Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

2019 Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy Junior Model Yacht Regatta

by Mark Jardine 26 Dec 2019 15:58 UTC 26 December 2018

What a difference 24 hours makes. Christmas Day on the south coast was blessed with wall-to-wall sunshine whereas Boxing Day morning saw torrential horizontal rain and some very strong gusts.

The Setley Cup has been a tradition in Lymington for many years with families constructing model yachts over the Christmas break using a variety of materials, all with the intention of vying for one of two coveted trophies; the Setley Cup for monohulls and the Seahorse Trophy for multihulls. Some of the yachts look almost professional in build standard while others are a couple of bottles taped together with a shopping bag as a sail! Many top designers have entered yachts with the aim of adding the trophy win to their naval architecture CV with the vast majority proving unsuccessful.

The rules are pretty simple. Broadly speaking the yachts can be up to 66cm long, have half a metre of sail, must be launched by an under 18 and have no stored energy, which means radio control, batteries, rockets, propellers and jet engines are banned! The key characteristic of a winning yacht is usually being able to sail in a straight line and not tack mid-pond, returning to the child like a faithful pet dog returning a thrown ball.

Even with the horrendous weather the turnout was huge. The car park filled with sailors and spectators alike, with registration taking place to assign sail numbers to competitors. Many went for a test sail before the first start, which had the effect of reducing the fleet size due to a number of breakages, capsizes and the odd sinking.

In total an incredible 71 children registered together with their boats. Considering the atrocious conditions this was a huge turnout.

Soon after 11am the fleet was set, with the 36 monohulls starting first followed by the 35 multihulls soon after. A few boats shot off to the far side, some fell over, some went on a cruise to the top end of the lake and many others capsized in the huge gusts of wind.

Five races were held, going to and fro across the lake, with twenty of the monohulls and ten of the multihulls completing at least one race. Maisie Hutchinson's Shimmer dominated the monohull division while Lola Mordaunt's Dusky secured the win in the multihulls.

Overall Results: (five races, 1 discard)

Monohulls for the Setley Cup (top six)
1st Shimmer (34) - Maisie Hutchinson - 7pts
2nd Green Dragon (55) - Archie Gill - 15pts
3rd Sea Biscuit (43) - Angus McEwen - 16pts
4th Blue Squid (14) - Sophie Reay - 18pts
5th Planet (1) - Philippa Jardine - 21pts
6th Coral Wave (57) - Nora Hutchinson - 37pts

Multihulls for the Seahorse Trophy (top four)
1st Dusky - Lola Mordaunt - 16pts
2nd Speedy - Eddy Grealish - 27pts
3rd Tiger Cat - William Homewood - 20pts
4th Silver Swan - Will Reeve and George Chetwood - 34pts

Many thanks indeed to Luke & Emma McEwen, Ann Brunskill and the army of helpers who recorded finishers (it's very difficult to read the sail numbers of boats finishing upside-down) and the rowers and waders who collected capsized and sinking yachts. Without all the assistants this great Boxing Day tradition wouldn't be able to take place!

Related Articles

The 2023 Setley Cup
Astonishingly calm and sunny on Boxing Day at Setley Pond in the New Forest Astonishingly, between weeks-worth of wet and windy weather, Boxing Day at Setley Pond in the New Forest dawned calm and sunny for the 40th anniversary Setley Cup model sailing yacht race. Posted on 26 Dec 2023
The 2022 Setley Cup
Hundreds turned out on a lovely azure morning in Lymington Hundreds turned out on a lovely azure morning in Lymington for this annual Boxing Day regatta, second only on the day to the Sydney Hobart Race. Grizzled gramps to babes in arms, founding fathers to next generation naval architects. Posted on 27 Dec 2022
39th Setley Cup Model Yacht Race
Almost 40 kids and their home-made model yachts take part After the challenges of 2020 it was great to see almost 40 kids and their home-made model yachts, plus parents, grandparents, volunteers, spectators, dogs and horses gathering in the New Forest for the traditional Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy. Posted on 27 Dec 2021
Setley Cup 2020
Changed rules for an anything but normal year... In a normal year in Lymington, crowds gather at Setley Pond in the New Forest for the annual Boxing Day model boat race for the Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy. Posted on 1 Jan 2021
One week until Setley Cup model yacht race
Traditional junior model yacht racing near Lymington, open to all The 37th Edition of the Setley Cup model yacht race for kids will be raced on Boxing Day 2019 at Setley Pond, just north of Lymington. Posted on 18 Dec 2019
2018 Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy
Traditional junior model yacht racing near Lymington A records number of 43 monohulls this year and very light wind varying from West to South East produced two new winners in both the monohull and multihull fleets overall. Posted on 26 Dec 2018
Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy
24 Monohulls and 18 Multihulls raced on Boxing Day in Lymington No records this year; poor weather prior to Christmas reduced the entry by 29 models. Fortunately, the predicted short window in the weather prevailed and the rain only started after the prize giving. Posted on 26 Dec 2017
Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy
A record entry of 71 models As predicted, it was a warm fine day with a light North Westerly wind on Setley Pond as the race team arrived to set up for the 2016 event. Posted on 26 Dec 2016
Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy
High winds for Lymington model yachting event The Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy for model yachts without any outside assistance is held annually at Setley Pond Setley Pond near Lymington on Boxing Day morning. 24 Monohulls and 23 Multihulls started. Children must be under 16 to launch them. Posted on 26 Dec 2015
2014 Setley Cup and Seahorse Trophy
Junior model yacht racing near Lymington As predicted it was cold, calm and still on Setley Pond as the race team arrived to set up for the 2014 event. The main concern was selecting a possible course with wafts of wind coming from all directions. Posted on 26 Dec 2014
Savvy Navvy 2024Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTER