2020 Regatta (the year that never was)

By Chris Clark

SCARBOROUGH YACHT CLUB — In a rerun of 2019, and again after two days of adverse weather, the 2020 Regatta racing made up for everything on the last day.

As Sunday evening drew to a close with 4 races cancelled, as with 2019, it was all down to Bank Holiday Monday to make or break the entire Regatta event.

Story:

As usual three classes of race took place over two individual races, Race 5 & 6, (the first four being cancelled) the fast IRC class, the sporting 707 Hunter class, and the SYC class for vessels not rated in the previous two.

Following two days of adverse weather, Saturday with very heavy rain and 40 – 55 knot winds, and Sunday, better weather but heavy sea swells, confirmed by SYC class vessel Rascal that did sail out anyway, the Club succeeded in running two out of the previous planned six races. The decision to run, defer, or cancel races are always made on the grounds of firstly safety, and secondly inclusivity, then other factors, tide, current, water below keel at given times etc.

We ask two big questions, can some classes race, or can all, and if not all, is this fair? Saturday was completely impossible. On Sunday observation showed vessels already out in the bay were pitching heavily, and the Wheatcroft Buoy movement clearly showed pronounced peak to trough swelling, so although the weather was calming, after an hour delay for any improvement, Races 3 and 4 were reluctantly called off. Some yachts did go for sailing anyway, and being on one of them, I can vouch for the correctness of the cancellation decision.

With Monday’s winds of around a much gentler 6 – 10 knots, and calmer sea, we succeeded in running two races.

18 Yachts started, there was one protest, and immediate apology, and one retirement.

And thanks to our Sponsors

As ever we were proud to be supported by our Sponsors, Jimmy and Tessa Stockdale of James Stockdale Ltd, ‘Seed and ware potato growers and potatoe haulage specialists’, and Andrew and Maggie Boyes, ‘BOYES – for good value!’ for their support in what has been a difficult sailing year.

Overall Results across Races 5 & 6 were:

IRC Class

1. Vision, an SJ320 owned by Jon Livesey
2. Vado, an Aphrodite 29 owned by Steve and Win Russell
3. Dodjer, new to the Club, a J/Boats J92 owned by Martin and Jan Stallard

707 Class

1. A Grand Day Out, a Hunter 707 owned by Steve Bramham/Richard Littlewood
2. Miss Moneypenny, an on-loan Hunter 707 crewed by Leeds University Sailing Club students
3. Humdinger, a Hunter 707 owned by Ralph Pickard & Gary Walker

SYC Class

1. Zeris, a Sonata owned by Brian Sizer
2. Sundance, a Folkboat owned by Thomas Hill
3. Rascal, a Sigma 33, owned by Mick and Fiona Mullane

Images:

Jan Stallard, owner of J/Boats J92 Dodjer
Jon Livesay, owner of IRC Class Winner SJ 320 Vision
Steve Bramham, Owner of 707 A Grand Day Out
The Rascal crew seeking the optimum course