Croeso – Welcome to Plas Heli and the Spinlock IRC Welsh Championships, incorporating the Celtic Regatta.
Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club in conjunction with ISORA has led the way in North Wales, with a considered and steady return to keelboat racing, post the Covid Pandemic lockdown, with three well supported club races and two ISORA offshore events.
Both forms of racing having a careful regard to Welsh Government Regulations, and recommendations made by our sport governing body - RYA Cymru Wales.
It’s important to note that there are hugely differing regulations across the four home nations, and different again to our neighbours across the Irish Sea in Ireland.
For Wales there are regulations around interactions between households, with social distance remaining at 2m between multiple households, in any outdoor or indoor venue, and the number of households who can “exercise” together using their chosen sport remains at two. (of course, a household can be “extended” by joining another household, this can only be done once. This allows more people to interact without 2m distancing)
A recent change for us to consider, is the numbers of people that can participate in an “event” which is capped currently at 30 and the number that can gather at a venue. However crucially, in an “event there can be multiple households participating, but must maintain 2m distance protocols
So, where does this leave us? After much debate and taking advice from RYA CW and our partners Plas Heli and the Royal Dee Yacht Club, and discussing all the constraints imposed, we assessed that during an organised activity (event) that multiple households could sail together but must maintain 2m physical distancing. In addition, using “extended” households could be helpful to increase crew number without 2m distancing. However, recognising that not all boat owners could “extend” households, having potentially already taken this step with elderly relatives for example, we took the decision to limit crew numbers, as many other organisations (such as JOG, RORC) have done using the following formula:
IRC Fleets: Half the IRC rating crew number (rounded down) and add 1
NHC Fleets: LOA < 9m 3 crew > 9m 4 crew
IRC -
Royal Dee Yacht Club
Link to web site here
The Royal Dee Yacht Club was founded in 1815 as the Dee Yacht Club and is the second oldest yacht club in the UK. On November 1st 1847 the Club was accorded Royal Patronage to become The Royal Dee Yacht Club.
Charlie Jones, Commodore of The Royal Dee Yacht Club said 'The Royal Dee Yacht Club is very pleased to be working with and associated with PSC on this Regatta : a top class sailing event in a wonderful Bay ideal for quality racing, with competition from Scotland , Ireland , England , Wales and beyond. I look f forward to seeing you at the Regatta.'
Pwllheli Sailing Club
More here shortly
The Welsh National sailing Academy and Event Centre
The venue for the IRC Welsh National Championship since ...... more here shortly
Dear Visitor
The Welsh IRC Welsh Championships 2020, is scheduled to take place from Friday August 14th to Sunday August 16th. Despite the current restrictions, work is continuing from home on all of the organisational aspects of the championships, and we remain committed to running the event if at all possible.
Stephen Tudor - Championship Secretary said - “We continue to move forward with plans for the event and remain hopeful that by the time we get to mid-August - still four months' away - the necessity to socially distance ourselves will have reduced sufficiently so that we can run some great boat racing in Pwllheli, following an ISORA race over from Dún Laoghaire“
Planned Classes
In addition to our traditional two IRC classes and NHC cruiser class, we have added a new class for 2020, an offshore/coastal class racing coastal courses under IRC. This class will aim to race 20-35 mile courses, and the Saturday race will incorporate both the King Constantine Cup (a club race) and the Postponed ISORA coastal race, part of the Welsh Coastal series.
Should Government restrictions and guidance change, we can adapt some our our classes and racetrack styles, switching on or off various components with the minimum of lead time, and allowing us significant leeway - perhaps until the mid July - before we need to make any big decisions.
The safety of participants and volunteers working behind the scenes is foremost in our minds of course, but providing that we can run an event that complies with all guidance in place at the time, then we fully intend to do so. I suspect there will be a lot of sailors desperate to get boats on the water by August!
Notice of Race (NOR)
The Notice of Race is published online at the championship website www.ircwelshchamps.com and further details regarding the coastal class will be added when we have more clarity, but will certainly be confirmed in the SI’s, scheduled to be published by July.
The entry procedure is open for all classes, and camper-van bookings can be made via the Plas Heli website. See Camping booking details here.
Any boat owners requiring accommodation locally, or who have any questions or suggestions relating to the planning of the championships, please reply to this email or contact
Social
We have a great social plan arranged, with a hog roast and local live bands on the deck as we come off the water, and this will be tweaked as we get a better idea of how the event will look.
We all look forward to a great long weekend of racing on Tremadog Bay and to welcoming you all to our sailing club and event centre.
Hwyl - Good Sailing
Mark Thompson
Rear Commodore
Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club
- The Notice of Race is now published here -
Please Note Amendments :
- Notice of Race:
Introduction, 2.3 and 5.5 amended to remove reference to YTC and revert to NHC Progressive
8.9 removed
10.3 – time changed from 16:00 to 16:30.
- Sailing Instructions:
1.3, 5.2 amended to read NHC progressive instead of YTC
The 2020 Spinlock IRC Welsh National Championship will be hosted at the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre in Pwllheli.
The dates are Friday 14th August to Sunday 16th August 2020
The Notice of Race wil be available here shortly
Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club in conjunction with the Royal Dee Yacht Club, were once again delighted to have the opportunity to host the Spinlock IRC Welsh National Championships, as part of our 2019 Celtic Regatta, and Welsh leg of the RC35 class Celtic Cup. We welcomed boats from all the Celtic nations, and the event started with a reception in Plas Heli on Thursday evening hosted by the Commodore of Pwllheli Sailing Club, Jane Butterworth, in glorious sunshine on the Plas Heli deck.
Race day 1 - with 20 kt winds and showers forecast, the race management team layed a simple windward leeward course, and racing got underway as scheduled. For the first race the weather held with a steady 20kts of breeze from the south west giving a choppy sea, but fine racing conditions, allowing our Celtic visitors to put their stamp on the event very early in IRC 1, with First 35 Triple Elf (Christine and Robin Murray) taking first by 3 seconds corrected from J133 Spirit of Jacana (Alan Bruce and James Douglas) with J109 Jings (Robin Young) taking third. It was clear at this early stage that these well drilled regatta boats were going to dominate IRC 1 and push the top IRC 2 boats for the overall title.
J125 - Jackknife photo by Andy Green - green sea photography
In IRC 2 J97 Injenious (Mike Crompton and Graham Hallsworth) took the first race ahead of 2018 Welsh IRC champion Ian McMillan, sailing Impala Checkmate with Andrew Miles J35 Sidetrack third.
IRC 4 sailed one round the cans race with some close racing, with the win going to Mark Willis in Rodmar, with Alan Barton, Induna just behind.
The second race in IRC 1 and 2 started as scheduled with darkening sky’s to the South West and with most of the fleet on the beat, a very intense squall whipped up, with winds up to 37kts and torrential rain in zero visibility! with many boats reefing down, it was survival mode for a while. After 10 mins the fleet emerged through the other side, and finished the race before heading back to the Plas Heli pontoons, and a welcome pint! Great chat in the bar, with Andy Greens photos on the big screen, and crews claiming ever increasing wind strength as the evening drew on! It was a great day of racing though, which every one enjoyed, and race 2 was won in IRC 1 by Spirit of Jacana, IRC 2 by Injenious.
Daily Prizegiving was sponsored by Partington Marine, with jugs of beer and followed by a Barbeque. During prizegiving the race management team informed the competitors that regrettably racing would be cancelled on the Saturday, due to a deep low with forecast winds of 30-40kts in the race area. This was the same weather system that lead to the first day of Cowes week being abandoned. Our visitors took the opportunity to explore the Llŷn Peninsula and enjoy the live music in Plas Heli, with Jac Dobson a’r band delivering a great early doors set during the late afternoon.
Race Day 3 dawned brightly with North Westerly winds of 10-15 kts giving flat water and excellent racing conditions, and glorious views of the stunning Llŷn peninsula and Snowdonia. For IRC 1 and 2 four races were held, with up to four laps of a short windward leeward course. The starts were crucial, and the two RC35 class boats were giving a master class in starting. J125 Jacknife and J133 Spirit of Jacana, both higher rated boats having to push hard to get ahead of the J109 and First 35 from Scotland, and with the short legs not able to take significant advantage downwind, particularly from the boats flying symmetric spinnakers. Great racing though with some interesting interpretation of the racing rules at some of the mark roundings! The results of all four races in both IRC 1 and 2 were again dominated by the Irish and Scottish visiting boats, with Triple Elf able to discard one race due UFD
In IRC 4 the cruisers raced two races around the cans from a bridge start and again the four boats racing today had two great races and were all very closely matched. Scored using NHC, with Induna (Alan Barton) taking race 1 and Rodmar (Mark Willis) race two . This resulted in Rodmar winning this class overall from Induna, with Roger Fitzgerald racing Dehler 29 Ella Trout 3 with his grandchildren third.
J97 InJenious - IRC Welsh Champions - photo by Andy Green - Green Sea Photography
The results in IRC 1 and 2 took a little bit of time to clarify with ratings having to be double checked, but finally the results could be announced. The daily prize giving was sponsored by Rowlands Marine Electronics, with jugs of beer and glassware presented to day 3’s race winners.
The overall prizegiving was sponsored by Firmhelm Marine who donated some great prizes, with MD Simon Butterworth drawing two boat names out of a hat to present Dubarry deck shoes and a gift voucher.
In IRC 1 the overall winner was confirmed as J133 Spirit of Jacana (Alan Bruce and James Douglas) on count back from First 35 Triple Elf (Christine and Robin Murray) with fellow RC35 class member J109 Jings third.
In IRC 2 local boat J97 Injenious (Mike Crompton and Graham Hallsworth) took first ahead of 2018 champion Checkmate (Ian McMillan) with Sidetrack (Andrew Miles) third.
IRC 4 results were as above with Rodmar (Mark Willis) presented with the Royal Dee cruiser class trophy
The overall Spinlock IRC Welsh National Champion was announced as J97 “Injenious” just one point less overall than “Spirit of Jacana”, and presented with the 2019 Spinlock trophy and voucher.
Spirit of Jacana - first in IRC 1 - photo by Andy Green - green sea photography
Overall Spinlock IRC Welsh National Championship Winner - Graham Hallworth inJenious - photo by Gerallt Williams CHPSC Vice Commodore
The full results are available here
Many thanks to the race officers Mike Butterfield and Robin Evans, scorer Jack Thompson, and the organisation team including Sarah Pemberton and Richard Tudor. Thanks to Jo Thompson and Gerallt Williams for organising the prizegiving, and Heidi Bakewell and staff of Plas Heli for the bar and catering. Our thanks also to Derek Matthews and the RDYC team on the Committee Boat and Charlie Jones Commodore of the Royal Dee Yacht Club for his kind words at the Prize-Giving.
Boat Photos
Andy Greens photographs are available on his web site - www.greensea.zenfolio.com and a small selection on our Gallery here
Many thanks to Andy for his hard work on Friday in challenging conditions, and even finding time to video the squall!
This completed another great championship, taking the best advantage of the weather windows, with the management team announcing next years regatta dates as 14-16th August 2020
Hwyl - Good Sailing
Mark Thompson
Rear Commodore
Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club
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