Race Report - David Duke Trophy - 22nd August

David Duke Trophy – 22nd August

A new trophy, presented to the Yacht Club in memory of long standing member David Duke by his family, was contested for the first time on Saturday.

The race was to Runswick Bay via the Boulby buoy and seven yachts headed out to compete. This was reduced to 6 before the start however as a failed hull fitting left Double D taking water and hurrying back to harbour. The remaining boats prepared themselves for a long downwind sail to Boulby, most had spinnakers ready to launch but Cold Steel bravely got theirs up early and forced their way past Masquerade to the front. Icon, Samaki, Qantro and Lady Hamilton quickly responded brightening the bay up with their multi-coloured spinnakers.

Cold Steel and Icon were in a close duel around P mark and heading off across the bay. Samaki took up 3rd with Lady Hamilton keeping up well and Qantro who had started further inshore initially struggling to find the wind. The only boat without a spinnaker – Masquerade – was already finding it slow going.

Towards Sandsend the fleet encountered the first of many holes in the wind which would come to define the race. The leaders slowed and the fleet bunched up. Qantro having decided that the boats further out were making better progress edged her way out and up to 3rd, while Icon had a slender lead over Cold Steel. By now Masquerade had decided it wasn’t going to be her day and headed home to catch the last morning bridge.

Rounding the first headland Icon and Cold Steel again lost the wind. Qantro caught up, heading a bit further out, but as she pulled ahead also slowed. Samaki, followed by Lady Hamilton, decided to stay closer in out of the tide, and edged their way back into contention. All struggled to find enough wind to overcome the tide. Spinnakers and genoas were raised and lowered as the wind threatened to change direction.

When the breeze did return it was again from behind, so spinnakers reset the fleet started making progress again. And it was Qantro who was making the fastest progress, pulling ahead of her rivals. Cold Steel gained 2nd, and started to head further out where Qantro had been doing well. By now the tide was turning and providing some assistance, but would hinder their return.

Qantro held onto her lead as they approached Boulby, and as race officer had to ponder whether they could make it back to Runswick, which meant turning against the tide but with a generous time limit decided the race should continue (drat!). She had made little progress though as Cold Steel rounded, and they sat just holding position against the current. Just as Icon approached some 18 minutes later the wind backed dramatically, and the leaders were now flying their spinnakers heading in the opposite direction to where they had before. This meant the remaining boats faced a steady beat to the rounding mark, while Qantro and Cold Steel started to head back, with Icon now closing on them.

This time Qantro headed closer to shore, brushing past Staithes, and again had it right as she re-established her lead. Cold Steel was still holding off Icon for 2nd, while Samaki and Lady Hamilton were now on the return leg too. About halfway back Qantro still held a clear lead but the wind kept going light and progress was slow, the wind veered back around and so the leader was close hauled as she edged her way down the coast trying to keep out of the tide.

Then just as she approached Runswick she ground to a halt as the wind died. Cold Steel slowly edged back up to her, but she too was struggling and Icon was looming behind them. Cold Steel tried to sneak up the inside but found it too shallow and had to tack out allowing Icon to catch her. All 3 were caught in a hole with virtually no wind and the tide pushing them back. Qantro remained closest to shore, and with least tide against her, just held onto the lead, but her hopes of glory were fading fast. The breeze was returning further out to sea. Icon spotted it and battled her way out to it with Cold Steel just a few boat lengths behind her.

In the deciding moment Icon caught the wind and was away, leaving her 2 challengers trapped. Amazingly there was almost too much wind for Icon as she sped to the finish, but Cold Steel and Qantro still had none and remained stationary. To compound their misery, Samaki found her way through and also sped off to take 2nd. Lady Hamilton decided to call it a day, and a pretty despondent Qantro soon did likewise, but Cold Steel persisted and eventually, 50 minutes after Icon, found their way into the breeze and to the finish.

Result; 1st Icon, Neil & Lorraine Williamson, 2nd Samaki, Nigel Robinson, 3rd Cold Steel, Dey, Jarvis and Gowland