2024 12 Hour Overnight Race Round Up

Published 17:21 on 23 Jun 2024

On a warm summer's evening, 12 eager sailors, armed with snacks a plenty and some delightful dinners rigged up an Enterprise, Comet Versa and Wayfarer for the annual 12 hour overnight race at Ely. We went for a simple course with an A line start, up to 5, 4, 3, 6, 2, 1 and back through a gate to make lap counting in the wee hours a little easier. With some shifting wind overnight, it became a very gyby course but thankfully the wind was gentle to us sleepy sailors.

The start was a little delayed whilst minor boat repairs were undertaken and teams sorted but at a little after 18.30, three boats crossed the start almost in unison for their first lap.

All 3 sailed in close quarters for the first few laps with some impressive simultaneous gybing. After a few laps, the Enterprise, with Alan and Tamara taking the first stint, were out in front, and Phil and Alayne kept up the lead when they took their turn at the helm, albeit with some interesting tacking styles due to it being a while since sailing a transom rigged boat!

The Comet Versa and Wayfarer battled it out in close competition for a good few hours, with lots of windward boat calls and some definite wind pinching! A special mention to Jon and Joanna who managed to sail the Wayfarer a good while with a snapped tiller extension

Well into the evening as the sky held on to the last few colours of the evening, Jack, Joanna and Jon made a potentially wise decision to call it a night, having kept up with the Versa on laps for a good few hours.

As the sun set, the wind became even more fickle, switching from South to West and sometimes even East! Throughout the night, the Enterprise brigade managed to keep the lead on the Versa whilst bailing out a somewhat soggy boat (the Enterprise may need some slight repairs) but not without some impressive sailing from Steve, Ian, Erik, Kitty, Steve and Catherine, who spent much time making the Enterprise work hard for their position! Eventually, the moon came out of hiding and the Enterprise and Versa sailed in the beautiful moonlight across the lake with the deers, birds and other wildlife making for a spectacular night.

On land, there were smores, cake and tea a plenty to keep the happy sailors going and a fire for some warmth as the evening chill set in. There were some tents pitched but perhaps only our younger sailors Erik and Kitty managed some shut eye after sailing up until nearly 3am, as dawn started to break.

Despite only 2 or 3 boats on the water, much of the evening was spent in very close competition... but the Versa didn't quite gain enough on the Enterprise and at the end of the 12 hours, the Enterprise finished on 43 laps to the Versa's 35 - even once handicaps were applied, it was close but no banana, for the Comet Versa team.

Boats packed away, it was time for a sleepy lock up and home for a sleep in the sunshine!

A big well done to all for the impressive racing with everyone managing to stay awake, make the course despite one or two failures in bouy visibility and avoid bumps and, most importantly, stay smiling!

https://www.sailwave.com/results/escovernight.htm

1st Place: Enterprise (Alan, Tamara, Phil & Alayne)

2nd Place: Comet Versa (Ian, Steve, Kitty, Erik, Steve and Catherine)

3rd Place: Wayfarer (Jon, Joanna, Steve and Jack)

Last updated 10:33 on 18 August 2024