Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

Bembridge Illusion Guy Fawkes Trophy 2024

by Mike Samuelson 4 Nov 06:45 UTC 2-3 November 2024

It was great to see 24 Illusions racing on Saturday for the Guy Fawkes Trophy; they made quite a sight as they jinked their way through the last few moored boats in the harbour.

In the event, the decision to remain in the harbour so that BHYC had plenty of space outside for the final Regatta in the Isle of Wight Youth and Junior Championship series that they were running was a wise one as it got quite bumpy as the morning wore on.

With so many boats to launch, there was a 15 minute postponement for the first race while the fleet congregated off Fisherman's Pontoon. With the F2/F3 ENE breeze regularly varying at times by 20 degrees, setting the start line was not easy and with some ultra keen helms determined to be inches from the line prior to the start, the Race Officers had their work cut out. Mark Downer (back from their autumn cruise in the Med) overcooked it at the pin end and had to circle back before he could start. There were a couple of other boats OCS but they could not be identified so they got away with it!

Start of Race 1

Leeward Gate Race 1

Bruce Huber was first round the windward mark followed closely by Raymond Simonds, David Peerless, Rosie Gosling, Mike Toogood, Owen Pay and Bill Daniel. Raymond got very close to Bruce on the second round but was unable to quite match his speed and had to be content with second ahead of David and Mark.

Getting Race 2 away was not straight forward and saw first Flag U displayed and then the Black Flag!

Start (1) of Race 2

Start (2) of Race 2

Start (3) of Race 2

To be fair to David who appears OCS on the third start, there was about a one second delay in the hooter sounding so he got the benefit of doubt. As in the previous race, it was Bruce's lime green spinnaker that lead the way on the first run and despite best efforts by the chasing fleet was never in any real trouble and finished well ahead of Mark with Raymond third. Not surprisingly with so many boats racing, there were a number of very close finishes.

With time marching on, it was hoped that Flag U would act as a sufficient deterrent so that the third race of day would get away first time, however there were too many pushing their luck so it was another General Recall with the Black Flag being displayed for the second time.

Start (1) of Race 3
Start (2) of Race 3

Retrospectively it is clear from the video clip that Mike Issaias was well over, however the RO was distracted and failed to call him OCS so he got away with it! Bruce took his position at the front of the fleet for the third time but it was good to see Rory Morrison and Tim Lyle pressing him hard on the second round. Finishing at the windward mark after two and a half rounds, Bruce nearly got huffed by Raymond on the final beat to the finish at the windward mark, but just managed to hold on and cross the line half a boat length ahead. As in the previous race lots of very close finishes.

After an excellent low key supper a Bembridge SC on Saturday evening, a slightly reduced number of boats (18) headed down the harbour for three more races for the Guy Fawkes Trophy. Conditions were very similar to the day before (ESE F3) which offered some challenging and testing racing with, at times 30 degree wind shifts and the wind strength varying from 14 knots to 7.5 knots. With Bruce not racing, the opportunity for a new leader was wide open. After a clean start, Bill and Mark rounded the windward mark close together with David and Raymond not far behind.

Start of Race 1 (4) on Sunday

On the second round, Mark moved into the lead with Bill and Raymond in hanging onto his coattails. On the third run Mark has a problem with his spinnaker which dropped him to third place a couple of boat lengths behind Bill.

It was too much to expect a clean start for the second race, so it came as no great surprise that the first start saw a General Recall being required. Although Bill fell foul of the Flag U start sequence, everyone else played it safe and headed off to the windward mark either by remaining on starboard for as long as they could, or tacking early in the hopes of some favourable wind shifts.

Re-start of Race 2 (5) on Sunday

As they closed in on the windward mark, it was Owen Pay who found himself well ahead of David P, Raymond, Rory, Rosie and Oliver. On the second round Raymond moved into second and at one stage looked as if he would take his second win of the day, but it was not to be and Owen crossed the finish line (after two rounds), 5 seconds ahead. Oliver was fourth and Tim Lyle a very creditable fifth.

The final race of the day was again started under Flag U; although Bill was, by the narrowest of margins, OCS, he was well down the fleet as they beat up the harbour so it was decided to let him continue and get a finish. Again split tacks in the variable conditions. Jo Downer was first round the windward mark with husband Mark breathing down her neck.

Start of Race 3 (6) on Sunday

Mark moved into a substantial lead on the second and third beats and although it was looking as if Jo was going to hold onto second, Raymond sneaked up on her and went ahead of her on the final tack to the line at at the windward mark. Rory was fourth and Mike Issaias was fifth.

Two excellent days racing and with Bruce unable to sail on Sunday, the winner of the Guy Fawkes Trophy was last year's winner Raymond. Mark was second and David was third. No racing next weekend, but the Bailey Bowl the weekend after (16 & 17 November).

Overall Results:

PosHelmSail NoR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1Raymond Simonds1652321229
2Mark Downer16442539115
3David Peerless14034743721
4Jo Downer16658956327
5Rory Morrison120129467430
6Owen Pay1609108811236
7Mike Issaias1521713678539
8Oliver Morgan16971113104941
9Bill Daniels6885142D1544
10Rosie Gosling1301014109101049
11Mike Toogood142671113151451
12Olly Laughton‑Scott801115151111654
13Bruce Huber101111SSS57
14Tim Lyle163202218145865
15Andy Christie14915181615121169
16Robin Ebsworth1218211916161382
17Will Lowe15019192017171789
18Monty Irwin147S123SSS96
19Justin Biddle85S612SSS99
20Harry McGouganIllus212323R141899
21Simon Birchenough136SSS121816100
22Serena Gosling122131717SSS101
23Charlie Egerton‑Warburton83161621SSS107
24James Row91142022SSS110
25Ian Prideaux138SSSS1919119
26Nick Rowton‑Lee7322S24SSS127

Related Articles

Bembridge Illusion Bailey Bowl
26 keen sailors racing off Silversands beach and in the harbour It was great to see 21 boats out on Saturday 16th November for the first day of the Bailey Bowl Regatta. Conditions were very light so the decision was taken to take the fleet outside the harbour the race course was set just off Silversands beach. Posted on 18 Nov
Bembridge Illusion Trafalgar Trophy
Four races held in warm bright sunshine With a number of regular Illusionists out in Barcelona supporting INEOS Britannia, the Great South run potentially making travel to/from the mainland difficult and a distinctly unpleasant forecast for Sunday, numbers only just made double figures. Posted on 21 Oct
Illusion class opening weekend at Bembridge
A variable wind proved testing for both the helms and the mark layers What a perfect start on Saturday afternoon to the 2024-2025 Illusion season with 15 boats enjoying the lovely sunny conditions. That said, a somewhat variable 12-15 knots from the SE (mainly!) proved testing for both the helms and the mark layers. Posted on 7 Oct
Illusion 8 Hour Race at Middle Nene
A spectator event with a social get-together on the shore Following a concept introduced in 2022, the 8-Hour Race at Middle Nene SC is held in Illusion mini-keelboats, designed as a spectator event with a social get-together on the shore. Posted on 23 Jul
Bembridge Illusion season comes to a close
With the St George's Day Trophy and the Woodford Long Distance Race Not the kindest weather for the final weekend of the Illusion season, however it could have been worse and at least the drizzle on Saturday held off until the finish of the last of the four races for the St George's Day Trophy. Posted on 29 Apr
Bembridge Illusion Designer Trophy 2024
Racing for the drawing of Jo Richards' original concept drawing of the Illusion At the end of the 40th Anniversary dinner in December 2022, Jo Richards, the designer of the Illusion generously presented the Class with a drawing of his original concept for an enlarged single handed model yacht which was foot steered. Posted on 22 Apr
Bembridge Illusion Flying Dutchman Trophy
A challenging weekend thanks to Storm Kathleen Storm Kathleen, early starts and being the weekend after Easter all contributed to lower than normal numbers racing for the Flying Dutchman trophy. Posted on 7 Apr
Bembridge Illusion Vernon's Easter Egg Cup 2024
Battling gale warnings, icy rain and cancelled ferries Gale warnings, icy rain and cancelled ferries on Maundy Thursday was enough to put off some of the hardy Illusion fleet helms from sailing the first day of Vernon's Easter Egg Cup on Good Friday. Posted on 31 Mar
Bembridge Illusion Spring Plate 2024
Fourteen boats rigged up to race on Saturday Fourteen boats rigged up to race on Saturday, however sadly Tim Lyle had a problem with his steering and never left the pontoon but the other thirteen eventually got their acts together and made it to Sea Breeze located to the north of the Redwing Quay. Posted on 25 Mar
Illusion Prince Philip Memorial Trophy 2024
Forecast and early tides kept a number of competitors away First raced for in April 2021 in memory of the late HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, this year's running of the Prince Philip Memorial Trophy disappointingly only saw seven entries competing for the Trophy. Posted on 11 Mar
Savvy Navvy 2024Maritimo 2023 S600 FOOTER