we will be looking for
help where possible. Will some
kind Members help with billets
for our overseas visitors and
International Umpires? Will
others lend us their J/80s and
RIBs again? We rely as ever on
our volunteer teams of Race Of-
ficers, mark layers, boat riggers
and shore helpers. And what
about spectator boats?
So, in four short years we’re
on the world stage as far as
match racing is concerned with
the first Grade 2 event in the
UK for six years. We’re looking
for sponsorship which will help
with publicity and again help to
ensure that the Southern is at
the forefront of British sailing
in 2014.
The Academy Committee
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65
YOUT
H
SPLASH WEEK
66
2013 saw more a changing of
the regiment as opposed to a
mere changing of the guard as
an almost entirely new crew
took over from Ben Richard’s leaders. Fortunately
the weather Gods were looking down very favourably on
Splash Week 2013 – we had a
superb forecast for the week
and a record 105 children attending. The week was also
helped out by the tide, giving
us optimum time on the water.
Our aim with Splash is to introduce the future generation to
our crazy passion for sailing in
a fun and safe manner, and for
Splashers to learn not only how
to sail but to appreciate their
surroundings, both on and off
the water and to make and nurture friendships.
At 0800 on Monday 19 August the ‘Splash Flags’ were
hoisted to signal the start of the
week, the car park with thanks
to the Members had been
transformed into a dinghy park
and the bosuns had cleared the
dinghy dock. This year saw veteran Splashers return and many
debutant Splashers attending
for their first experience of the
Royal Southern’s ‘dinghy week’.
Half of all Splashers were under
8 years-old, which is an incredible statistic as the RYA does
not recognise children under
8 years-old whereas the Royal
Southern is producing 8 year old
sailors who can confidently sail
up wind and will be experiencing their first windward/leeward
races. This is all enabled by the
support and enthusiasm of the
accompanying adults, who will
all admit that the early years
have their moments, and I am
sure at some point in the week
believe that their children or
grand-children may never step
foot in a boat again. I am delighted to report that this is not
the case and we hear the main
reason for the older children not
returning to Splash is due to the
fact that they are now sailing on
the Oppie circuit.
The Eagles appetite for adventure was incredible and they
ventured as far east as Lee-onSolent and on Friday they went
on what has become their right
of passage, an offshore voyage
to Cowes. This was a remarkable
show of grit and determination
as on Friday we had a minimum
15 knots, and as the night before
had been the Brambles Cricket
Match (see article on page 93),
and a large tide. To sail to Cowes
and back in an Optimist is no
mean feat. It is essential for the
week to have one rescue boat for
six dinghies and sufficient motherships for the adults and their
picnics, which almost warrant
their own support boat. A big
thank you to all Members who
have aided the week with the use
of their RIBs and launches.
Each year the myriad of
activities that accompanies the
sailing grows and grows. On
Monday the Splashers intellect
was put to the test with ‘Wacky
This year we had the pleasure
of having Hannah Musket an
RYA coach, in Hawks and Eagles and RYA qualified instructors in Minnows and the Turtle
groups for the week, providing
our groups with super tuition.
Vicky Mansfield along with her 5
month old daughter Evie provided the Shrimps with their baptism
to Splash and, judging by the 35
Turtles that we had, Shrimps
give their parents little alternative in coming back to Splash
the following year. Our new
beach master and his team conducted a masterful performance
in orchestrating the launch and
recovery of the boats each day,
incentivising the event by creating
a competition for the best group
to launch and recover. This created fantastic rivalry between the
two Turtles groups, Supers (under 8s) and Ninjas (under 8s and
first timers), and was won by the
Ninjas on the last day. Minnows,
who are required to have the use
of an Optimist, be able to sail to
windward and be at least 8 years
old, ended the week as very accomplished sailors. The majority
of the Hawks were experiencing
their sixth Splash Week together
having all started together as
Shrimps; their week was based
around a ten race series. The
series was won by Tom EwartSmith on the last race where he
narrowly beat Ellie Sprowl.
67
Races’, the Royal Southern’s
version of ‘Its a Knock Out’ held
prior to the reinstatement of
the Veteran Oppie Race, which
attracted a great crowd on the
balcony, possibly down to the
free Pimms. On Tuesday the
Splashers had their first taste of
swimming in various Members’
pools prior to hunting down
Hamble’s resident crab population for the Splash crabbing
competition and to really finish
off the day there was a treasure
hunt. Each evening a DVD was
shown at 1930 and due to the
popular demand was moved to
the North Dining Room, providing the adults with a break for a
well earned drink or two.
The week culminated with
the prize giving, where the children received awards for various achievements over the week.
This year all Splashers were presented with a Splash Week 2013
T-shirt and we held a competition during the week to design
the 2014 T-shirt, which was won
by Fred Stephens (Murlo Primrose’s grandson). Whilst the
adults enjoyed a delicious first
and main course at the Splash
Ball, there was continued rivalry
on the surfing simulator in the
car park. The dining room was
then cleared for the disco to sign
the week off with and we put the
Splash flags away until 2014.
68
JUNIOR CADET WEEK
Junior Cadet Week is a very
special week. Teenagers who
have grown up together in
Splash get together to have
the time of their lives sailing
and socializing. It is their
time, not their parents who
stand on the sidelines albeit
nervously on occasions, so
our report is from a Junior
Cadet, Georgia Church.
Saturday 17 August
The start of JC week was certainly one to be remembered!
The JCs, amid driving wind and
rain, confidently helmed and
crewed the J/80s around a variety of courses. Everyone was
soaked head to toe, but there
were also smiles all round. After
a quick debrief everyone rushed
to the showers to wash away the
salt and seaweed. We scrubbed
up and headed to the Rochford’s for a hog roast.
It was still abysmal weather
but it did nothing to dampen
anyones spirits. After a day of
hard sailing we were all just glad
to get inside into the warm and
dry. Sean and Lisa had prepared
a fantastic hog roast and seemed
to not be fazed in the slightest
by the horrible weather! Thank
you so much for putting up with
us and hosting a great party in
your beautiful house!
Sunday 18 August
The weather was stunning
and winds were light as we
raced Fevas and Lasers. On the
water we were lucky to have two
Academy Members, Chris Tiernan and Toby Wicks, and the
experienced and guiding hand
of Andrew Woodhouse. The
coaches came up with a variety
of brilliant games and drills to
not only improve our sailing but
also our confidence and there
was great hilarity involved.
At six o’clock we gathered
around the pontoon, donning
life jackets and wet weathers
ready to board the RIBs. Toby
Wicks our resident RIB expert
helmed a massive orange RIB
with two equally massive engines on the back. We were
lent another two RIBs and
powered across the Solent towards Cowes. I am told Toby’s
RIB reached forty knots at one
point! We walked up to the Island Sailing Club, hair windswept and faces red, for a dinner
of fish and chips.
We came home with full bellies and laughter still resounding in our ears.
Monday 19 August
Once again it was an early start!
The JCs were first on the water
once again and we started racing around a course straight
away. It was another perfect day
We launched quickly after briefing and the sailing started with
the JCs helming the sports
boats and yachts kindly lent by
Club Members.
69
sailing around Cat’s Head. We
were all racing hard even though
there was little wind. We had a
couple of capsizing drills which
were fun. We were practicing
dry capsizes and pulling up our
spinnakers. Chris Tiernan invented a brilliant game – when
he blew a whistle once, we had
to go to the back of the boat,
twice around the mast and three
times we had to do a dry capsize. We were all soaked again!
When we got back around
four we discovered we had an
evening of go-karting planned.
A coach was organized and
when we arrived the excitement
took over. We had great fun doing a different kind of racing
for once. I believe it was Henry
Compton who won in the end.
The coach then took us to the
Dolce Vita and we had a dinner
filled with loud conversation.
a dinghy and with the help of
Toby, Patrick and many others
we completed a very complicated course designed by Chris!
We all had a go in the J/80s and
had a furious water fight with
buckets at the end of the day.
Unfortunately Graham won. He
had lifted his engine half out of
the water and pulled the accelerator... The result was a lot of
soaked teenagers hungry for revenge! We went in early and had
a day of evening activities!
Thursday 22 August
Tuesday 20 August
On Tuesday the JCs were all
assigned to different Splash
groups and went to help out.
We headed over to the Madin’s
almost straight away. We had a
quick packed lunch and then all
groups went to practice capsizing. It was great fun and we really got to know the Splashers.
The evening activity this
time was dinner at the restaurant Banana Wharf. The food
was great and we had another
night filled with laughter.
Wednesday 21 August
On early Wednesday morning we
were all ready to go waterskiing!
Unfortunately, due to atrocious
weather, it had to be cancelled.
We got a well needed lie in to be
ready for another day of racing.
By nine o’clock everyone
was ready and waiting by three
J/80s. It was very exciting to
be going on a yacht instead of
70
Thursday’s weather was not as
good as the previous days, but
we still had a great time. The
winds were strong though it never stopped us from racing. We
just pulled on our wet weathers
and got out there. We had a great
day of racing and I remember
hearing someone say to me that
last year, or the year before we
would have screamed and cried
at the slightest tilt of the boat,
this year we barely batted an
eyelid when the Feva was almost
perpendicular to the water. In
fact, we just continued our conversation! I think that day was a
real turning point in our sailing,
we realized that we needn’t be
afraid of capsizing anymore and
just enjoyed the adrenaline rush.
No need for rollercoasters when
you have sailing!
At six o’clock we had yet
another activity planned! This
time it was archery and climbing
at Calshot Activity Centre. After
a brief RIB ride to Calshot we
separated into groups and had a
great laugh trying to master our
chosen activity – I don’t think I
have ever laughed so much in
my life! The climbers even got
kicked out for reasons I won’t
mention here! (Nothing serious
– don’t worry.)
We powered back to the
Royal Southern and collapsed
into bed after such a busy day.
Friday 23 August
The last sail was a short one,
due to bad weather once again.
It seemed, however, the worse
the weather the happier we
were. There were lots and lots of
capsizes from Fevas and Lasers
alike. It got to the point where
we were doing more swimming
than sailing.
When we got in, we had another water fight, this time ending with everyone being pushed
in the water, once again. We
were all soaked through!
Once we got cleaned up and
dry we headed to the bar for
prize giving, there were a variety
of speeches and prizes given. It
was a very successful year for
the Splashers! We were actually
quite glad we got in early because we had lots of time to get
ready for the Splash Ball.
The Splash Ball is the highlight of all the Splashers and
JCs weeks. This year , it was
the first time the younger JCs
got to attend the JC dinner.
It was great fun and the food
was excellent, however the real
party started when the music
began blasting out of the DJ’s
speakers. We rounded up the
Splashers who had been watching a movie. A simulation surfboard had also been set up
which was a surprise! The ball
was great fun and the DJ was
surprisingly good, although he
did throw in a bit of the Macarena, but I think we’ll forgive
him for that. All the JCs and
Splashers were dancing as well
as some of the parents. I don’t
think their children will ever forget those brilliant ‘Dad’ moves.
It was one of the best Balls I
think we have ever had!
All in all it was a brilliant week,
and I know we say this every year,
but it was probably one of the
best we’ve ever had. Thanks to
the weather, but mostly to Charlie our new leader who has been
brilliant at organizing the whole
thing! Thank you. A lot of memories were made and the JCs all
agreed they were really very sad to
see the end of the week.
I’m counting down the days
to next summer already, it may
sound cheesy but I really am!
Georgia Church
71
MOTO
RBOA
TS
72
I am extremely grateful to
Mr John Thornback for the
loan of some magazine publications and photographs of
historic interest to yachting
and the Club.
Firstly, in The Tatler from
27 May 1964, there is an article
on ‘Men of Power’. Mention is
made of two past Members of
the Club who had strong connections with powerboat racing;
Mr Peter Twiss and Mr Charles
Curry. They were both heavily
involved in Fairey Marine, racing several of their boats during that period. It refers to the
“thriving Royal Southern Yacht
Club which has a Membership
of more than 800” and goes on
to state that “power boats are
still a minority section of the
RSrnYC but the numbers are
growing”. Happily that comment is still holds true and today
around half the Membership of
the Club own a motorboat of
one sort or another!
At the end of May, and despite the Arctic winds keeping
temperatures unseasonably low
along with some fairly choppy
waters on the Solent, motorboats of all shapes and sizes
and from various directions arrived on the Hamble River for
the GJW Direct 14th Annual
Motorboat Open Weekend. At
least the threat of rain did not
materialize. I think it was as a
direct result of the forecast that
many stayed at home, but those
who did brave the elements
were to enjoy a great weekend
of activities both on and off the
water. The traditional start to
the weekend is a barbeque but
Laurence, the chef, would report
that the almost sub-zero temperatures on the balcony did not
constitute a barbeque summer!
While he bravely cooked steaks,
chicken and the like, the rest of
us sensibly remained inside.
The first challenge of the
weekend is the Predicted Log,
attempting to navigate around
a course at a pre-determined
speed without the benefit of
timepieces or other aids except
a rev counter and depth gauge.
The old campaigners discussed
baffling tactics while those new
to the event were instructed on
the finer details. Rookie Geoff
Holt, in his boat Wetwheels, felt
a test run was necessary. This
was to pay dividends because he
managed to complete the course
of 14.25miles in second place,
his margin of error being only
41 seconds. The winner of the
Pandora’s Box for the Modern
Class Predicted Log was James
Pearcy in Fleur d’Ecosse. The
Fairey Trophy for the highest
placed Classic boat went to the
Commodore, David Mead, in
Speartime. Following a leisurely
lunch spent in Cowes the participants ventured back across the
Solent. They had to decipher five
pictorial clues which would lead
them to marks where they would
CENTRE: Annette Mead assisting Les
Williams with the navigation
ABOVE: Carol and Ian Gould
LEFT: The Commodore onboard
Speartime collecting his envelope
collect envelopes from waiting
RIBs. The purpose of this being
that each envelope contained a
playing card and after dinner a
hand of poker would be played.
The best hand belonged to Mike
Wills who collected the Tarrant
Shield. Dancing to Teddy Massiah, the Club’s ‘resident’ DJ,
rounded off the days events.
By Sunday the weather was
beginning to warm up, although
there was still a ‘bite’ in the wind
and I, for one, was not about to
shed my thermals. The morning
was occupied by a cerebral and
observational test in the form of
the Solent Safari, compiled by
Rachel Lorriman. This involved
motoring up the River Hamble,
out into Southampton Water
and up the River Itchen in search
of answers to some very cryptic
clues. Calculators, binoculars
and the occasional dip into the
internet were necessary to complete this task. Geoff Holt with
his crew on Wetwheels were the
most vigilant and picked up the
Smuggler’s Trophy.
With all the scores collected
and collated from the different
elements of the weekend, after a
fine Sunday lunch the Commodore, along with Chris Day from
GJW Direct, performed the duty
of handing out the prizes. Apart
from those already mentioned,
the EP Barrus RIB Trophy for
best overall scoring RIB was
awarded to Mike Blackman in
Ruby. The Inter-Club Trophy
was awarded to team ‘Southern
Delights’ comprising Capri Tide
(Steve and Rachel Lorriman),
Reflection (Mike Wills) and Wetwheels (Geoff Holt).
In another publication from
the archive of John Thornback is
‘The Yachtsman – Sail and Power’ dated May 1937. In it there
is an article written by Francis
B Cooke entitled ‘Notes for the
Newcomer – The Cost of Upkeep’. Now this is more pertinent
to the sailing yacht rather than a
motorboat but a small section
73
relates to Running Costs which
he tabulated to be £24.0s.0d. per
annum. This included interest
on capital, caretaker, upkeep and
depreciation, renovation of sails,
paint, varnish and antifoul, rent
etc, etc. However, his ‘Personal
Expenses’ did amuse me, bearing in mind the current cost of
such outgoings. He states “...the
yachtsmen will have to buy their
food. When bought in the raw
and cooked on board, food does
not cost very much, provided one
is content with plain wholesome
fare. I consider four shillings
a head is an ample allowance
for food each weekend”. Having witnessed some extremely
fine victuals provided by the attending number for the Autumn
Rally in mid-September, I very
much doubt that the equivalent
of 4s would have covered the not
so ‘plain wholesome fare’ to be
provided for lunch. It has been a
mainstay of the Motorboat calendar for several years to venture to Cowes for this rally. By
pooling resources, lunches were
to be taken on various boats. In
the evening, after some ‘refreshments’ at Westbourne House,
the merry throng were wined
and dined at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in excellent order.
On Sunday, a robust roast Sunday lunch was taken at the Duke
of York, a public house close to
Shepards Wharf Marina where
the boats had been berthed for
the weekend. It was over lunch
that the outcome of the weekend
challenge was unveiled. Having started on Friday night at
the Clubhouse with a French
themed supper, the task was to
scour Cowes High Street for the
most unusual French item and
there would be a prize for the
quirkiest. Everyone entered into
the spirit with gusto and there
were certainly some unusual
‘French’ objects. The Commodore arrived with a ‘prawn hat’
and declared that he was “fruit
de mer”! However, the quirkiest
and thus winning entry was from
Rex Harvey. With half a lemon
and a model 2CV he entered
‘Citron’!
Now for the weather. I commented in the Spring issue of the
Southern that, having suffered
from some atrocious weather
over the recent years, we were entitled to a balmy summer. Eventually I think that was achieved
and a few good months of fine
TOP: Sunday lunch at the Duke of
York in Cowes
CENTRE: Fiona Pankhurst from
Raymarine one of Wetwheels’ sponsors
onboard with Geoff Holt
BOTTOM: Wetwheels at speed
sailing conditions has had huge
benefits for one and all. Even
this final rally of the motorboat
season was fine, and shorts were
worn for probably the last time
this year.
In the new season for 2014,
the provisional diary has moved
around some events. The Spring
Rally is in mid-May and the Motorboat Open Weekend will take
place in September. In July the
motorboats will go on a Summer Spree. It is hoped to venture west with Poole perhaps
being the weekend destination.
For anyone with more time it
is hoped that we can continue
down to the West Country for a
week or two. However, nothing
will interfere with the Motorboat, Shooting and Golf Christmas Dinner, now a legendary
event in the Club’s calendar.
Kate Gough – Vice Chairman
Motorboat Committee
74
RIB SOCIETY
The Royal Southern RIB Society was created this year for
RIB owners and their friends
who wanted to have fun using their RIBs. However the
events are not exclusive to
rib owners and all Members
are welcome to join in and
one event had Members RIB,
cycle and drive to it.
We had fabulous weather
for our first event on Saturday 1
June. Timed to coincide with the
Round the Island Race everyone
enjoyed the spectacle of watching the finishing boats coming
down the Solent in the sunshine
as the RIBs travelled over to
Cowes for an afternoon BBQ.
Kate and Goughie provided a
superb venue for the BBQ on
their slipway and mooring for
the RIBs – close enough to take
advantage of the atmosphere of
the day’s racing but away from
the crowds and mayhem often
associated with the Round the
Island race. Other events have
included wine tasting in Cowes
and BBQs at Members’ homes
that are accessible by RIB.
Forthcoming events over the
winter will include lunch at Gurnard, a run to Gunwharf and
maybe a ride to somewhere for a
Sunday lunch. For more details
contact louisesproule@yahoo.com
to be added to the mailing list
or watch out for details in the
weekly Club Newsletter.
Louise Sproule
75
Photograph by Eddie Aldridge
SOUTHERN
WINNERS
At the other end of the size
scale, Alan Roberts became National Champion in Merlin Rokets and Rob Greenhalgh claimed
the UK Moth Nationals title. Not
forgetting Craig Burlton, Adam
Heeley and Steve White becoming
SB20 World and Zhik National
champions. Club Members also
enjoyed a clutch of successes in
Cowes, Dartmouth, Grenada and
in Newport, Rhode Island.
These achievements were
recognised at the Club’s prize giving in early November when 130
awards were printed in sail racing, cruising and motor boating
categories. More than 200 guests
attended the event, sponsored by
Aveva plc.
76
Photograph by Alistair Mackay
It has been a remarkably successful year on the water for
the Members of the Royal
Southern. Amongst the many
notable winners, Niklas Zennstrom became Mini Maxi
and Gaastra 52 World Champion, Edward Leask took the
Gazprom Swan European title
in Class A, James Wilkie became 40.7 National Champion
and Philip Bendon took the
EUROSAF Youth Match Racing Crown.
This year the event had a new
format with guest speaker’s Stuart
Quarrie describing his 15 years in
charge of the Cowes Week regatta, with a preview of future developments in Cowes and Deauville.
CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
Eagerly anticipated was the
announcement of this year’s
‘Champion of Champions’. The
prize goes to the owner and helm
of the yacht that performed best
across all four Summer Series
Regatta. This year’s winner were
the father and son duo, Nick and
Adam Munday, who raced their
J97 Induljence with enormous
confidence and purpose and
achieved 14 bullet and one 4th
place from 15 starts. Nick, who
was unable to attend the ceremony with Adam, commented that it
was an amazing honour and wonderful prize:
“It is fabulous to sail and race
with my son Adam. He is a fine
sailor for someone so young. He
prepared Induljence to perfection
and found capable and committed
crew mates to race with. My contribution to this success has been
limited to having one hand on the
tiller and the other on the credit
card!”
The prize, once more awarded
by the Barbados Tourism Authority includes flights and accommodation for one week in January
at the Radisson Aquatic Beach
Resort plus the opportunity to
take part in the Mount Gay Rum
Round Barbados Race and enjoy
all the legendary Bajan hospitality
that surrounds Race Week on the
Island.
The Club’s annual Prize Giving saw 130 awards presented in sail racing, cruising and motor boating categories. More than 200 Members
and guests attended the awards ceremony, sponsored this year by
Aveva plc., introduced by Rear Commodore Sailing Karen HendersonWilliams. All photographs by Mike Austen.
PRIZE GIVING
The Barbados Tourism Authority’s Devon Chase (left) presented the Champion
of Champions Prize for consistency in the Club Summer Series to Adam Munday,
whose performance in IRC Class 3 of 14 bullets and one fourth in fifteen starts
was peerless.
Guest speaker, Stuart Quarrie received a decanter from Rear Commodore
Sailing, Karen Henderson-Williams.
Steve Lorriman (left) and Mike Wills collected the WD & HO Wills Perpetual
Inter-Club team award from the GJW Direct Motorboat Open Weekend. Absent
was third team member, Geoff Holt.
Amongst the highlights in the
Club’s racing calendar next year is
running the 52nd Cowes-Deauville Race. The Club very much
enjoyed welcoming the President
of Deauville Yacht Club, Georges
Bouvard, and his wife Jane to the
AVEVA prizegiving. As many will
have seen at AAM Cowes Week
this year, the City of Deauville has
big plans for developing its waterfront and this will benefit their
Club and visiting yachtsmen.
Aveva CEO Richard Longdon (left)
and the President of Deauville Yacht
Club, Georges Bouvard and his wife
Jane, discussed the 2014 CowesDeauville event, which Aveva plc. is
sponsoring.
77
PRIZE GIVING Continued...
John Sparshatt-Worley (left) presented the William Sparshatt-Worley Memorial
Trophy for best performance in the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week
Black Group to Tokoloshe’s helmsman, David Bartholomew.
The Commodore’s Cup for outstanding achievement by an Academy Member
went this year to Nikki Curwen, for her victory in the Figaro II Class in this year’s
Rolex Fastnet.
For their successful campaign representing the Royal Southern in the New York
Yacht Club Invitational Cup Regatta presented by Rolex, the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Trophy went to Edward Leask (third from left) and his crew on Magical Mystery
Tour. The three Academicians in the crew, Annabel Vose, Ed Dyer and Dan
Saltmarsh, also received the International Cup for outstanding achievement on
the world stage by an Academy or Junior Cadet.
Robert Greenhalgh took
custody of the Allenby Trophy
for highest placed Club
Member in the JP Morgan
Asset Management Round
The Island Race, on behalf of
Sir Keith Mills.
Karen Henderson-Williams congratulates Max Clapp on his achievements to
become the top individual youth sailor in external competitions.
78
Sailing the immaculately
restored and prepared
CAL 40 Breeze to victory
in IRC Class 4B in the
Rolex Fastnet, the Foster
Trophy went deservedly
to Robbie Boulter.
Winning both the Ladies Bowl and Mitchell Bowl for her performance in the Club
Ladies Race was Lis Robinson.
The Boysterous
Golden Winch Trophy
for his win in Cruiser
Class Division A in
Cowes Week went to
Peter Bainbridge.
For his cruise around the Baltic, Maggie Widdop presented her family’s Tanner
Cruising Trophy to Philip Meakins.
The Sylphida Cup &
Lovell Bowl both went
to Craig Burlton for his
outstanding achievement
in the SB20 Class,
winning both the British
Nationals and the Audi
SB Worlds..
The Sinclair Anchor
goes to the unsung
heroes who labour
in that refined world
of mark laying. For
past and present
performance, this
year it was awarded to
Chairman of Sailing,
Colin Hall.
79
GIVE AND TAKE IN SHOOTING
SHOO
TING
2013 has been a year notable
in the Shooting Section for
the connections of family
and friends.
How to build on the exuberance of London 2012 and our own
175 celebrations in order to maintain the various successes was our
concern at the start of the year. The
answer came from the warmth of
our Members’ welcome to new
guns. So much so that this year,
we have had three generations
of families participating as Dads
encourage sons and daughters;
granddads introduce their grandchildren; couples find a new shared
hobby (with several partners acquiring their own gun); and one
new mum arranging for her partner to bring their baby for feeding
during a break in her shooting.
Those connections have led
to participant numbers increasing to record levels whilst the
section moves peripatetically
from one shoot ground to another. This year, we visited Owl’s
Lodge at Barton Stacey run by
Olympic gold medallist Richard
Faulds, Widdington at Upavon,
ably organised by Alison, Meon
Springs at East Meon, overseen
by Club member Nicholas Butler and Compton Manor, superbly managed by Des Sturgess.
The themes for our events
have been diverse but were generally taken from associated
notable events. Thus, the flush
teams at Owl’s Lodge were based
on types of noses in keeping with
the contemporaneous Red Nose
Day charity fundraising, proving
that those with conks are the better shots. With Widdington falling near Saint George’s Day, the
flush teams were based on saints
associated with shooting demonstrating that Saint Hubert, the
patron saint of hunting was the
most accurate. At Meon Springs,
falling on the anniversary of the
bouncing bombing raids, Barnes
Wallis was not found to be wanting. Finally, at Compton, our
flush theme was spirits – rum
was the most deadly.
Whilst clearly having fun,
our guns are also mindful to
help not only their other fellow
guns but also those less fortunate. Accordingly, as a shooting
section we participated in Red
Nose Day with all guns buying
and sporting noses and donating money dependent upon the
number clays they hit and our
‘Southern Shots’ team entered
charity events in support of The
Brain Trust and the RNLI.
Sally Sturt – Shooting Captain
80
GOLF SOCIETY
As the nights draw closer, and
trips out on the boat involve
hot toddies and thermals, the
golfers are coming to the end
of the season. We have recently visited the New Forest Golf
Course and East Horton Golf
Club. The men’s competition
for our annual shield has
been heating up with Barry
Peddley bringing in a second
and first recently, however the
consistent Noj White has always been in contention.
the round, or the pairings may be
fixed to ensure that it’s as fair as
possible.
The weekend prior to this,
however, is the highlight of the
golfers’ calendar which is the
Motorboat, Golf and Shooting
Christmas dinner. The golfers
usually have 1-2 tables at this
wonderful event, and if you are
currently a golfer, or looking for
a way to get into the great sport,
then we would love to have you
on our table.
On Friday 13th December,
the golfers will be embarking on
a trip to South Winchester Golf
Club for the Christmas fun day;
this differs from the usual golf
days as we will be announcing
the winning golfer, couple and
team at the Christmas Dinner
afterwards. The format of the
day will be constantly tweaked
up until the morning of the
event, and there may be rules on
the number of clubs allowed for Sandy McPherson
In the Ladies competition,
Dot Jones has joined the group
this year, and together with
Chrissie White, have been battling for first and second at each
event.
For those who may think
the golf society may be a little
competitive, or a little serious for
their liking, may I be the first to
say, it is very much not the case.
The Royal Southern Golf Society has a handicap range from 13
to 36, and an age range of over
60 years, and more importantly,
people who have been playing
all their lives, or just picked up a
club for the first time in 20 years.
Michel Herbelin Newport Yacht Club collection
Watches inspired by the spirit of adventure of the
America’s Cup, Newport Rhode Island.
Model featured:
Swiss Quartz Ronda Chronograph movement with
blue PVD treated stainless steel case, screw down crown,
water resistant to 10 ATM, scratch proof sapphire crystal.
ref. 36655/AN65. RRP £665.
www.michelherbelin.co.uk
Because you are an RSYC member, we’ll give you a
special 25% discount on any mens or womens watch
in our collection. Simply enter the discount code RSYC
at the online checkout or call us on 01992 815545 to
place your order.
Offer valid until 31.12.13
81
COMM Ladies
ITTEE
Having fun and making money is clearly what the current
Ladies Committee does best.
Since the start of 2013, the
committee has been on a roll,
using its cumulative talents
for retailing, communications
and creativity to deliver impressive results. So what have
we been doing? The short answer is reactivating the sales of
Club insignia, running charity
fund raisers and preparing for
the Christmas Fayre.
We have taken a structured
approach to the selection of our
charities for 2013. For events during the year we have concentrated
on Macmillan Cancer Care and
charities that involve dogs. Hearing Dogs received £413 from the
spring Bridge Drive and Hounds
for Heroes gained an impressive
£855 from the October Ladies
Lunch, when founder Alan Parton wowed us with an amusing
and at times tear-jerking talk, accompanied and aided by his dogs
EJ, Clooney and Rookie. The
charities for the Christmas Fayre
Insignia Sales
Ladies Committee Members
have now staffed an Insignia
sales table on five occasions since
the Open Day in April having
been there for new Members’
events, regattas and the Christmas Fayre. Our achievements
owe much to our fondness for
shopping applied in ‘poacher
turned game-keeper’ format and
we are always looking for new
insignia items, aka shopping opportunities.
also because we had a celebrity
guest. A personal friend, actor
Sam Kelly from TV classics ‘Porridge’, and ‘‘ello, ’ello’, not to
mention National Theatre and
highly praised Mike Leigh productions, kindly donated three
Doing it for
Macmillan
We were happy to support Macmillan Cancer Care at our Spring
Ladies’ Lunch as suggested by
Cassis Fashions of Bishop’s
Waltham, who put on a splendid
Fashion Show for us. It was so
good we invited them back for the
Coffee Morning and have now
given this charity over £2,000.
The Big Coffee Morning
drew a record crowd for us because of the fashion show and
autographed souvenir books for
auction.
We are also extremely grateful
to Jenny Hammond-Ediss, who
donated a voucher for an in depth
wardrobe analysis, under her She
Styling brand. This, too, was auctioned and the lucky purchaser
will learn a lot about making her
clothes really work for her. Jenny
has studied under personal style
guru Nicky Hambleton-Jones
and helps clients evaluate their
wardrobes and then dress and
shop more effectively.
The Last Quarter
There was no let up for the rest
of the year with the Christmas
Fayre, November Bridge Drive
are the Rose Road Association for
young people with disabilities
and Hamble Lifeboat.
As regards to donations for
additional facilities or upgrades
within the Club, we have worked
to our brief of adding nice-tohave-extras and our contributions have paid for refurbishment
of the main dining room curtains
and the first floor loos.
In parallel with charity fundraising we have brought additional business into the Club
with an informal men’s lunching
group developing in parallel with
the Athena lunches and visitors
to the Macmillan Coffee Morning staying for lunch.
82
and Christmas Athena Lunch.
And we still find time to put up
the Club’s Christmas decorations and join all the other social
events.
Having been involved with
the Christmas Fayre sub-committee for three years, I am in awe
of the amount of work Members
take on to make this the success
it always is, this year raising over
£8,000.
Once the Christmas Fayre is
over work starts on the next one
with a wash up meeting each
November. The task of selecting
stall holders starts in the early
spring and we aim for a balance
Stockist of Mercedes, BMW,
Porsche, 4x4, Sports,
Convertibles
For our complete stocklist visit
www.peternashcars.co.uk
Specialist Sales, Services & MOTs
EXTREME QUALITY
autumn activity and there is frenetic activity involved in setting
up the Fayre and ensuring that
the Club is restored to order when
it is all over for another year.
All that remains is to commend the team and all its supporters and to thank the Club
staff for their ever helpful support.
Jenny Walton
of proven favourites, who do
well for themselves and us – they
have to donate 10 per cent of takings as part of our charges – and
newcomers, who we hope will
be equally successful. It’s a challenge to evaluate applications on
the strength of what our customers will like and to get a good mix
of stalls.
Publicity is an ongoing task
from March when the year’s leaflet is created right up to the Fayre.
Recruiting volunteers is an early
OPPOSITE PAGE TOP Actor Sam
Kelly at the Big Coffee Morning
OPPOSITE PAGE CENTRE Alan
Parton with his dogs at the October
Ladies Lunch
OPPOSTE PAGE BOTTOM The
Christmas Fayre opening with the
Commodore and our guest Judy
Goodlet from Radio Solent
TOP Judy receiving a bouquet from
one of our young splashers
CENTRE Stands at the Fayre
BOTTOM Prizes for the ‘Wheel of
Fortune’
Peter Nash Specialist Cars
1 Warsash Rd, Warsash, Southampton SO31 9HW
Open 7 days a week Tel 01489 589 898
83
Southe
rn
INSIG
NIA
Models Wear: Gaastra Cap, Mens La
Rochelle Long Sleeves, Mens Brighton
Gilet, Ladies Cowes Bomber Jacket and
Ladies & Mens North Bay Shorts
Models Wear: Lambs Wool V Neck
Jumper, Ladies Skinnyfit Fleece
and Ladies Rugby Shirt
84
Since linking up with
GAASTRA, one of Europe’s
leading sailing leisurewear
manufacturers, the Royal
Southern Yacht Club can
now offer Members one of
the most comprehensive
collections of fashion sailing wear available.
Model Wears: Mens Brighton Jacket
by Printing Crazy in Hamble
usually within 48 hours. Two
variations of our burgee are
available along with the fouled
anchor designs to suit either
dark or light coloured garments (see below). GAASTRA
clothing uses continental sizing so please endeavour to
check and make sure of the fit
before you purchase any items.
Finally, don’t forget your
burgee and ensign – available in various sizes to suit
your boat. Red ensigns do not
need permission but remember to apply for a warrant if
you decide to wear the blue
and please remember to read
the section in your handbook
dealing with flag etiquette.
In this short article we cannot possibly illustrate every
Insignia item available but if
you would like a copy of the
more comprehensive 6 page
leaflet now available, just ask
at reception.
Adobe Illustrator
3 colour Pantone
EPS version
Models Wear: Ladies & Mens Gaastra Genua Polo Shirts and North Bay Shorts
Adobe Photoshop
CMYK TIF version
3 colour Pantone versions shown below
Fleece Set & Caps
Model Wears: Ladies Rugby Shirt
Adobe Illustrator
CMYK EPS
version
Various logos available for clothing
branding along with yacht name if desired.
Models Left Wear: Mens Cap, Mens Cowes Bomber Jacket, Ladies Brighton Jacket and Ladies North Bay Shorts
These new ranges of clothing run alongside our traditional favourites and are further
complimented by Club cravats,
ties, belts, scarves, hats and
cap badges. A range of crested
gifts featuring our fouled anchor logo are also available,
along with cuff links, brooches
and tie pins which make ideal
presents for the family.
Why not have a set of
Royal Southern brass buttons
to set off your new reefer or if
you prefer, a set in black. The
black buttons were originally
manufactured by the Club’s
own button maker in 1901 on
the death of Queen Victoria
as a mark of respect for our
Queen who became Patroness
of the Club in 1837, and worn
with pride by Royal Southern
yacht owners since.
Our traditional garments
in a wide range of UK sizes
are supplied complete with our
burgee or fouled anchor logo
stitched in whereas the GAASTRA range can be branded
with either logo along with
your yacht name if you require. This service is supplied
85
PANTONE© for print (300 dpi)
Pantone 110
Pantone 287
CMYK for print (300 dpi)
Pantone 185
0
100
0
ROYAL SOUTHERN CLOTHING
Fleece Sets
Ladies/Mens Cap
Peaked Beanie Hat
Mens Lambs Wool V Neck Jumper
Heavy Mens Fleece
Mens Russell Sweatshirt
Ladies Rugby Shirt
Mens Rugby Shirt
Ladies Skinnyfit Fleece
GAASTRA RANGE WOMEN
Genua Polo Pique Shirt
Cowes Bomber Jacket
Brighton Jacket
Cascais Bomber Jacket
Ladies Hyeres Sports Short Sleeves Polo
Ladies La Rochelle Long Sleeves
Ladies North Bay Shorts
GAASTRA RANGE MEN
Genua Polo Pique Shirt
Cowes Bomber Jacket
Brighton Jacket
Cascais Bomber Jacket
Brighton Gilet
Hyeres Sports Short Sleeves Polo
Hyeres Sports Long Sleeves
La Rochelle Long Sleeves
Biscayne Shorts
North Bay Shorts
ACCESSORIES
BUTTONS/BELTS
Small/Large Black
Small/Large Gilt
Cap & Lapel Badges
Cufflinks
Belt
GLASSES
Tumbler
Tankard
SUNDRIES
Document Case
CRESTED GIFTS
Key Ring
Card Holder
TIES/PINS
Silk Ties
Cravats
Gold Plated Tie Pin
Untied/Tied Bow Tie
ENSIGNS
1 Yard
1¼ Yard
BURGEES
All Weather Burgee 12x24
15x10
18x12
21x14
86
1½ Yard
2 Yard
24x16
27x18
30x20
36x24
Being a Member of
the Royal Southern
Yacht Club brings
many benefits both
on and off the
water.
The Best Racing in
the Solent
Greatly discounted
entry to Royal Southern
Regattas
25 Cruiser Events,
Motorboat Rallies
and Fun Days
A rapidly expanding,
high quality Youth and
Academy Programme
47 Moorings by ballot
18 RIB Berths by ballot
21 Dry Berths by ballot
4 Clay Pigeon Shoots
5 Rounds of Golf
Numerous Games
of Bridge
3 bars, 2 restaurants,
Discount on drinks
and bar and restaurant
menus with Membership
cards
Online Crew Register
12 En-suite Bedrooms
Bosuns and Club
Launch available 7 days
a week
20 Wednesday Lectures
Wine Tastings
20 RYA Training Courses
Club Balls
Numerous Dinners,
Suppers and BBQs
The Best Clubhouse
on the South Coast
And most of all, 1700
friends to share it all
with!
87
PHOTOGRAPHIC
COMPETITION
the winners
The entries have been submitted; the judges have voted and
the winners can now be declared. Firstly a big thank you to all
those who participated. Overall the photographs were of a high
quality and we have worthy winners in all categories. They are,
in alphabetical order by category
ATMOSPHERE
- Matthew Richardson,
Needles lighthouse through rain
CRUISING
- Elvin Patrick,
Snow Leopard en route from
Stockholm to Mariehamn
PEOPLE
- Matthew Richardson,
Brambles Cricket Match 2013
RACING
- Colin Hall,
Spotter’s Nightmare
YOUTH
- Peter Delbridge,
Pirates’ Picnic
In addition the judges decided to make an additional award,
known as the Editor’s Choice to Chris Gillingham. This is for
a photograph of the view from the Club. The photograph did
not comply with the rules of the competition but proved to be
popular with all the judges.
All the winners and runners up can be seen on photo
gallery on the Club website
www.royal-southern.co.uk
The entries covered a wide
range of subjects ranging from
views of the clubhouse to racing on the other side of the
Atlantic. There were serious
action shots and calm, contemplative landscapes; boats
of all shapes and sizes not
to mention a range of people
from the very young to some
of the more senior Members
of the Club.
The judges, David Handley, Sheelagh Cohen, Mike
Austen and Brian Curtis took
a number of criteria into account when judging. Firstly,
to be considered the photographs had to comply with
the rules which were set out
in the Spring edition of The
Southern. Then criteria to be
taken into account included
technical quality - for example
whether the photographs were
in focus through the relevant
depth of field, composition,
colour balance not to mention
the unquantifiable ability of a
photograph to capture a moment in time.
88
Some of the competition categories were stronger
than others. ‘Atmosphere’
was a particularly strong category whilst ‘Cruising’ was
somewhat weaker overall, although it included some very
high quality photographs.
The choice of photographs
submitted for consideration
raised questions in the minds
of some of the judges as some
competitors had provided
photographs of better quality
for inclusion in this edition of
the magazine than they had
submitted for the competition.
The rules of the competition also allowed ‘colour balancing and contrast/brightness changes are permitted, as
is basic cropping’ and some
entries would have benefited
from cropping to improve the
composition and having the
colour balanced. The judges
were also disappointed that
some enthusiastic photographers in the Club did not submit entries.
We are planning on holding another competition year
and are in negotiation for
sponsorship for a ‘Best Photograph’ so keep snapping.
PHOTO COMPETITION WINNERS
ATMOSPHERE
1st Matthew Richardson - Needles lighthouse through the
rain. Pre-dawn twilight
2nd Matthew Richardson - Cloudscape
3rd Colin Hall - Heading for Home
CRUISING
1st Elvin Patrick - Snow Leopard en route from
Stockholm to Mariehamn in the Åland
2nd Matthew Richardson - RSrnYC head out to the Brambles cricket match sheltering in the lee of the Queen Mary 2
PEOPLE
1st Matthew Richardson - Brambles Cricket Match 2013
2nd Diane Ward - Wet and Windy
3rd Richard Burnett - Solo trombonist
RACING
1st Colin Hall - Spotter’s nightmare
2nd Peter Delbridge - Volvo Open
3rd Colin Hall - Match tack away
YOUTH
1st Peter Delbridge - Pirates Picnic
2nd Matthew Richardson - RSrnYC Hawks
head into Southampton Water for their first race of Splash
Week 2013
3rd Matthew Richardson - Hawks and Eagles combined
start line, Splash 2013
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Chris Gillingham - A misty morning from the Club
As well as including some of the winning photographs on the following pages, the
front cover of this issue features the winner of the ‘Racing’ category, ‘Spotter’s
Nightmare’ by Colin Hall. Matthew Richardson’s photograph of the RSrnYC
Hawks heading into Southampton Water is also featured page 66.
Page 93 also has a Matthew Rishardson winner, The Brambles Cricket Match
sheltering in the lee of The Queen Mary 2.
ABOVE: Needles Lighthouse through the rain. Matthew Richardson. 1st. in the ‘Atmosphere’ category
ABOVE: ‘Snow Leopard’ en route from Stockholm to Mariehamn in the Aland. Elvin Patrick. 1st in the ‘Cruising category.
89
TOP LEFT: Volvo Open. Peter Delbridge.
2nd in the ‘Racing’ category
TOP RIGHT: Heading for home. Colin
Hall. 3rd. in the ‘Atmosphere’ section.
CENTRE LEFT: Solo Trombonist.
Richard Burnett. 3rd in ‘People’ category
CENTRE RIGHT: Chris Gillingham.
Editor’s Choice.
BOTTOM LEFT: Brambles Cricket
Match. Matthew Richardson. 1st in the
‘People’ Category.
90
ABOVE: Cloudscape. Matthew Richardson. 2nd. In the ‘Atmosphere’ category
ABOVE: Wet and Windy. Diane Ward. 2nd in the ‘People’ category.
91
SNIPP
ETS
shared many wonderful flights in
Peter’s ASH25 including ones to
Gainsborough, Welshpool, York,
the Isle of Sheppey and many
more but the day we did the ‘750’
will long remain the most exciting
flight of all.
The flight data, including
ground trace and barograph
trace can be viewed on the British Gliding Association website: www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.
asp?FlightID=44421&RC=X
and for anyone who wishes to
experience the thrill of gliding go
to www.lashamgliding.com and
book a trial flight – you could just
hour. The flight logger recorded be lucky enough to fly with Peter
9hrs 02mins for the total flight Reading as your pilot.
and 8hrs 49mins 6secs for the Brenda Pridal
completed declared task.
The turning points for the
pre-declared task were LAS
(Lasham Clubhouse) to CNW
(Cirencester North West) to
THE (Thetford in East Anglia)
to MAR (Marlborough) to NAE
(Naseby East) and finally back to
LAS (Lasham Airfield).
It was an amazing flight flown
by a most accomplished glider
pilot, Peter Reading, who in ‘real
life’ is a training captain for FLYBE flying out of Southampton.
I’ve been lucky enough to have
AIRBORNE AGAIN
The forecast for August 20
was excellent, a cold front
having gone through – conditions were expected to be
perfect for a long flight with
a very early start and a long
flying day. Cloudbase was predicted to reach 6.000+ft amsl
in the best part of the day –
and so it proved.
An early phone call from
Peter – good day for a 750! Lets
go. We were airborne just before
10am from Lasham Airfield and
eventually landed back at our departure point just after 1930 that
evening. We had flown 756.8km
at an average speed of 85.5km/
MOORING CHARGES
Temporary Moorings
Members
Non-Members
Short Stay (2-4 hours)
£11.00
£16.50
April 1st - September 31st
£2.10
£2.90
October 1st - March 31st
£1.70
£2.90
Per Day (up to 8 hours)
£1.25
£2.10
Per Week
£6.65
£13.25
Per Month
£26.50
£50.75
Scrubbing Piles
£28.00
£40.00
Bosun Assisted Craneage
£57.58
Self Craneage
£19.75
‘Day Boat Special’
(Lift out, Scrub, Lift in)
£115.16
Club Pontoon
Overnight (per metre)
Club Mooring (per metre)
Miscellaneous
Summer Service (with BST)
Monday - Thursday
0800 - 1800 hrs
Friday - Sunday
0800 - 2000 hrs
Hours may be extended during regattas and special events.
92
Club Launches
Winter Service 30th Oct 2013 26th Mar 2014
Monday - Thursday
0800 - 1800 hrs
Friday - Sunday
0800 - 1800 hrs
VHF radio: Channel 37
(Marine ‘M’) ‘Southern
Launch’ - Low power (1W)
Duty Bosun Mobile:
07900 872461
‘Quintessentially
English madness
on a beautiful summer’s evening’...
...in the words of Royal
Southern Yacht Club Team
Captain Mark ‘Tommo’ Tomson, is as good a description
of the Brambles Bank cricket
match as you’ll find.
Played this year in conditions most generously described
as ‘moist’, the Hamble Club
emerged triumphant over arch
rivals the Cowes-based Island
Sailing Club - it being their turn
to win the annual mid-Solent
encounter under the even-handed umpiring of Philip Gage and
the watchful gaze of passengers
onboard in the Queen Mary 2.
It was one also enjoyed by
hundreds of spectators who
gathered at the Bank to share
the Royal Southern’s team victory in 2013. ‘We went out there
and assessed the wicket’, said
Tommo, a 15 year veteran of
the match, seven as captain. ‘We
won the toss so put the opposition in to bat and we bowled
very well. We got a bit of reverse
swing with all the moisture in
the air - they found that tricky
and really didn’t score many
runs. ‘My men went in to bat
and batted with true gusto and
spirit, a bit like the Australians
at The Oval. There were a couple of half centuries by Hugo
(Morgan Harris) and Mike
(Ewart-Smith) and then we had
knight of the realm Sir Robin
(Knox-Johnston) coming in at
the tail end, and we really hammered them - a bit like the Ashes
series this summer; just gave
them a proper thrashing, 318
runs to their paltry 60.’
The instigation of the eccentric event is credited to legendary
Cowes yacht designer Uffa Fox,
though precise historical details
are thin on the ground. Suffice to
say the Southern took up the cudgels over 30 years ago in an event
which is now a summer fixture.
93
MODEL
YACHT
RACING
Saturday 29th June provided
nearly ideal conditions for
the annual model yacht racing event, albeit with a light
and fluky breeze. The PRO,
Tony Lovell, set a triangular/
sausage course around the
‘pool’. The course sent the
teams, sailing RC Lasers,
to the first mark in the NE
corner of the ‘pool’, before a
westerly reach to round the
‘island’ (the pontoon insert)
to port before rounding the
bottom mark near the pier
and sailing once more to the
top mark, followed by a run
to the finish.
The racing was close – the
pier provided a great vantage
point for the considerable numbers of spectators who were kept
refreshed admirably by the house
team – thank you. Each team
member had to ‘helm’ for at least
one leg of the course which provided further opportunities for
overtaking.
The final race saw a number
of lead changes, but in the end
Team Odontoblast, consisting of
Edward and Dudley Stock and
David Greenhaugh, proved to
be fastest around the course and
worthy winners.
Special thanks to the Members who kindly lent their boats
and made this event possible
– Colin Hall, Richard Steel and
Lloyd Hamilton. Also thanks to
Richard Hughes for organising
94
the event and Tony Lovell for acting as PRO.
If any Members are interested
in more regular model yacht races
at the Club, please let the Sailing
Secretary know.
THE SWANWICK,
BURSLEDON AND
WARSASH REGATTA
Bienvenue à Bursledon.
This year, the 143th annual
Swanwick, Bursledon and
Warsash Regatta featured
Paris as its theme, and although the skies were overcast, there was a warm
welcome at the Elephant
Boatyard with the splendid
backdrop of the Eiffel Tower
and the Arc de Triomphe.
With many participants and
visitors, including Royal Southern Members in fancy dress, and
the commentator doing his best
with his schoolboy French (quel
accent!), the atmosphere was
definitely set for a ‘bon jour’.
Why, even the Commodore was
spotted in the queue awaiting a
glass of his favourite Chablis.
Following the dinghy racing
in the morning and the swimming and rowing races after
lunch, the decorated floats took
to the water with the magnificent
‘Madame Guillotine’ taking centre stage. With copious amounts
of tomato ketchup, the bravest
aristocrats were parted from their
heads whilst in the tumbrel more,
nervously, awaited their fate.
The Moulin Rouge and
‘Follies Bergères’ abounded
with the Tour de France and
even the Paris-ites making an
appearance, not to mention the
bearded lady dancer bedecked
in bright red feathers!
After aperitifs the Hog Roast
was very welcome. The whole
day was then rounded off with
the torchlight procession and a
magnificent fireworks display
which just seems to get bettter
every year.
With a dance for the ‘Friends
of Bursledon Regatta’ starting
the proceedings on Friday evening the weekened was rounded
off with yacht racing for old gaffers, keelboats and XODs on
Sunday followed by the prizegiving afterwards.
Don’t forget to make a note
in your diary for next year on the
30 and 31 August as the Regatta
is a weekend not to be missed!
95
LADIES &
ANCIENT
MARINERS
RACES
These traditional end of season races were scheduled for
the first weekend in October.
On Saturday a very light
breeze from the north west
made it just possible to hold
the Ladies Race in whch the
rules permit mixed crews so
long as there is a lady helm.
On a large and rising spring
tide, the race committee set up
the start at Meon, aiming to keep
boats out of the strongest currents.
A triangular course was set using
various marks in the area between
Meon, Coronation and Royal
Southern buoys. Ian Dewhirst’s
J133 Jump was lucky to squeeze
through at the committee boat
end of the line and immediately
sailed into the lead on the water,
holding the position throughout
the race. In the light airs, five boats
got away from the rest of the fleet.
As the adverse tide built on what
proved to be the final run to South
LADIES
AFLOAT
Ladies afloat continues to go
from strength to strength and this
year, following the adage - if it ain’t
broke don’t fix it - the formula remained unchanged. A safety briefing in the Club House and then out
on the water for a sail and a good
lunch afloat, provided by the ladies;
further sailing after lunch, returning
to the Club late afternoon. The Ladies Afloat days are held monthly
during the summer and different
destinations are chosen each month
depending on weather and tide.
This year the June event was
particularly special as June Clark
(on the far left of the picture) was
celebrating her 90th birthday. Older
96
Members will remember June, who
was then June Robbins, when she
was in charge of the Dining Room
from the late fifties until 1978. The
Club acted as matchmaker as she
met Graham, her Australian husband to be, when he was staying
at the Southern. Eventually they
married and she moved to Australia but they remained in touch with
developments at the Club - partly
through the magazine. Now widowed she has returned to the UK to
live and is a regular at Ladies Afloat
and other Club functions.
Coast Sailing buoy, this group put
extra time between themselves
and the remainder - a final gap of
1 hour 50 minutes from front to
back of the fleet.
Lis Robinson’s Beneteau First
35, Hot Rats and Anne Smith’s
smaller quarter-tonner Needlework
may have been 16 minutes apart
on the water, but on handicap, the
corrected time was close, Hot Rats
winning the race by 81 seconds on
corrected time from Needlework.
Natalie French’s SB20 Turbulence
Too came third and Jump’s higher
rating took her down to fourth.
The winner of the trophy for the
first all-female crew was Katy Vigar’s Sigma 33 Dino Volante.
Sadly the wind did not oblige
on the Sunday and the Ancient
Mariners’ Race was in the end
not possible as the breeze never
got above 3 knots and was mostly
zero. After a relaxing time sitting
in the sunshine, the fleet returned
ashore.
Peter Bateson
A SUMMER’S DAY IN
ST. VAAST
Having spotted a Royal Southern burgee flying on our boat
Bambella whilst we were staying in
St.Vaast marina last July. Judy and
Bill Nutt on Black Swan of Hamble
called by to say hello. We all met up
later and tried our hand at picking
mussels at low tide.
Several hours later after some
judicious mussel scrubbing and
preparation by Jonny Halliday and
Debbie Campbell we all sat down to
SAILABILITY
a splendid supper of freshly picked
seafood paella, dutifully washed
down with some chilled wine.
A memorable day for us all and
another example of the benefits of
membership of the Royal Southern
and flying our burgee in an overseas
marina.
Jan and Peter Halliday
On Saturday 17th August,
with a forecast threatening worsening weather, the Club hosted
28 guests for its Sailability Day.
All the visitors had hearing difficulties and our thanks to the assistance of Deaf UK in providing
signing interpreters.
Last year an appalling forecast
forced us to cancel the event so it
was with great relief that we were
able to start the day in very reasonable conditions, leaving the skippers
to decide later when to return to the
Club. Seven very generous Club
Members gave their boats and time,
and were duly dispatched to various
corners of the Solent. The weather
behaved as forecast with strengthening winds and building overcast,
which quickly turned to rain.
However everyone returned
safely and from the excited chatter,
wide grins and effusive thanks it was
obvious that it had been a memorable day for all.
Not only had Geoff Holt spent
a day on the water with eight of our
guests, but he also very generously
treated us to a talk in the evening.
He was expecting a small gathering,
but word had spread amongst the
Splashers and so was rather surprised when his audience turned out
to be over 100. His humourous, selfdeprecating style made wonderful
listening and a great day even better.
By the end of his talk everyone was
ready for the excellent Club supper
that followed.
Several letters of thanks have
been received, specifically thanking
the Club for its friendly welcoming
hospitality and Deaf Sailing UK
stated that this had been their best
event ever.
Grateful thanks to everyone,
Members and staff, who made this
day such a success.
Tim Harrison
97
ASHO
RE
Being situated on the banks
of the River Hamble, the Royal Southern Yacht Club offers
unrivalled views over the river to the Southampton Water
and the Isle of Wight.
Lunch can be enjoyed in the
upper deck bar daily with a menu
ranging from sandwiches to hot
meals with a ‘specials’ board
highlighting the day’s choice.
Whilst the upper bar with its
SOUTHERN
SUNDAY CARVERY
Join us for delicious buffet style hors d’oeuvres starter
followed by 2 choices of Roast meat with all the trimmings
along with a fresh fish alternative. Finish off your meal
by choosing 1 of at least 4 different puddings
from our ever changing selection.
1200 - 1500 hrs
98
large balcony is open daily, in
the winter month the Members
Bar with its unique atmosphere,
open fire and friendly service
adds enjoyment to those long
winter evenings.
Next to the Members Bar is
the River Room where dinner is
served from Wednesday to Saturday evenings. Offering contemporary, freshly cooked meals,
the River Room has a fortnightly
changing menu featuring a variety of quality, seasonal ingredients. Theme nights regularly
feature in the programme and
evening booking is advisable.
Within our 18th century listed
building we have created 12 elegant bedrooms including a Master Suite. All the rooms, 2 singles,
2 triples, 4 doubles and 3 twins
have modern facilities with ensuite bathrooms, free WiFi and flat
screen televisions. Tea and coffee
is also available in each room and
Club rates include a full English or
continental breakfast served in the
Dining Room restaurant.
BAR HOURS
Mon-Tue
1200-2100 hrs
Bar Lunch 1200-1430 hrs
Wed-Thu
1200-2300 hrs
Bar Lunch 1200-1430 hrs
Fri-Sat
1100-2300 hrs
Bar Lunch 1100-1500 hrs
Sun
1200-2100 hrs
Bar Lunch 1200-1500 hrs
RIVER ROOM HOURS
Wed-Sat
1900-2130 hrs
SPECIAL
EVENTS
In addition to the facilities
on the previous page the
Royal Southern Yacht Club
has much more to offer.
Our 200 seat dining room is
available to Members and guests
as a venue for conferences, trade
shows, banquets, weddings,
receptions and private parties.
The dining room has a moveable partition enabling the room
to be split into 2 separate private
areas for smaller functions. As
well as a small bar there is direct access to the large kitchens
where our chef and his staff can
cater to all your needs.
The River Room is also ideal
for private functions and has
doors opening onto the spacious
patio so with the Members Bar
immediately alongside, why not
take advantage of those lovely
long summer days and evenings
and organise your party here.
In addition, the Yeoman
Room on the first floor is ideal for
smaller more intimate meetings.
Dining for up to 20 people around
the long table, or business meetings away from the office, taking
advantage of the wondering views
from the balcony are just two of
the possibilities. The library (formerly our Chart Room) is also
available for smaller meetings.
These facilities, coupled
with our overnight accommodation and the bars, make the
Royal Southern a beautiful and
unique location for your next
function so just contact the Secretary, Chris Pullinger on 023
8045 0301, who will be happy to
assist in organising your event.
99
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E P Barrus Ltd
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Gaastra
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GJW Direct
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Harken
01590 689122
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Northwood
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Michel Herbelin
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Mount Gay Rum
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Peter Nash Cars
www.peternashcars.co.uk
2014 PROGRAMME
JANUARY
JUNE
SEPTEMBER
11-12
15
18
22
24
25-26
29
1
Yarmouth/Hamble
6
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
6
June Friday Evening Series
6-8
Cruise to Ouistreham
7Porto Montenergo Inter
Club Challenge
7-8
Mount Gay Rum
June Regatta
11
Ladies Afloat
12-15
Royal Southern
Match Cup - ISAF Gr2
13
June Friday Evening Series
14-15
Poole & Back Race
15
Youth Sailing
17-18
Mid-Week Rally
to Lymington
20
June Friday Evening Series
20
Pre Round the Island BBQ
21
J.P. Morgan Round the Island Race
21
RIB Rally to watch the Round the Island Race
21
Commodore’s Summer Charity Ball
21-28
ICOYC Cruise to
Elba & Corscia
27
Theme Evening
27
June Friday Evening Series
29
Club Day Pursuit Race
30
Golf Day
3
5
5
7
12-13
12-14
12-21
13
14
20
20-21
21
25
26
26
27-28
RYA Match Racing Training
Lecture
Burns Night
Lecture
Theme Evening
RYA Match Racing Training
Lecture
FEBRUARY
5
7
12
19
22
22-23
26
27
Lecture
Athena Ladies Lunch
Lecture
Lecture
Jazz Night
Academy Match
Racing Training
Lecture
Theme Evening
MARCH
5
6
7
12
13
14
15
16
19
22-23
23
26
29
29
30
Lecture
Clay Pigeon Shoot
Athena Ladies Lunch
Lecture
Bridge Drive
Club Wine Tasting
Pre Season Coaching
Warsash Spring Series
Lecture
RYA Match Racing Training
Warsash Spring Series
Lecture
Interclub Youth Keelboat Championships
Fitting Out Supper
Warsash Spring Series
APRIL
4
5
6
9
10
12
12
13
19-21
19-21
19
25
25
27
27
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
Academy Match Racing
Training
Warsash Spring Series
Clay Pigeon Shoot
Ladies Lunch
Start of Season Party
New Members Party
Warsash Spring Series
Solent Cruise
Motorboats Easter Rally
Academy Match
Racing Training
Golf Society
Theme Evening
Warsash Spring Series
Youth Sailing
MAY
The Commodore, Flag Officers
and Members of the Royal
Southern Yacht Club would
like to thank all the advertisers
for supporting the Club by
advertising in The Southern.
The programme is subject to
change and additional events
are likely to be organised.
Check www.royal-southern.
co.uk or Club Notice Boards
for up-to-date information.
100
2
2
3-5
3
7
9
9-11
10
10-11
11
13-14
16
16
17-18
23
23-26
24-30
30
30
31
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
Cruiser Spring Supper
Solent Cruiser Race
Academy Match
Racing Training
Ladies Afloat
May Friday Evening Series
Motorboat Spring Rally
RIB Rally & BBQ
David Thomas Rally
Youth Sailing
Mid-Week Rally - Cowes
May Friday Evening Series
Clay Pigeon Shoot
Royal Southern May Regatta
May Friday Evening Series
Aveva Cowes/Deauville Race & Rally
Family Cruise
May Friday Evening Series
Theme Evening
Hamble/Yarmouth Cup
JULY
1-2
Mid-Week Rally to Yarmouth
4
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
4
Joseph Perrier Champagne Tasting Event
4
July Friday Evening Series
4-6
Motorboat Summer Spree
7-10
Cork Week
9
Ladies Afloat
11
July Friday Evening Series
12-13
Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta
13
Youth Sailing
14-19
Classic Yacht Regatta (TBC)
18
Theme Evening
18
July Friday Evening Series
19
Family Fun Day
19-26Commodore’s Cup & Cowes Classics Week
19-27
Channel Family Race Rally
23-26
J Cup
25
July Friday Evening Series
30
Mid-Week Rally to the Horse & Jockey
AUGUST
2-9
7
8
10-15
12-14
14
16-17
20
22
23
23-24
25-29
29
30-31
30-31
Aberdeen Asset Management
Cowes Week
Commodore’s Cowes
Week Reception
RIB Rally to watch the Cowes Week Fireworks
Round Britain & Ireland Race
Mid-Week Rally
Sailability Day
Old Gaffers Rally (TBC)
Ladies Afloat
Friday Evening Series
Under 21 Race
Junior Cadets Weekend
Junior Splash Week
August Friday Evening Series
Royal Southern
August Regatta
Swanwick, Bursledon & Warsash Regatta
Ladies Afloat
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
Final Friday Evening Series
New Members Party
Little Britain Challenge
Motorboat Open Weekend
Southampton Boat Show
Ladies Race
Ancient Mariners Race
Pirate Day
Aveva September Regatta
Youth Sailing
Golf Society
Macmillan Coffee Morning
Theme Evening
Hamble Scramble
OCTOBER
3
5
8
10
11
11-12
12
15
16
19
22
25
25-26
26
29
31
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Cruiser Supper
Big Boat Weekend
Folly Rally
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Ladies Lunch
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Academy Taster Day
Big Boat Weekend
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Theme Evening
NOVEMBER
1
2
5
8
9
12
13
16
19
22
23
26
29
20
Christmas Fayre
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Annual Prize Giving
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Charity Bridge Drive
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Laying Up Dinner
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Annual General Meeting
HRSC Winter Series
DECEMBER
3
5
6
7
10
12
16-17
17
19
21
21
26
26
31
Lecture
Athena Informal
Ladies Lunch
Motorboat, Golf & Shooting
Societies Christmas Dinner
HRSC Winter Series
Lecture
Theme Evening
Rally to Cowes
Club Christmas Carols
Le Lunch
New Members Party
Club Christmas Lunch
Foxer Racing
Members Boxing Day Bar
New Years Eve Ball
Brewin Dolphin,
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of great sailing.
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