Westray Regatta 2007

Westray Regatta 2007 turned out to be something of a disaster for most of the Stromness and Holm SC Snipes.  In the windy conditions there was carnage in the first race with Go Quickly Red capsizing after the first mark after completing a gybe (yes, it was not a beat to the first mark!) and then discovering that the mast was reformatted; Fiddlesticks retired with a buckled mast foot; Moonstone retired with some unspecified damage; and the deck of Njord, loaned to Richard Lambert for the event, parted company with the hull.

The winner of the first race was a visitor from South, Andrew Wibrow, sailing a borrowed boat from Holm SC, with Silver Fern (Davie Harcus/Alan Long) second, Wild Goose (Mark Taylor/Graeme Kennedy) third and Humdinger (Chris Moore/Barry Jones) fourth.  These were the only Snipe finishers of the race.  Congratulations to all.

The depleted Snipe fleet for the second race was further reduced by the withdrawal of the winner of the first race and the capsize of Silver Fern.  Wild Goose went on to cross the line in first place but was retired by her skipper because of an infringement for which he had not completed his penalty turns.  This left Humdinger the winner of the race.  Well done Chris and Barry for surviving the conditions.

Stromness Regatta Results 2007

Twenty five boats entered Stromness Regatta on a cold, wet, misty, Orkney summer's day.  With strong winds forecast, the Officer of the Day made the decision to keep the Yoles and Skiffs and the dinghies within the harbour area but allow the yachts to sail outside the harbour.  In the event, the strong winds did not arrive and the conditions provided some good sailing without the problems of capsize, except for the RS300.

Events such as this can only survive as long as they receive support from the local sailing community and thanks go to all the competitors.  We hope you enjoyed your day and that you will return along with your friends next year.

Too many people are involved in the organisation and running of the Regatta to name them all individually but thanks go especially to those who:

• lent facilities and equipment
• laid the course outside the harbour
• took registrations
• gave the briefing
• did the starting, timekeeping and results
• loaned and manned the safety boats
• presented the trophies 
• did the catering
• served behind the bar
• donated raffle prizes
• helped with setting up and clearing up
• helped in any other way

The full results are set out below:

RACE 1

Yoles/Skiff

1st     Rona              Leyton Venables/Lee Tulloch
2nd    Helga             William Black/Pat Tulloch/Richard Wilson
3rd    Eve                Ian Richardson/Sidney Foubister/Frances Richardson
4th    Gremsa          Len Wilson/Ally Kirkpatrick/Steven Flett

Yachts

1st    Shiant            Bob Farrer/Two kids
2nd   New Dawn      John Hinckley/Liz MacMillan/John Roscoe
3rd   Ptolemy          Davie Cussiter/Kevin Manson/Ross Manson/Finlay Hall

Snipes

1st   Fiddlesticks         Neil Foubister/Robbie Stevenson
2nd  Go Quickly Red   Malcolm Tipler/Pete Tipler
3rd   Moonstone         Andrew Leslie/Rachel Roberts
4th   Snoopy              Fred Johnston/Duncan Johnston
5th   Bonxie               James Burgon/Marion Rendall
6th   Silver Fern         Davie Harcus/Graham Slater
7th   Mercury Too       Fred Johnston/Kenny Holland
8th   Jual                   Ian Johnstone/John Young
9th   Scooby              Barry Jones/Donnie Hall
10th Vendetta            James Stockan/David Stockan
11th Nemo                Carrie Stockan/Katherine Stockan
12th Arctic Skewer     Neil Brown/Galen Brown

Wayfarers

1st   Eclipse               Donnie Sinclair/Lee Sinclair
2nd  Das Spoot          Alan Hale/Grant Martin

Mixed Centreboards

1st   Ella (Merlin Rocket)        Harcus Hutchinson/Ian Hutchinson
2nd  Flash Dance (RS300)      Ben Yeats
3rd  Jammie Dodger (RS400) Peter Mills/Mandy Sinclair

RACE 2

Yoles/Skiff

1st   Rona
2nd  Helga
3rd  Eve
4th  Gremsa

Yachts

1st   Shiant
2nd  Ptolemy
3rd  New Dawn
4th  Debonair

Allcomers

1st   Flash Dance (RS300)
2nd  Fiddlesticks (Snipe)
3rd   Moonstone (Snipe)
4th   Jual (Snipe)
5th   Ella (Merlin Rocket)
6th   Go Quickly Red (Snipe)
7th   Mercury Too (Snipe)
8th   Silver Fern (Snipe)
9th   Jammie Dodger (RS400)
10th Snoopy (Snipe)
11th Scooby (Snipe)
12th Eclipse (Wayfarer)
13th Arctic Skewer (Snipe)
14th Nemo (Snipe)
15th Das Spoot (Wayfarer)
RTD Vendetta (Snipe)
RTD Bonxie (Snipe)

First Snipe in Allcomers Race

Fiddlesticks

Snipe 75th Anniversary Event

Twelve Orkney-based Snipes took part in a special race on Sunday, 15 July 2007 to mark the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the Snipe sailing dinghy.

In contrast with the Regatta day on the Saturday, the weather was fine and the race course involved a sail round buoys No. 1 and 4 within the harbour area - to give Stromness spectators a good view of the boats - and then further legs outside the harbour round buoys that had been dropped for the Regatta, before finishing through the line in the harbour.

As the race started, Njord (Commodore Johnny Robertson/John Robertson) was to be seen some distance from the start line down by mark No. 7 and pointing in the wrong direction!  Rigging problems apparently.  Mmmm.  Mercury Too (Veteran Fred Johnston/Kenny Holland) was also lurking close to No. 7 - unusual for Fred who is normally in the thick of the action at the start of any race (and anywhere else too!). 

Meanwhile Bonxie (Vice Commodore James Burgon/Mark Shiner) timed things perfectly - who was it who made the mistake of lending James a stopwatch?  - closely followed by the rest of the fleet.

After rounding mark No.1, there was a long reach up to No. 4 close to the Northlink Ferry Terminal and by the time the mark was rounded Silver Fern (Davie Harcus/Fraser Corsie) had stolen the lead but, as usual, Fiddlesticks (Neil Foubister/Ilona Foubister) took the lead and held on to it to win by a substantial but rapidly closing margin.

For the minor placings the competition was more intense with Vendetta (James Stockan/Elois), Moonstone (Andrew Leslie/Rachel Roberts), Silver Fern, Bonxie and Go Quickly Red (Malcolm and Pete Tipler) all fighting it out on the Regatta part of the course.  Silver Fern finally lost out when the rudder became entangled with weed and several other boats tramped on past.

The real shakedown came on the final beat from the last buoy to the finish line. Those boats which headed furthest west gained ground over the rest.  Moonstone came through into second place, just beating Go Quickly Red. 

The real surprise, though, was Njord which came from nowhere into fourth place by taking the most westerly course.  Just imagine what might have happened if he had started the race with the rest of the fleet!

After the racing there was a celebratory barbecue and a prizegiving with prizes for:

• Greatest age combination of skipper, crew and boat (Fred Johnston)
• First (and only) lady skipper (Carrie Stockan in Nemo)
• Youngest crew (Ilona Foubister)
• Best improvement in position during the race (Johnny Robertson)
• Greatest loss of position during the race (James Burgon)
• Wooden boat category (none) but won by Prawn Pie which has a wooden deck (Barry Jones)
• Race winner (Fiddlesticks)
• Second (Moonstone)
• Third (Go Quickly Red)

Many thanks to all who joined in the fun and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon's sailing to mark the Snipe 75th anniversary.