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Sailing Results from 1972

The Sussex Police Dinghy Sailing Club participated in the following competitions in 2007

Sussex Police Regatta
Wednesday, 15th August 2007
Venue: Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex

This year's regatta did not take place due to high winds.

This is what the weather looked like from Bexhill Sailing Club

Phil Mears – highest placed Sussex Police representative at the

Police Sport UK
National Dinghy Sailing Championships, 2007....
 

A total of 32 boats representing 13 UK Police Forces competed in the 2007 Police National Championship held at Poole Yacht Club. The racing, on Olympic style courses in Poole Harbour, was held over the two days 14 – 15 June 2007

Sussex Police was represented by Phil Mears in his Laser, Bob Trevis and Mike Scrivener in the Sussex Police owned Laser 2000 and Dusty Miller in a borrowed RS Vareo.

This was a great sailing event in a spectacular area of Dorset, sailing in the nature reserve of Poole Harbour sailing just off the National Trust property of Brownsea Island

The wind remained at a steady  Force 2-3 throughout the first day and produced exciting sailing with three races.
Day two produced stronger winds and after all results were in, it was Rob Jones and John Woodfield in the RS400 from Hampshire who took the 2007 Championship, with an outstanding performance

The highest placed Sussex Officer was Phil Mears gaining a 21^st place, Bob Trevis and Mike Scrivener being placed 23^rd and Dusty Miller who could only sail the first day still being placed 24^th

 All the competitors enjoyed the fantastic sailing conditions and the first class facilities at Poole Yacht Club and will take home fond memories of their visit to Poole.”

The Dinghy sailing section is continuing to provide excellent exciting experiences for those involved
with membership increasing and a Laser 2000 available at Worthing and Bexhill for anyone who
wants to sail but do not have a boat available.

A total of 32 boats representing 13 UK Police Forces competed in the 2007 Police National Championship held at Poole Yacht Club. The racing, on Olympic style courses in Poole Harbour, was held over the two days 14 – 15 June and featured line-starts from Committee boat “Alchemist”.

A shifting south-easterly Force 2 caused race officer John Yonwin to change marks during Race 1, the conditions suiting former champion Alan Husk in his Phantom who registered a win, followed by former champion Pete Walters 2nd in the Flying Fifteen and the defending champion Frances Gifford in the National 12 in third place.

The wind steadied for Race 2 and remained a southerly Force 2-3 throughout. A course with much longer legs was set bringing the fleet across the main tidal channel for the wing mark. The larger course allowed competitors to work on their boat-speed and Rob Jones in his RS400 held an impressive lead on the water. At the finish on handicap Jones retained 1st with Husk in 2nd and Walters 3rd.

Race 3 was strongly affected by a building ebb tide that disadvantaged the slower handicap boats who found it difficult to make ground. Rob Jones in his RS400 was again impressive on the water building a significant lead and was the eventual race winner from Walters in 2nd and Husk in 3rd.

Positions after Day 1 could hardly have been closer with the leading 3 boats being separated by only 1 point.

Day 2 brought a stronger breeze, southerly Force 3-4 which at times began to stretch the boat handling skills of the fleet. In race 4 the Osprey of Andy Welch and Rob Gillespie started to perform on home waters, but also former champion Frances Gifford found conditions to her liking, as did Graham Cook in his Laser. But it was Rob Jones in his RS400 who again showed the way on the water revelling in the windier conditions and with his asymmetric spinnaker building an impregnable lead. Gifford finished in 2nd with Walters in 3rd.

The final race was held after a wind shift to the southwest and a relayed course. Rob Jones led off from the start line pursued by Gifford in the N12 and the Laser of Graham Cook. The Osprey lead at the windward mark but Jones soon established a lead on the reaches and never looked like relinquishing 1st place. As the wind dropped to a Force 3, Alan Husk in his Phantom sailed consistently into 2nd place and stayed ahead of Gifford in the N12 in 3rd with Walters taking 4th.

After all results were in and 1 discard allowed, it was Rob Jones and John Woodfield in the RS400 from Hampshire who took the 2007 Championship, with an outstanding performance in both light and medium winds. Former champion Alan Husk from Essex in his Phantom finished 2nd overall with Pete Walters and John Allen in the Flying Fifteen in 3rd place.

Dorset Chief Constable’s staff officer Superintendent Mick Rogers and Poole YC Commodore Colin Rainback joined the competitors for the official prize-giving where race officer John Yonwin and his team were congratulated and thanked for setting excellent courses and completing all scheduled races.
Event organiser Rob Gillespie said “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with the Poole Yacht Club team. All the competitors enjoyed the fantastic sailing conditions and the first class facilities at the club and will take home fond memories of their visit to Poole.”

Commodore Colin Rainback congratulated the new National Champions Rob Jones and John Woodfield sailing their RS400 commenting “You are worthy champions, having proven your skills in a range of wind strengths”. Superintendent Mick Rogers closed the event by thanking all the competitors for travelling to Dorset, and on behalf of the Chief Constable and the Dorset Police Sailing Section offered his thanks to Poole YC for staging a memorable Championship.
 

Result Overall

The Sussex Police Dinghy Sailing Club participated in the following competitions in 2006

Sussex Police Regatta
Wednesday 9th August 2006
Venue: Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex

The Sussex Police Regatta takes place during Bexhill Family Sea Week.   Thus, some 40 odd boats take to the water. The police regatta has the preference of first of a number of club starts.

Race One. With the start line set as a transit from the shore plus an outer distance mark, the police fleet of nine boats got away on a close reach in extremely light winds, making for the first buoy of a triangular course incorporating the outer distance mark (ODM). The wind direction on the first to legs had allowed the RS400s to get well clear of the rest with Rob Jones (Hampshire) leading, followed by Dusty Miller (Sussex). Also clear ahead, Ken Daniels (Met) in his Phantom followed by Len Gooch (Met) Albacore. Then, a gaggle of Lasers.

The easterly wind made the leg from Buoy C to Buoy A via the outer limit mark, a beat. This leg sorted out the fleet and the Lasers started to stretch out led by Nick Mason (Met). After the first lap Jones was 20 seconds ahead of Miller. On the downwind leg from Buoy B to C the Laser 2 helmed by Alan Parker (Met) made a spurt through the field but, coming inshore on the beat, lost out from the effect of the tide. This left a close mid-fleet fight between Mason and Roger Glass (Met) sailing his Laser with a borrowed boom, while the boats ahead stretched out their lead in conditions that appeared to be affected more by tide than by the wind which remained light throughout the race.

On the broad reach from Buoy A to B, Mason decided to sail high while Glass remained low. Mason was eventually forced to gybe as he found himself drifting away in the tide and only just made the mark ahead of Glass. On the downwind leg following, planing conditions were marginal and this allowed Glass to get ahead by 10 seconds by Buoy C. It would all remain on the last beat. With grey clouds and light rain, the wind remained somewhat indeterminate but Glass managed to cover Mason to the line.

Conditions had made it difficult to effect positions in the race which was won convincingly by Jones with Miller second and Daniels third.

Race Two held after lunch was set as a rectangle. For this race the police boats had the sea to themselves. By this time the sky had brightened, the rain stopped and the wind picked up. The wind direction had change to onshore, making the start a close reach but this time on port tack, then a beat to the next mark. Those that started from the outer distance mark end, got the advantage and first round the A mark was Glass followed by Gooch.

By the end of the beat Jones was again well clear but Glass led the rest. With the wind slightly increasing the broad reach following gave the opportunity to the asymmetrics to forge ahead together with Daniels in the Phantom.

By lap 2 the fleet had spread out to a procession, the only boats in close contention being the Met boats of Mason (Laser), Parker (Laser 2) and Mark Saunders (Laser). Mercifully the race was shortened to two laps, the leading RS400 (Jones) finishing in 27mins 17secs. Next came Miller (29:21), Daniels (32:40), Glass (35:14), Gooch (35:55). All was not over - As Mason come through next, behind him and neck-and-neck, Parker managed to squeeze Saunders the wrong side of buoy 4. Saunders re-rounded correctly and made the finish line, still beating Parker on corrected time.

For the police Race Three was sailed back-to-back though they joined on the sea by club racers. The police still had their own start. A similar course but with buoy positions moved. The police fleet got away except Saunders who mistook the police' start sequence for a club race. Again a reach on port tack to start with, but this time the RS400's were ahead from the start with the Albacore just behind. After the first buoy, the fleet was confronted with the beat. Glass and Gooch tacked to the left. There was lots of furious tacking up the difficult beat but the left side appeared to pay off as the Albacore rounded third after the RS's, only to be overhauled by the Lasers of Glass and Mason with Daniels in the Phantom also catching up. Lap 2 commenced with the RS's well ahead and enjoying the reaches as the wind increased slightly once more. Mason managed to lead the rest of the fleet. In the Miracle, Bob Trevis (Sussex) with daughter Katie were doing well in the conditions though they managed to hit a buoy and did circles, nevertheless staying well ahead of the last Laser.

It was taking quite a while to complete the beat from buoy A to buoy B. At this point Mason lead the rest by 50 yards at buoy B but the reach was to change the situation.  The wind had slowly increased throughout the afternoon until a few white horses started to appear. Jones and Miller were obviously enjoying the fast reaches and Glass once more got ahead of the following group. Daniels' Phantom started to come though, overtaking the Albacore but it was always too late to sail up to his handicap.

Meanwhile at the back of the fleet Saunders, Parker and Trevis were having their own little battle. Only just behind and catching the back markers was Jones relishing the conditions; Rob & Liz were already some two legs ahead of the rest of the fleet. Miller lay second and by now Daniels was eventually working his way through the fleet. Behind, the Miracle was still keeping ahead of the Laser 2.

After four laps, 59 minutes had passed and there was still a lap to go. By now the Police boats were mixed up with club boats and the Race Officer did well to identify the police finishers. Jones finished the race well ahead on 1hr 13mins 55secs, ahead of Miller (1:19:35). Behind the RS's the fight went on, with Glass still ahead of the Phantom on the reach from buoy B to C. Positions were reversed but Glass stayed close enough to gain 3rd on corrected time. Next over the line came the Albacore but not far enough ahead to stop Mason gaining 4th place on corrected time. The slower boats were finished a lap early, with Trevis still remaining ahead of the Laser 2 which had suffered a capsize on the reach. It had been a long, hard race as Liz Jones' red-raw hands gave witness.

By now the tide was well out and helms coming ashore were confronted with the long haul up the beach. Thank goodness for the hand winch which made the job easy. The regatta had ended on a bright and breezy note; a much more pleasant experience than the last two years.

NATIONAL POLICE LASER and
DINGHY SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lasers - Wednesday 14 June 2006
All Dinghies - Thursday/Friday 15th-16th June 2006