Brass Monkey Trophy at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club

Light winds for the Brass Monkey Trophy at Leigh-on-Sea © Graeme Sweeney / Yachts & Yachting

Light winds for the Brass Monkey Trophy at Leigh-on-Sea © Graeme Sweeney / Yachts & Yachting

Mark Barnes and Pete Nicholson win the Brass Monkey Trophy at Leigh-on-Sea © Graeme Sweeney / Yachts & Yachting

Boxing Day Splendor at Leigh-on-Sea

The 41st Brass Monkey and with 21 classes represented, this one had the potential to go down to the wire.

With the forecast 12 knots not materializing and patchy light breeze, but with sunny weather, the fleet would be in for a nail biting race. The course was to be a trapezoid and so offer plenty of interest to those strolling along the promenade.

With SW breeze and flood tide, several boats were over at the start but Musto Skiff Blue Marine (Dan Henderson), Stealth 16 (John Alani) and RS400 916 (Colin Walker and Nick Range), were the first to get away from the pin end. Up the first beat it was the Stealth and RS400 followed by B14 Seavolution/Blue Marine (Mark Barnes/Pete Nicholson) having passed the ISOs and RS200s.

Further down the fleet the Laser Radials and Toppers were sailing well with a potential upset on the cards.

Down the first tight reach, the Stealth led with the RS400 and Seavolution/Blue Marine neck and neck at mark 2, Seavolution/Blue Marine rolled the RS400 on the gybe, releasing Seavolution/Blue Marine to chase the Stealth.

Back in the fleet, Blue Marine was working its way through from 6th hotly pursued by RS800 1099 (Daniel Hare/Jamie Hare). These two were to remain in close proximity till the end of lap 4.

With the breeze building throughout the race and though the faster boats were starting to excel and lap the slow handicap boats, it was not looking good for the quicker boats.

Merlin Rocket 3564 (Charles Davenport/L Caine) were starting to make their presence with the shifting breeze, keeping close to the dogfight going on between the ISOs and RS400 led by ISO 1185 (Lloyd Walker/Andy Middleton).

As the race closed out, the breeze had risen to force 2. The Stealth led but had been kept in the sites of the Seavolution/Blue Marine and with Blue Marine, just astern. These three cleared the gate at the end of lap 4 prior to the closer time and in doing so, ended up doing an extra lap, which was to work to their benefit.

At the finish, the Stealth led followed by Seavolution/Blue Marine and Blue Marine but in the mid fleet, there had been some big performances by RS200s 387 (John Charles/Hannah Charles) and 994 (David Appleton/Nathan Thomas), three Laser Radials of Mathew, Michael and Nicholas Rivers and Topper of Graham Rivers.

However, the faster boats were to prevail with B14 Seavolution/Blue Marine having managed to hold off Musto Skiff Blue Marine to win the Brass Monkey with Merlin Rocket 3564 in third.

The race was well run with all competitors enjoying the sunny conditions and with the club’s hospitality, had been a good day for all. With the Frozen Sheets at Thorpe Bay on 29th December and the Grafham Grand Prix the following day, the winter’s Pursuit/Handicap races are set to be hard fought through the winter.

Overall Results: