Category: News Archive

Oyster’s CEO, David Tydeman, welcomed the 26 yachts, representing 11 nations to the 9th Palma Regatta. As usual there was a very friendly mix of family crews who had never raced before and the crews who had notched up several Regattas.

With such a wide spectrum of boats, it was decided the fleet should be split in to 3 classes and that Superyacht rules be introduced to ensure safe and fun sailing.

The forecast was for the winds to lighten as the Regatta progressed and so it was decided to get racing underway as quickly as possible and complete the series whilst the breeze held. With great race management and the wind gods looking favourably on the fleet the 4 fleet races and the pursuit race enjoyed excellent conditions.

With close racing guaranteed across all 3 fleets, it was going to be a fantastic Regatta.
Whilst each class had a clear winner there were many individual battles to keep everyone on their toes.

The two 885’s topped Class One with Karibu coming out ahead of Clare. Spirit of Phantom sailed consistently to claim 3rd overall and she was always very keen to fly her personalised asymmetric.

In the mid fleet class the Russian entry, Guardian Angel stormed to victory in the first 3 races leaving Rocas and Lady Mariposa to sail for the other podium places. The Brazilian entry, Rocas, claimed the ‘silver medal’ with a neat score of four seconds, but Lady Mariposa proved a point by winning the last race. It was easy to spot this 625 on the race course as she flew her beautifully ornate asymmetric with the butterfly image when ever she could!

Class 3 had the largest number of entries, with the majority of yachts being either a 56 or 575, racing was always going to be very tight. The 575 Zaybo sailed wonderfully to take three first and a second, she probably would have had a perfect score if they had not touched the top mark in race 2. Filling the other podium spots were the still very competitive 56’s of Cat B and Rock Oyster. Dolphin Sails boats filled the to 5 positions.

The now traditional Regatta finale, the Pursuit Race, adds to the Race Officers pressure to ensure start times are spot on and boats are all closely bunched when the two hour time limit expires. One of the early starters, Helen (575) slipped away and sailed very well to claim the coveted prize, but she was closely followed by a group of boats including On Liberty (winners in Grenada!), Acheron and Dama de Noche. Helen had been sailed from the East Coast of the UK just for the Regatta.

The weather and courses were perfect for each boat to set downwind sails for each race. Whilst the snuffer is still the most common form of setting the sail, as we have reported from previous Regattas, the trend for yachts to have either ‘top down’ furlers or coded sail furlers is still growing. Most suppliers have something that is suitable for the whole Oyster range, however the Karver system is the most popular within the fleet. Dolphin have been supplying the Karver systems and specialist torsion cables to many of the boats from the 46 up to the 72 – but they can be used on the Oyster 27 up to the 125! Nearly half of the 575’s afloat have the Karver Top Down furler on board.

The Top Down furler system is easier and safer to set than the snuffer system. The furler allows for a quicker deployment and furl of the sail – this can all be done from the cockpit with the help of a primary winch. It was noticeable that those boats using furlers had their sail set quicker and for longer than those with snuffers.

Despite the Regatta taking place in October the weather was still very good, with plenty of sunshine. After each days racing the crew of Oyster Reach were able to quickly and simply erect their bespoke tensile awning. Having had the awning since June they have used it so much that they can put it up in under 5 minutes. At over 8m long and with mesh side panels it gives brilliant protection from sun (and the one rain shower!). The 885, Clare, enjoyed using her simple but very effective awning that when sailing is stowed in the boom

With boats packed up and crews changed everyone headed off to the prize giving in the beautiful grounds of Cap Rocat.

This was another fabulous Oyster Regatta that proved to be a great success all round. Those who were new to racing certainly got bitten by the bug and plan to be back as often as possible.

Oyster Regattas are supported by Dolphin Sails, Lewmar, Pantaenius Yacht Insurance, Pelagos Yachts, Raymarine and Formula Marine.

Next Regatta – Antigua April 2014.

Blue Beeste wins again

Congratulation to Martin, Charlie and the team on the X332 Blue Beetse for a stunning set of results in the 2013 Haven Series. Ten races were sailed and Beeste performed brilliantly to score 6 wins and a second to convincingly take the top spot. 

 

 

Not long to go before the next two big IRC / local handicap racing events on the East Coast – have you got your entry in yet?

Medway Yacht Club Regatta (Sponsored by Dolphin Sails) starts on Thursday 11th July and runs until the 14th – this is open to IRC rated yachts and local handicap. Lots of great, close racing to be had on the Medway and undoubtedly Neil and his team will have the bar operating at full capacity. 

http://www.medwayyachtclub.com/

 

SailEast 2013 (Sponsored by Dolphin Sails) The second round of racing takes place as part of the Felixstowe Regatta over the weekend of 13th / 14th July. There will be 4 races with the best three counting towards SailEast. The X35 ‘Kiss’ one the first event but could you do better!

The overall winner of SailEast 2013 will receive a £1000 vouchure to use against a new Dolphin race sail. 

http://saileast.org/events/

 

Congratulations to Lady Mariposa and Vamos for their great results in the round the island race

 

1st Overall – ISC Rating Div 4A – Lady Mariposa

6th Overall – ISC Rating Div 4A – Vamos

 

Dreamer of Hamblewins the 31st Regatta.

20 Oysters arrived in the beautiful setting of Grenada for the 31st Regatta. This is a popular destination for Oysters with its great facilities and truly wonderful sailing conditions.

The flags of 5 nations proudly flew from the sterns as crews got to work with the chamois and polish for the Concours d’Elegance. With boats shinning brightly, owners and skippers headed to the briefing to hear about th eplans for the week.

Tuesday – Race One – Sponsored by Dolphin Sails
Start – Port Louis; Finish – Le Phare Bleu

The Dolphin Sails sponsored Race One started on time and in perfect conditions. The boats were treated to sunshine and 20kts. Class Two were first away and it was the two 575’s (Sophistikate and Dreamer of Hamble

) that went around the first mark together. Sophistikate just had the edge and both crews had to work hard on the reach down to Point Salines. Dreamertried various moves but couldnt do enough to pass the leading boat. From Point Salines it was a beat to the finish, Dreamer edged passed her rival and sailing a more offshore course Sarabi gained on both 575’s to win the class by just under a minute. All three boats are powered by Dolphin DYS Dyneema laminate sails.

It was even closer in Class One between the big boats. Matawai (655) sneaked through to win by just 3 seconds from Starry Night. In a very credible 3rd place was the husband and wife team on board Bill & Me

Wednesday – Race Two – Sponsored by Pelagos Yachts
Start – Le Phare Blue; Finish Port Louis

The course for Race Two was the reverse of the previous day. It started with a 2 mile beat, followed by a run down to Point Salines before a reach up to the finish. A number of boats opted to take the extra rating and fly their asymmetrics. It was a lovely sight as an array of colour, enhanced with some boats having logos on the sails.

In Class One Starry Night romped home winning by over 14 minutes on corrected time. Part of her success was down to the fact that she was able to fly the assy of the spinnaker pole allowing for a deeper sailing angle and therfore a shorter distance to Point Salines. Again, more than matching the race teams on board other boats was Bill & Me, she took 2nd place ahead of the 82 Rivendell

Class Two – Dreamer of Hamble got away to a flier and never looked back, she sailed the 2 mile beat perfectly and then poled out the headsail to ensure she made the corner in one at Point Salines finishing the race to record a very comfortable win. Sarabi also opted to go ‘white sails’ only – sailing the shorter distance allowed her to nip in front of a number of boats before th ereach up to the last mark. On the reach each boat worked hard to the sound of creaking sheets and whirling winches. Sarabi held of the 575 Sophistikate, 56 Stardust of Burnham and the Scottish crew on Jigsaw

Friday – Race Three – Sponsored by Lewmar

Start / Finish – Port Louis

The fleet was set a challenging course just outside the harbour, the gusty and shifty conditions kept the crews working hard

In Class Two it was not a case of how you started but how you finished. Chris Glossop time dthe start wrongly leaving Dreamer to be the last to cross the start line but with the boat speed he has shown in the previous two races he climbed through the fleet to take line honours and the win on handicap. The fight for second was intense, the 575 Sophistikate just edged ahead of Sarabi by 23 seconds.

Iw was so close in Class One that Matawai and Starry Night could not be separated on corrected time. Rivendell who had been one of the few boats to opt for downwind sails finished 3rd.

Saturday – Race Four – Sponsored by Raymarine
Start / Finish – Port Louis

With a perfect 20kt breeze a short course was set which would allow enough time in the afternoon for the fun pursuit race.

Yet again Class Two got away to a great start. Most boats opted for the Committe Boat end but it was the team on Dreamer who went for the pin and poled out the headsail. Sarabi and Sophistikate battled hard for the remaining podium place. By just 12 seconds Sophistikate took 2nd from the very consistent Sarabi. In fact Harvey, Sue ans Alice were never placed outside the top 3.

In Class One the three 82’s had a great tussle, Rivendell sailed a wonderful race to take the gun, but on corrected time Starry Night just pipped her and Ravenous II was only 13 seconds behind to claim 3rd.

Saturday – Pusuit Race – Prizes by Sailkote Plus

With the Class trophies all decided there was one more chance for boats to do battle and claim the chance for a free Sailkote Plus treament for a sail. Chief Race Officer, David Tydeman, set each boat off at their carefully calculated alloted time with the intention of a two hour race. On Liberty sailed perfectly to over take the early starters and hold off the challenge of the big boats.

Overall it was a magnificent Regatta, superbly organised and set in the beautiful location of Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marine. Many congratulations go to the expertly sailed Dreamer of Hamble, helmed by owner Chris Glossop and crewed by the young team from Ireland.

The adventure of a lifetime kicked off in grand style. 28 beautiful Oyster’s lined up in the perfect 20kt breeze off the start line in Antigua. 

Over the next 16 months we will keep you up to date on their progress. We will share their experiences of sail choice and what what covers they are finding most useful. We will bring you details of the Karver Top Down furler systems, twin headsail systems, storm sails and the wide variety of awnings and covers that the boats have chosen to protect themselves and enhance their circumnaigation.

First stop will be Panama where the fleet will gather before transiting the canal in convoy. 

 

 

World Cruising Club 2012

The 2012 ARC will be starting on Sunday 25th November from Las Palmas, preparations for the 2700 mile crossing are nearly complete. Over 230 boats are expected on the start line and we are pleased to say a lot will be powered by Dolphin sails. Dolphin has supplied sails and covers to the majority of the 24 Oysters who are crossing, plus the 12 that set off earlier this month independently. In addition to all the Oysters there will be ‘Heartbeat IV’ (Dufour 45e) and ‘Sirius’  a 55′ ketch taking part. 

As always there has been much discussion regarding downwind sail settings. For the Oysters there has been a good mixture of twin headsail systems and asymmetrics chosen. The Karver top down furler has also proven to be very popular. It is very reliable and easy to deploy from the safety of the cockpit. 

We wish all the crews a fun and safe trip – we look forward to following their progress via the trackers and various blogs!

 

Contact Jon Sturmer for further details. 

 

 

 

Palma – Another Classic Regatta

26 Oysters flying the flags of 9 nations gathered in Palma for the 30th Oyster Regatta and the 8th to be hosted by Real Club Nautico.

Sponsored by our friends at Lewmar, Race One saw the fleet set off in the rain and gusty conditions for the 20 mile race around to the picturesque town of Andraitx. 

After a short windward leg, most boats set asymmetrics and headed for the finish. Racing was tight and a number of gybing duals took place. 

Rounding the top mark was simple for the Oyster 66 Goodwins. At the beginning of the summer she took delivery of her new Dolphin asymmetric sail and Karver Top Down furling system. Having practised earlier in the summer and learnt the few tricks necessary she quickly hoisted the furled sail and unfurled it. In a blink of an eye Goodwins had a filled sail and was taking time out of her competitors. She went on to claim second in Class One just behind the very well sailed 72, AlbertOne3. 

The Oyster fleet have been at the forefront of taking advantage of the benefits that the Top Down furlers offers. Owners and crews are seeing the benefits of a system that is simple to store, easier to deploy, reliable and easy to use as the furling can all be done from the saftey of the cockpit.

In Class Two a gybing dual ensued between Sarabande and Light Lana – two 54’s. It was very close all the way with Light Lana finishing just 11 seconds behind Sarabande.

After the wet start to the day the sun finally came out and the fleet enjoyed a private wine tasting at the nearby Santa Catarina Bodegues Cellar.

The return trip to Palma was a lively affair. In lumpy conditions the wind built to 30+ knots at times. The testing conditions were no match for the Oyster fleet and apart from a few minor issues the boats revelled in the conditions.

In Class One Billy Budd got off to a flier, she hit the line at a full speed and didn’t look back. Her Italian crew worked her hard and this paid off to claim well deserved line honours. Billy Budd is one of the most widely travelled Oysters with adventures around the globe recorded in a fabulous book that includes many stunning photos.

3rd in Class One and sailing a very good race were the German team on board the 655, Anabasis. 

Class Two was again won by Sarabande, however she was pushed very hard by the 53 from Sweden, Lisanne and Light Lana.

Race Three was sponsored by Dolphin Sails, the course was set around the bay in the shadow of the magnificent Cathedral. With more wind than forecast the Race Officer was busy trying to keep track of each boats down wind sail declarations. Initially the fleet were opting for ‘coloured’ sails but as the breeze developed to a steady 20+kts the VHF was conjested with boats urgently changing options.

With cruiisng chutes now stowed, the fleet got off to a cracking start. Satika was first away but was soon under pressure from the larger 72’s and 82’s. Sadly gear failure prevented Satika from competing for an overall victory. The custom 82 Starry Night sailed on to take line honours and the win on handicap. 

It was the usual battle in Class Two between Light Lana and Sarabande, but on this occassion they were joined by the 56 Magic Spirit. In a close finish Sarabande scored her 3rd win, followed by Light Lana and then the Swiss team of Magic Spirit.

With just enough time for one more race, a box course was set up in the bay for the end of regatta pursuit race. With a projected 2 hour time limit the staggered start got underway. The slower boats fought hard to keep the big boys behind them. With clean air the early starters got away and despite a masive wind shift in the final 20 minutes that favoured the bigger boats Gaia held onto to win the much prized Pursuit Trophy and in fact she led a British 123!

Overall the windy conditions served as a good test for the boats embarking on the Oyster World Rally. From everyone at Dolphin we would like to wish them well on what is going to be a great adventure. 

Next stop is Antigua in early January for the start of the World Rally and then it will be back in the Caribbean for Regatta number 31 in the fantastic setting of Grenada.