West Kirby Sailing Club Star class Classic Boat Challenge
by Liz Potter 25 Jul 21:30 BST
Stars beating up the Dee estuary - West Kirby SC Star class Classic Boat Challenge © Sarah Rees
One dark February morning, the president of the West Kirby Star Class Nick Ledingham had an idea to invite visiting teams from local clubs for a day of racing in the wooden, clinker-built gaff rig boats with iconic red sails, which have been raced on the Dee estuary since 1922.
The visiting club criteria was that they should have a history of sailing classic wooden boats. Five teams replied and took up the challenge. Finally, after a winter of care and attention by enthusiastic owners, the Star boats were ready and came out to twinkle in the midweek summer sunshine.
The visiting teams included a home team from West Kirby; three local teams from the Wirral - The Royal Mersey Yacht Club, Wallasey Yacht Club, Hoylake Sailing Club and one not so local team from Conway in North Wales.
Each boat was provided with a Pilot to assist with rigging and advice, but the helms and crews took on the racing. The boats were randomly assigned to each team in a draw after the briefing and the crews walked out over the sandy mud to meet their boats and wait for the tide to come up to the moorings in the Dee estuary.
Once off the moorings, the fleet assembled at the start boat, to await orders from RO John Carlin, assisted by Christine Elles-Toner and Sarah Rees.
The first beat was a long leg against the tide. Star 1, "Juno" taken on by WKSC, with pilot John Dowling, helmed by Liz Potter and crewed by Jean Louis Simmons had a good start on Starboard tack at the inshore end of the line, tacking off immediately to head towards the shore and out of the strong current. They set up a notable lead over the fleet.
Following Juno inshore was Star 6 "Capella", allocated to WYC, with pilot Nick Ledingham, helmed by Phil Bains and Mike Tomkins as crew. Capella had tacked off later and sailed higher, but this kept her in the tide for longer. She still kept ahead of the chasers Star 4 "Carina" with the RMYC helm Ian Diamond and pilot Dave Mayhew on board.
Next was Star 11 "Mars" and the Conway team of helm Mike Leahy and crew Sion Williams, with pilot Jane Sclater keeping an eye on things. In the tousle for 4th and 5th place was Star 7 "Vega, which was team Hoylake's boat, helmed by Gavin Melling and crewed by Nicky Melling, with Dave Fitzhenry as pilot.
The race became a contest of who could stay out of the tide the longest, yet not overstand the mark.
It was a nerve-racking dash across the tide to buoy D15 mid-channel, which had to be passed up tide to port. Juno led the way, with some positive muttering from the pilot on the dash across and some slightly dodgy negative mutterings from the crew. Fortunately the helm couldn't see much and kept sailing freely enough to keep the speed on, only gasping in slight horror at the buoy's white bow wave as the mark was being rounded and reappeared on the port midships a second later.
There followed a long run beyond WKSC to Caldy, further up the estuary. The crews fought to keep the jibs filled, in the absence of spinnakers, which had been decided at the briefing owing to the spritely wind forecast.
A final short beat to the finish saw West Kirby take the win from Wallasey, with Royal Mersey nearby in third. Conway's helm finishing in 4th, passed the helm over to teammate Sion Williams for the next race and in 5th was Hoylake.
The tide was still running fast for the start of the second race.
Juno (West Kirby) repeated the inshore start on starboard, meeting Carina (Royal Mersey) who was on port tack mid-line. A rush tack by Carina gave Juno reason to smile wryly before tacking off herself for the favoured inshore route.
The fleet behind Juno was closer this time, making some pressured decisions for the helms. The wind was dropping and had headed as the boats went inshore.
How far to carry on?
Carina tacked on the header and crossed Juno on the next tack. Sadly, she sailed off to the wrong windward mark, allowing Capella (Wallasey) through for the downwind leg. Juno set the pace as the breeze filled in, gusting 15 knots. Capella followed trying to cover her wind on each gybe.
Further along the fleet, Mars' new helm (Conway) was beginning to find his feet and create trouble for Vega (Hoylake).
Then came the news that the course had been shortened at Cliff at the end of the downwind leg. The positions didn't change, giving Juno and the home team the win.
The competitors sailed back to the moorings and were collected by Bob Shepherd in the rib, to be dropped off with dry feet on the shore. There followed refreshments at the bar and a fabulous lunch prepared by Helen Brown.
The winners were announced as West Kirby Sailing Club, with two firsts in "Juno". Liz Potter was presented with the Star Helmsman's Cup, which is dated 1934; a year younger than the winning boat!
The runner up was Wallasey Yacht Club.
In third was the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and on equal points were Hoylake Sailing Club and Conway Yacht Club.
Many thanks to West Kirby Sailing Club for hosting the day; to the race and rescue teams, the catering and bar staff. Thank you to the kindred clubs for supporting the event and to the boat owners for loaning their craft. Finally, a round of applause to those beautiful red-sailed boats; the real Stars of the show.