Burnham Week at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club - Overall
by Mel Lewis 6 Sep 2012 23:11 BST
25 August - 1 September 2012
The Royal Burnham One Designs celebrating their 80th anniversary at Burnham Week © Nick Wood
Closing Burnham Week 2012 on Saturday at 9pm with a bang was a
spectacular firework display across the river illuminating the boats
in a colourful array on a beautiful still evening which was enjoyed by
yachtsmen and townsfolk alike from the Burnham quayside.
The day had produced a long awaited Town Cup win for Alan Bartlett of
the Crouch YC. At 87, Alan has been a popular part of the Burnham
sailing scene for 57 years. He commissioned his boat, Inn Spirit - a
Humphries 36 - from Prior’s Boatyard in Burnham which, apart from the
engine, was entirely fitted out with equipment from Burnham based
companies. He has successfully campaigned the boat in the EAORA
series over the years, but the Town Cup had always eluded him – he
just missed it by 14 seconds several years ago. The course proved
interesting and testing for the 7 final starters as wind shifts of up
to 100o were reported. Assarain IV, last year’s winner, got line
honours but on corrected time, Inn Spirit, helmed by Ian Hart, was
about 7 minutes ahead of nearest rival Stiletto John Barrett and Paul
Woodward visitors from Ramsgate. Booty, Pippa and Robbie Stewart of
the RBYC were in third place.
The week was a great success with Jo Barker, event Chairman, reporting
an increase in entrants on last year. The biggest fleets were the
National Squib fleet, designed in Burnham, with 23 entered over the
first weekend and the Royal Burnham One Designs, who are celebrating
their 80th anniversary this year, with 21 boats entered. All trophy
winners received a copy of Anglia Afloat and a free year's
subscription.
The Commodore’s Cup for Class two was won by Hullaballoo XV David
Evans, which has also been a long campaign finally culminating in a
decisive win – Hullaballo XV was 30 minutes ahead on corrected time of
nearest rival, Double Trouble, Beccy and Duncan Haley.
Worries regarding the increased shipping in the Crouch due to the
Crossrail project on Wallasea Island were allayed as good co-operation
between the JCC(Join Clubs’ Committee, organisers of Burnham Week) and
the Crouch Harbour Authority, meant that the five shipping movements
through the week were scheduled to avoid the racing. It was only on
the last Saturday where starts for the last two classes were delayed
for a short period as a ship came in.
The week started with exhilarating gusty and blustery conditions which
proved too much for several boats – in fact two of the RBODs
unfortunately lost their masts and several others sustained damage.
Fresh courses for each class were printed each day to take account of
local conditions and proved very popular with competitors providing
tight racing in all the classes. There was the usual one day up river
course for all classes but the race committee also used the new
flexibility in courses to send classes up and down the river on other
days, choosing the best racing to take account of the strong spring
tides.
The flexibility of the programme offered allows boats to race over
different periods of time and some boats compete all week, whilst
others compete only over the first weekend. The first weekend is
usually the busiest as it includes a dinghy regatta and this year was
no exception with dedicated starts for Ospreys, Phantoms and a
handicap dinghy class. There was the very welcome return of 11
Ospreys who travel from all around the country to take part. See
Emily Play, Mike Pickering was the clear winner with four wins out of
five races. 11 Phantoms raced 6 races over the weekend and this was
won by PHD, James Dawson. The dinghies really enjoyed the blustery
and testing conditions.
The first weekend for the cruiser classes also incorporated part of
the Crouch Sail East programme to maximise the appeal of the event.
Classes were condensed to one IRC class as the mid-week series saw a
drop in the number of starters, reviving again for the final Saturday.
Class 6 – no spinnakers was lighter on entrants this year, but still
enjoyed some close racing. Amanda Louise, Len and Amanda Cole picked
up an armful of trophies and long time Burnham Week competitor Seven
Isles, Antony Abbott picked up the runner up shield. Not to be
confused with the Class one boat of the same name, Stiletto, Chris
Petrie won the first weekend.
The Royal Corinthian One Designs had 7 boats racing for most of the
week. The class was dominated by the consistent performance of
Corella, Nick Oliver who has beautifully restored the boat at his
yard, Rice and Coles. Corella did not have it all her own way as
Corinna helmed by nonagenarian Robert Melville won the last Saturday
and, indeed the races he started in the week.
The Squibs were dominated by Lady Penelope, Malcolm Hutchings and
Humphrey, Robert Coyle, who shared first and second place, with Lady
Penelope winning the first weekend and the last Saturday and Humphrey
winning the mid-week. Although these two were clear winners, the
results do not reflect the nip and tuck of racing in this fleet which
is always a hard one to win.
707s raced at the weekend only but had some excellent and tight
racing. Beaver Hunter, Paul Gray picked up the winner’s trophies on
both occasions, although he shared equal points with Racehorse,
Richard Bavin over the first weekend pushing him into second on count
back. Racehorse was also second on the last Saturday.
For the first time, there were 22 Royal Burnham One Designs on the
river together. In a terrific effort, the class managed to get all
afloat for this Burnham Week, a long held dream of Class President,
Martin Smith and Will Dallimore (grandson of the designer) and with
the full backing of owners and class friends the dream was realised in
this, their 80th anniversary year. There were sons, daughters,
grandsons, granddaughters and great grandsons and daughters sailing
boats which have changed hands over the years. Only one has stayed in
the same family since the class was commissioned in 1932 – RB2 Red
Jacket sailed by the Herring family.
There were 20 on the start line
on the first Saturday and the gusty winds over the first part of the
week proved too much for Bluebell and Blue Jacket who each lost their
mast. Onyx was another casualty of the week when a rudder pintle
failed but this was after she had won the first Saturday race. The
first weekend saw some exceptionally close sailing, and despite not
winning a race, the consistent performance of Blue Jacket, David
Beale, who was second in two races and third in another won her the
trophy. The mid-week series was won by Annette, with Daniel Wastnage
helming as the owner, Tony Chambers, loaned the boat to Wastnage whose
mast on Bluebell was lost on the first day. There was only one point
separating Annette from second placed Amanda, Dave Smith and then one
point to third placed Geraldine, Simon Hollington.
The final Saturday
was won by Red Jacket, Tim and Cathy Herring with Quartz, Steve and Jo
Adams second and Geraldine third. The week’s points were all on the
last race with any one of several boats in contention. Red Jacket’s
win and some tactical sailing by Annette ensured Annette the Ralph
Herring Cream Jug trophy for the week. The handicap trophy was
awarded to the eponymous RB24 Victoria, campaigned by Victoria Smith
and helmed by Robbie Hooper. Victoria is the newest addition to the
class, built faithfully to the original drawings and specifications 15
years ago by Martin Smith. The class had three boats helmed and
crewed entirely by cadets of the club for the week, some as young as
10.
On the final Saturday all 21 boats left afloat were marshalled to
the Royal Burnham’s pontoon for a photo-shoot, masterminded by Will
Dallimore and Nick Wood. Luckily the conditions were benign and the
race officers had ensured the boats were back at the turn of the tide
to ease operations. Nick Wood was hoisted aloft to the second
spreaders of the mast of Avalon – a Swan 51 – to take a photo of the
scene as all those assembled were served champagne and iced beer to
celebrate this special occasion.
Full results at burnhamweek.org.uk