South Bank Sailing Club Blog

– Race Officers: Carla Caturri-Gispert and Victoria Grubb – Safety Boat: David Fletcher and Patrick Chardon If you were not down sailing on Sunday you missed one of the nicest days so far this autumn; mild temperatures, constant breeze and slight gusts. The Thames barriers had been closed at low tide around 11am meaning that there was not much water and the course needed to be laid in the middle of the river. A sausage course was decided to interfere the least with Ranelagh S.C. Victoria plus guest RO Henrik and myself sent off the boats. At the moment of the race start the safety boat manned by David and Patrick had laid the first buoy. Enough time to lay the second one, we thought, if the safety boat had not broken down!! Panic in the race box, mischief on the VHF and Henrik jumped on a club bike to join the stranded safety boat. A Barn Elms rowing safety was sent to rescue our rescue Henry and by the time the safety boat was changed the boats had wisely chosen to use one ...

Race Officers & SB1: John Parke and David Joo Safety Boat 2: Miguel and Rita Ferreira The Bernard Driver is our second oldest trophy race, it used to be held at the beginning of our winter series early in October to lead members back onto the water as the cold weather set in. It was inaugurated by Bernard Driver (Joe’s father) when he was Commodore and traditionally the course is set by the Commodore who tries to make it more interesting than usual. However on Sept 6 that was not to be. Windguru and the Met Office had been forecasting winds of 13-14 with gusts of up to 25 and that was not to be either, there was a light wind and the was right on the nose so that we considered postponing the start until the tide had slackened. We could not decide on the best side of the river and so laid four buys with the choice of coming down either bank and agreed helms what helms could do and how they would be scored if they could not make the start line in time. A lady from the Tideway Scu...

– Race Officers: Sally Pearce – Safety Boat : Dan Johnson and David Joo With a very variable weather report that had been threatening gale force winds and storms not unsurprisingly we had a minimal turnout for Sundays race. So few in fact that we at one point through we were going to have double the amount of safety cover than sailors. The great stalwart Steph and all the way from China the sadly missed Tom Glockner back to brave the Putney waters. Luckily Renato and Olga turned up and Renato selflessly offered to look after the kids to let Olga have a sail. The safety team made the decision that with so few sailors all of which were experienced we could reduce the safety boats to one and Richard Graham (safety boatman 4 ) would sail as well. With 4 boats we now had a race! Then the heavens opened. Race 1: All got off to a good start, but quickly Steph pulled away from the pack creating quite a gap. Tom pulled away as well and Olga and Richard were battling it out for 3rd pl...

Race Officers: John Parke and Emma Koe Safety Boat: Peter Mack and Dom Polizic Even after a prompt briefing helms dallied about so that at the 5min bell 2/3 of them were still on the bank and of course a rowing centre pair chose that moment to go through their fiddling launch across the ramp. We could not see this behind the sails lined up in front of the office and when the 5min bell was rung Stephanie led a protest revolt, which seemed to the elderly and infirm RO to threaten defenestration, pointing out that the ramp was blocked. So a 10min postponement was grudgingly granted. With a SEer blowing straight up the river, right on the nose against the tide, it was always going to be a difficult day so a simple course had been set up and down the Fulham bank. Sure enough many helms struggled to reach the start line. Even Sara, who crossed the line at speed on the windward bank was carried back when the wind dropped and like many of the lasers had to paddle frantically to gain the start ...

Race Officers: Ryan Fuller and Kate Paterson Safety Boat: Andrew Tasker and Ollie Bennett What a stunning day for sailing, the sun was shining and with a gusting 20-knot wind it could be the best SBSC day yet. The start time set at high water and a solid Westerly gave us the opportunity for a long course. A two buoy gate just short of the pier near Hammersmith Bridge and a single buoy beyond the start line opposite the Craven Cottage the course was set. Eleven boats lined up; yet George took a short trip down the course. Which I am sure was planned and just his way of checking the conditions. He managed to gain a useful tow from Andrew & Olly in the safety boat and crossed the line with just minutes to spare. Everything was set for an epic race. Five Four One Go. A couple of boats were super keen and found themselves below the start as the wind shifted around. They all honoured their status by crossing the right side of the line before using the full force of the tide to catch up t...

Race Officers: Carla Canturri Safety Boat: Sara Bennett and Ray Burnet It was an early start of a summery day: moderately high temperatures and a light breeze. The course was set to a boring sausage between two buoys, despite the cries for a more spiced up course… One buoy was laid near “do you see that white building over there, where there is a puff of wind” and another at the Crabtree. Sara and Ray (thanks for volunteering with such short notice) were manning the safety boat and keeping the fleet safe. The start was delayed as many boats were struggling to keep up with the tide. Remember that you are allowed to paddle or to start from the beach as some boats did, next time the RO may not be as nice as ME and will start the race… One Supernova, four full Lasers, three Laser radials, one Albacore and one Topaz took the water. In the meantime in the race box, the RO was left in charge of a nervous little dog, an agreement was reached and she was able to stay out in the balcony if she p...

* Race Officers and SB 1: Graham Douglas and Sophie Henwood * Safety Boat 2: Giles Harrison and Keith Simms The Ruby Bell- A race where the sailors circle each other before the race and wait until the first one blinks. The challenge is to use the outgoing tide until the turn mark and time it so the return leg utilises the incoming tide. Get it right and it will flatter your handicap ensuring victory. Get it wrong and you either arrive too soon at the turn that you have to stem the tide and suffer the agony of watching all the following boats catch up, or you leave too late and the tide turns against before you reach the mark. The start is a game of calculation, bluff, counter bluff and bravado. Fun for all except perhaps the organising race officer. With the likelihood of a race fleet more strung out than normal and a mark to be laid at a pre-determined, but as yet unseen position. Fortunately the weather was kind. A forecast 12 knots from the west promised a downwind, downstream start...