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The Queen Adelaide Cup and the Tamesis Anchor are two prestigious trophies which are sailed for annually by the National 18′ fleet.

The event was postponed twice but finally run on Saturday 17th August.  The forecast was for strong winds, but the south westerly provided some exciting sailing above the island for all three races.

Six boats turned out for the first two races.  Unfortunately Peter Impey in Odyssey was forced to retire due to gear failure, so was unable to  compete in the third race.  All races counted.

Henry de Fries crewed by either Peter Johnson or Carolyne Vines in Zephyr and Charles Fox crewed by Stewart Colley in Genevieve were neck and neck for a lot of the three races, but Zephyr clinched both trophies with three wins, both on the water and on handicap.

Thanks to Race Officer David Baker assisted by Jim Green in the box, Peter Mason, Matthew Barber and Tim Medcalf in the Patrol Boat, and Lauren and Amey for the catering.

Results:

Tamesis Anchor – first over the line

1st  374   Zephyr   Henry Defries Peter Johnson/Carolyne Vines   3 points

2nd 266  Genevieve Charles Fox Stewart Colley 6 points

3rd 348   Antedote  Chris Pollard Caroline Stilwell  10 points

4th  336   Orion       Alan Green, John Storey  12 points

5th  375   Rhapsody  Garrie Mallen, Humphrey Dorrell 16 points

6th 400   Odyssey    Peter Impey, P Webel  18 points

Adelaide Cup – Handicap

1st  374  Zephyr   Henry Defries Peter Johnson/Carolyne Vines   5 points

2nd 266 Genevieve Charles Fox Stewart Colley  6 points

3rd  336 Orion  Alan Green John Storey  9 points

4th  248  Antedote  Chris Pollard Caroline Stillwell  10 points

5th  374  Rhapsody  Garrie Mallen Humphrey Dorrell  15 points

6th  400 Oydessey   Peter Impey P Webel  20 points

Thursday evening started well with a brisk wind blowing up the river from the north north west, making the OOD’s choice of course very easy, a simple sausage of a beat downstream to Lensbury and a run up to Canbury.

True to Tamesis form once the course had been laid and the time of the start approached the wind started to shift to west, bringing the prospect of the need for a dog leg.  Happily there was not time to change and wind shifted northwards to give a reasonable beat and run/broad reach and although the wind fell throughout the evening it still it was enough for a good sail for all.

Twelve boats came to start line including Henry Medcalf in the Topper and Mark Gardner in his elegant Mallard (picture above).  Ken Duffell crewed by his grandson Matt Valentine in the Merlin Avenger took the lead for a couple of laps before exploring the shore a little too closely, letting David Baker and Jim Green and the Albacore through to lead.  However Tim Medcalf crewed by his son Ed in Merlin Samanda decided to inspect his rudder as a possible reason for not being in his recently accustomed position at the head of the fleet, removed a good sized clump of weed and accelerated through the fleet to finish first on the water.

On handicap matters changed and David and Jim came first in the Albacore, Charles Fox and Robert Blakebrough in the N18 Genevieve taking second and adding a good second to improve his overall placing in the series and Stewart Colley in his Laser taking the final podium place. It was not a good day for the Merlins on handicap with Tim falling to sixth and the others further down the fleet.

Overall there have been some changes with an additional 5 boats qualifying.  Tim and Ed still lead but Charles Fox’s second allowed him to start discarding poorer results and he lies just 2 points behind Tim, with 2 races to go.  David Baker is also not far away and with a couple of wins in the last two races could steal the series.  So as the end of the season sadly approaches the next two races will be crucial in decided in the winner of the 2019 GW Smith Trophy. So come and be part of the close racing, or to enjoy the spectacle, the food and company that gives the Thursday evening sailing its special attraction.

Thanks to David Jones for the lovely photos

The weather did not look promising as the competitors gathered on Thursday evening with a glassy windless Thames.  However as start time approached a few sails lazily flapped, and the glassy water started to show an increasing number of cats paws as a light wind slowly began to fill in from the south.  In the end that light wind provided a good beat up stream and a run downstream, and although streaky, enabled five laps to be sailed by most of the thirteen entrants.

Charlie Morgan in his Merlin Lady Anne, crewed this week by Humphrey Dorrell took an early lead but he was soon to be overtaken by Tim and Ed Medcalf in their Merlin Samanda who sailed off into a healthy lead that he held to the end.  The battle behind him was close with John and Zoë Adams in the third Merlin, Saltarello, snapping at Charlie’s heels and eventually overtaking him to take second place with Chris Pollard and Caroline Stilwell in the N18 Antedote powering through in the last few yards of the race to take third.

On handicap it was a good night for the Merlins with Tim and Ed winning, John and Zoë second and Charlie and Humphrey fourth behind Chris Pollard and Caroline Stilwell in the leading N18.

The fleet was mixed with an Enterprise showing for the first time in the series as well as an Albacore, a second N18, a Firefly and a couple of Lasers and two juniors in Toppers, Alden Horwitz and Henry Medcalf.

The skiff has been stored in the Tamesis boatpark for the last few months, and the crew are often out training.  The picture below shows them on their last training row on the night of the Rude Mechanical Theatre performance, and bringing her ashore as a backdrop to the performance!

We are taking a short break and will start again in a couple of weeks.

Eric Finlayson

The highly talented Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company gave a stirring rendition of Ikarus Inc written by Pete Talbot who is also Composer and Director.

The capacity audience was wowed by the acting, singing and musicianship of the company.  The performance was originally planned for June, but was rained off.  There was great relief all round that the performance could take place on Tuesday 30th July.

There was an anxious moment at the start as there was a sharp shower, which temporarily stopped the play.  However, after a few minutes the cast started again, and were able to continue without a further hitch.

Thanks to all involved for such a fun evening.

The first of the August set of GW Smith Trophy races, and the fifth in the series, was run in a light to very light wind which started off up the river from the north-north-west and gradually backing to a more westerly direction.  Although the river was glassy before the start we did manage a lap or so with a discernible breeze which then died before picking again just before the finish.

Nine boats came to the start line, with two crewless Merlins, Charlie Morgan  in Lady Anne and John Adams in Saltarello taking an early lead.  Charlie led for the first lap, John Adams took a flyer on the run down the Middlesex bank to take the lead at the end of the second run, but lost his way on the beat allowing both Charlie and Charles Fox crewed by Alden Horwitz in the N18 Genevieve through.  Charles eventually also overtook Charlie to win the race both on the water and on handicap.

Behind these three was a battle between the third Merlin, Shoestring, sailed by Peter Johnson and Paul Jamieson, the two Lasers of Peter Impey and Ellen Schwarz and the second N18 sailed by Alan Green and George Barber, with the Merlin finishing fourth on handicap the N18 fifth and the Lasers sixth and seventh.  The two Fireflies decided they preferred the idea of  warm bar rather than chasing elusive wind puffs on the river and retired.

Two boats have now qualified for the GW Smith Trophy, Charles Fox in his N18 and Charlie Morgan in his Merlin.  Of these Charles leads Charlie by 12 points to 21, but there are still a number of races to go and plenty of potential qualifiers.

The catering crew were busy on Thursday, serving supper not only for the Thursday evening racers but also those attending the popular Summer Camp, which led to a very pleasant end to the evening.

John Adams

The first day of the summer camp dawned bright, and became more breezy as the day went on.  Twelve children are participating in our Summer Camp led by Senior RYA Instructor Ben Kimbell  – photos below.

The week continued with mixed weather – rain, half a gale, flat calm, but none of these made even a small dent in the success of the week.

The kids had a great time – sailing on the water, swimming in the water, playing football and generally learning a lot and making new friends.

The climax of the week was a stayover on Thursday night on the the River Thames Boat Project’ Thames Venturer.

The week ended on Friday afternoon with a presentation of medallions to all the children, and presentation to some who made a special mark of Tammy caps.

Huge huge huge thanks go to Tim Medcalf for organisation, RYA Senior Instructor Ben Kimbell, Dinghy Instructor Ben Ramage, and Assistant Instructor Alden Horwitz for running the week, and last but definitely not least all the volunteers who opened the club, provided back up patrol boat, fed the kids on Friday morning, and generally made the whole week viable and fun.

Click on the following link to access more of Andrew Horwitz photos  https://andrewhorwitz.shootproof.com/gallery/8000009/

More photos to follow when available.

Conditions were particularly flukey opposite the boaters but one way or another everyone got up to or even thru the bridge.

Hurrying back we managed to squeeze in a spot of capsize recovery.

We also “signed off “ several students.

Next Sunday we will be open from 11 despite the cycle race and the Wedding .
Bring your own lunch and park by the fence .
We will run a ferry service over the river if needed and will be sailing all day as there is no race.

We’ll then take a bit of a break but will start again in September.

Eric Finlayson

Report from an absent reporter

Last Thursday, 25th July, was the last race in the July set of the GW Smith Thursday evening races, and marked the too too rapid passing of the summer of 2019.

As if to emphasise the occasion the wind started off as a gentle summer zephyr from the south south west and finished up as a fierce wintry squall which upending two boats and drove another onto the Surrey bank.

10 boats experienced these varied conditions, with the Bayliss father and son (Geoff and Tom) in their Merlin leading at the end of reach lap and taking the race on the water.  Behind them the N18s of Chris Pollard and Caroline Stilwell battled with Charles Fox and Robert Blakebrough, finishing on the water in 2nd and 3rd respectively, followed by Chris Taggart in his Laser.  

Positions changed a little once handicaps had been applied with Chris Taggart taking first, followed by Charles Fox in 2nd and Jim Hamilton sailing his Laser Shy Talk in 3rd, and Bayliss father and son dropping down to 4th and Chris Pollard and Caroline in 5th.

Alden Horowitz sailed well in the Topper to finish the race in 7th on handicap.

Photos Anne Bayne

Laser        130773                    Chris    Taggart                                                                    1
N18            266        Genevieve        Charles     Fox            Robert    Blakebrough        2
Laser        120555  Shy Talk        Jim    Hamilton                                                             3
Merlin        1773        Oozlam        Geoff    Bayliss            Tom    Bayliss                        4
N18                348        Antedote        Chris    Pollard            Caroline    Stilwell            5
Merlin        1136        Shoestring        Peter    Johnson            Carolyne     Vines          6
Topper        40070                            Alden    Horowitz                                                      7
Laser        146170  Storm                Ellen    Schwartz                                                        8
Merlin        2895        Hispanola        JohannesWagner    L    Wagner                11 (DNF)
N18                336        Orion                Alan    Green            Susan    Green            11 (DNF)

Positions overall were little changed by the results with no boat yet sailing the 4 races needed to qualify, so Tim and Ed Medcalf still lead, but the other places are very open at the moment.

So still plenty to sail for in August and a chance to store up a little summer to warm the winter days.

As always the sailing was followed by a convivial evening of good food, drink and talk.