SUNBEAM CLASS MID SUMMER NEWSLETTER JUNE / JULY 2016 *****SUMMER EVENTUALLY ARRIVES*****

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1 SUNBEAM CLASS MID SUMMER NEWSLETTER JUNE / JULY 2016 *****SUMMER EVENTUALLY ARRIVES***** POINTS WEEK Points Week didn t disappoint this year with great racing in a huge high water harbour and wonderfully adventurous courses set by Roger who gave us another brilliant week. A total of 19 Sunbeams took part this year and all enjoyed sparkling sailing with lots of place changing in the tactical conditions devised by Roger. Race 1 in light WSW winds over a strong flood tide led to Symphony taking line honours from Comedy and Query in 3 rd Race 2 led to Fay misjudging the position of Beach and was overtaken by Melody and Fleury who finished ahead of Fay in 3 rd. Race 3 gave a stronger SSW breeze of 20k which gave exhilarating sailing conditions with Fleury 1 st, Spray 2nd and Comedy 3 rd. Race 4 produced a close port tack start by Fleury crossing Melody by inches. They both duelled through the race and gybed their way to the finish with Melody just pipping Fleury to the line 1 st Fleury V41 2 nd Melody V36 3 rd Comedy V17 We had wonderful parties during the week and a visit to CFT to see the stunning play Ross by Terence Rhatigan based on the intrigues of Laurence of Arabia. The Sunbeam organisation for the week s socials was superbly done by Sue Smith thanks Sue.

2 Winners Joe and Cathy Burnie V41 Fleury 2 nd John Ford, Julian Hawe and Charlie Reed COWES CLASSIC WEEK Classic Week started with the Dainty Dish, whose weather forecast, the CC had been fretting about all week. After consulting Wind Guru hourly and with advice from the pros we decided to leave earlier to give us wind with tide and an easier passage in the chop and delay the wind over tide until the end of the race. After a briefing by the CC and a very helpful weather analysis by John Ford we set off into a very lumpy sea but nobody decided to reef. Spray turned back due to an ill crew but we all know it was to ensure that Alan could watch the FI qualifying race!! Melody also turned back due to a broken spreader bracket. Both came to the dinner in Cowes a lot less fatigued than the rest of us. The excellent dinner at RORC was superbly organised by Judy and enjoyed by all thanks Judy. By the time we got to the Forts, 4 boats, V26, V33, V64 and V11 were all abeam which was incredible in such a sea. Danny won by going into Osborne Bay and should have been covered by the leaders. 1 st V26 Danny 2 nd V64 Maisy 3 rd V11 Harmony We were all carefully watched and videoed by the Colbornes on Maurie, to whom we are extremely grateful. They told us afterwards that they recorded gusts of 34k a reef might have been wise. Videos of this race are on the Sunbeam website. Classic Week started with a wonderful Painkiller party at the CC s and Jabberwocky s house which was organised by Fleur. All seemed to enjoy it and only a few had after effects. Race 1: After two welcome lay days due to strong winds, Classic Week proper started with Danny streaking off to her first 1 st with Harmony surprising herself with a 2 nd to Argosy in 3 rd.

3 Race 2: The second race brought Danny another 1 st with Dainty coming in 2 nd and Symphony in 3 rd. This race ended back at Cowes which was a welcome response from the organisers to comments after last year. Race 3: Wednesday brought lighter winds with a more Northern bias and Danny led all the way from the start but Argosy began to show what lay ahead for the week with a strong 2 nd and Query in 3 rd. Sunbeams powering through the chop Race 4: The afternoon race was Argosy s with a strong performance with Dainty in 2nd, who went chasing clouds and came in from nowhere and unsighted by all except the committee boat great surprise all round and, no doubt, delight on V1. Fay, sailing with two valiant ladies, came in 3 rd despite spending the day on an economy drive by just using one foresail halyard and being bare headed for much of the downwind legs. Race 5: Thursday turned out to be terrible Thursday for Danny with a 10 th in the 1 st race and everybody beating her in the last race come back Jacky!! they clearly need you to bring some order on Danny. Query took 1 st place in the morning race with Penny using her new mast to great benefit, taking her 1 st of three 2 nd s of the week. Jabberwocky finally got things going with a 3 rd. Maisy looking stunning Race 6: The afternoon race showed that right was right as 3 boats, Fay (with new halyard at last) Penny and Jenny tacking Northwards immediately after starting to seek the wind. We all thought they were mad but sure enough, they all popped out 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd such Solent lottery excitement.

4 This result bought a problem for Danny who was relegated to 2 nd in the leaderboard. Roger was seen on the balcony of the London with his cap seeking offerings for his retirement fund!! Right was right!! is that Roger on foredeck on Query?? Race 7: Friday bought a return of strong Westerly winds, which later backed Southwards. Roger had clearly been sent to bed early after a lecture from the crew mistress and came out fighting to try to ward off the Argosy blades who were 3 points to the good overall. Danny won by inches from Penny and Argosy in 3 rd. Race 8: The final race saw Harmony spoil the V12 / V26 party by streaking off into an unassailable lead to take 1 st place over Danny in 2 nd and Argosy in 3 rd. Harmony readying for the beat Both Danny and Argosy finished the week with equal points but Danny won overall on countback with four 1sts and also won the overall Charles Stanley Classic Week Trophy well done to Roger, Tim and Becky on free transfer from Betty. 1 st V26 Danny 2 nd V12 Argosy 3 rd V11 Harmony 4 th V25 Query

5 Roger being presented with the Charles Stanley Classic Week Trophy The week showed great sailing by all the fleet in testing conditions with every boat challenging the leaders. Five different boats got a 1 st place during the week and 10 different boats got a place during the week how s that for close racing? The only sad note was that Symphony, who was getting great results, was badly hit by a speeding and, as yet unidentified rib or speedboat which separated her bow form the rest of the boat and she was found floating off Norris Point and rescued by the harbourmaster. She is being repaired by Lallows as she was too badly damaged to be towed home. Anthony is amazingly sanguine about this and is looking forward to seeing the new nose job. We all had great exciting sailing and socials all week and the skills of all were wonderful to see. We all returned home in dribs and drabs so the Crews Race was not run and it will be rescheduled for the end of Cowes Week. Danny, Symphony and Jenny powering upwind through the chop Now on to Cowes Week can we take more excitement?? Duncan O Kelly Class Captain