The Golwg-y-Mor New Quay Yacht Club Keelboat Regatta 2022
by Chris Seal 7 Jul 2022 17:17 BST
1-3 July 2022
This year again, New Quay Yacht Club was blessed with perfect sailing conditions in the idyllic waters of Cardigan Bay for its annual Keel Boat Regatta. Over the three days, apart from only a few hours of overcast cloud and drizzle (when, seemingly, most photos were taken!), competitors enjoyed clear skies, blue seas with white capped waves driven by steady Force-3-5, westerly winds. Of course, the dolphins came to watch too!
Post Covid, numbers were up to 14 entrants, as we were joined by some notable Aberaeron YC yachts who had been missing for a couple of years - it was good to see them back! These included Tim Greenslade's Sadler 290, Seren Wib (Welsh for 'shooting star') who's new pink dayglo spinnaker required the use of sunglasses! Also joining in, was Dafydd Hughes' S&S 34, Bendegedig (Welsh for 'blessed'), as he prepares for the Global Solo Challenge - a solo non-stop, round-the world race, next September; she looked magnificent indeed and we all wish him the very best in such a colossal undertaking and adventure.
The race committee, under the expert eye of Will Best, one of our local (but south-coast based) professionals, was kept on its toes by the keenness of the competitors. Start lines and courses were well-set and the racing was intense and close at times but mostly sportsman-like - with only a few raised voices - normally at the starboard end of the start-line of Race 3!
Day one started with a Coastal Race involving a long beat from Aberaeron to Cwmtydu and back to New Quay. Starting in light winds and then finishing with more of a blow, this race was, as hoped-for, as test of the mettle and navigational skills of the fleet. The sole asymmetric sports boat of Wonderwall (Chris Seal) took line honours from First Class 8, Katabatic (Mark Willis) but both were beaten on handicap by boats finishing later. Amazingly, the two Hawk 20s of Bobble (Steve Berry) and Sprite (Crawford McLeary) were within only a few boat-lengths of each other after 4 hours of racing. However, Sprite was slightly ahead and gained the overall IRC win and Bobble, third, as they were split by Rodmar, a Fulmar 32 (Christine Willis with Jonathan Abrahams, sailmaker - seasoned campaigners both) who were second overall. On corrected time, only 14 seconds split the first three, while only 3 minutes split the first 6 boats - indicating the level of skill in the conditions and very impressive after such a long trek!
Day two saw a repeat of the near-perfect sailing conditions with Olympic Triangles and Windward Leeward courses set. Wonderwall, a modified Isis 21 and crewed/helmed by Chris Seal, Sarah Skinner, Martin Wood and one of Welsh Sailing's rising stars, Henry Powell, ruled the waves with a bullet and a second. Rodmar, Katabatic and Bobble were not far behind on corrected time, with Rodmar winning the last race of the day from Wonderwall. But then it was time to return to the club for relaxation as most competitors enjoyed a superb Italian regatta dinner - a 'Pasta Spectacular' - prepared by the indefatigable Ali Davies; our ace chef and bar-manager. When the results were studied in bar afterwards, Wonderwall and Rodmar were tied for the championship, with Katabatic and both Bobble and Sprite still in contention; so, it was 'going to the wire' for the Round the Cans race on Sunday.
Day three, the final day, dawned grey, with a light but steady NW breeze and an awkward chop left over from the previous night's 15-20 kt blow. Tidal effects were going to be a major factor with a beat to the club's infamous 'Cruiser Northerly' against an incoming tide, followed by a long run/broad reach to finish off Aberaeron harbour. Things were tense at the pier head for the club start-line. Firstly, there was a slight hiccup with the race committee's timing during the initial attempted start, which jangled everyone's nerves and necessitated a re-start of the whole sequence.
Then there was the drama of a loud and crunching collision between a 20ft Hawk, Vixen and the 32ft Fulmar, Rodmar. This was a one-sided contest and predictably, Vixen had to 'retire hurt' with a large hole in her side. Luckily, no-one was injured but it serves as a reminder to all competitors that multiple tons of glass-fibre and metal at 5-6 knots can be very dangerous weapons. However, at the subsequent re-start, the fleet got off to a tense beat past the pier, Rock St and Target Rock. There were multiple lead changes during the fight to get clear of the tidal chop off New Quay Head and to find some flatter water upwind. At various stages, Katabatic, Bobble, Wonderwall, Rodmar and Rev Band - the family-crewed Parker 27 of Andy Evans, helmed by daughter Emma - were in 'pole position' but ultimately, Katabatic and Wonderwall managed to escape the fleet and round the mark first.
Wonderwall did a few seconds of fishing with the spinnaker but after a quick recovery, found the broad reach very much to the liking of her large kite and she surfed ahead of Katabatic by a few minutes, claiming both the race win and the Championship. Third on the day and so second overall, was Rodmar, while third overall was Katabatic who sailed a consistent series with a new crew. The NHC/non-IRC fleet was won by Bendegedig, second was Rev Band and third was Cara of Menai (Martin Seal) in the other Fulmar. The top dog in the Hawk fleet was Bobble from Sprite - but only just - after countback to the coastal race. Rodmar was first Fulmar overall.
The prize-giving was well attended and a great deal of praise was heaped on the event organisers and the many helpers on the water (who had been ably led by Mark Willis and Will Best) and, also, of course the 'results machine' that is the Mike and Liz Masters combo!
Other prizes were Top Youth Helm - Henry Powell, Top Youth Crew - Thomas Best, First Lady Helm - Emma Venner (Rev Band) and the Spencer De Friend Prize (for Corinthian Spirit) - won by the crew of Bendegedig. Support Boat crews were also publicly thanked for their efforts... running such an event is very definitely a team sport! Of course. However, a regatta would be nothing if no-one came to sail, so all the competitors were given a suitable round of heart-felt applause.
Lastly, our sponsors, Golwg-y-Mor, Ceredigion's best butchers and purveyors of fine meats, who most-generously paid for the prizes, were heartily thanked for their continued support.
The countdown to KBR 23 has begun but KBR 22 was a very good 'un. Many thanks to all.
Overall Results:
IRC
1st Wonderwall (Mod Isis 21) Chris Seal - NQYC/RAFSA
2nd Rodmar (Mod Fulmar 32) Christine Willis - NQYC/AYC (and First Fulmar)
3rd Katabatic (First Class 8) Mark Willis - NQYC
Non IRC Winner - Bendegedig (Mod S&S 34) Dafydd Hughes - AYC
1st Hawk - Bobble, Steve Berry NQYC
First Lady Helm - Emma Venner (Rev Band - Parker 27)
First Youth Helm - Henry Powell (Wonderwall)
Best Youth Crew - Thomas Best (Katabatic)
Spencer De Friend Prize - Bendegedig Crew