Last weekend saw a different format for yacht racing in the bay. Instead of just the local boats competing, a crowd of visitors from all parts of the United Kingdom brought their boats by either sea or by trailer to Whitby to compete in the Northern Championships for the National Sonata class. Whitby has 4 of the class (BOB, Monty, Serenade and Skywalker) as residents but another 9 came from as far afield as the Medway, Prestwick, Granton (Firth of Forth),Abersoch, along with some more local boats from Hartlepool, Sunderland and Scarborough. The National Sonata is a 22 foot boat, just under 7m, built in the 70s to a design from David Thomas. She has 4 berths and is a strong, well designed, sea going boat, suiting the demanding weather challenges particular to Whitby.
The racing commenced on Saturday afternoon to an inauspicious start. Well before the first starting signal, the fleet suffered its first casualty as White Magic lost her mast over the side. She rapidly hauled it back on board and headed for the harbour under engine before heading up to Sunderland to pick up her spare. Then racing began in earnest, or so we thought. The Race Officer (RO) plotted a course directly in to the wind, told the fleet where the first buoy was, set them off and they all went to the wrong buoy! After abandoning the race, the RO collected what was remaining of his hair, and sent them off again with some extremely strong hints on where the fleet might find the first buoy! But the boats were still determined to make a drama of the event and, as Skywalker and BFG closed the first mark, they smacked masts and both retired, BFG just for that race, but Skywalker for the rest of the day. The wind was by now a sporty force 4 or 5 and spinnaker flying was a risky business. Even the leader, Blue Tack, was laid on her side several times and there wasn’t a boat in the fleet who didn’t suffer a broach. Despite her several flattenings, Blue Tack held on to her lead and took line honours and drew first blood. The other podium places were taken by A Sharp Exit and then local boat, BOB.
No dramas for the second race, all got safely away, but the, by now, force 5 was making sailing hard work, but Blue Tack had mastered the conditions and stormed to her second win, with Saraband second and local boat, Serenade, beating her club rival, BOB, by just a nose as they surfed to the finish.
Another clean start for race 3 and Blue Tack took up her now customary position and maintained it, but the other places were up for grabs. This time it was A Sharp Exit who pulled off a second, again, and it was to be the turn of a Scarborough boat, Zeris, to get the final podium position.
The RO was keen to send the fleet off for a fourth race of the day, but the crews pleaded for mercy after an extremely demanding day, and the RO succumbed, so the boats returned for a well earned rest.
Sunday saw a lot lighter day for wind, but Blue Tack was not to take advantage of this. She’d suffered rigging damage the previous day and had been unable to repair it and would not be able to take further part in the regatta. The lighter conditions suited the WYC Commodore in Monty as she surged to a 30 second win over her fellow club member, BOB, but A Sharp Exit was still in the results, putting together a good combination of results.
By the time of the second race on Sunday, the wind can only be described as fickle. However, the Scarborough boat, Zeris, managed to use it better than the others to gain his first win with her fellow club mate, Bee Sharp, following her in for her first visit to the podium, but it would be that ever consistent A Sharp Exit who would take the final spot.
The RO waited for the wind to fill in, but it was not to be and the fleet returned, ever keen to see our fated football match with Germany. They would have probably had a better time on the water!
With all the points added up and discarded races taken in to account, it was to be the consistent sailing of A Sharp Exit that took the overall trophy, with Zeris from Scarborough coming second and our own local boat BOB taking third position. All the competitors had had an excellent weekend’s racing and a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in Whitby.
