2024 Hamble Classics Regatta - 9th edition and a friendly affair
by Jonty Sherwill 5 Sep 20:13 BST
31 August - 1 September 2024
A warm and calm Friday afternoon welcomed the 2024 Hamble Classics Regatta fleet yet Saturday morning racing would kick things off with a stiff northeasterly breeze.
The welcome reception at the RAFYC on Friday evening featured shanty singers from nearby Titchfield, setting the perfect tone for a jolly weekend with a good crew. The Hamble Classics organisers Jonty and Vicki Sherwill greeted the yacht owners, their crews and the event volunteers, and also thanked the co-hosting clubs, the RAFYC and HRSC, and the event sponsors Spinlock, Classic Marine, OneSails, the Elephant Boatyard, Salcombe Distilling Company, Z-Spars UK and Walcon Marine for their generous support of the event.
After the Saturday breakfast time briefing for skippers, PRO Peter Bateson and the HRSC race management team set up near the East Knoll mark at around high tide thus providing a long first beat to the Darling Buoy or Royal Southern mark close to the mainland shore. Windward leeward courses were set for all classes expect the two Gaffer divisions that were sent off on a more leisurely reach for their one long race per day around the Solent cans.
With the wind peaking at around 20 knots in the early afternoon Rick Tomlinson knew where to position his RIB to capture the best action of yachts under spinnaker.
After two long but enjoyable races for the IRC and two Regatta classes, three races for the XOD class and just the one for the Gaffers, the crews arrived back at the RAFYC more than ready for a glass of Dark'n'Stormy at the Elephant Boatyard sponsored Rum Party, expertly managed by volunteer Jackie Peck. The Spinlock Day Prize Giving followed soon after with a 'Deckvest' life jacket presented to the leading boat in each class, Harlequin, Valhalla, Joan, Sheila, Satellite and Felix.
With not much let-up in the always busy Hamble Classics weekend schedule crews and guests were soon arriving at the 'RAF' for their Hamble Classics Supper, with good food provided by 'Rumshack'. The usual noisy banter was interrupted after the main course to begin the customary auction of promises in aid of the event's charity, Wetwheels.
With lively bidding for the lots donated generously by Hamble Yacht Services, Meon Springs, OneSails, and Wetwheels itself, plus raffle prizes from Salcombe Distillery Company, Joseph Perrier champagne, Marine Superstore, Spinlock, OneSails, and Hamble Classics, more than £1000 was raised for Wetwheels to support their vital work providing the opportunity for all disabled people including those with profound and complex disabilities to access the sea in a safe, stimulating and rewarding way, and including their carers.
A complete change in weather on Sunday greeted the fleet, with bright sunshine and an 8-10 knot northeasterly. The start line was again set near the East Knoll mark but with the prospect of a fading breeze all classes were set shorter courses. By midday the breeze had reduced to just cat's paws along the Meon shoreline and a flat calm further south. With just six yachts in the IRC and Regatta 1 classes reaching the finish line after a final spinnaker run to the Hamble Winter Series mark, others were choosing to kedge, and so all racing was then abandoned for the day, with the more powerful yachts towing the dayboats homeward.
At 15:30 at the RAFYC the six class winners and runners-up were awarded with engraved classic style wine glasses, and the special awards presented. The shorthanded Tea-for-Trophy went to the pretty BB17 'Joan' sailed singlehanded by owner Graham Smyth and was also winner of Regatta Class 2. The Kismet yacht model went to the happy team aboard Eric Robert's 'Phizz', a regular offshore winning yacht in the 1950s when based at the RAFYC, and the Norlethe picture Trophy to Vicki Sherwill for inspiring the Hamble Classics event and her hard work to maintain its success.
Winner overall of the IRC Class was David Herirtage's immaculate West Solent One-Design 'Harlequin', one of three entered, and so good that she was also awarded the overall Concours d'Elegance prize. Second overall was Tim Yetman's recently re-acquired 'Suvretta' and third in class was Philip Cotton's Cal40 'Breeze, also 2024 Concours winner for best GRP Yacht. Claire Locke's WSOD 'Enchanted' and Richard Hargreave's 'Aeolus' joined in from Cowes, a growing trend, and Ramona-Ann Gale's S&S designed 'Firebrand', Fenton Burgin's 6-Metre 'Sioma II', Hedley's Bewes' S&S designed 'Ugly Ducking', and previous Concours d'Elegance winner the magnificent 'Lutine of Helford' leant provenance to this elegant class.
The Regatta 1 handicap class of six boats was closely contested but with Jonty and Vicki's 98-year-old red dayboat 'Cockleshell' slipping away to be the only class finisher on Sunday she won the class by one point from Kim Morley's Nordic Folkboat 'Valhalla', with the Frost/Mansfield team aboard the Nicholson 25 'Samiotissa' third on corrected time tie-break from 'Phizz'. Adrian Green's Dragon 'Aurora' added extra style as did Andrew Kobilnyk's S&S designed Bermudan Yawl 'Sai See', and received the Concours d'Authenticité for condition and originality.
The 7-boat Regatta 2 class had very close corrected times in the two races completed, with the Borge Bringsvaerd designed 'Joan' and Ignacio Oliva-Vélez's BB11 'Cygnet' ahead of the Contessa 26's, Chris Moore's 'Galadriel of Lothlorian' and Andrew Quicke's 'Chasing Rainbows'. The keen crews aboard the two other pretty boats, Peter Ormrod's 'Allegra del Mar' and Edward Fuller's East Anglian 'Sabreur of Maldon' may not have finished races but were sailing well.
Patrick Banfield's 'Carabella' had to withdraw from racing after an unfortunate pre-start crew injury, but the yacht was a clear winner of the Concours Spirit of Racing award for her immaculate restoration and contribution this year to HRSC's Wednesday Evening Racing.
The two Gaffer classes with eight boats total was the usual tour de force of traditional yachting, both old and new. David Aisher's 1888 'Thalia', Andrew Hitt's 1889 Plymouth Hooker 'Spinaway X', the 1894 Linton Hope designed Thames One Rater 'Dorothy' entered by Ossie Stewart, and Simon Williams' 1921 Starling Burgess designed 6-Metre 'Sheila' (winner of Gaffer 1 class) plus previous Concours d'Elegance winner Alastair Darling's 1897 William Fife dayboat 'UandI', were complemented by three modern gaffers, David and Sue Pennison's Satellite (winner of Gaffer 2 class), Richard Jacob's Ed Burnett designed 'Ivy Green' built by the Elephant Boatyard, and most unusual of all, Ken Hickling's Nigel Irens designed Romilly 23ft 'Runaway'.
In the 7-strong XOD class racing after their first race win Gary and Claire Rossall's 'Little X' (on a 1,2,3 scorline) had to play second fiddle to Peter Baines in 'Felix' on 4,1,1, and Edward Fitzgerald's 'Kathleen' helmed by Eliot Motherwell was third overall on 3,3,2. Nick Brebner, Hamish Calder, Andy Hamlett, and Esmond Jenkins were all close behind in this very competitive fleet.
With the Concours d'Elegance Awards supported by the Salcombe Distilling Co. each winner received a bottle of their excellent Start Point Gin, and each bottle sold contributes support to the RNLI. Also at the awards key figures in the smooth running of the racing including PRO Peter Bateson, HRSC's RCS Rupert Wolloshin, and the RIB crews and race team members afloat and ashore were recognised for their efforts with presentations of engraved glasses.
With many yacht and gaffer owners promising to return in 2025, the 10th Hamble Classics promises to be another memorable celebration of classic yachting.
The 2024 race results and the Concours d'Elegance division winners are available at hambleclassics.co.uk