EACC RIVER CRUISER OPEN
Was held 21st and 22nd June 2025
Scroll down for full results
OOD Geoff Angell assisted by Cally Smith and John Aves
Safety boat manned by Mike and Barbara Barnes with Tom Moore and Jo Edye on gofer boat.
The outlook on Friday was very promising indeed, a weekend of sunshine and wind was ahead and bar a few mishaps before the racing started so it proved to be. The few of us gathered at the moorings on Friday enjoyed a convivial evening of yarning and drinking, and after a very hot day the drink slipped down a little easier for some than otherwise might have been the case. This led to two unfortunate events: the first being the almost complete disappearance of my Speyside single malt and the subsequent night-time dip of one who shall be nameless. Luckily the individual concerned was unharmed bar a bruise or two, and in fact now has no memory of their early bath.
The first race on Saturday wasn't until 13:45, so there was plenty of time for Geoff to marshal his troops and lay a course, a reasonably short one starting from Donny Cooke's dyke with the 'C' mark in Thurne mouth. The wind was SSE 10 gusting 18 and with low tide at 14:20 the pursuit race was going to be interesting, and such it proved. There was a very wide spread of handicaps varying from Daisy on -27 to Viking on -2, with the rest of the fleet sitting somewhere in between. Daisy went off first and was sailing really well heading up to the A mark followed by Martlet who was the second to start. Pippinjack was unluckily impeded on her start by a hire cruiser, and Sabrina II by Viking although her start wasn't until quite a bit later.
Evergreen, with a new jib and exceeding all expectations took the lead after an hour or so and continued to gain ground to finish well ahead of the fleet. The slowest boat, Daisy, sailed beautifully by Tim Ford (who had a big smile on his face throughout) did not finish last as that honour was taken by the fastest boat in the fleet, Viking, her very tall rig, despite reefing, unable to manage the windy conditions. That wind, coupled with a big shift during the race and a very sudden tide change made difficulties for everyone. It was a cracking race to watch and compete in although one or two of the crews who had manned jibs were looking pretty tired at the end.
The new clubhouse really came into its own that evening, as a long dining table was rigged and all the chairs were called into use as the BBQ cooked a variety of succulent meats, including a range of sausages the various names of which: Bangers, Oinkers and Snorkers among them, led to a lively discussion about the various names of this most ubiquitous of foodstuffs and which formed part of a jolly evening before most turned in for a (relatively) early night.
Sunday morning 04:00 hours: After a little light rain the wind veered into the west and got up big time, blowing at an alarming enough strength for thoughts of abandonment to cross at least my mind, but by 09:00 it had eased into 15 gusting 25 - enough to stop worrying on that score and so all was a-bustle to get everything set up for the Thurne Roundabout race at 10:00. Starting on a reaching course from the club moorings and with only the 'C' mark moved (up to Coldharbour) the course was fairly short, with only 10 of the 13 strong fleet competing the racing was over quite early, with Mystery narrowly victorious from the resurgent Evergreen. Given the slightly early finish the OOD shrewdly decided to bring the afternoon split start race forward to 13:00 hours.
The gofer team re-set the 'C' mark in Thurne mouth, and the start line was moved to upriver on the Bure. five minutes later the safety boat crew called us to say the 'C' mark had drifted, and so it proved. With the engine of Tin-Tin (gofer boat for the weekend) playing up badly actually approaching and moving the buoy was not plain sailing but suffice to say it was placed again and all was well as the racing got under way with nine of the fleet still competing.
The first start boats had just rounded the 'C' mark on their first round when we realised the 'C' mark had moved again! Panic stations as we desperately tried to replace it before the 2nd start boats approached, amazingly we did manage to get it set just in time although there was a certain amount of swearing as the engine cut out time and time again as we approached the buoy.
It was another cracking race, with Mystery running out winner by 47 seconds from Pickle. Despite staying in close company with Mystery for the majority of the race, Pippinjack had the misfortune to hit an unexpected pile of rocks, below the water, near the bank at the last rounding of the 'A' mark, spoiling what might have been a classic photo-finish, such is the luck (or lack of it) in racing.
The Moth Salver for overall winner of the weekend was presented to Matt Ford and Mystery, a fitting result as Jo Ford told us that that particular trophy had been the first they had won several years ago when Mystery was relatively new to them.
So, an excellent weekend ended and, as Cally said in her presentation speech, there are three things you need for a successful racing weekend: good weather, a good OOD and a good fleet. All of which we had in spades. Thanks to everyone for taking part, it really was a cracker.
Jo Edye, Sun Glory II
Photo above: Paul Stevens
Matt and Jo Ford in 218 Mystery win the Moth Salver
Photo above: Roger Everett
Saturday evening at the club site
Photos below: Sue Hines Thanks Sue! How would we manage without regular photographic contributions?
RESULTS
Saturday 21st June Race 1 Persuit Race
| First Start Time: | 13:45:00 | Race Type: | 2 | Date: | 21/06/2025 | Conditions: | ||||||
| 0 | Race Duration: | 100 | Mins | Group -25% or less | 1 | Wind -> | Strength: | Direction: | ||||
| Beaufort | ||||||||||||
| Sail | Finish Position | |||||||||||
| No | Yacht Name | Pos | ||||||||||
| ### | Evergreen | 1 | ||||||||||
| ### | Mystery | 2 | ||||||||||
| ### | Nutcracker | 3 | ||||||||||
| ### | Pickle | 4 | ||||||||||
| ### | Pippinjack | 5 | ||||||||||
| ### | Alchemy | 6 | ||||||||||
| 318 | Tinkerbell | 7 | ||||||||||
| ### | Sabrina 2 | 8 | ||||||||||
| 78 | Halcyon | 9 | ||||||||||
| ### | Martlet | 10 | ||||||||||
| 79 | Daisy | 11 | ||||||||||
| ### | Viking | 12 | ||||||||||
| ### | Bewitched | DNF | ||||||||||
Sunday 22nd June - Race 2 Thurne Roundabout
| Start From: | 10:00:00 | Date: | 22/06/2025 | Conditions: | ||||||||
| 2 | Finish By: | 12:30:00 | Wind -> | Strength: | Direction: | |||||||
| Beaufort | ||||||||||||
| 13 | Entered | |||||||||||
| Sail | Start | Finish | Pen | Elapsed | Corrected | |||||||
| No | Boat Name | Helm | Handicap | Time | Time | Min | Time | Seconds | Seconds | Time | Position | |
| 218 | Mystery | M Ford | -8% | 10:44:11 | 11:17:55 | 00:33:44 | 2024 | 1862 | 00:31:02 | 1 | ||
| 209 | Evergreen | D Thompson | -12% | 10:10:45 | 10:47:39 | 00:36:54 | 2214 | 1948 | 00:32:28 | 2 | ||
| 152 | Sabrina 2 | J Holmes | -4% | 10:50:04 | 11:24:28 | 00:34:24 | 2064 | 1981 | 00:33:01 | 3 | ||
| 348 | Alchemy | B Wilkins | -14% | 10:48:44 | 11:27:52 | 00:39:08 | 2348 | 2019 | 00:33:39 | 4 | ||
| 78 | Halcyon | R Wilson | -7% | 10:22:38 | 10:59:21 | 00:36:43 | 2203 | 2049 | 00:34:09 | 5 | ||
| 318 | Pippinjack | P Stevens | -7% | 10:19:16 | 10:56:01 | 00:36:45 | 2205 | 2051 | 00:34:11 | 6 | ||
| 338 | Bewitched | C Chettleburgh | -4% | 10:25:20 | 11:01:43 | 00:36:23 | 2183 | 2096 | 00:34:56 | 7 | ||
| 113 | Viking | J Hoghton-McKay | -2% | 10:32:22 | 11:09:06 | 00:36:44 | 2204 | 2160 | 00:36:00 | 8 | ||
| 429 | Pickle | P Montague | -16% | 10:05:21 | 10:48:15 | 00:42:54 | 2574 | 2162 | 00:36:02 | 9 | ||
| 79 | Daisy | T Ford | -27% | 10:00:08 | 10:53:11 | 00:53:03 | 3183 | 2324 | 00:38:44 | 10 | ||
| 122 | Martlet | H Franzen | -18% | DNC | 00:00:00 | DNS | ||||||
| 303 | Nutcracker | P Davies | -11% | DNC | 00:00:00 | DNS | ||||||
| 418 | Tinkerbell | A Lincoln | -8% | DNC | 00:00:00 | DNS |
Sunday 22nd June - Race 3 Around the cans
| First Start Time: | 13:00:00 | Date: | 22/06/2025 | Conditions: | ||||||||
| 2 | Start Interval: | 00:05:00 | Wind -> | Strength: | Direction: | |||||||
| Beaufort | ||||||||||||
| 13 | Entered | |||||||||||
| Sail | Start | Finish | Pen | Elapsed | Corrected | |||||||
| No | Boat Name | Helm | Handicap | No | Time | Min | Time | Seconds | Seconds | Time | Position | |
| 218 | Mystery | M Ford | -8% | 2 | 14:19:00 | 01:14:00 | 4440 | 4085 | 01:08:05 | 1 | ||
| ### | Pickle | P Montague | -16% | 3 | 14:31:59 | 01:21:59 | 4919 | 4132 | 01:08:52 | 2 | ||
| 209 | Evergreen | D Thompson | -12% | 3 | 14:29:15 | 01:19:15 | 4755 | 4184 | 01:09:44 | 3 | ||
| ### | Sabrina 2 | J Holmes | -4% | 1 | 14:13:13 | 01:13:13 | 4393 | 4217 | 01:10:17 | 4 | ||
| 318 | Pippinjack | P Stevens | -7% | 2 | 14:21:47 | 01:16:47 | 4607 | 4285 | 01:11:25 | 5 | ||
| ### | Alchemy | B Wilkins | -14% | 3 | 14:33:08 | 01:23:08 | 4988 | 4290 | 01:11:30 | 6 | ||
| 78 | Halcyon | R Wilson | -7% | 2 | 14:23:26 | 01:18:26 | 4706 | 4377 | 01:12:57 | 7 | ||
| ### | Bewitched | C Chettleburgh | -4% | 1 | 14:19:12 | 01:19:12 | 4752 | 4562 | 01:16:02 | 8 | ||
| 79 | Daisy | T Ford | -27% | 3 | 15:06:21 | 01:56:21 | 6981 | 5096 | 01:24:56 | 9 | ||
| ### | Viking | J Hoghton-McKay | -2% | 1 | DNC | 00:00:00 | 0 | 0 | 00:00:00 | DNC | ||
| ### | Tinkerbell | A Lincoln | -8% | 2 | DNC | 00:00:00 | 0 | 0 | 00:00:00 | DNC | ||
| ### | Nutcracker | P Davies | -11% | 3 | DNC | 00:00:00 | 0 | 0 | 00:00:00 | DNC | ||
| ### | Martlet | H Franzen | -18% | 3 | DNC | 00:00:00 | 0 | 0 | 00:00:00 | DNC |
OVERALL RESULTS
| Number | Boat Name | Helm | Hdcap | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Total | Position | |
| 218 | Mystery | M Ford | -8% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| 209 | Evergreen | D Thompson | -12% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |
| 429 | Pickle | P Montague | -16% | 4 | 9 | 2 | 15 | 3 | |
| 152 | Sabrina 2 | J Holmes | -4% | 8 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 4 | |
| 348 | Alchemy | R Smith, B Wilkins, B Wilkins | -14% | 6 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 5 | |
| 318 | Pippinjack | P Stevens | -7% | 5 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 6 | |
| 78 | Halcyon | R Wilson | -7% | 9 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 7 | |
| 338 | Bewitched | C Chettleburgh | -4% | 14 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 8 | |
| 79 | Daisy | T Ford | -27% | 11 | 10 | 9 | 30 | 9 | |
| 303 | Nutcracker | P Davies | -11% | 3 | 14 | 14 | 31 | 10 | |
| 113 | Viking | J Hoghton-McKay | -2% | 12 | 8 | 14 | 34 | 11 | |
| 418 | Tinkerbell | A Lincoln | -8% | 7 | 14 | 14 | 35 | 12 | |
| 122 | Martlet | H Franzen | -18% | 10 | 14 | 14 | 38 | 13 |