Manx Sailing and Cruising Club

By Ralph Kee on January 4, 2021 While Storm Bella raged across the British Isles dinghy racing took place in the relative calm of the West Baldwin valley on Sunday morning. This is the final racing of the 2020 season though the Watling Streetworks Winter Series of which this is part, will continue on to March 2021. Conditions were similar to the Frostbite Regatta on Boxing Day, a bit gusty up the lake with the usual random calms but with a bit of added rain and hail just to top the year off. Click this link for the full report Watling Streetworks Winter Series 27 December 2020 By Ralph Kee on January 4, 2021 The annual Frostbite Regatta, the last regatta of the 2020 season was held on the West Baldwin reservoir on Boxing Day hosted by Manx Sailing & Cruising Club. This event is a Pursuit Race with a staggered start so slow boats start first and fastest last, very easy for spectators the boat in the lead when time is up is the winner. Despite the chilly and gusty conditions 17 boats took to the water for the various different start times in this years Pursuit Race, Levi Baughs gear failure just before his start time meant Nickolas Ellis was first away at 11:03. He was almost able to put a full lap in before the Feva of James Allinson got away at 11:10, over the next 10 minutes the rest of the fleet got away and the chase was on. Click here for the full report Frostbite Regatta 2020 By Ralph Kee on January 4, 2021 Despite there being 19 to 20 knots of wind in the Irish Sea, there were calm patches at the West Baldwin reservoir when the fleet arrived to rig the dinghies on Sunday morning for the latest round of the Watling Streetworks Winter Series Fortunately the wind filled in during the morning, reaching sufficient strength to cause at least one capsize before sailing ended at 1140hrs. A healthy fleet of 16 boats launched consisting of 4 RS Aero7s, 2 Finns, and one each Laser standard, Laser Radial, Fireball, Aero9, Aero5, RS Feva XL, RS Tera Sport, Gull and Devoti D-Zero grey rig and blue rig. Quite a ...