Don’t forget the Collins Stewart round the island yacht race takes place this Sunday 4th May, promoted by The Manx Sailing and Cruising Club. A popular event for competitors and spectators a like it is not to be missed, take a look at the MSR Gallery for action from last years race. Further details on the MS&CC website or just post on the MSR Forum.

Also over the same weekend the Laser Acadamy is organising sessions on both days, again info on the MS&CC website or post on the forum.

On Saturday 17th May there will be the rescheduled Easter regatta at Ramsey, start time in 11.00am and there will be food and prize giving afterwards, Sunday will be reserve day.

Finally, don’t forget that IOMYC club racing starts this Thursday 1st May at Port St Mary starting at 19.30, will hopefully see you there!

Details from Angus Jolly

The forecast for Sunday is for Northerly 5-6, occasionally 7, gusting 50mph. Saturday and Monday are similar, indicating that this is not something that will pass quickly, or give a ‘window’. Coupled with this are the low temps forecast – zero overnight with a max of 6 degrees.
As the wind will be from the north, conditions in the bay will be rough, getting off the beach will be difficult and the chop will keep competitors wet and chilled.
I’ve taken the decision to cancel this event.

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Looking ahead to the following Sunday (13th) MS&CC are looking to run an informal race coaching session. All are welcome. Please let Angus know if you have any interest in attending and he is after some experienced sailors to help out. He will need people (dinghy sailors included!) for a RIB, if they are to go out on the water – conditions permitting. There is quite a lot of theory to cover as well, so classroom sessions will take place, especially when it is unsuitable to sail. As an added bonus the bar will be open!
He is hoping to cover things like:

• Improving Tacking/Gybing
• Roll Tacking/Gybing
• Stop falling in whilst going downwind/gybing etc!
• Starts
• Upwind tactics/techniques
• Downwind tactics/techniques

Please feel free to indicate any topics you would like to be included, or areas of particular weakness.

The emphasis will be on enjoyment as well as learning. There is no set agenda and he will respond to people’s needs and the conditions on the day. Don’t feel that you have to be of a certain standard to attend – there should be something for all. Please note, however, that this is NOT a ‘start sailing’ course.

Info thanks to Angus Jolly

It is with regret that the decision has been taken to abandon the event scheduled for this Saturday / Sunday. We have taken an early view on the matter based on a horrendous forecast combining strong wind and very low temperatures over the whole of the Easter period. As we all know Easter has fallen VERY early this year, and this kind of weather is only to be expected.

We will re-schedule the event which will now take place on Saturday 19th April at 11.00. The weather will of course be a balmy 25 degrees and the wind will be a 3 – 4 with flat water (so the OOD has a nice steady platform).
Or maybe not…

Ramsey’s next event is the Bridson and Horrox series which runs on 6th, 20th April and 18th March. Please feel free to join in, especially on the 20th should you have made the journey for the re-positioned Regatta.

Info Thanks to Angus Jolly

The 2008 season is getting ready to jump in to action in 2 weeks time with the IOM Xerox sponsored Easter Regatta held in Ramsey and organised by the Manx Sailing and Cruising Club.

This is always an excellent event with some great racing to be had, check out MSR’s coverage of last year’s here .

Racing will follow the usual format of three races on Easter Saturday 22nd March, back-to-back, with the first start at 11.00am. The prize giving, with food, will be held after the event.

Sunday 23rd will be held as a reserve day in case of bad weather.

Finally, if anybody has any DBYC or MS&CC trophies relating to Injebrek 2006/7, could you please return to Angus Jolly or MS&CC.

Like a grizzly bear, MSR has found itself in hibernation over the Winter months! But with a sign that Spring may be on the way shortly its time to start thinking about the 2008 sailing season.

As always, there is a full calendar of dinghy and cruiser racing planned for this year, a full list of the primary MYA events are available here (courtesy of Mick Kneale). On top of these there will of course be local racing hosted by the sailing clubs around the island. Keep an eye on the club websites (links to the right) for there racing and social event details.

MSR has been up and running for over 18 months now and has slowly grown into what we would like to think is one of the main online resources for sail racing information on the Isle of Man. We have aimed to provide coverage for all of the major Manx Sail Racing as well as reports and details on club racing and events. We could not have provided this information without the help of the growing network of club representatives and organisers that provide results and reports to MSR regularly, you know who you are, many thanks.

Why not take a look through the MSR archives at some of the events covered last year including the Island Dinghy Championships, Easter Regatta, Youth Championships and Cruiser Championships, the racing was excellent with some great performances.

Keep an eye on MSR through 2008 for all your manx sail racing news (and remember to get yourself a fine piece of MSR clothing to sport throughout the 2008 season!)

Report by John Dowling

Sunday was grey and cold but with a Southerly breeze that promised good sailing for the 7 boats that braved the conditions for the penultimate dinghy races of the 2007 winter series in Port St Mary.

A triangular course was laid for the first race, and Mike Pridham (Laser) took full advantage of the port-biased line to pull out an early lead, leaving confusion behind him on the start-line. Mike Wilson in the RS400 overtook him on the water, but lost a lot of time with a capsize and let Pridham win handsomely. Back down the fleet Simon Pressly eventually pulled clear on the water of a fast Ali Hinds in her Laser Radial, with the other Laser Radials of Ben Swindlehurst and Chris Hill bringing up the rear.

A windward- leeward course was set by the doughty OODs for the second race and there was a much closer start, Pressly snapping at Pridham’s heels for much of the race in the moderating breeze. Hill made a much better start, and had a big lead over the other Radials until he went for a long tack over to the breakwater and lost a huge amount of time, letting Hinds slip past him and not being able to redress the balance before the end. Hinds would have done better yet if she had not mistakenly thought she was over the line at the start and returned to start again. The RS400 had a better race after being caught on the wrong side of the start-line and came in third, with Roberts in his only race of the morning, in the Fireball, bringing up the rear.
Many thanks to the OODs for a very cold morning’s work, and the equally cold safety-boat crew, whose cheer when the race-end flag went up at the end of the second race was truly heart-felt! Never was the Commodore’s Christmas lunch more enjoyed!

Last race of the series is this coming Sunday 23rd.

Results

First race
1. Mike Pridham (Laser)
2. Ali Hinds (Laser Radial)
3. Simon Pressly (Laser)
4. Mike Wilson (RS400)
5. Ben Swindlehurst (Laser Radial)
6. Chris Hill (Laser Radial)

Second race
1. Pridham
2. Pressly
3. Wilson
4. Hinds
5. Hill
6. Swindlehurst
7. Roberts