Sailing from the heart of Portsmouth

Race Report - 20th April

1st Saturday Race of the Year

Force 3/4

KB , SS, KB, SS/ finish

“The sea air cures all”

The night before was the class captain’s birthday, which was spent in the pub ( not sure what time we left) - so just the 2 boats made it out for the first Saturday race of the year!

The class captain in Z70 braved the wind along side Z75. Each boat had a member of the social community (Max and MC) - we kept the course short and sweet to nit miss that evening social. Z75 was gate and Z70 crossed there line just being them on starboard.

After 2 sausage laps- 75 crossed with line ahead of the class captain who by this point was starting to feel a bit fresher - reenergised and ready for the next party that evening - the season opener

Written by MC, Z70

Race report: Sat 27th April 2024

Wind: changed from Northerly to Easterly, cue to potentially bumpy windward legs. Yet comfortably 9-12 knots.

Course: gate from KB Dry Stack, 2x sausages between Linington and Suffolk Sails with second loop finishing between the wall and Suffolk Sails.

Two whole Victories made it on water down from three as other Victories are still coming out of hibernation and a few are complaining about mast or rudder pains and aches, some crew as whimsical as Spring this year - today you see them, tomorrow you don’t.

On this occasion, one of the boats even managed to scramble a non-sailing crew from the legendary sailing city Bristol ( Baltic Wharf Sailing Club) wind whisperers at the fickle Harbour will verify the credentials…

It was agreed to have a reasonable duel with ETR at Portsmouth Sailing Club bar before 4pm.

Once larger sailing boats on their last race of Spring series cleared KB Dry Stack, prompt gate start at 14:00 kicked off tacking to the distant Linington mark through fierce high tide pushing into Harbour and west. Between experience and guessing both Z70 and Z54 were making their way around the corner between ferry routes and harbour entrance.

Z54 benefited from lesser tide closer to land and made ground ahead of Z70 who were pinching breeze in stronger tide.

Once around Linington, Z54 shot off with the wind in spinnaker and tide towards Suffolk Sails (please tag if you can). Some high fives and obligatory chocolate were had on Z54 on this pleasant 2nd leg.

By the time spinnaker was packed and Suffolk Sails rounded, the wind had changed and the tide was going slack.

1/3 into the 2nd leg Z54 decided to keep an eye on Z70 as it has surprisingly sneaked up as close as 3 boat length on the 3rd tack.

The wind was dropping and the tide not yet slack enough, this 3rd leg started to drag out into slightly pounding tacking- too- soon match. Eventually, Z70 called what was supposed to be the last tack too early getting pushed out in stronger tide and loosing some ground.

Around 57minute mark into the race Z54 and Z70 were still doing ‘last tacks’ again and again to get around Linington.

Once there, spinnies and wind brought pleasure finally taking back to the shore and just like that the race was over!

Z54 crossed the finish first and sailed back into harbour.

Well done all, the drinks and crisps in the busy Portsmouth sailing club bar did not disappoint!

Lelde

Key Dates for 2024

Key Dates for 2024

Race Report - 23rd April 2024

Race Report - 23rd April 2024

Record numbers of wooly hats reflected chilly and challenging conditions, exacerbated by the ever interesting Northerlies fluctuating around the harbour and challenging sailors for the second Tuesday race of the 2024 season.

Z48’s crew and Liz set the start line between Sipristi and a laid mark (LM), with a simple windward/leeward x3.

At the gun, a healthy competition developed amongst the fleet to control the committee boat end, with tide flooding into the harbour, pushing boats upwind. A clear lane and the ability to control the fleet through the first few tacks would surely pay dividends and allow crews to navigate the washing machine that is so often the SS corner!

74, 78, 79, 77 headed left with 75 (who started slightly lower), 54, 75 and 70 went right earlier.

Towards the top, most of the fleet had opted for the “top right” of the beat - except 79 who went further towards the wall. By the windward mark, 74, 79 and 75 rounded in quick succession, with 54, 78, 77 and 70 just behind.

Rhumb line vs great circle was the downwind challenge - 75 got their noses inside 79 but couldn’t make it count, with 78 sailing a lower course than the rest.

By the leeward, positions were unchanged, 54 catching the leading pack and claiming a good exit into the final upwind - getting the inside lane between 75 and the finish.

Shifty conditions off the wall with plenty of over the shoulder looks meant that bows were pointing at most areas of the compass. Finishing positions: 74, 79, 75, 54, 78, 77, 70.

Thank you committee and thank you to Scam & Max for letting me play with your new toy! 75 felt like a Ferrari, although I missed the sound of the automatic bilge and the sweet smell of varnish! (Ps I didn’t prang it so all in all a nice, albeit chilly, race!)

Joppers

Z75 (for tonight!)

Race Report from Thursday 18th April 2024

‘Tis the season to be jolly, falalalala lalalala

Sailing’s back, so who needs holly? falalalala lalalala

Yes, its April and this is week 1, race 2 of the 90th year of Victory racing. What’s not to like!

After Tuesday’s curtain raiser, a couple of open questions were answered. Would Tom Verstappen and Team Red Bull Peregrine carry forward last year’s winning form? Would anyone be snapping at their transom? How would the new crews on 75 and 79 fare?

After a cracking, sunny day, would anyone be fooled into a false sense of security? Having learnt from Tuesday night, your correspondent was well layered up, and as Sapristi left the harbour and hit the Solent chop, it was proven to be a good call. Perhaps the reference to holly was relevant; with a 9 degree air temperature and a 15knot South Westerly, it was more like the Frostbite Series.

So, to tonight’s race and 6 hardy crews ventured out, with Sapristi set up in the vicinity of KB. 54, 70, 74, 75, 77 and 78 made there way towards the start area, but it wasn’t long before we were down to 5, as a problem with the main halyard saw 78 retire having to retire before the start. The wind direction meant the course was going to be fairly easy to set, but the question was how many times should we send them round? Bearing in mind the temperature and sea state, the OOD (Liz and Sid) took a big hearted approach, and set a course of Sapristi-KB to Baker Trayte, (P), KB(P), BT(P), KB (P as a passing mark) and finish at the SS line.

As the boats all milled around, the amount of full on warm head gear was apparent; a beanie was the favoured option, but full marks to Duncan for his use of a neck buff! And who was this at the front of 74? Joppers at the pointy end? And, it looked like he was going to be feeling the cold!

A clean start saw 4 boats maintain a starboard tack and head out into the Solent, whilst 70 made an early tack, and sail towards the shore. It only took 8 minutes before 74 rounded the windward mark and out popped the peregrine. 75 was next round but took a while to get the kite up, whilst 54 had obviously been to Greggs as it appeared to have a monster of a wrap, and ended up sailing the whole leg with white sails. 77 was 4th round and as she too took a long while to get the spinnaker airborne, whilst 70 opted to take the more cautious option and sailed with white sails only. There was no change of order at the leeward mark, but this time, everyone opted to sail into the shore after the rounding. But wait! as they neared the windward mark for the second time, it was evident that 75 had got a lot closer. From the committee boat, they looked side-by-side as they tacked away from the shore and headed for the mark…but it was the black peregrine that rose 1st as they rounded. 54 seemed to still be having hoisting issues as they again, sailed the distance from the windward mark to the passing mark with white sails and the kite appearing about 1/3 of the way up, and then disappearing again. 77 was again late hoisting but would they have the legs to catch 54 on the longer kite leg to the finish line. 70 opted to maintain a white sailing option. They remained in this order, as 54 finally got the kite up on the leg from KB to SS to hold off 77.

The final order being 74, 75, 54, 77 and 70. It was only a 31 minute race, but there were some cold bodies out there. 75 is obviously happy with the their new toy as they were only a few seconds behind 74, but Peregrine has had the perfect start to the weekday series, with 2 wins.

Roll on next week, when we can do it all again.

Clive

Z79, Zada

Tuesday 16/04/2023 1st race of the season Taylor Trophy to play for

8 boats on Start line

Sapristi set up a start line between her & a laid mark. Course - Start between laid mark & Sapristi PSC (P) laid mark (P) x3 no wind change 1 1/2 mins before start. Abandon that start new course Start between Laid mark & Sapristi & Laid mark SS (P) laid mark (P) x 3

1st lap Z74 in lead Z77 2nd then 3 boats all together not sure who was 3rd so close. Z68 retired with rudder problem. Sapristi decided light was going so had to get to SS to shorten course. 1st Z74 well done.

Liz OOD

The Season Opener - 90th year

​Many thanks to hosts Carole and Duncan and the hardworking social committee for the first social event of our 90th Year.. a great evening! (With a birthday cake for the class captain!)

Season Opener 2024

The details of the season opener are here!

Victorys at Victory….

​Many thanks to Lead Shipwright Jimmy Green of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, for inviting the class to see just what’s involved in the latest refurbishment project for HMS Victory as it aims to secure the future of one of the most celebrated warships in Britain’s naval history.

Z81 - a brand new Victory fit for the Class’s 90th year!

Commission a brand new Victory, Z81. Built by David Heritage in Cowes.