ISO Nationals - Thorpe Bay YC ( May 2001)
ISO Nationals at Thorpe Bay YC The Whitsun Bank Holiday at Southend saw 24 ISOs entering for the 3-day event joint ISO/Buzz National Championships, sponsored by the Bank of Scotland. The racing event was a successful 8-race series with one discard. Late high tides dictated afternoon racing throughout the weekend and the Race Committee did a tremendous job in organising back-to-back windward/leeward courses for two fleets in a range of wind behaviours, managing to get everyone round the course at least three times per race and still get back "in time for tea"!
Thorpe Bay YC looked after its guests in its usual hospitable fashion and the après-sail activities included a Commodores Reception, Disco, Barbeque and free drinks from the sponsor, the Bank of Scotland. It was a most enjoyable weekend for sailors and families alike.
Saturday dawned dull with a light southerly breeze, but by midday the sea breeze had cancelled much of its strength and left the Race Officer challenged to set the first course in a light southeasterly breeze.
Andrew Gould and Vicky Lewis in 1196 Flying Banana proved hard to catch on all legs, but, to their disappointment, they had been over the line at the start, leaving 1st place to Phil Rust and John Paxman in 808 2 Fat Lardies. Mike and Dean Lilywhite in 815 were chasing the leaders and Charles Chandler and Adam Savage in 1019 kept John Gill and Juliet Daniels in 1003 Tinky Winky busy to come in a creditable 4th on their first nationals outing. A few boats gained the full points quota for omitting to sign on and with only one discard they began to feel the pinch early on.
Race 2 was again sailed in a light breeze with the ebb tide beginning to make its presence felt. After 2 general recalls and the need for the Black Flag, racing got underway mid afternoon in a light southeasterly breeze. The fleet managed to get away clean at the 3rd start and close racing at every stage of the race proved challenging throughout the fleet. Tinky Winky, showing good downwind performance, was able to slip out ahead of a busy gathering of boats at the leeward mark hearing much shouting and commotion as 1196, 815, 808 and 1013 exchanged opinions. The resultant complex 3-boat protest was finally resolved at the end of the following day giving Flying Banana 1st, Tinky Winky 2nd, 1019 3rd and Pete Lindley and Ben McGrane in 1013 Team RWO, 4th.
Race 3 was held in the late afternoon with the tide now ebbing and many boats which had hove-to for team talks and refreshments found themselves struggling to get back to the committee boat for the next start and many succumbed to the Black Flag. However, once underway, Race 3 saw 1019 fly round the track earning a much deserved 1st place, with 1013 Team RWO getting into their stride coming 2nd. Flying Banana, storming upwind, came in 3rd. In a close encounter on the finish line, Tinky Winky threatened 2 Fat Lardies by cutting the corner and going for the pin-end of the line, but 808 just prevailed to take 4th. Once again, close racing throughout the fleet presented an interesting afternoon for everyone.
Protest meetings and team building with the Pro-Am agenda recently promoted by the class absorbed Sunday morning. In Pro-Am, boats with low points totals after the first day teamed up on the shore with boats with high points to share ideas, tips and techniques about rigging and sailing the ISO. This proved successful both socially and sailing wise, with new acquaintances being made at the bar and in the dinghy park.
Races 4, 5 and 6 were sailed with slightly more wind from the south west, and coinciding with the Southend Air Show. In Race 4 the fleet divided into two parts as the 1st group of boats reached the windward mark and took off down the reach accompanied by the low-flying Red Arrows making their approach to the beach. With Flying Banana proving consistently fast upwind and Tinky Winky downwind, place changing in the leading group kept everyone on their toes. 2 Fat Lardies took 1st, Flying Banana 2nd, Team RWO 3rd, and Tinky Winky 4th.
Races 5 and 6 were held in gradually decreasing wind strength, serenaded by Tornadoes and a Lancaster Bomber overhead, with Ian and Katie Keam-George in 1188 going from strength to strength from their mixed beginnings on Saturday to gain two 4ths. All races on Sunday started on time and competitive racing in all parts of the fleet demanded good concentration and boat handling in the choppy tidal waters, (despite the distraction and noise overhead!).
Races 5 and 6 showed consistent results for Flying Banana in 2nd, and James and Stephen Lightly in 1162 taking two 8ths, Graham Shaw and Mark Robinson in 1179 racing in at 10th position, and Jon Williams and Chris Byson in 650 gaining two 12ths. The shallow Thames Estuary and choppy water took its toll later in the day on some ISO masts which unfortunately came into contact with the water or the hard bottom, leaving one or two boats on the beach on Monday.
Monday dawned breezy and dull and with high tide expected at 5 pm, the class took advantage of the waterless zone and held its AGM in the morning. By afternoon, the sun was out, the sea was in and the southwesterly breeze was still up so play began again for the final two races. Only a few points separated the first 5 places and with only one discard allowed, boats throughout the fleet who had suffered a Black Flag in Race 3 and other misdemeanours over the first two days still had everything to play for.
In glorious Bank Holiday sunshine, Flying Banana took line honours in Race 7 and the Keam-Georges in 1188 sailed a magnificent race to take 1st in Race 8. Tinky Winky still showing good downwind speed kept the pressure on, coming 2nd in Race 7 just in front of 2 Fat Lardies and RWO sailed a fast race to finish 2nd in Race 8.
Overall points calculations revealed that, throughout the fleet, boats were very competitive, often with only 3 points separating the positions. With equal points between them, final 5th and 6th positions for 1019 and 1188 were decided by discards, and the 11th and 12th positions for Jon Williams/Chris Byson in 650 and Nick/David Veitch in 1197 were decided on the last race, both having equal discards as well!
