Following the announcement that the Menai Strait Regatta had been cancelled, we were left wondering what we were going to do with those 2 weeks in July / August normally set aside for the feast of over indulgence that is the Strait Regatta. Like Baldrick we had a cunning plan…we decided to organise our own RAYC Regatta, a weeks worth of racing for members. This year’s week-long RAYC Regatta was the first to be held in this century, and just under 170 years since the last RAYC regatta held in 1851.
The week’s racing was based around the Beaumaris end of the Menai Strait.
Monday – Round Puffin race. The first race saw competitors race around Puffin Island in the first of the long distance races of the week, the weather was perfect, plently of wind and sunshine for the spectators and volunteers on the line. At long last, the sailors got to go round Puffin for the first time this year (having failed on several previous occasions). All credit to the Feva’s sailed by Robin and Megan with their first-time sailor crews Minnie Wyatt and Lola Wyatt for completing the course. Even more impressive was Archie’s epic trip in our new safety boat, which looked miniscule against the waves around Puffin Island, on several occasions he was lost from view in the waves through the sound, but always reappeared smiling. Once everyone got ashore, copious amounts of cheese and biscuits appeared as well as an unhealthy amount of Pimm’s (no it doesn’t count as one of your five a day!!), huge thanks to the House committee for the much needed sustenance.
Winners for Monday are as follows: Fifes 1st Siglen, 2nd Vega, 3rd Fiona MSOD 1st Aderyn, 2nd Scottie, 3rd Flying Cloud Seabird 1st Kittiwake Mylnes 1st Merrimac, 2nd Mercury, Dinghy PN 1178-1432 1st Saturday Night, 2nd Scarlett Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Sea Lord, 2nd Zippy Zero
Tuesday – Club Course. On what should have been a ‘Glyn Garth’ day, the race committee took the wise decision to race at Beaumaris and save Glyn Garth for the following day. The new flexibility shown by the race committee was welcomed by all. What followed was an extremely wet (from rain) race, with questionable visibility at times and very little wind. Upon return to the club a seemingly endless supply of pizza was provided by our hard working House Committee.
Winners for Tuesday are as follows: Fifes 1st Gitana, 2nd Thelma III, 3rd Carina MSOD 1st Alannah Seabird 1st Kittiwake Mylnes 1st Mercator, 2nd Merrimac Dinghy PN 1178-1432 1st Scarlett Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Zippy Zero, 2nd Team Rooster
Wednesday – Beaumaris to Glyn Garth then Glyn Garth to Beaumaris. Windy for the first race, even windier for the second !!! A really bracing and wet day. The sailors missed out on the lavish and spectacular ‘Afternoon Tea’ masterminded by Fiona. They got back just in time to see the leftovers. I can tell you having attended myself that the tea was spectacular, with home made cakes, sandwiches, scones (Jam and clotted cream) shortbread lashings of tea and washed down with a healthy amount of fizz – it was a fantastic afternoon and the first event to be held in the Mary Burton room since the start of lockdown. Huge thanks to Fiona Roberts who worked so hard putting the event together and Sally Williams who’s caramel cake was absolutely outstanding. Then we held the first prize giving of the week…
Winners for Wednesday Race 1 are as follows: Fifes 1st Panache, 2nd Carina, 3rd Fiona MSOD 1st Alannah, 2nd Treleda, 3rd Scottie Mylnes 1st Mercator, 2nd Mercury, 3rd Merrimac Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Zippy Zero, 2nd Sea Lord
Winners for Wednesday Race 2 are as follows: Fifes 1st Enigma, 2nd Thelma III, 3rd Carina Mylnes 1st Meridian, 2nd Mercator, 3rd Merrimac
Overall winners for Monday – Wednesday
Fifes 1st Thelma III, 2nd Fiona, 3rd Carina MSOD 1st Alannah, 2nd Scottie, 3rd Treleda Seabird 1st Kittiwake Mylnes 1st Mercator, 2nd Merrimac Dinghy PN 1178-1432 1st Scarlett, 2nd Saturday Night Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Zippy Zero, 2nd Sea Lord
Thursday – Club Course The original plan was to got to Menai Bridge on the Thursday, but once again the Race Committee wisely decided that the conditions were not right, so the racing was held in Beaumaris instead. Only the Fifes ventured out on the water for what was a windy and incident filled race, with one individual ending up swimming (more on this later). Thankfully he was plucked from the waves by the ever attendant Arwel aboard the Glynwen.
Winners for Thursday are as follows: Fifes 1st Carina, 2nd Enigma, 3rd Thelma
Friday – Club Course On the Friday, things were starting to hot up as every point was starting to matter. Close racing followed.
Winners for Friday are as follows: Fifes 1st Siglen, 2nd Carina, 3rd Enigma MSOD 1st Alannah, 2nd Spindrift, 3rd Gwylan Seabird 1st Kittiwake Mylnes 1st Meridian, 2nd Mercury Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Sea Lord, 2nd Sunny Side Up
Saturday – The Classic – a Long Distance 1920s course After some initial doubts as to the wisdom of holding the race, but following a ‘what’s the worst that can happen’ conversation, we went. What followed in my opinion, has to have been one of the best races of the season, if not recent years. A whole new set of challenges regarding tides and shallows, with choices to be made for the whole length of the race. The long run down to B2 split the fleet, between the Banks and the Anglesey shore, with neither side gaining any big advantage. The long beat to Cadnant was fascinating, the fleets seemed initially to have the tide with them as far as Beaumaris and they then followed the slack water down to Menai Bridge again making for genuine choices. The run back to Beaumaris against the tide took a while, especially for those who chose the wrong side. The first four boats finished within a minute or so of each other, not bad after a 19 mile race!
Our swashbuckling rowers arranged a spectacular fancy dress “Rum Rum” for the same day which saw them row from Beaumaris to the Gazelle and back with rum somewhere in between – whether of not they drank the rum before heading back is unclear and how they managed to get back to Beaumaris is beyond me but get back they did and we all gathered together for the prize giving and fantastic BBQ supplied by the House Committee yet again who cooked sausages and burgers until their fingers were raw!
Winners for Saturday are as follows: Fifes 1st Thelma III, 2nd Coila, 3rd Carina MSOD 1st Treleda, 2nd Alannah, 3rd Gwylan Mylnes 1st Meridian, 2nd Mercator Dinghy PN 1178-1432 1st Scarlett, 2nd Saturday Night Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Sea Lord, 2nd Sunny Side Up
Winners for Thursday – Saturday are as follows: Fifes 1st Carina, 2nd Thelma III, 3rd Enigma MSOD 1st Alannah, 2nd Scottie, 3rd Treleda Seabird 1st Kittiwake Mylnes 1st Meridian, 2nd Mercury Dinghy PN 1178-1432 1st Scarlett, 2nd Saturday Night Dinghy up to PN 1177 1st Sea Lord, 2nd Sunny Side Up Falcon 1st Ratongro
Overall medal winners
Fifes Gold Carina, Silver Thelma III, Bronze Enigma MSOD Gold Alannah, Silver Treleda, Bronze Scottie Seabird Gold Kittiwake Mylnes Gold Mercator, Silver Meridian Dinghy PN 1178-1432 Gold Scarlet Silver Saturday Night Dinghy up to PN 1177 Gold Sea Lord, Silver Zippy Zero
The “Drip of the week” award went to David Eaton, for his attempt at waterskiing behind a Fife.
Huge thanks to Ian Bradley who provided the fabulous photographs you were treated to every day after racing, if you want to re visit the races have a look at the RAYC Facebook page or Beaumaris Sailing Photographs on Facebook where they are all available.
Huge thanks to the hard working Gill for the lovely sail bags and medal pouches that we gave out at the prize giving and to Floss from Mouse Sails who created all the unique recycled sail bags and wallets we handed out at prize giving. Mouse sails obviously makes sails and do repairs but they also take old sails and turn them into fantastic new items, Mouse Sails is a sustainable local business. So all in all a very special week.
Thanks as always to the people too numerous to mention who enable us to sail and row. The race officials who got it so right. The boatmen who as always provided excellent service and watched over us in times of trouble. To the rowers who added fun and frocks to the event. To the House Committee who provided food in abundance and manned the bar, along with Cliff Megan Robin Ellie and Libby. And a thank you to Mike Hardie, who provided the sailing content of this report as I was mostly on land during the week.
It’s always good when a plan comes together. See you soon
Stevie Scanlan
Commodore