Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

Tideway Challenge 2024 at Bosham Sailing Club

by Chris Hichings 10 Jul 18:22 UTC 29 June 2024
501 pulls ahead of 1 and 63 to finish third - Tideway Challenge at Bosham © Andy Davy

Bosham Sailing Club hosted, for the Tideway Owners Association, the annual Tideway Challenge race on Saturday 29th June. This was the first of a new pattern where the annual TOA Challenge will be hosted by BSC every year.

Saturday dawned with a flat calm and the forecast of perhaps 2-4kn by the afternoon. However, bright sunshine convinced the race team that sufficient sea breeze would come in for a reasonable race by the planned 2pm start. Perhaps put off by the lack of wind, entries were just 18, three down on last year.

However, of those 18, only two dropped out so 16 boats gathered at the start line, two more than last year.

The wind did indeed pick up to around 6-10kn SW and race officer David Macfarlane outlined a simple course round the corner and beating down the channel to "Baker", across to "Peacock" and then a run back to "Park" and then "Deep End". Competitors were then reaching back to "Cobnor" before a beat back to the finish line. He did warn that, with light winds, the strong incoming tide would need careful thought.

At least there was little risk of tides pushing boats over the line but the start was tricky, with those opting for the west side of the channel suffering some wind shadow and those on the East discovering the tide was pushing them up the Itchenor channel. Once round the corner, a few opted to go over to the south side but most beat carefully up the North. The challenge here was to stay out of the mud and three local boats - perhaps unused to being this far out at low tide - managed to go so far aground they needed to get out and push!

By the time boats reached Baker, the first wave were the Amberys (554), Barry Colgate (516), Chris Hitchings (410) and the Phillips (1); with a second wave including Locky McKenzie (63), Peter Shaw (220) and Bob Findlay (501) not far behind. The next challenge was to cross the tidal stream to Peacock. The trick was to aim absurdly far down the channel but, as the wind died, most took several tacks at it and a few were seen doing their 360s, having been swept onto the mark. Indeed, Charlie Armour (477) and Andrew Dransfield (479) had doubts they would ever do it.

The first three boats round Peacock were 516, 554 and 410 and these were able to make a reasonable broad reach to Park but the correction to courses needed to stop being swept beyond it increased and a couple of boats found they needed to beat back. The run to Deep End involved a choice between the short course straight there or moving into the channel to get tidal help. The first three took the first option. For 516 and 554, it worked but, as the wind died, 410's choice proved an error and he was overtaken by 501, 1, 63 and 220, who had all moved out with the tide.

At this point, failing wind prompted a shortening of the course and competitors were advised at Deep end to go straight to the finish line. In the reach there, 516 and 554 maintained their positions but 501 pulled ahead of 1 and 63 to finish third. 410 fought a battle with Stephen Bailey (486), which the latter won by seconds. Shortly behind them were John Galtrey (521), the McKeands (100) and Ian Gibson (493). Martyn Chase (457) was next but then there were extended intervals as the dying wind took its toll, with Chris Browning (388) and Chris Ames (541) ahead of 477 and 479.

Nonetheless, Lucinda Hitchings' team had enough tea and cakes for all and TOA Chairman Arthur Davey was delighted to congratulate all, thank the race and tea teams and award the Rose Bowl (fastest single hander) to Barry Colgate, the Tideway Challenge (fastest crewed boat) back to Hugh and Kate Ambery and the Watershed Trophy (fastest GRP boat not already awarded a prize) to Bob Findlay.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmCrewClub
1st516COLGATE BarryBSC
2nd554AMBERY HughAMBERY KateTOA
3rd501FINDLAY BobBSC
4th1PHILLIPS RobynPHILLIPS RichardTOA
5th63MCKENZIE LockiyBSC
6th220SHAW PeterBSC
7th486BAILEY StephenBSC
8th410HITCHINGS ChrisBSC
9th521GALTREY JohnBSC
10th100MCKEAND JohnMCKEAND JulieBSC
11th493GIBSON IanTOA
12th457CHASE MartynBSC
13th388BROWNING ChrisBSC
14th541AMES ChrisBSC
15th477ARMOUR CharlieBSC
16th479DRANSFIELD AndrewBSC
DNC69CUTHBERT WilliamTOA
DNC249DAVY AndyTOA

Related Articles

2024 Bosham Regatta
107 boats racing on Saturday 24th August Bosham Regatta shines despite the tail end of Storm Lillian. On Saturday the 24th of August, Bosham Sailing Club hosted the 2024 Bosham Regatta. Posted on 29 Aug
West Riding Sailing Club: A Grand Day Out
Ullswater is a great place for dinghy cruising Ullswater is a great place for dinghy cruising, much quieter than Windermere and a bit drier than Coniston. My favourite of the main lakes. Posted on 1 Jun
The slightly unusual at the RYA Dinghy Show 2024
Y&Y's roving photographer enjoys a chuckle Back in Farnborough again, the Dinghy Show presented the usual huge range of sailing craft. It's always great seeing the latest hulls, new rope systems, crinkliest sails, and innovative products. But I always have an eye for the slightly unusual... Posted on 1 Mar
Bosham Regatta 2023
A perfect day on the water for the 140 boats and 250 sailors Last Saturday 140 boats and 250 sailors took part in the annual Bosham Regatta. Champagne conditions, canon finishes, and a superb regatta tea meant it was the perfect day on the water. Posted on 7 Sep 2023
Tideway 60th Birthday Challenge at Bosham
Performing the unusual feat of planing! Bosham Sailing Club hosted, for the Tideway Owners Association, the annual Tideway Challenge race on Saturday 29th July. This was a special event, being the 60th anniversary of the founding of the TOA. Posted on 17 Aug 2023
What was intriguing at the RYA Dinghy Show 2023?
Remote operated self-bailers set one man's heart a flutter Determined not to let moving house (the day before) put him off, YachtsandYachting.com's website developer, Magnus Smith, attended his favourite boat show during the last weekend in February. Posted on 6 Mar 2023
Bosham Classic Boat Revival cancelled
Significant numbers of attendees are not able to make it Sadly, Bosham SC have reluctantly taken the very difficult decision to cancel the event planned for the weekend of 3rd & 4th September due in part to the feedback that significant numbers of regular attendees would not be able to make the event this year. Posted on 21 Aug 2022
9th Bosham Classic Boat Revival
53 boats travelled from as far as the Netherlands Classic sailing dinghies, some almost 100 years old, enjoyed ideal conditions in Chichester Harbour for the ninth Bosham Sailing Club Classic Boat Revival. Posted on 16 Sep 2019
9th Classic Boat Revival preview
5 races over the 7-8 September in Chichester Harbour This year's Bosham Classic Boat Revival which will be held 7-8 September and hosted by Bosham SC. Last year, the CBR celebrated legendary boat designer Ian Proctor's centenary with over 90 boats participating, across 34 classes from 22 clubs. Posted on 20 Aug 2019
Tideway Lew Walker Challenge Cup
56th running of event comes to Hickling Broad Hickling Broad Sailing Club (HBSC) played host to the Tideway Owners Association (TOA) 56th annual running of the competition for the Lew Walker Challenge Cup, members from around the country assembled to compete. Posted on 15 Jun 2019
Maritimo 2023 S-Series FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024