Regatta 1971

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Holm Regatta 1971

25 boats at Holm had to cope with fog, lightning and rain

Officials of Holm and Kirkwall Sailinbg Clubs, directing operations from the point of Holm pier considered themselves very luck to be able to carry out the full sailing programme at Holm Regatta on Saturday afternoon, in spite of thunder, lightning, fog and torrential rain which marred the latter part of the day.

In all, 25 boats took part- the farthest travelled being an Albacore (skipper J. Percival) from South Queensferry and three Enterprises from Westray.

The competing boats were 1 Wayfarer from Orphir, 4 Enterprises (3 from Westray, 1 from Kirkwall); 5 Rockets (all Kirkwall); 8 Snipes (all Holm); 2 Skiffs, 1 Dinghy (Stromness); 1 Dinghy (Kirkwall) and 1 Swona Yawl.

Up until the advent of the fog, visibility had been excellent, with a good fresh south easterrly breeze enabling each race to be sailed twice around the course. This was a reach to No. 1 Barrier, a beat to No. 2, a run to the Ayre buoy and a beat home.

In attendance werre the two rescue boats of Mr. Malcolm Sutherland and Mr. Gordon Muir. For many spectators who thronged the pier and who sat in cars all along the front of the village and at various other vantage points, the yellow, red, brown and white sails of the equally gaily coloured boats provided a wonderful picvture, which would have been enhanced with a spot of sunshine. But the dull skies did not dampen their enthusiasm.

Holm Community Centre was thronged for the excellent teas served all afternoon by Mrs. Daisy Laughton and helpers, and the village was a hive of activity.

The Races

The first race was for Snipes, and the question was: could Tyro (skipper H. Johnston) repeat her phenomenal success in the weekly points races? And the answer was almost, after a most exciting duel with Erma (J. Foubister).

Race 1- Snipes

Fifteen minutes after the Snipes came the start of the Enterprise race. The wind had freshened a little and the four boats made good time around the course, Diana (skipper J. Burgher) setting off to a good start and maintaining her lead to the finish.

Race 2- Enterprise:

In the third race for Other Boats Rock 'n' Roll (skipper E. Brown) established an early lead, but a jockeying for second place developed into an exciting battle between Tyste (D. Kemp) and Mizpah, Dan Grieve's new boat proved her worth and early on established a good lead which he maintained to the end.

Race 3- Other Boats:

By this time fog had blanketed the east end of Holm and was creeping over no. 1 and NBo. 2 Barriers, but the furthest away buoy was still discernable from the pier. The next race was for fixed keel boats, any rig, and for this there were five boats forward- the Swona Yawl, the two skiffs and two dinghies. They all got off to a good start, but the fog came down and the first claps of thunder were heard with a very heavy shower of rain which made spectators scuttle for shelter.

Race 5- Fixed Keel:

The rain helped to clear the fog a little, but it was decided to shorten the course for the next race, cutting out the Ness Buoy. This new course was a reach to no. 1 Barrier, a beat to no. 2, a run to Ayre buoy and a beat home.

No sooner had the next race for all centreboard boats started than the fog thickened, thunder rollked, lfashes of lightning were seen in the distance and the rain came down in torrents. But all the twenty boats sailed the course. Fleetwing (F. Johnston) having to retire with a broken sheet. This race was sailed under the Portsmouth Handicap system.

First to appear out of the mist on the homeward round was Rock 'n' Roll, closely followed by Mizpah, but because of the handicap, these gained only second and sixth places respectively.

Race 6- Mixed Centreboards:

The rain eased somewhat as the yachtsmen repaired to the community centre for tea, and afterwards the fog lifted to such an extent that it was decided to sail the last race, the Allcomers.

The Sea Cadet launch from Stromness, towing the three Stromness boats, deoparted immediately after tea and this was a very wise move as it later turned out.

Conditions had so much improved that it was decided to sail twice round the shortened course, but no sooner had the starting gun fired the off signal when the fog once more came down. Thunder rumbled overhead, lightning flashed and the rain came down in torrents, but the boats made their way around the course accompanied by the two rescue boats. As the leaders appeared out of the mist at the Ayre buoy Charlie Bruce in his dinghy informed them that the pier officials had decided to curtail the race to one round, and as the leading boat passed over the line the crew said they had never been so pleased to hear the finishing whistle.

Allcomers:

As the boats were being beached the rain stopped, the fog lifted and the evening became quite pleasant. After a wash and change of clothing, most of the crews got to the Community Centre where a large crowd had gathered for the prize giving.

Commodore Jack Foubister was accompanied on the platform by Mr. Percival, who spoke appreciativley of the Holm Club's hospitality on behalf of all the visitors; and Mr. Bruce Dunnett, who extended fraternal greetings on behalf of Kirkwall Sailing Club.

Commodore Foubister thanked the officials of Kirkwall Sailing Club- Commodore W. Scollay, Mr. D. Wooldrage and Mr. J. Sinclair for their help at the point of the pier; the rescue boats for their valuable presence on such a day of mixed weather; and Mr. Wylie (at present south. on a cruising holidayon the Clyde) for his faithful attendance during all the season's points races. He thanked the tea ladies for their excellent catering during the afternoon, and called on Mrs. Joyce Johnston to present the prizes, which she very charmingly did.

A very successful dance took place later to music by Jim Wylie's Band.

Two raffles were won- a half bottle of whisky by Mr. Bruce Dunnett, and a box of chocolates by Mr. Richard Scott.

Westray Regatta: 24 July

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Stromness Regatta 1971

29 Boats Compete in Stromness Regatta

The annual regatta of Stromness Sailing Club took place in Stromness Harbour on Sunday afternoon in ideal weather conditions, expecially from a spectator's point of view, but much too light a wind prevailed for the yachtsmen, who at times were almost becalmed.

Fortunately, however, the boats all managed to complete the course, the wind freshening a little from time to time, and despite the lack of wind the crews all thoroughly enjoyed the day's proceedings.

Twenty nine noats took part in the four different races throughout the afternoon, which were oficiated on the pier head by three members of Orkney Sailing Club, assisted by Dr. D. johnstone and Mr. R. Fawns, and went off without a hitch.

The wind, which was southerly, gave the boats a beat to the Red Can Buoy at the harbour entrance, a broad reach to the Bu' buoy, a beat to another buoy and back in through the harbour entrance.

Ballast Boats

The first race was for inside ballast boats, and included skiffs, dighies, RNSA dinghies, Mirrors and the yacht Esmerelda; sixteen boats in all, which had to compete one round of the course. The Esmerelda proved an easy winner by 6min 48 sec, but as there was no proper class for her, the cup went to Emma, 2nd to Valkyrie and 3rd to Sulisker.

Snipe

The next race was for Snipes in which there were five entries, all from Holm Sailing Club, these boats having to complete two rounds of the course. the Erma and Firewood finished with a m argin of 4 seconds separateing them in that order.

Centreboard Dinghies

This race included two Rockets, two Wayfarers, two Enterprises, an Albacore and a Wild Cat- five different classes- and was sailed under the Portsmouth Yardstick Handicap System. The boats had to complete two rounds of the course in this race also. Rock 'n' Roll was first boat home but lost on handicap to the two Enterprises. Times, actual and corrected were as follows:

Composite Race:

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Kirkwall Regatta 1971

Kirkwall Regatta had 37 boats and ideal weather

The Orkney Sailing Club's annual regatta was sailed in Kirkwall Bay on Saturday last, in which 37 boats took part in the eleven different class races throughout the day.

The races were started at 10am in ideal weather conditions, with a nice full-sail breeze blowing from the north, giving the boats a beat to Crowness, a reach to Greenfield and a broad reach to the home line, the boats having to complete the course twice.

Many spectators viewed the races from the pier head, from where some very fine pictures were procured by many cameras, especialy so in the Centre-board dinghies and allcomers races, while many others witnessed the races from the different vantage points around both sides of the bay during the day.

The outstanding performance of all the regattas held this year (Westray, St. Margaret's Hope and Kirkwall) was by Mizpah (D. Grieve) who won every race he competed in, also securing first place in his class in Holm, and 2 and 3 places, alhtough first boat home in the centreboard and allcomers races, eventually losing on handicap.

Skiffs

The first race was for boats with inside ballast, in which three skiffs and a dinghy from Westray, as well as a dinghy from Kirkwall took part.

Catamarans, YWC class

There were only three entries in this class, one each from Kirkwall, South Ronaldsay and Westray Clubs. Never Can tell was the winner, followed by Tern and Rip Tide.

Enterprise

Five boats were forward in this class- three from Westray, one from Orphir and one from the home club. After a close race Merry Dancer finished 32 seconds ahead of Diana to secure first place, followed by Janella, Hagon and El Diablo

Merlin Rocket

The next race was for Merlin Rockets, in which five boats took part, all from the home club, Rock 'n' Roll finished 1 minute 20 seconds ahead of Njord, followed by Tyste, Freya, and First Attempt.

Snipe

There were eight entries in this class, all from the Holm Club, in which Fleetwing was the winner by four seconds from Tyro, who was followed by Viking, Valhalla, Teeick, Firewood and Kontiki, Erma being disqualified for not giving way to Firewood when on the wrong tack.

RNSA class

There were six entries in this class, five Nationals and a dinghy from Kirkwall Grammar School. These boats were sailed by the Sea cadets and only completed one round of the course.

Other Dinghies

There were four boats forward in this classd- two Albacores, a Wayfarer and a Bosun- Mizpah (D. Grieve), Vanity (R. Percival), Viad (A. Walls) and Marion Olwen (J. Shearer). Mizpah proved an easy winner by three minutes 49 seconds, being followed by Viad, Vanity and Marion Olwen.

Times:

Refreshments

On the conclusion of the Other Boats race the crews and officials retired to the Loft, Harbour Street, which had been kindly loaned by Mr. Lyall Flett for the occasion, where the needs of the 'inner man' were amply provided for by a ladies committee, under the ablke leadership of Mrs. D. Kirkpatrick, who in their usual high-class manner left nothing to be desired, after which the crews and officials returned to the pier once more to complete the regatta.

Catamaran Eunson Cup

The same three boats competed in this race, which was a long distance one, the boats going round Scargun, Thieve's Holm buoy and back to the buoy off the pier head, then completing the shorter points course- Crowness, Greenfield, and home to the finishing line. Rip Tide was an easy winner by 3 mins 5 secs, followed by Tern and Never Can Tell.

Centreboard Dinghies

The race included a team race as well, the boats belonging to each club being paired off, after which their official times were added together to decide the winning club. There were 23 entries in this class and they presented a magnificent sight as they crossed the starting line on their way to the Crowness mark, with their various coloured sails and hulls glistening in the sunshine. Mizpah and Veranka, a Burray entry, a kestrel class boat, put up a splendid fight, very little separating them at the end of the first round, Mizpah eventually maintaining her lead at the finishing line at the end of the second round to finish only 17 seconds in the lead.

Team Race

The above team race was won by the Kirkwall Club by Mizpah and Rock'n'Roll who beat Njord and Merry Dancer, also from the home club, by 4 min 37 sec. Mizpah and Rock'n'Roll's times were 1 9 10 and 1 13 24, a total of 2 hrs 22 min 34 sec.

On the conclusion of the centreboard race the crews and officials once again returned to the Loft where they were entertained to tea by the ladies committee, after which the last Catamaran and Allcomers races were sailing.

Catamaran Scollay Cup

The same three boats took part in this race and their results were:

Allcomers Race

Thirty two boats took part in this race, which inclluded National Dinghies and the four Westray boats, the latter leaving five minutes after the others, the first one home receiving the cup for the first inside ballast boat to finish.

Mizpah and Veranka took the lead and again put up a splendid fight, with Veranka leading at the end of the first round, only seconds separating them for most of the second round. Mizpah eventually overhauling Veranka on the broad reach to the home line to finish 14 seconds in the lead.

Presentation of Prizes

The prizes were presented in The Loft at 7:30 pm. Mr. W. Schollay, Commodore, in a few brief remarks at the start, returned thanks to all who had helped in any way to contribute to the success of the day's proceedings, with a special word of praise for the ladies who had put in such a hgard day attending to the needs of the crews and officials at meal times, not forgetting Mr. Lyall Flett who had kindly enabled them to have the use of the Loft for the day. He then called on Mrs. bruce Dunnet to hand over the cups, shileds and medals to the various winners, which she did in a very pleasing manner, for which she received a very hearty vote of thanks on the call of the Commodore. Mr. Schollay then called on representatives of the visiting clubs to say a few words on the day's proceedings. Mr. R. Percival, on behalf of the visiting clubs, spoke in a very appreciative manner of the day's proceedings, which was endorsed by Mr. Norman Cooper, Westray, Mr. J. Foubister, Holm and Mr. R. Sutherland, Stromness.