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Jack Turner Trophy IOM Open (and IOM Summer 2025 #4) – 31/5/25

Light conditions at the start of the day (c) Clive Warren

Sixteen skippers, including four visitors from other clubs, turned up to compete for the Jack Turner Trophy, which was being raced for the first time in honour of a longstanding club member who had originally joined the club in circa 1955, and who sadly passed away in late 2024.

(c) Clive Warren

The forecast for the day was for a S to SW building breeze, which is always a challenging direction racing at Gautby Road with wind blowing across rather than along the lake.  However, as folks set about rigging and then testing their set up, the winds looked promising for this inaugural event with a light breeze blowing from the E/ESE virtually straight down the lake.  Alas this wind evaporated as the planned start time of 10am came and went.  When the breeze did eventually start to build from the forecast direction the challenge for the race team was in setting the course with either end of the lake being suitable for a start at some point as as the wind continued to swing.

(c) Clive Warren

After one general recall the racing finally got underway at around 10:55 with a standard 2 lap windward/leeward course with an unavoidable heavily starboard biased beat towards the clubhouse.  The challenge for the skippers, as it was for most of the day, was less about picking the shifts and more about deciding which race track to take.  Stay away from the windward shore and risk not laying the windward mark or being sailed over, or climb to windward with the greater chance of being becalmed.  As the day progressed the former was usually, but not always, the best way to go.  By race two and for the rest of the day, the start line moved to the clubhouse end, with a now heavy port bias on the first leg.    By lunchtime, the wind had built and by mid afternoon the gusts were ripping across the lake or coming straight down, interspersed with calmer patches.  At the starts the decision for skippers was, increasingly, whether to hold a starboard right of way position and then tack at the gun or look for a gap on port and hit the line at speed.  Some mastered this better than others.

(c) Clive Warren

Without providing a blow by blow account of every race there were some stand out performances on the day, lessons learned by some as well as incidents of interest.

No surprise to many, if any, that Brad Gibson prevailed in the conditions.  Even after one or two poor starts by his standards, he was able to weave his way back to the front in most races, making it look easy.
Robbie McIntosh, after a few up and down results in the morning races definitely found consistency in the afternoon.  With great starts and a well tuned boat for the conditions he put together a strong run of 8 races, which included two 1sts and four 2nds, giving him a well deserved 2nd overall on the day.
(c) Clive Warren

Roger Crates, who had travelled over from the East Coast, had two wins on the day and may have finished higher up the leader board if he hadn’t opted for his B rig during a mid afternoon tea break.  It was looking good on the first beat, but despite A riggers nose-diving and broaching at times, the calmer patches meant the A rig was the rig to be on as he was swallowed up on the first downwind leg.  Needless to say, he only did one race on it.

There were at least two races in the early afternoon where becalmed leaders close to what might loosely be called the windward mark, were descended upon by the rest of the fleet running down with a following breeze.  As you might expect the level and pitch of the calls for room/no room (typically called as water/no water!) increased as boats got closer to the mark. On both occasions carnage ensued with several boats locked together gifting a free pass to those who managed to stay out of trouble.  As this point the the race team opted for a windward gate, giving skippers the option to pick either the left or right buoy to round, which helped to reduce the dodgem sailing in later races.
Paul Plested learned the hard way that it’s best to put your transmitter strap around your neck after removing a layer!  Fortunately, fellow club member and volunteer Clive was able to lend him a transmitter for the rest of the day.  Paul’s transmitter is now in his airing cupboard drying out.
(c) Clive Warren

In race five, and perhaps fittingly on such a day, Brad handed the controls of his boat to one of Jack’s young great grandchildren.  Under Brad’s guidance he finished 8th!

Whilst the racing could not be said to have been sailed in champagne conditions, the day as a whole was a wonderful celebration in honour of the memory of Jack Turner. Both his daughter (Debbie) and son (John), plus their families spend most of the day being entertained by the sailing and by sharing memories of Jack with both members and visitors new and old.  The atmosphere on the shore and in the clubhouse made it a joyous experience for all.
At the prize giving both Martin Roberts and John Turner both spoke lovingly of Jack, and Debbie kindly presented the prizes to the top four helms including handing the Jack Turner Trophy to it’s first ever winner, Brad Gibson.
Thanks go to all those who vcolunteered to help run the event.  Dave Williams, Neil Westbrook, Clive Warren and Judith on the race team with Joss Watkinson and Chris Westbrook in the galley – serving tea, coffee and home made biscuits and cake.

Prizewinners were:

First Brad Gibson (c) Dave Williams
Second – Rob McIntosh (c) Dave Williams
Third – Martin Roberts (c) Martin Roberts
Fourth – John Brierley (c) Dave Williams
First Junior – Noah McIntosh (c) Dave Williams

IOM Summer 2025 #3 – 10/5/25

Another great day for IOM racing at Gautby Road with a light to moderate A rig breeze from the clubhouse end that was for most of the afternoon straight down the lake combined with warm sunshine.  We had 14 boats out  consisting of 12 home boats and two visitors, but this made for a very strong fleet made up of several past National and World/European champions.

The first session of seven races belonged to Brad, who took four of those races with the other winners being Rob Walsh and Robbie Mac. These three also figured highly in the other podium positions, with Peter Baldwin gaining a second and Martin Roberts and Paul Plested also picking up a third place.  Special mention must go to our youngest sailor (by a long way today) George Bennett, who held onto a well deserved fourth place in race 6 and then going one better for a third in race 7.

After the break, there were a number of new race winners, with Peter picking up two and one each for Paul, Graham Elliott, Alan Bennett and Martin Roberts.  The podium positions were also spread around a little more as well, with the race winners also joined by Brad, Rob W and Bill Culshaw with George also picked up a fifth in this session to add to his earler third and fourth.

At the end with 13 races sailed at a good pace, Brad took the afternoon with Rob Walsh second and Peter Baldwin third after a better second session.  In this fleet (and wind) it was hard to be consistent.  Getting off the start in clear wind was usually the key, but having a bit of luck with the shifts also came into it.

Many thanks to our RO’s for the afternoon, Dave Williams and Neil Westbrook.  A number of OCS calls (one number figuring several times!) and sevaral general recalls with everyone trying to get the extra edge at the start.  Photos courtesy Dave Williams.

Our next IOM racing is on Saturday 31st May which is the Jack Turner Trophy day combined with Summer series #4.  Club member Jack “you’re all good skippers” Turner who helped run our racing for a good number of years sadly passed away late last year.  This annual event is being held in his memory.  Entries and more information via the link below – racing start time is 10:00.

https://birkenheadrspc.co.uk/iom-open-summer-2025-4-2/

IOM Summer 2025 #2 – 26/4/25

(c) Malcolm Harvey

A total of eleven skippers turned out for round 2 of the Summer Series with a surprise visit from Olly Murray of Fleetwood collecting a rig for the M Worlds next week.  After a good breeze straight down the lake in the morning for the DF95’s, it initially looked as if there was going to be little wind for this afternoon session.  However, as the fleet started the first race (and after a general recall) under the watchful eye of RO Neil Westbrook, the breeze restablished itself staright down the lake for the first few races.

(c) Malcolm Harvey

The first race was a close battle between Robbie, Martin and Peter, with Robbie gifting the win to Peter after taking the wrong gate mark with Brad coming through to third.  Brad then had a string of three firsts, with Martin, Olly, Graham and Robbie all taking podium positions.  During Race 4 the breeze started to switch to the South, with beats becoming a reach at times and for the final beat into the finish, the breeze all but disappeared (and turned into a run!), returning as a light Westerly sea breeze.

(c) Malcolm Harvey

The course was then switch around and the rest of the day was sailed with a Westerly that continued to create some close racing in  Race 5, with Peter gaining his second win of the day with Graham and Robbie following him home.  In the final race before a mid-session break, Martin was in top spot, followed by Brad and Robbie.

(c) John Beech

We resumed again after the break with the breeze holding up and a decent pace to the races kept up by Neil.  Unfortunately, there were some position “snakes” to catch out most sailors over the next 4 races with accumulated bags and other debris from the Easterly breeze now making its way back down the lake.  Getting in a groove behind another boat was a possible but tricky answer, along with a quick change to sail backwards if you slowed in the middle of the lake and try to shed the obstacle.

(c) John Beech

Brad took another two wins in the final four races, with Robbie Mac getting in the groove and taking the other two.  The minor places were spread through 6 of the eleven sailors including a second for Olly, with Noah keeping pace with this strong fleet and managing a great 4th in Race seven.  Alan also let the boat loose in this second half and had some good placings along with Phyl who is getting to grips with boat control and picked up a seventh in Race 9.

(c) John Beech

We called a halt at 4:30 and ten races, with the breeze dropping.  Probably a good job, because as we left the club a short while later, light rain had set in and the breeze had all but disappeared.

Brad took the afternoon quite comfortably, with Martin in second and Robbie Mac only just behind in third. Thanks to Neil and his several assistants for running the racing and also Malcolm, John Beech and Paul Plested for the photos.

The next event in the Summer Series is #3 on Saturday 10th May, followed by the Jack Turner Memorial Race on Saturday 31st May (a whole day open event).  Entry via the following links:

https://birkenheadrspc.co.uk/iom-summer-2025-3/

https://birkenheadrspc.co.uk/iom-open-summer-2025-4-2/

Club Successes at the IOM Nationals 2025

The 2025 IOM Nationals were recently held at Lincoln Radio Sailing over three days if the Easter weekend.  There were a total of 58 entries after a number of last minute withdrawals and of these, there were eight club members racing.

On the first two days we had decent and generally steady breezes with most people sailing in A rigs and 12 races completed by the end of Sunday.  However, Monday brought very light winds from an unfavourable direction which disappeared once heavy rain set in during the morning and only one additional race completed.  Racing was abandoned soon after 2:30 and 13 races, after waiting for at least two hours for racing to continue.

Brad Gibson took the title in commanding form with less than half the points of his nearest rival Peter Stollery.  Of the remaining Birkenhead members, the other finishing positions were:

  • Peter Baldwin in 5th
  • Martin Roberts in 13th
  • John Brierley in 16th
  • Paul Plested in 19th
  • Andrea Roberts in 21st
  • Rob McIntosh in 28th
  • Noah McIntosh in 57th

Paul Plested took the Rookie Trophy for the best placed competitor for whom this was their first IOM Nationals and Noah McIntosh the Captain David Perkins Trophy for his radiant smiles and can do endeavours over the weekend.

A full report of the event is available on Yachts and Yachting here

The full HMS results may be seen on the Lincoln RSC website here

IOM Summer 2025 #1 – 12/4/25

Saturday had 12 starters for Round 1 of this years Summer IOM series with a few missing on Europeam Championship duty. Well done Graham Elliott on your 6th place!

The wind was out of the South south east with a healthy number of shifts to keep all on their toes in a light and puffy A rig breeze. 

Brad hit the ground running with a number of firsts leading to tea break paused by wins each to John Brierly and Phyl Fanning. Phyl made the most from our slightly reduced course length designed to help and encourage new skippers as they build confidence in the fleet.

Paul Plested was showing his continued rise within the fleet with a solid set of scores, having a 4th as his worst. Martin, Andrea and visitor Simon Fairman each had moments in the at times difficult conditions.

With a pause for refreshments after race 6 allowing time for some re-tuning and gremlin sorting in the winch department for Martin and Robert we were back for another 5 races.

Wins were shared between Brad, Robert and Martin in a veering wind that at times had beats that went to a reach and back within a blink, keeping all on their toes. The final race of the day had the predicted Westerly breeze swing from the far end of the lake mid race with Noah McIntosh making the most of an excellent start to only lose his lead on the now run to the finish.

It was a good hit out for skippers heading to the Nationals at Lincoln over the Easter long weekend.

Brad took the win with Paul scoring a steady and well earned 2nd and the strong finishing Martin in 3rd.

Once again thanks to our fantastic race team of Dave Williams and Neil Westbrook who kept the racing ticking over at a welcome pace.

Our next round of the IOM Summer Series is on the 26th of April with a start time of 1.30pm. Enteries can be made at IOM Summer 2025 #2 – Birkenhead RS&PC

IOM Winter 2024/5 #5 – 8/3/25

Glorious sun and wind at Gautby Road for our 12 skippers. Great to see a few guests travelling to join in.
The wind was quite an unusual one for Birkenhead, predominantly down Gautby Road but with some cruel shifts if you got on the wrong side of them but hero shifts if you got on the correct side of them, nice top end of A rig with some nosediving in the first 6 races before tea.
It was Brad that showed early pace, taking out the first two races and Alan also showing us some great speed in these races with a third and fourth, unfortunately Josh, sailing Pop, missed the first race with a temperamental knob, on his transmitter which was quickly fixed with a bit of fiddling.
Race positions throughout the day switched very quickly due to the shifts but it was Brad who stayed consistently in front, winning 8 in the end. Martin had a better last 6 races that included a string of seconds, probably due to him growing into his new sailing glasses. Andrea should have won race 10, but in the excitement and concentration she unfortunately forgot to finish but still managed a third.
There was also a great battle all afternoon between Andy, Phil and John, I am sure they enjoyed their afternoons sailing.
Race winners included, Brad, Rob, Graham, Simon and Josh.
Many thanks to Neil and Dave (who also took the photos) for starting and finishing us and good luck to all Birkenhead skippers at next week’s ranking weekend in Scarborough.
  1. Brad Gibson          42   Post PUNK    13pts
  2. Graham Elliott     09   BritPOP!        31pts
  3. Martin Roberts   168  BritPOP!        35pts
  4. Simon Fairman    71   Alioth             40pts
  5. Andrea Roberts   127  BritPOP!       43pts
  6. Josh King                 26  POP!               46pts
  7. Rob Macintosh      66  V9                   50pts
  8. Alan Watkinson    23  Corbie 5         77pts 1x3rd
  9. Graham Birkett   133  Widget           77pts
  10. Andy Backhouse 142  Widget           97pts
  11. Phyl Fanning         37   Lintel           106pts
  12. John Beech           139   Gadget         109pts