North Sea Race 2005

1972 S & S boat PINTA-M wins IRC and IMS overall.

Friday 6th May saw a fleet of 74 yachts gather on the start line in Harwich harbour for the RORC 60th North Sea Race to Scheveningen under an overcast sky and a fresh north westerly breeze.     The majority of the Dutch boats had taken part in their Vuurschepen Race from Scheveningen to Harwich earlier in the week.
This race together with the RORC North Sea race and 6 inshore races in Scheveningen form the ABN AMRO North Sea regatta. 

At the start the sailing instructions gave flexi course marks making it possible for the race committee to set a windward start.   The 190 mile course then took the majority of the fleet to Galloper, Shipwash, Smiths Knoll the MSP buoy and then into Scheveningen.  The ORC (Club) 2 & 3 did a slightly shorter course of 149.

Following a general recall for the boats on the long course the fleet got away at 1050 with those on the short course starting at 1100.

The North Sea Race this year was enhanced by 20 GBR entries many of whom were doing the race in order to count the miles towards their Rolex Fastnet qualification.
A glamorous addition was Richard Matthews new Oyster 72, Oyster Catcher XXV, leading the fleet out of the harbour closely followed by Piet Vroon’s Lutra 52 Tonnerre de Breskens.  Oyster Catcher XXV passed Smith’s Knoll at 2201 and was first home at 0850 BST. Tonnerre rounded 71 minutes later and had gained two minutes over Oystercatcher by the finish.   However on corrected time it was the 1972 Sparkman and Stephens boat Pinta M owned by Atse Cornelis Biel taking the trophies for BCT overall in IRC and IMS.  

By nightfall most of the fleet were off the Suffolk coast with the wind strength falling but staying in the west, making a good leg to Smiths Knoll. The 60 mile leg across the North Sea started for some with the wind strength in single figures but increasing, with heavy rain showers, due to a fast moving low pressure area, as they approached MSP.
     
By mid morning on Saturday with the fleet on the Dutch coast the wind increased dramatically.  Boats reported gusts of 30 knots which made the 27 mile leg from MSP to the finish exciting for some but with blown out spinnakers expensive for others!   Rob van der Hoeven’s First 40.7, MOJO, retired following a man overboard incident near Ijmuiden.  They successful recovered the crew member who only had a minor injury to his hand.

This was the first time that the RORC race committee had used the triple number scoring for IMS and ORC(Club).   Even though the race had seen high winds in parts the conclusion from the competitors windlog cards was to score in the mid range.

Following an incident at the start A-Boen (Johan Bol) protested Yellow Rose (M J Ringers) and Moshulu (Hans Albert de Graaf) under RRS 11.   Yellow Rose had had a good race but the Dutch protest committee found against her and she was disqualified.  Moshulu was exonerated under RSS 64.1(b).

The prizegiving party will be held in the Holland Casino, Scheveningen on Sunday 8 May starting at 1600.
 

Trophies and Medallions

C70 Trophy  (Holland v GB) HOLLAND

City of the Hague Trophy – Best yacht from Yacht Club Scheveningen
Rosetta from the Rocks  (R M Crul – Dehler 36)

ORC (Club)

1st  ORC (Club)  3 Lucifer   (T der Bruin/van Marle)

3rd ORC (Club) 2 Happy (John van der Starre  -  Sunfast 37)

2nd ORC (Club) 2      Akka (J J Nederkoorn – Omega 34)

1st ORC (Club) 2      Zwerver Cup   ORC Club 2 & 3 ( shortcourse)
 JPH (Jeroen Kop – Beneteau Figaro)

RORC prize  2 Handed-Division    ChillOut!   (H Bulthuis – J109)  

4th ORC (Club) 1 Rebel  (Chris Revelman  - Dehler 38)

3rd ORC (Club) 1       Antares (F Winterswijk – Trintella 53)

2nd ORC (Club) 1       Dehlerious (Andre Sporry – Dehler 36)

1st ORC (Club) 1 Maas Challenge Cup A Boen (Johan Bol -  Stern 33)

IMS

1st IMS 3 Goeree Challenge Cup and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Trophy for BCT  IMS (long course)   Pinta M   (A C Blei – S & S)

1st IMS 2 Lora Challenge Cup  Rosetta from the Rocks (R M Crul – Dehler 36)

3rd IMS 1  Stortemelk (Frans de vries Lentsch – X43)

2nd IMS 1  Yachtvision  (Dehler Holland bv  -  Dehler 39)

1st IMS 1 Veerhaven Trophy    Team Pandion (Bob Kool   -  First 40.7)

IRM  (BCT)    Tonnerre de Breskens  (Piet Vroon – Lutra 52)

IRC

Smith’s Knoll Trophy – first long course boat at Smith’s Knoll   -  Richard Matthew’s   OYSTER CATCHER

2nd IRC 3  Dolfijn   (Richard Bamford – Swan 38)

1st IRC 3 Jan Moreton Salver for IRC 3 Pinta M   (Atse Cornelis Blei – S & S)    1st Seahorse Division    Pinta M (A C Biel – 1972 S & S)

3rd IRC 2 Mach 1 (Brian Tuckwood – Dehler 33)

2nd IRC 2  Rosetta from the Rocks (R M Crul – Dehler 36)

1st  IRC 2  winning the Carter-Ruck Trophy Jump the Gun (Edward Clay – J 105)

3rd IRC 1  Blue Jane (K Borgers – A C Frers)

2nd IRC 1  Ding Dong! (Robbie Stewart – Stewart 37)

1st IRC 1 winning the Joannes Pompejus Memorial Cup
      Team Pandion (Bob Kool – First 40.7)

3rd IRC Z &SZ  Oyster Catcher XXV  (Richard Matthews – Oyster 72)

2nd IRC Z & SZ  Bellerose Duvel (Patrick van Heurck/Philippe Moortgat – Swan 45)

1st IRC Z & SZ   winning the  Lutine Trophy -  Charisma   (Nico Poons – Swan 45)

Wylie Trophy -  BCT  IRC     Pinta M  (Atse Cornelis  Biel – 1972 S & S)