Sunday saw the last of the two-race format before the one race on Boxing Day to finish the season for Welland Yacht Club.
The sailors once again had to cope with a strong flow on the river after all the recent rainfall and this was a major factor over the two races that were held in breeze just enough to push the boats against the flow.
The wind direction meant a short tack to number 1 buoy and with the flow the start was going to be a tricky affair.
So it proved for Mark Scourfield in the Solo and Adam Stabler in the Laser, who were over the line at the start and had to re-cross against the flow, but with other boats judging it better they had no rights which meant joining the back of the nine boats that started.
It was Alan Chapman in the Laser who was away, followed by Helen Boyd in the Solo, Alan Cox in the Laser, Will Stabler (Laser), Geoff Tibbs in the Solo, Scourfield, Jorrit and Toby Schrauwers in the Kestral, Richard Stedman and James Ramp in the Comet and over the line starter Adam Stabler.
With only a short course set to 3 buoy, the boats hugged the edges of the river to get out of the strongest flow and it was Chapman who, by Shelly’s Bush Corner, had pulled out a sizeable lead from Boyd who was hanging on and keeping in front of the chasing boats including the Kestral where Toby did a fine job in flying the spinnaker in the light breeze.
With the crews having to give the turning marks plenty of room as they were pushed downstream for the tack back to the club, by the time they reached it Chapman was well out in front from Boyd and Cox who was now catching up and with Tibbs and Scourfield in their own tussle.
Crossing the line first by some margin was Chapman, followed by a well-sailed Boyd just in front of Cox, then three boats in a minute Scourfield, Tibbs and a well-sailed William Stabler over a minute in front of dad Adam.
Jorrit and Toby Schrauwers followed in their first race completion, then Stedman and James Ramp in the Comet.
After handicaps applied, it was Chapman 1st, Boyd 2nd, Cox 3rd and Tibbs a well placed 4th.
The second race of the day was the same course but a little more breeze and lessons learnt this time as no boats were over the line.
It was Scourfield judging it best, just ahead of Boyd and William Stabler, Cox, Chapman, Tibbs and the Schrauwers, once again flying their spinnaker as they rounded 1 buoy for the run against the flow again hugging the bank to get any advantage.
Scourfield established a lead from Boyd, Cox and Chapman, and as the wind filled in from behind, the boats bunched up and place changes were happening.
Now Boyd was catching Scourfield on the beat and just before rounding 1 buoy for the first time she overtook to lead the race.
On the run back Boyd and Scourfield tussled for the lead and Scourfield just got to windward but out in the current to overtake and round 3 buoy just ahead and with Cox now also catching in third.
As they reached Shelly’s Bush Corner, Cox had passed Boyd and was chasing down the leader which he did just before the finish line on the shortened course to get line honours, with Scourfield just holding off Boyd for second.
Boyd in a well-sailed 3rd, Chapman 4th all finishing within the same minute, William Stabler next once again beating dad who was two places behind, Tibbs splitting them and Schrauwers Kestral and Stedman and Ramp.
Handicaps applied it was Scourfield in 1st place, Boyd 2nd, making it a Solo one and two, and Cox 3rd, Chapman 4th, Will Stabler, Tibbs, Adam Stabler, the Schrauwers and Stedman and Ramp.
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The final race of the season took place at Welland Yacht Club on Boxing Day with ten boats taking part.
The wind was a lot stronger than the forecast had suggested but the sun was shining making for good sailing conditions.
The Brass Monkey race is both a stand-alone race and also the last race of the club’s Frostbite series so there was a lot at stake as boats jostled for the best starting position.
A sudden increase in wind just before the start caught a number of competitors out with Alan Cox, Helen Boyd, Adam Stabler and Will Stabler all capsizing. Andy Prior, crewed by James Ramp, got the best start in their Lark, followed closely by Gerritt van Haren in his Phantom.
The two boats were neck and neck after the short beat to number one buoy but van Haren just got inside at the last minute and was first round to start the long run down to number four buoy.
Prior was next, followed by Richard Steadman in his Comet, then Alistair Mitchel in the Laser Radial and Andy Agar in his OK. Next came Adam Stabler, followed by Geoff Tibbs, whilst the remainder of the fleet were playing catch up after the earlier capsizes.
Van Haren extended his lead on the long downwind leg as the Lark struggled with some rigging issues. Mitchell and Steadman both did well to keep in contention with their smaller-sailed boats.
The gusty breeze stuck a number of times on the downwind leg with Boyd making her second of four capsizes just short of Shelly’s Bush Corner and Adam Stabler capsizing followed by both Tibbs and Cox.
Positions remained similar as the boats beat back to the club house to end the first lap although the Lark closed the gap on van Haren slightly.
Once round the windward mark, van Haren made good use of the breeze to extend the lead again only for it to close up on the beat back.
Meanwhile both Tibbs and Cox had capsized again with Tibbs having to be rescued. Both boats then retired. Stedman’s excellent progress was slowed on the second lap after he ran aground and dropped back behind Agar.
Van Haren crossed the line first, followed by Prior and Ramp and then Mitchell in the Laser Radial, then Agar and Stedman.
Recovering from multiple capsizes Adam Stabler came in ahead of son William who was the last of the finishers.
Things were very close when handicaps were applied with van Haren taking the Brass Monkey Trophy by 30 seconds from Prior and Ramp who were only ten seconds ahead of Mitchell.
These results meant Prior took the Frostbite series from Mark Scourfield in second and Alan Cox in third.
