Frensham Pond SC - South East Phantom Open 2024

by Nick Mason 22 Apr 11:52 BST

After a hiatus of some years the Phantom Fleet returned to Frensham Ponds SC for the first event in the South East Area 2024 Phantom Series. The event was sailed in memory of Tim ‘The Pieman’ Hemsley  with the 11 entries competing for ‘The Pieman Platter’.

Conditions were lively to say the least with 15 gusting 20 knots of a cold north easterly wind throughout the day. Four races were scheduled sailed around the nine marks dotted around the lake which proved to be a difficult navigation exercise for some competitors.

Race one started in gusty and shifting conditions. Some (most) of the competitors failed to notice the change of course on the committee boat and despite the instructions provided by the Race officer and a lead boat most of the fleet headed off in the wrong direction. Local sailor Justin Philipps followed the lead boat to the first mark but over excitement about leading the fleet and a ninety degree wind shift soon ended his euphoria with Justin taking a swim that forced his retirement. For one hour and ten minutes the fleet chased each other around the course with close racing and the lead changing hands on a number of occasions with Dave Royse from Ranelagh SC sailing a boat borrowed from his father taking the honours.

Race two was much of the same, a race length of nearly and hour, gusty winds and big shifts with  multiple position changes across the fleet with local sailor Rob Ahlheid taking the victory just prior to the lunch break.

With the gusty and shifting conditions a number of the competitors called it a day after lunch but eight boats set out to complete in the final two races. Race 3 once again went to Dave Royse from Ranelagh SC.

With the final race of the day a number of entrants could still win the event. Close racing ensued across the fleet with three boats being a bit over enthusiastic at the start and called OCS by the Race Officer. Again, gusty conditions prevailed with Simon Bond another local sailor taking the win.

• Dave Smith in the North, a compact series with some new venues to tempt you all to travel.
• Jim Hopton in the Midlands has produced a six event series, with many of the old favourites including the Inland Championships at Northampton SC in June.
• Jon Rickard our South West rep has selected some stunning locations. Who wouldn’t want to sail on the sea down in the West Country !
• Chris Shelton’s pick for the South East has a combination of three sea and two inland events to test the different skills needed for both.
• Finally Bill Taylor and Warren Martin have worked hard to produce the biggest regional series consisting of seven events, with many of the old favourites in the Eastern Region.

• Phantom North Opens 2024
• Phantom South East Open 2024
• Phantom Eastern Opens 2024
• Phantom South West Opens 2024
• Phantom Midlands Opens 2024

 

Future Phantom National Championship Events  

• 2024 - Sunderland Y.C. Sunderland. - 6th, 7th & 8th September

Discussions are continuing with Sunderland Y.C. to refine the details of this year’s Nationals in September. An experienced club PRO has been nominated for the series and the hunt for event sponsors is well underway.

As and when firm details have been agreed between the Club and our Class Association, including entry process and pricing, accommodation etc. these will be shared to you all in the coming months.

------

Looking further ahead, our rolling Nationals programme continues to evolve and I am pleased to say that we have now secured firm venues up to and including 2027. Previously, some of these locations had been talked about, but no firm commitment from either our Class Association or potential clubs had been made. It’s great that we can now move forward with the following firm commitments.

• 2025 - Hooe Point S.C. Plymouth. - 19th, 20th & 21st September

We are very pleased to be have agreed with Hooe Point S.C. our Nationals in Plymouth which is now a firm booking. The growing fleet in the south west region have been keen to promote their patch and are very excited to be hosting the 2025 Nationals. The last time the Phantoms held a Nationals at Plymouth was 1995, so it’s long overdue !

We’re in good company in 2025 as the J24 Worlds are booked in for the first half of September, hence our slightly later date.

Hooe Point S.C. has evolved since the loss of Mayflowers SC and are the only dinghy club to be sailing in Plymouth Sound. Based at the Mount Batten Centre the club has fantastic facilities with great and easy launching, 30 accommodation rooms, 25+ camper van spaces onsite (with electric hook up) and camping less than a mile away.

For any non sailors, spectator viewing from nearby Jennycliff provides panoramic views of the race course with the Barbican and Plymouth via a water taxi for some of retail therapy !

I think this absolutely ticks all the boxes of your ‘Nationals criteria’ from our recent survey.

------

• 2026 - Tenby S.C. Tenby - 4th, 5th & 6th September *

Some of our longer standing Phantom sailors (old gits) will recall our previous visit to Saundersfoot, South Wales in 2003 just down the road from Tenby. Tenby is not a venue I’ve ever sailed or visited but believe it’s a great seaside venue with sandy beaches and fantastic open sea sailing. The club is a popular venue for classes holding their national championships, so much so it’s booked up until 2030 !

As a tourist destination the town itself provides ample accommodation and local camping. So out of season it will be a great time to visit South Wales. “Croeso i gymru.”

* In discussion with the club to secure the dates and paying a deposit, it transpires that Tenby hold an annual ‘Ironman’ event every September. This effectively closes the town down and would make it impossible to run our Nationals on the same dates. The club will not know the Ironman dates until 12 months before (September 2025) Our dates are therefore provisional and may move to the 11th-13th September to fit with the Ironman event. Watch this space for a firm date announcements.

- So at this stage don’t book your accommodation !!

PS If you want to enter the ‘Ironman’ event as a warm up to our nationals let me know !

------

• 2027 - Castle Cove S.C. Weymouth - 3rd, 4th 5th September **

Weymouth, the home of our aspiring Olympic hopefuls at WPNSA is just across the water from Castle Cove S.C. What better place to hold our nationals and rub shoulders with the best of the best !

One of ‘the’ classic UK venues providing great open sea sailing or the flexibility of the more sheltered waters inside the habour. Castle Cove SC offers great facilities and the benefit of local accommodation and camping/campervan sites very close by. The last time the Phantom’s visited Weymouth for a national championships was the year of the Queens Silver Jubilee back in 1977.

Some of the fleet weren’t even a twinkle in the eye back in the 70’s, but some of us will remember top of the chart hits like ‘Stayin alive’ by the Bee Gees and ‘YMCA’ by the Village People. I can feel a song coming on, those were the days …….

So it will be fantastic to be back sailing on the Jurassic coastline and enjoying the amazing waters off Weymouth.

** A booking has been made with Castle Cove S.C. But club policy dictates that due to it being over three years away the booking is classed as ‘provisional’ and will be upgraded to a firm booking nearer the time.

- So at this stage don’t book your accommodation !!

------

• 2028 – Eastern Venue - to be confirmed

The Class Association are keen to rotate our national championship around the country, endeavoring to locate venues in every region. (Accepting that could be difficult for the Midlands ! )

Looking at the above programme the East Region is definitely next in line in 2028.

Currently, contacts have been made with numerous clubs across the region suitable to host a national championships. There’s lots of old favorites in the land where the Phantom was born, so watch this space for news out there and if you want to suggest any particular venue, you’ll have to bend my ear when you see me on the circuit.

It’s a long time off but let’s keep the programme rolling. From experience the best venues get booked up well in advance !

Mike Webster

Events Officer

--------------------------------------

Phantom Eastern Region 2023 in review

by Warren Martin 5 Nov 17:11 GMT

Well, that's a wrap. What a great year we have had in the East having 'phun' in Phantoms. Over the course of the year, 31 competitors took to the water over six events hosted up and down our beautiful East Coast.

The racing took place on rivers, reservoirs and ponds, with each event hosted with aplomb by our great yacht/sailing clubs, where we thank the very kind commodores, race officers, race, safety and galley teams that looked after us so well throughout the season. Unfortunately, our headline sea event at Gorleston was cancelled due to 'inclement' weather, but we hope to make good that visit next year.

Richard Nurse enjoying the gentle patter of wavelets on his hull - Phantom Eastern Series and Smugglers Trophy at Royal Harwich YC - photo © Pavel Kricka

On to the racing. It soon became apparent that this year was a shoot out between top guns Bill "Slayer" Taylor or Billy the bus driver as he is affectionately known, and Richard "Rich" Nurse or "The Titch's Apprentice". Everyone has at least two names on the East coast! These two went at it like bull walruses trading blows in event after event. Billy took Stone and Royal Harwich, whilst Rich dominated the East Coast Championship at the Royal Burnham. Second place wasn't good enough for either of these two aces even though they both had plenty.

The scene was set and the final event at Wavely & Oulton Broad Yacht Club would be the decider, where winner would take all. London Transport intervened and demanded that Billy actually did some work after his professional sailing summer, leaving the door wide open for Rich Nurse to take the spoils or did it? Grand Master Ben Falet once again showed the fleet how to sail in tricky conditions after winning the first event of the season at Ardleigh Reservoir, he dominated the final event with four bullets and two seconds. Even Rich's new white dinghy boots couldn't help as he had to marvel as Ben sailed into the distance in the majority of the races. An event second place for Rich wasn't good enough, an absent Billy would take the spoils.

Creeksea SC Phantom Open - photo © David Chick, Shaun, Graham-Dale Jones, Chris Roberts

What for the minor places? The competition for the last place on the podium was intense with a number of helms able to take third place. Terry Crook had put in a commanding performance at Creeksea, winning the event, and took second place at Stone. Who knows what could have been if he had sailed a few more events. Your author was feeling confident after recently honing his skills on the "Pond of Frustration" in Ardleigh and stepping up his fitness regime. Unfortunately for him, Eric "The Eel" Howe came to the event hungry and put on a fantastic sailing display in his beautiful wooden decked, dropped floor JJ Boats Phantom. Eric took sixth at W&OBYC cementing his well-deserved third place overall - congratulations to the Eel, there is always next year!

I leave my final words for our Champion Billy - our local hero and my co-East Coast Rep. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, I'd like to plagiarise our Phantom Class Editor at Large Mark "Sprucey" Spruce on his comments in his Nationals Runners and Riders article (a must read if you haven't already) "This year Big Bill Taylor from Creeksea is making an appearance. Now a full-time sailor he navigates his Phantom like his red London Routemaster bus - get in his way at your peril!" Congratulations Billy, you are the East Coast Series Champion!!

Bill Taylor wins the Phantom Eastern 2023 - photo © Alan Hanna

Signing off, we look forward to welcoming all East Coast sailors and travellers who would like to sample our hospitality in 2024. Our class is inclusive, it doesn't matter what sort of phantom you sail, it's age or condition. It's been known for our "pit" crew to re-rig boats mid regatta and pass on "the knowledge" of how to sail these magnificent boats faster. If you are lucky, will meet some of our East coast rock star legends: Chris Roberts; Matt House; Graham Dale Jones; Bob Portway and Ben Falet who resemble an aging boy band (more Stones than Take That) and will undoubtably beat you on the water! We have "younger" sailors too, where Terry Crook, Roger Smith and David Nicholls will be happy to show your their transoms. Enjoy your winter sailing wherever you are.

Fair winds,

Warren (aka Thumper, Panther and co-East Coast Rep)

Overall Results:

----------------------------------

Phantom Midland Travellers Open at Burton Sailing Club

by Richard Nurse 13 Oct 16:45 BST8 October 2023

Apologies for missing this one - it was published in Y&Y (but I missed it) - Mike Blunt

The morning of October 8th saw the keen Phantom sailors start arriving at Foremark reservoir for the 2023 Burton Sailing Club, the final event of the Phantom Midland Travellers Trophy.

Unfortunately the wind was not as keen as the sailors. Race Officer Ian Merryfield matched the enthusiasm of the sailors and held his briefing in the sunshine outside the club house at 10:15 as scheduled, but the weather still had not provided the sought after wind, so the decision was taken to hold the fleet ashore until at least one o'clock after lunch.

 Burton SC Phantom Open © Sarah Gay

So the order of the morning was tea and chat. Midday came and went and the fleet enjoyed the lunch. At one o'clock the fleet reconvened and decided to wait just a little longer. At 1:45pm Ian made the call for the fleet to go afloat. At 2:30pm the fleet would be ready for the first start, with most of the fleet assembled at the starboard end, trying not to be over the line in the very light breeze. It would be Adam Froggatt of Chase SC who lead the way round the course, with the breeze building and dropping fairly evenly across the lake.

After a quick reposition of the committee boat the second race would get underway cleanly, and once again it would be Adam that would lead the fleet this time on the windward leeward course.

  Burton SC Phantom Open © Mike Hampton

Unfortunately the wind all but disappeared on the third downwind leg, so the fleet returned for more local hospitality and the prize giving where Adam not only collected the win on the day but the Midland Travellers Series to boot.

Results - Top 10

---------------------------------