Dodjer sails to victory in annual Scarborough Yacht Club Regatta

Sponsored by the Leeds Arms and Luna Park, yacht teams competed for the Overall Regatta Winner Leeds Arms Nicholson Trophy, and Commemorative Plaques for each of the four racing classes.

Maintaining their record as a competitive venue, the club ran four One Design South Bay centred races and three IRC and SYC races per day on Saturday and Sunday.

The One Design races took place as Bay Races, so onlookers from the beach and cliffs saw a striking diagonal image of a line of yachts racing South-East from a point close to the Lighthouse.

The IRC and SYA Class yachts sailed two Bay races and one 16 nautical mile course per day, Saturday to Scalby, Filey and back, Sunday, two laps of Scalby, Wheatcroft and Cayton.

All of these types of day racing stretch skippers and crew, with plenty of course changes, and wind and current varying through proximity to cliffs and ravines on the one hand, and prevailing weather on the other.

Saturday’s wind dropped in the afternoon, which meant that while the One Design achieved all four races with a time extension, only two winning IRC vessels, Dodjer and Revenge reached the Filey Bell, then returned to cross their finishing line opposite the Lighthouse before the 6pm deadline, while the remainder and all slower SYA Class vessels failed to make the deadline and motored back.

Sunday featured a brisker wind and heavier sea-state, and the racing was both harder and more successful, with the entire race schedule being carried out.

Monday racing was a single Pursuit race, followed by the very visual Commodore’s Sail Past, where some had crew wearing fancy dress, and vessels decked in winners flags.

The club provided pre-race and race food and refreshments, and post-race entertainment. The club is grateful to sponsors Tony Nicholson, of Leeds Arms, and Dane and Cassie Crow, of Luna Park, for assisting through their kind donations, trophy, and commemorative plaques.

Full results (after two days racing)

IRC Class: 1 Dodjer, a J92 owned by Jan & Martin Stallard; 2 Menace, an Impala owned by Bradley, Nichols & Wood from Grimsby & Cleethorpes YC; 3 Revenge, a Sigma 33 owned by A Smith, S Martin, P Coopland, and P McQuillan

707 Class: 1 A Grand Day Out owned by Steve Bramham, Richard Littlewood, Rudi Barman, and Heath Samples; 2 Black Sheep, owned by Tom Clark and Dave Flett; 3 Humdinger, owned by Malcolm Hall and Chris Davies

Sonata Class: 1 Sting, owned by Gerard Dyson and Richard Delves; 2 Bee Sharp, owned by James and David Cliff; 3 Betsy, owned by Rob Goodison

SYC Class: 1 Northern Light, a Hanse 301 owned by Anthony Dearden; 2 Midnight Express III, a Sigma 33 owned by Ben Wilson from the Humber Cruising Association; 3 Shileilagh, another Sigma 33 owned by Phil Thompson

Overall Regatta Winner: Dodjer

Pursuit Race (Not scoring towards Regatta): 1 Vado, owned by Steve and Win Russell; 2 Bee Sharp, owned by James and David Cliff; 3 Black Sheep, owned by Tom Clark and Dave Flett.

For over 120 years, Scarborough YC has encouraged people of all ages to take part in “on water” and “on shore” activities associated with sailing and motor boating.

If visitors are new to the area or have wanted to enjoy Scarborough’s marine heritage, club members will introduce people with little or no experience to the joys of sailing.

New experienced sailors are always welcome as crew and skippers alike.

The clubhouse is in the iconic Grade II listed Lighthouse building at the end of the Vincent (middle) Pier of Scarborough harbour with enviable views across the harbour and South Bay, especially from the balcony where guests can take in all the activities both on and off the water.

A stairlift is available for assisted mobility, just ring buzzer on Main Door for access.

Visitors are assured of a friendly welcome at the bar with food being served on weekend lunch openings.

Races are weather dependent and sometimes get cancelled or deferred at short notice.