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Latest News Items
JOG St Peter Port
Just two Sigma 38s turned out for the JOG race over the August bank holiday weekend but With Alacrity and Monet were rewarded with a stunning sail to Guernsey, most of it on a tight spinnaker reach in a cloudless star filled night and 17 knots of wind. The Sigma 38s covered the 95 mile course in just over 13 hours to finish 3rd & 4th on handicap. Click on the title to see Cowes TV coverage of the start....
Sigma 38s do the double
Festina Lente & With Alacrity finished 1st & 2nd in class 2 in the Royal Southampton YC Nab Tower double handed race. Click on the title to find out more......
Gallant victory at Falmouth week
Whilst the good and great of the Sigma fraternity were licking their spars, or whatever you do after a bruising Cowes Week, one lone 38 flag was flying further west, as Gallant took on the locals in the Falmouth Week Regatta PY Division.....click on the title to read more.
Wintery Conditions for Last Day at Cowes
11 Sigma 38s braved the driving rain, choppy seas and gusts of 30 knots for the last race. The Project pulled out another win making them the overall winner of the week. With Alacrity was 2nd, Persephone 3rd and Gauntlett, Zanzara and Flossie followed them in. Unfortunately Mefisto, on starboard, was involved in a collision that resulted in their dis-masting and Dragonfly, Pavlova and Monet retired due to incidents. Overall Light finished 2nd and Mefisto 3rd. The week has been another great showcase for Sigma 38 One Design Racing with brilliant competition on the water and lots of post sailing fun!
Penultimate Day Upsets!
Day 7 of Cowes Week saw Gauntlett of Tamar finish 1st to upset the leaders board. Monet produced another excellent 2nd. The pressure obviously got to some of the lead boats who were OCS. Tomorrow's results will be crucial as the top 2 boats, The Project and Light are tied on points, Mefisto is only 4 points behind and Persephone 6 points. It will be another thrilling day on the water tomorrow as the Sigma 38s prove once again what one design racing is all about.
Day 6 - Cowes Week
Today Mefisto became the third class winner of the week, making them 2nd overall, in the hotly contested Sigma 38 One Design fleet. Monet finished in second to put them in 5th overall. Pavlova pulled out a 3rd for their 2nd day on the water after their dismasting on Tues. The Project, 1st overall, had an un-characteristic bad day and finished 9th, after4 firsts. Light, 3rd overall, is the other boat to take the winner's gun. Persephone, with some good strong results are lying 4th. New comers Torbellino have had 2 impressive 5ths. With many boats seeming to improve as the week goes on the next few days will prove interesting.
Cowes Week Waypoints
Attached are some GPS ready lists of Cowes Week Waypoints that you can download to your GPS using either MapSource or GPSU.
Alternatively find me in Cowes (I am on Pavlova for the week) and I can download them for you.
Jamie Wilkinson - 07748 992874.
CORK WEEK DINNER
Click on the link to read about the dinner held in Kinsale . You can also see just how poetic (sic) The Sigma Fleet is!
MARTA'S double handed island race
Yes just two weeks after the RTI, I was back to try a spot of double handed 38 racing. Read on......
Errislannan wins Sigma 38 Europeans at Cork Week
The testing, varied courses of Cork Week 2008 clearly demonstrated the close, exciting One Design racing that the Sigma 38s are renown for. The Kirwan family and friends on Errislannan sailed masterfully, pulling off 5 firsts, to win the Sigma 38 Europeans. The Morrison family on Enigma from the Clyde were second and the East Coast boat Red Macaw finished third. In addition Persistance was 3rd in Gentleman's Class 1. As usual all teams also threw themselves into shore side social activities - limericks from the Class Assoc. Dinner will be posted on the website soon. Congratulations to the winners and all other crews that made it a week to remember.
Sigma excells in 3 Peaks Race
Just when you thought that the Sigma fleet which is currently bashing its way to Cork was about as crazy as it gets , click on the title and read about Keith Mander' exploits in the 3 Peaks Race. This race sounds fun , terrifying snd masochistic in equal measure and it looks as if his Sigma did him proud.
Rules Clinic to be tried out at Cork
Maximise your party time by keeping out of the protest room. Click on the title to see the Committee's latest idea to make the Sigma 38 the best - and quietest racing fleet to sail in.
RTI - Sigma 38s Revel in Lively Conditions
The 29 starters in the RTI produced a strong set of results in lively, challenging conditions that favoured the Sigma 38. Out of 1875 entries overall 4 Sigma 38 finished within the top 100 boats. In IRC6 Div. 2 five boats finished within the top ten - Festina Lente - 2nd, With Alacrity - 4th, Light - 6th, Dragonfly - 8th, and Monet - 9th. In ISC Rating Div. 4C Zest finished 8th. The smiles at the Sigma 38 Pontoon Party told the whole story - a magnificent day out!
BMW Round Ireland Race
Confratularions to Jerry Collins and his crew on the Sigma 38 Persistance who finished the BMW round Ireland race after 5 days of horrendous sailing conditions. After a "Fastnet style" 20 hour postponement the fleet battled through three separate gales in what has been rated the toughest round Ireland race since 1990. Persistance finished 5th in class with nearly half the fleet retiring.
Post RTI Treasure Hunt - version 1.2
Click on the title for the SI's for this event. Maybe have a sneaky look at your strategy during the week- its probably best not to start thinking about it with 10 mts to go and a hangover to boot. If you spot any glaring errors let us know and we will put thenm right before the weekend. Note the scoring system has been subtly altered since first announced.
Marta Overall Winners JOG St Vaast - 20/6/08
After 16 hours racing in a tricky Southerly wind, this week it was Marta’s turn to continue the great run of results of Sigma 38s in the 2008 JOG season. As well as finishing an hour and three quarters ahead of the next Sigma 38, With Alacrity, Brian & his merry crew won class 5 by an astounding 32 minutes and recorded the fastest time on handicap of all classes.
Cowes Week
The Class Association has once again, arranged a limited number of moorings on "Sigma City" the traditional E Pontoon in the river close to East Cowes. Costs are £175 for the week.
If you have not yet reserved your place, contact Nigel Goodhew as soon as possible.
Monet Win JOG Weymouth - 14/6/08
Though not part of the class calendar, 2 Sigma 38s turned out for the JOG Cowes to Weymouth race and had a fantastic sail when the light winds eventually fillied in to 15 knots. Monet lead from the start to win class 5 by 6 minutes after 7 hours racing and continue the excellent record of Sigma 38s in JOG races this year. With Alacrity couldn't match Monet's upwind boatspeed and finished 8 minutes later for 3rd in class.
Round the Island Race -Sigma 38s out in Force
25 Sigma 38s are entered in the Round the Island Race, making the class one of the biggest one design entries! Competition on the water promises to be fierce so you and your crew will need to relax at the Sigma 38 RTI Celebrations - a pontoon party at Venture Quays, Cowes on Sat. night (drinks and snacks provided) and a Treaure Hunt in the Solent on Sun. To book your place see details on the Events Section, send off your form and payment immediately.
Womens Open Keelboat Championship
With Alacrity was the sole Sigma 38 representative at the innaugural Womens Open Keelboat Championship organised by Royal Southern YC over the weekend of 7/8 June. Seven girls from the regular With Alacrity crew were supplemented by Maxine & Mary on loan from Premier Cru. The light air racing was dominated by some very well sailed smaller boats in the handicap fleet and WA was not quite able to break into the top 3, finishing a respectable 4th in class. With 6 close races held in sparkling sunshine a good time was had by all and looks like this could become a regular event in the WA calendar – it would be great to see some other S38s out next year! Click on the link for Y&Y event report.
Dragonfly shows the way in JOG Alderney
Dragonfly continued her run of offshore form by leading the 4 Sigma 38s home in the JOG Cowes-Alderney race and finishing 2nd in IRC class 4. Monet was the 2nd Sigma 38 to finish just one minute ahead of Persephone after 11 hours racing!
Check out the results section for race reports.
Dragonfly 3rd in class in JOG Deauville
Whilst most of the attention for the Sigma 38 class was on the Nationals over the bank holiday weekend, Dragonfly was competing in the JOG Cowes-Deauville race - needed for them to qualify for the new JOG Illingworth challenge event (a 400 mile race from Cowes to La Trinite in July). Dragonfly finished the course in 14.5 hours for a fantastic 3rd in a class with just a few minutes the difference between 2nd, 3rd & 4th!. Click on the title to read more from Dragonfly....
Festina Lente Wins 2008 Nationals
Festina won the Nationals for an amazing 4th time in a row, but crikey it was close with just 2 points the difference between the first 3 places after 7 races (including the double counting offshore race). Just 5 boats made it to the start of the Monday inshore race due to the ferocious weather forecast - those that braved the wind & rain were rewarded with one of the most exciting and closest races of the championship in wind that eased through the race from 27 knots down to 17 at the finish. With Alacrity won the final race but Festina hung on for second which was enough to take the Nationals title by one point from local boat, Pavlova III. Congratulations to all crew who made the 2008 Nationals one to savour, it will be remembered for some stunningly close racing that demonstrated one design racing at it's best.
Nationals Update (Sunday)
The 10 strong Sigma 38 fleet had an outstanding day of light air racing on Sunday to follow the windy first inshore race on Saturday afternoon. Click on the title to read more, with a possible 2 races to go it is wide open though the weather forecast for Monday is not looking great......
Festina Take early lead in the Nationals
The overnight double-points offshore feeder race to Poole was won by Festina Lente after fighting off a determined challenge from With Alacrity. After exiting the Solent to the East the 2 boats frequently crossed within boatlengths of each other during the night until Festina built their lead by going close inshore on the approach to St Catherines Point. With Alacrity closed the gap in the long spinnaker reach to the finish but Festina finished 10 lengths ahead for a well-deserved win after 8.5 hours of racing. Persephone finished 3rd & Light 4th after a similar battle and Marta got the better of Premier Cru & Monet to finish 5th.
2008 Sigma 38 Nationals
The 2008 Sigma 38 Nationals are confirmed as having the largest entry in recent years. This is a real testament to the growing resurgence in the class. The aim of the Class Association has been to put together an event that is both relevant and attractive to members as well as providing the showcase for the exciting One Design racing that the class can provide. The event gives excellent exposure to inshore racing; as part of International Paint Poole Regatta, and a gentle introduction to the offshore racing that the boat was designed for; with a specially designed feeder race. The offshore leaves Hamble on the Friday evening of the last May Bank Holiday with inshore racing starting late Saturday, on Sunday and Monday allowing the minimum expenditure of holiday time. A special welcome is extended to the new owners of Gallant, Gambit and Monet participating for their first time.
Antigua Week 2008 - Alliance 2nd in class
After winning the fourth race on Thursday the Sigma 38 "Alliance" went into the final race tied for first overall with 2 other boats in their class. The last race was held in unusually light and shifty wind with huge holes for the unwary. Though not able to keep up with the J109 who sailed into the new breeze first Alliance held on for 2nd place which was enough to secure 2nd in class for the week (click on the title to read more about Alliance in Antigua).
Beefeater wins final WSS Race!
In an incredibly fluky wind which saw shifts of up to 180 degrees Beefeater pulled off an impressive win in the final race of the Spring Series. Marta followed in second and Light, 3rd. A huge hole at the windward mark allowed the fleet which had spread out to catch up and effectively re-start the race. Big congratulations to Beefeater and all the crews who agonizingly fought their way to cross the finish line.
2008 Sigma Nationals 23-26th May
Click on the title above and find out why this event has been designed specially for you. It should provide the One design racing of the year. If your boat really cannot make it - why not join a boat that can . Contact your committee who will arrange it for you. Enter now to benefit from the early entry fee. Go to "Events", click on Poole Regatta to enter the inshore races and uplooad the Offshore Entry Form for the Sigma 38 offshore race
WSS 4 - A Brilliant day on the water
After the sturm und drang of the previous days race training - we were treated to a peach of a day .The the wind delivered more shifts than an NHS beaurocrat , and was up and down like a whores drawers .Lastly the sun shone throughout. What more could a sailor ask for?
Race Training
The crews that gathered to improve their racing skills were certainly put through their paces not only by coach Jim Saltonstall but the weather gods as well. The wind got up to 34 knotts bringing with it the biggest and most painful hail stones I've every seen. As the wind built most of the boats (unfortunately 2 boats had to retire following damage) retreated up to Southamton water and after making snowmen in the cockpit got on with the days business. After the debrief in the clubhouse everyone enjoyed a delicious and incredibly reasonable dinner organised by the Asociation.
Offshore Races Re-scheduled
The Sigma 38 events calendar has been revised after the Easter gales have forced JOG to re-organise their race schedule. Cowes-Cherbourg & the return will now be sailed on the first May bank holiday weekend. Cowes St Vaast, originally scheduled to be sailed that weekend has been moved to 20th June.
Light airs for Spring Series 2
After several postponements race 2 of the spring series got away in light winds and ended in glorious spring sunshine. Despite the patchy breeze the Sigma 38s had a surprisingly close race with Light leading the way until eventually being overhauled by Festina Lente who also finished 2nd in IRC 3.
Easter Offshore Races Postponed
JOG Cherbourg races 1&2 over Easter (which are also race 1&2 for the Sigma 38 offshore championships) have been postponed to a later date due to the horrible weather forecast. Check the JOG website (click on the title) for more info.....
Marta wins first race of the season
Cloudy skies, drizzle & wind building to a solid 25 knots was not enough to put off 4 hardy Sigma 38s for Race 1 of the Spring Series. As ever, the racing was neck and neck with the lead changing several times, but it was Marta who came good with a devastating final beat to sneak ahead of Light at the finish. See results for Light's report.
Race Training with Jim Saltonstall
April 12th - the day that everyone with a Sigma - and indeed many without , needs to be at HRSC for 0830 ready for a date with the best sailing coach in the world. Click on the title for details of this unmissable event. Whatever your standard - at the end of this day you will have moved on to a new level - and had a wonderful days fun to boot.
Be My Valentine!
The Sigma 38 committee met last night; forgoing roses, chocolates and candle lit dinners, to discuss issues as diverse as our IRC rating to a post Round the Island Race boat party and treasure hunt. The primary aim is to encourage as many boats, both racing and cruising, to participate. Watch this space for details of up coming events and use the forum to tell us what would get you out on the water.
Are you ready for Spring..........?
Ready or not, its high time we got the boat ready. Click on the link for a first draft of a winter refit check list. If you find that I have missed something , go to the forum and add your suggestion there .The check list will then be updated and if it all goes to plan we will have a check list that benefits from the combined experience of all of the membership.
Celebrating 2007 with Attitude!
Sat. was the night to celebrate all the many success Sigma 38 have achieved over 2007. Congratulations go to everyone who competed in regattas up and down the country but particular commendation is given to Persephone and Rebel for completing the Fastnet and achieving top 5 places, With Alacrity inshore champion, Festina Lente offshore champion, and With Alacrity as our grand champion 2007.
116 crew who certainly know how to party gathered in a room transformed by Eddie Mays’ photos and battle flags sponsored by McWilliams Sails. Besides the usual prizes and trophies each boat was given a McWilliams' flag. Dinner was followed by dancing until the small hours to Two Drunk to Dance which features Ian Brown from Quantum Sails. Suffice to say there were a few sore heads in the morning!
Chairman's Report and Annual General Meeting
At the AGM Rob Denning detailed the success of Sigma 38s both inshore ad offshore. Click on the Title to read his full report. Rob Denning is retiring as chairman and is passing on the role to Nigel Goodhew. Rob is thanked for his generous contribution in developing the new website and tremendous enthusiasm in seeing the Association through a period of transition. Brian Skeet is joining as a committee member, Rob Denning will remain a committee member
MAKE THE SIGMA SITE YOUR HOME PAGE
Why Not Make the Sigma 38 Site Your Home Page.
Keep in touch with all the latest news and results.
Simple to do in 3 easy steps.
1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Click on Tools on the top menu and click on ‘Internet Options’
3. In the home page box type in www.sigma38.co.uk and press apply.
When you return to your Explorer simply hit the home button and you are all done.
A Tale of Arabian Nights and Days!
Are the anti-fouling, varnishing, winch servicing and other winter jobs starting to wear you down? Well, let Al Bashiq, a Sigma 38 based in Oman currently competing in the Dubai/Mascat Offshore Race inspire you. Al Bashiq who is owned by the Royal Navy Oman is currently leading this 365 nautical mile race that takes them through the imposing tides and currents of the Straits of Hormuz. Track her progress by clicking on the title above.
Final Races Abandoned!
All racing was cancelled today as storm force winds battered the South Coast. Sigma 38 crews were disappointed not to have the opportunity to better their scores in what has been a series plagued by first too little wind and then too much! Despite these difficult conditions congratulations go to the crews of Festina Lente for pulling out 4 - 1st places out of 6 races, of With Alacrity for finishing 2nd and of Persephone for finishing 3rd.
In IRC3 out of 35 entries Festina finished 3rd and 4 Sigma 38s finished in the top 10!
Our thanks also go to the Hamble River Sailing Club for doing the best they could in less than ideal conditions.
Hamble Winter Series Day 7
The Sigma 38s were treated to another stunning days sailing on a sparkling Solent in 15 knots of wind with 2 races scheduled to catch up for races missed earlier in the series. In the first race Festina Lente added another win to their collection pushed hard by Light who took 2nd place. In race 2 Festina struggled to dominate letting With Alacrity through to take a second race win and Persephone finished just 11 seconds later to secure 2nd place.
Overall, Festina Lente have a commanding lead in the series (though can’t quite afford to take the final day off). Further down the fleet there is plenty to play for with just 3 points the difference between 2nd & 4th place and 4 points between 5th & 7th after discards are taken into account.
With 2 races expected for the final Sunday there could be a few twists in this series yet.
Dogs blown off chains at HWS4
Blimey - what a difference a week can bring. A wet and windy day brought sucess and drama to the class , with two crew overboard and at least two injuries. Dont be put off guys - read "Big Weather Sailing " (download it from the Technical section ), talk it through , share your lessons with us , and get out there again next week.
More Light Winds at Hamble Winter Series
The Problem :Puzzled by the wind / Baffled by the tide? Me too!
The Solution : Write a short report of your experience. Contact the committee who will enable you to download it direct to the website - and win or lose , we al get to learn from each others mistakes and insights.
Best of all - reading them helps pass the time til next Sunday!
Breeze at Last for Hamble Winter Series!
The 9 Sigma 38s that turned up at the startng area praying for wind were eventually rewarded with a interesting windward/leeward course. The top 3 places were filled by Festina, Persephone, and Light. Both Pandanova and Marta, newcomers to the Winter Series, put in storming first legs showing their future promise. Flying Formula lived up to her name and finish 5th behind With Alacrity.
Due to timing difficulties IRC 3 results for race 2 are not able to be calculated so it will probably be resailed. Sigma 38s make up 39% of the IRC3 fleet, and are the third highest One Design entry in the Black Boat fleet - not bad for a class that is close to celebrating it's 21st birthday!
September sunshine for final offshore race...
The Sigma 38s joined the JOG Cowes-Poole-Cowes for race 6 of the offshore series in bright sunshine and two days of contrasting wind. The race to Poole via the back of the IOW turned into a desparate drift by St Catherines point with many boats calling it a day. The ones who hung on were rewarded with a building late afternoon breeze allowing them to carry the tide to finish around 7pm. Persephone read the conditions best to lead the S38s home for a 1,2,3 finish on handicap in class 4.
The return leg was a much swifter Spinnaker run back in breeze peaking at 22 knots. With Alacrity sneaked home 9 seconds ahead of Persephone after a tense match race down the Solent. Just 3.5 minutes was the separation between 1st & 5th Sigma 38, on handicap S38s filled 5 of the first 7 places in class 4.
Two Sigma 38s in Top 5 of the Fastnet Results!
2 Sigma 38s braved the terrrible conditions to finish the 2007 Rolex Fastnet in which 211 boats retired and only 60 continued - proving once again the seaworthiness of the Sigma 38. In IRC 3 Persephone was 2nd overall and Rebel was 5th. Congratulations to the crews of both these boats. Tribute should also be paid to the other 15 Sigma 38s who lined up on the start line and who then took the difficult decision to retire.
Persephone Wins Fastnet!
Back in July the Goodhew family thought their Fastnet dreams were over when their beloved Persephone hit a rock off the treachous waters of St. Malo during the Sigma 38 Nationals and suffered extensive damage. However they hadn't counted on the good nature of fellow Sigma 38 owners who offered them Marta. So Marta sailed the Fastnet with Persephone's sails under the name Persephone. Despite the extremely challenging weather conditions a nightmare turned into a dream and Persephone not only completed the Fastnet but won IRC 3A. The Goodhews included Oliver, 15 – possibly the youngest crew member in this year’s Fastnet – Tim, 17 and parents, Karen and Nigel. Only 3 crew members are over 20 years old. During the windy conditions of the first night the crew thought briefly about diving into Falmouth, but decided to carried on. Tim was on the helm for about 4 hours on the tough beat up to the Fastnet Rock, and Oliver steered on the downwind run from the Rock, during which he said “there were no wipeouts"
Persephone Rounds Fastnet Rock over 4 Hours In-front of Nearest Rival!
Persehone {on Marta} rounded the Fastnet Rock at 1:37 on the 16/08/07 after just under 63 hours of sailing. She rounded approximately 4 hours on-front of her nearest IRC 3 rival. She is now sailing down wind across the Irish Sea in what must seem a comfortable 16 knots of wind. Rebel the next and only Sigma 38 left in the race is nearing the rock. Given the conditions this is a remarkable achievement by the crews of both boats - we look forward to their safe arrival in Plymouth.
Atrocious Weather Conditions Force Majority of Sigma 38 Fleet to Retire
In the worst Fastnet weather since 1979 15 out of the 17 Sigma 38s that started from Cowes on Mon. have retired. Currently only Persephone and Rebel are still racing. As they both near Fastnet Rock, Persephone, the lead IRC 3 boat appear to have pulled out an impressive lead, being the only 38 that did not shelter in port.
Gale Force Winds Batter Rolex Fastnet
The 17 Sigma 38s that lined up for the delayed start of the Fastnet were probably hoping the weather forecasters had got it wrong. However most of the fleet is currently sheltering in ports along the south coast as gale force winds and short steep seas have taken their toll on the 271 entries. So far over 100 boats including 3 Sigma 38s have retired. As of Tues 4pm Persephone of London is the lead 38, just off Lands End with Premier Cru close behind.
Exciting Spinaker Finish Ends Cowes Week 2007!
Congratulations to Beefeater who won the Sigma 38 series by two points in the closest Cowes week for years after racing was abandoned on Friday. Although the final Saturday race did not count for the Sigma 38 series more than half the 38s turned out for the IRC 6 showdown. With Alacrity, Red Macaw, Light and Beefeater enjoyed a close race and finished off the Green in that order. Overall Sigma 38s really showed their class - within IRC6 Alacrity were 3rd, missing out on 2nd by 10 seconds in the final race, Beefeater 4th and Red Macaw 5th - a very strong result considering 38s were battling lighter displacement boats in mainly light conditions. All Sigma 38 crews are congratulated for the part they played in an excellent week of racing. (See The Sunday Times 12/08/07 for a picture that sums up the week's close exciting racing)
Beefy moooving ahead at Cowes
Beefeater hold the lead in the closest Cowes week in years but with just 2 points separating the top 3 boats and with only a few points making the difference throughout the fleet it is all to play for going into the final day.
Wednesday was an intense 3.5 hour race in shifty Northerly wind with Light, Red Macaw & Mefisto swapping the lead. With Alacrity however moved ahead at the penultimate mark and held on for the race win.
Thursday's race started after a 4 hour postponement and was held in the worst wind the Solent can offer as the Northerly gradient battled with the sea breeze giving 180 degree windshifts and leaving huge holes. Light & Beefeater navigated the tricky conditions best finishing 20 minutes in front of the next Sigma 38s. Light took the win by 40 seconds and became the 5th race winner in 6 races.
Cowes week - Beefeater siezes the initiative....
with 2 outstanding bullets on Monday and Tuesday
On Monday's race Beefeater pulled out a commanding lead on the first beat against the tide along the mainland shore but were gradually reeled in by the chasing pack. On the last spinnaker leg With Alacrity moved into first but Beefeater retook the lead at the finish. With Alacrity & Red Macaw both took time penalties promoting Pavlova III to 2nd place.
There was a long delay for Tuesdays race waiting for the wind to fill in but in the end an excellent short race was held in 15 knots. Beefeater and With Alacrity swapped the lead several times with Red Macaw in close attendance but Beefeater were ahead by 7 seconds at the finish for another well deserved win.
This is proving to be the closest Cowes week in years with just a few points separating the first 4 boats and all to play for in the last 3 races. In the wider IRC class 6 competition Sigma 38s now fill 5 out of the first 6 places.
Cowes Week - First weekend....
Bright sunshine & idyllic 10-15 knots breeze has been the backdrop to an incident packed first weekend of Cowes Week. In race 1 With Alacrity lead the Sigma 38s to the finish but flying a yellow flag for a start line incident meant a 1% time penalty dropped them back to 2nd with Red Macaw taking the win. In race 2 Pavlova III was first home on the water but after protests was disqualified promoting Mefisto to 1st. Red Macaw leads after 2 races by one point over Mefisto but a close chasing pack promises a tight series with all to play for. In the wider IRC class 6 Sigma 38s dominate filling 4 of the first 5 places.
Festina Lente retain Nationals title
Festina Lente showed their class by completing a clean sweep of the inshore series and winning the national championships. Day 3 of the inshore series saw some testing conditions with huge windshifts and 25+ knot gusts. Festina never looked threatened in the first sausage race with Light finishing 2nd just a few metres ahead of With Alacrity. In the coastal race to Lezardrieux Festina and With Alacrity slugged it out on the long broachy spinnaker reach with the lead changing several times before Festina moved ahead to make it 5 wins in a row and wrap up the Nationals title.
With Alacrity finished second overall, Light 3rd & Premier Cru 4th.
Nationals Update.....
Festina Lente go into the final day of the Nationals with a one point advantage after recording three bullets in the inshore series overcoming strong challenges from Light and With Alacrity. The fleet are currently in St Quay after a tricky coastal race from St Malo which finished in a beat along the stunning Brittany coast in 15 knots of wind.
Nationals Race 1....
With Alacrity pulled a surprise win out of the bag in the RORC St Malo offshore race leading the Sigma 38s home to finish 3rd in class 3. After a long upwind leg across the channel with most of the nine Sigma 38s within sight of each other With Alacrity came out on top as the wind shifted west to lead Festina Lente home by 20 minutes, Persephone finished a few minutes later and Light crept across the line as the wind died leaving the rest of the fleet a frustrating drift towards the finish watching the time tick away.
The RORC St Malo race counts double points for the Sigma 38 Nationals which continue with 5 inshore races on the Brittany coast starting Sunday.
Festina shows the way in Round the Island Race 2007
Festina Lente led the 25 Sigma 38s racing in IRC home by 15 minutes winning division 2C in the process, With Alacrity and Light finished 2nd and 3rd a few minutes apart. Incredibly only 5 seconds separated the next 3 boats as Mefisto, Persephone and Pavlova III finished in 4th, 5th & 6th.
Over in the ISC rating division another 5 Sigma 38s were competing, led home by Aquaessence who finished 3rd in division 4C. Well done to everyone who took part in a great day to be out in a Sigma 38 !
Sigma 38s out in force for RORC Morgan Cup....
Sigma 38s continued their strong showing in the RORC offshore season making up one third of the entries in the Morgan Cup IRC class 3. Festina Lente, Persephone and Beefeater finished 2nd, 3rd & 4th respectively which means that Festina, Persephone and No Fear fill the top 3 places in the RORC 2007 class 3 cumulative standings. Check out the results section for more.....
Myth of Malham
Congratulations to Kevin Sussmilch and the crew of Mefisto for their excellent class win in the RORC race to St Quay Portrieux.
For details of the race, full results etc, follow the link to RORC from the links tab on our website.
De Guingand Bowl Class 3 dominated by Sigma 38s
Sigma 38s revelled in the 20+ knot breeze early in the second race of the offshore series and finished filling 5 out of the first 6 places on handicap in IRC class 3. Festina Lente finished 2nd overall missing out on the win by just 95 seconds after 20 hours racing, With Alacrity finished 4th overall a further 4.5 minutes back. Check out the results section for more......
How effective is your radar reflector?
The report commissioned by the Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) investigating the performance of marine radar reflectors has been published on their website - click on the title to open it.
Reach for the Skies
This years Cervantes trophy was 75% reaching. A nice relaxing point of sailing? Not if you want to do well. Click on the title to see if you agree with the author on how to be fast on a reach?
Cervantes Trophy kicks off Sigma 38 Offshore Season
12 Sigma 38s turned out for the RORC Cervantes Trophy Race to Le Harve making up 10% of the 120 yacht entry. A predominantly light air race did not do S38s any favours on handicap but Festina Lente & Persephone finished 10th and 11th overall with just 86 seconds separating them after 21 hours racing. Close finishing was the order of the day with just 90 seconds the gap between No Fear & Costain and 79 seconds splitting Premier Cru & Mustigo II. Check out the results section for more and to see how this effects the Grand Championship standings.
Final IRC4 Race Abandoned!
As in Valencia light winds resulted in the final race of the Warsash Spring Series for IRC4 being abandoned as no boat finished within the time limit. 5 eager Sigma 38s arrived on the start line for the final showdown with the rest of IRC4. The conditions favoured the lighter boats but both Beefeater and Persephone were looking good before the final race was abandoned. The final results for the series include 2 Sigma 38s in the top 4 - not bad for our first introduction to handicap racing! Light is 2nd and Persephone 4th. Congratulations to both these crews and the other 38s who participated in this series. All crews demonstrated how Sigma 38s are a force to be reckoned with!
Meanwhile , in foreign waters.........
Festina Lente sails south to Spi Ouest to have a crack at the French . Does she win ? merdre - .... non!
Read on.
Hot, Hot, Hot!
In temperatures that would have been considered scorching during Cowes Week let alone the Spring Series 7 Sigma 38s battled their way around the shortened course. Despite 38s being one of the heavier boats in IRC4 Persephone managed to pull off 4th place.
Marine Accident Investigation Report
Following the loss of the sailing yacht OUZO and the tragic death of her three crew the MAIB has produced a flyer highlighting safety issues for yachtsmen. The recomendations are crucial to all yachts and are even more pertinent than ever in a Fastnet Year when many of us will be sailing in busy waters. Download the flyer:-
Sigma 38 Lying First overall in IRC4
In strong blustery conditions the Sigma 38s put in another strong performance. In race 3 Light was second, less than a minute behind the Class 4 Winter Series winner. In race 4 Light was second again with Sigma 38 With Alacrity close behing in third. These results mean Light is currently lying first in IRC4 with 2 races to go. Certainly Class 4 must be regretting the inclusion of Sigma 38s!
RACE REPORTS
WE WANT YOURS!
It may well be that you have a good tale to tell about your race during the Spring Series or indeed any other event. If you are experiencing difficulty posting your report of woe and joy please feel free to email them to me and I will post them for you.
Looking forward to the rush…………….
karen.a.goodhew@btinternet.com
IRC 4 overwhelmed by Sigma 38 onslaught
Sigma 38's came 1st and 2nd in the Warsash Spring Series class 4 to-day leaving a previous "Boat of the series " struggling in 3rd . Indeed , if a certain green boat hadnt planted herself on the Brambles in the final moments of the race it would have been 4 out of the top 6.
It just goes to show , if you want close , good standard one design racing as well as the ability to win under IRC - sail a Sigma!
Spring Series Results
Race 3 Results for WSS are now posted. Please note WSS are calling these race 2 on their results pages - but we know what they mean. See you all next week for races 4 and 2.
Race Training Day with Jim Saltonstall
Its time to finalise the entrants for this event - probably the most fun you will have on the water all year! If you are new to Sigmas we have two additional on board coaches to give you a leg up into the fast lane. If you are mid-fleet, get the hints wrinkles and nuances that would otherwise take you years to learn the hard way. If you are already winning you had better be there to protect your slot ! A cheque is required to secure your place. Click on the red link.
RYA Yachtmaster of the Year 2006
Congratulations to our very own class Vice Chairman Philip Meakins for being awarded RYA Yachtmaster of the Year. The Trophy was presented by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal at the London boat show. Philip's enthusiasm, knowledge and encouragement will be familiar to many in the class association as is the view of the transom of his Sigma 38 "Festina Lente" to those who race. Goes to prove that good seamanship and sailing fast can go hand in hand - well done Philip !
Winter Series goes out with a Bang
Week after week , the Hamble River Winter series have conjured up good racing despite dire forecasts . For a while today it looked as if they were going to do it yet again as the 50 knot winds that were blowing at 0600 dropped to 15 and the sun shone. Just as the committee were setting the courses , the wind came back with a vengeance and racing was binned. On Festina we recorded 56 knots surfing down past Stansore point! Good decision boys!
Spot the Shifts
The class were given a masterclass in windshift management by With Alacrity in the 5th race of the Hamble Winter series. With 8-12 knots of warm and very shifty Westerly wind , a clever course gave us plenty of reasons to scratch our heads. Chris Choules and his merry crew got most of it right iand posted an emphatic win.
Rain ? What rain ? Another great race.
It is possible that we had all been a bit too smug about the wonderful weather so far in this series – and if the forecast was to be believed we were going to pay for it to-day with gales and a LOT of rain. Luckily our esteemed race officer did not believe it and managed to squeeze a great little race in 15 knots in between the storms. He didn’t manage to avoid the rain – perhaps he is human after all!
Another day of Champagne sailing
Warm winds , bright sunshine , perfect courses - this was Solent sailing at its very best. Those of us out there couldnt believe our luck - especially when Persephone obligingly stopped for lunch on the Brambles . You read it first here!
Ten ways to Improve your Performance
Cant get the boatspeed up? Fed up with not winning ? You need to spend a squillion quid on sails!
Right? Wrong!
Click on the link and find out how with with just a scrubbing brush and alarm clock you too can get in the chocolates.
Hamble Winter Series benefits from Global Warming
With 9 entries so far the 38's easily maintained their one design start - unlike the 332's and 1720's who appear to be fading into obscurity. And what a start to the series - hot and sunny , just enough wind to be exciting and the kind of courses we have come to expect from this superbly run series. If you have yet to enter - come and join us next week for the best racing of the year.
Sigma 38 Completes Round Britain And Ireland Race
Congratulations to Kieran Jameason and the crew of Changeling on their successful completion of the Seven Stars Round Britain And Ireland Race in 16 days. This is another example of how seaworthy the Sigma 38 is. Many bigger anf more modern designs failed to complete the gruelling course. Kieran is a veteran of many Fastnets and Round Ireland Races in Changeling.
Cowes Week - What a Blast!
The 180 Anniversary of Cowes Week provided fantastic sailing with blustery testing conditions. The Project came 1st with another masterful example of amazing sailing. Rapscallion managed 2nd despite no formbook. Mefisto quickly regained her old form to come in 3rd. Pavlova despite the Navy trying to take her out was 4th. The Hamble based boats Light, With Alacrity and Persephone keeping up their traditional rivalry were 5th, 6th and 7th. Red Macaw who unfortunately lost 1 day due to a prop problem showed us all how well they sail on the East Coast. Degree of Latitude sailing her 1st regatta got into the top 10.
Activities off the water were just as exciting with crews meeting every night to swop tales of the high seas. Well done to everyone who took part and made it certainly one of the best Cowes Weeks ever!
Cowes Week !
Sigma 38s will, once again, be one of the biggest one design entries in Cowes - 17 boats entered! With many boats just back from a very successful showing at Cork Week - it will be another great regatta. Remember you can meet up with other crews from 7:30pm at The Sail for Gold Bar www.sailforgold.co.uk -there will be a bottle of champagne presented every night to the crew who most impresses/amuses the rest of the fleet! On Tues. there will be a fleet barbeque only 15 pounds at Shepherd's Wharf, contact karen.a.goodhew@btinternet.com for details. For those moored on E pontoon, Sigma City we should have an area to off load gear and there will be more ribs/ferries! As usual, it promises to be as much fun off the water as on!
Cork Week Dinner Photographs
Photographs now on results page
Cork Week - International racing with great craic!
Congratulations to Andy Budgen and his crew for pulling off an impressive first in what proved to be a truely international event with Errilannan from Ireland in 2nd, Arbritrator in 3rd, and Sigmos from France in 4th. Well done to to them and everyone else who made the week one to remember! See the results page for overall results and reports on both racing and food fights!
Greetings from Norway!
Greetings from Norway where 38% of women look like Maria Sharapova and the rest are far prettier. The rest of the scenery is equally spectacular.
We had a bit of a bunfight getting here and can tell you that Sigmas sail themselves slowly to windward in 35 knots with an oversheeted storm jib and undersheeted trysail, the wheel locked and the crew safe in their bunks. Just thought you might like to try it at Cork! Depths here average 100m , so can we have the next championships in these waters + we might have less chance of hitting something.
Looking forward to the reports of Cork racing .
Cheers from Festina Lente.
Inshore champs decided on last leg of last race
3 days of the closest possible racing ended with The Project taking the Inshore leg of this years championship on countback.
The weekend looked fated when 2 leaading boats had to scratch because of damage in the preceeding weeks , and another couldnt get round from the east Coast because of the gales. In the event it was a classic piece of one design racing - often inches apart , with the result going down to the wire. Watch out for reports and photos under the results section over the next few days.
ORGANISE YOUR SIGMA 38 SOCIAL LIFE
The 2006/7 Social Calendar is taking shape click here to plan where you need to be to relax after racing, celebrate or commiserate, compare notes on sailing a Sigma 38 and most importantly have loads of fun. See You There!
Come Twilight racing and break up your working week.
Why not join Light and Festina Lente in the HRSC Wednesday evening races This is low key racing with a good social scene in the club afterwards - the ideal way to train up a crew or get rid of your mid week work frustrations. Starts 1840 off Hamble Point every wednesday from 5/4/06. Contact Rob Denning for details - see Committee.
Sad Sigma Sailors do it on their own !
Abandoned by his crew, Festina's skipper has a practice race around the island without helpers , gets thoroughly tied up in string and promises never to swear at the crew again.
Complete News
