Racing | Weymouth Sailing Club

Sailing 'Crazy Goose' in the Double de Normandie

When the boat behind appears to be featuring in a sort of meteorological apocalypse, it's a good moment to drop the kite. 'On affale, en urgence!' I shouted forward to Georges, who did just that. We were approaching the buoy anyway, and the 30-knot squall hit just as we rounded...

A big thank you

A big thank you to the dinghy fleet for challenging the Squibs to join them in the 2018 Golby Cup Trophy Race. It’s not very often that the Squibs sail three races back to back but thanks to the good planning of the race team, it worked seamlessly, and everyone enjoyed an afternoon of champagne sailing. Congratulations to the Phantom sailors who dominated the results.

Normandy after the 'Quinze Aout'

The peace of the Channel was welcome after the pre-carnival bustle of Weymouth, even though the WSW wind was less than forecast, meaning bursts of engine mid-Channel to keep going - very necessary at springs. It was interesting to be at sea in what I call 'normal' conditions, the wind filling in from the right soon after leaving the harbour at 0530, and the visibility good under light cloud which kept the temperature down, making for a very pleasant sail down to the shipping lanes.

Cowes Week 2018 and a perfect day out.

A giant Naval Numeral Nine, the Squib class flag, greeted fourteen members of Weymouth Sailing Club on the Royal Yacht Squadron start line and the sight of a fleet of 100 Squibs celebrating the 50th anniversary of the fleet. What an amazing sight to see the fleet gather and start the race with a strong tide pushing them onto the line - one or two boats who got their timing wrong facing in the wrong direction, and then some hours later to see the fleet under spinnaker completing the course.

Winning the ‘bananes’ was key…

Another very foggy trip back to Cherbourg was worth it in order to meet up with the crew of ‘Gwaihir Venturi’, a Dufour 34, and set out for Saint-Vaast and our second Tour des Ports de la Manche together. The first evening in Saint-Vaast meant catch-ups with friends from Le Havre and Granville, and it soon felt like no time had passed since our last meeting. This time, though there was the added interest of the World Cup for the various nationalities represented on the water.

Foggier and foggier...

The fog was hanging around all week, though (FLW*) 'the forecast said it would clear', and at 0530 on Friday morning there was good visibility and a SW breeze, so off I set, imagining a pleasurable sail across to Weymouth to conclude a very pleasant month in France...

Snakes and ladders at the Summer Regatta

Again light winds were the order of day at last Sunday's one-day mini regatta. Racing started on time for a windward/leeward course with a SSE wind no more that 6 knots.

Woolly hats and suncream for La Weymouth

These essential items typify the weather for the last few weeks as the anticyclone continues - wintry nights and glorious sunny days, with capricious winds to boot. The forecast for la Weymouth was flat calm, though clearly sufficient libations had been poured for the gods to smile on us; as the boats gathered for the start, a breeze filled in from the east and we were off upwind to la Truite in the passe de l’Est, then to bear away a bit for Weymouth on the kind of reach which makes sailing the Channel such a pleasure.

SORC visit

The Solo Offshore Racing Club made a visit to WSC on Saturday night 12 May. They are a group of sailors based in the Solent who race their boats single-handed in a series of off-shore races. The first leg from the Solent on Friday night was in very light winds making it a tortuous trip and several boats turned back. Those who carried on arrived in Weymouth, mostly under motor, during Saturday afternoon.

News from Normandy

A quiet Sunday aboard, and it seems a long time since I left Weymouth ten days ago. A pleasant crossing mostly under engine left plenty of time for reading, though a thermal breeze allowed me to arrive under sail as one should, and in time to race aboard the Sigma in the CNC Thursday series, when we came second by a few seconds. It felt good to be back with Thierry and his crew after a long winter in England.