How do you sum up a 9 day regatta with 220 boats, 17 races, approx 175 starts, just one general recall, 4 prize givings, innumerous prizes, etc?

You’re best reading Paul’s review

Bass Week 2025 will run from 2nd-10th August. Note it in your diary!

Glorious morning for the final day’s racing. Great conditions for taking down tents and awnings.

Old habits die hard for the final night revellers, and campers awoke to the flagpole being adorned with a multitude of objects!

Unexpectedly the wind filled in from the south. Was it a mirage, or morning katabatic wind that would fade? It was certain to be a more gentle sail than any throughout the entire regatta, and the OD opted to let sailors enjoy possibly the best sailing conditions of any inland waterway for the final race, and sent the faster fleets on the three mile beat to the southern end of the lake. Not being as windy as previously it took some of the tail enders over 90 mins to complete the course, but in a straw poll during the final prize giving, the majority were pleased to have sailed around the lake one more time.

 

At the prize giving the commodores thanked the numerous committee chairs, and members for all their efforts in making Bass Week ‘happen’ yet again.

Several perpetual trophies were awarded to Bass members for exceptional performance over the regatta

At the end of the prize giving Nigel O’Donnell gave a vote of thanks to the club, and all members, that had delivered another exeptional regatta.

Sun filled day with WSW F4 greeted sailors for the start of the final weekend series. There was an earlier than usual start to cope with the three races planned for the day.

After a windy week, some sailors opted to sit it out, enjoy the sunny weather, and watch the rest of the fleet slog it out.

With the Phantom class having a separate start for their open meeting, some of the F15 fleet obviously weren’t aware/watching the flags to note that the Phantoms had been slotted in before them, and some set off with the Phantoms!

The blustery winds created more good planing conditions, and the rescue crews were kept very busy again.

Sunday’s forecast for the final race is for much lighter winds, but it’s Bass!

An Olympics themed disco will keep many celebrating into the early hours

The high overnight winds continued throughout the day. From the shade of the clubhouse, looking down on the wind itseemed relatively benign until the sun came out and lit up the white horses from time to time!

Numbers sailing were reduced due to the gusty conditions. The course included various long reaches for exciting planing. Many capsized at some point during the race. With afternoon racing set aside for specific age groups/genders, the OD thought one long race was appropriate. In such tough sailing conditions it’s clear that numerous sailors didn’t agree!

Having checked the wind over lunch, it was decided to cancel afternoon racing, so the prize giving was held early.

The forecast rain didn’t appear in the morning. The wind swung to the S, and with a F2-3, conditions were ideal to send the faster fleets the full length of the lake for the morning race.

The RNLI Silver Salver pursuit was raced after lunch. With the southerly breeze continuing, the OD opted to have a windward/leeward course – the windward mark being 3 miles away! The wind increased through the 38 minute start sequence to F4, an ideal breeze for sailing secretary John Reekie’s Musto Skiff. He pursued the rest of the fleet for the remaining 52 minutes. As on Tuesday, Phil/Oliver Smith in their Mirror got through to lead the fleet which, despite the wind easing for the 3 mile run down to the leeward mark, they held until the last few minutes of the race when they were passed by John who carried on and won, with Phil/Oliver 2nd

A colder start to the day, and some occasional drizzle, but there was still plenty of wind for the three race series.

Numbers sailing were reduced to 90 boats due to the continued high winds, which increased as the day went on. The morning course seemed to confuse some  despite having had a lead boat for the initial lap! Many sailors recalled how powerful the seemingly innocuous gusts were (to spectators anyway), and more sailors opted to sit it out whilst watching the thrills and spills on the long offwind legs which challenged even the hardiest of sailors at times. The activity certainly kept the rescue crews busy!

Abbatastic costumes may well adorn some of those dancing the night away at the disco this evening.

After more rain overnight, the skies cleared, giving wall to wall sunshine. The F3 wind was from the SSW, swinging around Sale Fell again, and caused some head scratching for the OD when setting the morning course.

After lunch, the first pursuit of the week was held in winds freshening to F4-5. To spread the fleet out over the 40 minute start sequence, one of the beats was to mark 7 in the narrows near Scarness bay.

The first boat to start was a Tera Sport, with a clear line all to itself, and it was the only boat to be recalled out of all the starts!

All was fine until the main body of the fleet was running down through the narrows, the gusts enabled exciting planing conditions, with added jeopardy of some downdraughts causing various death rolls, Chinese gybes, and a few capsizes! One sailor had scheduled knee replacement surgery cancelled, so came sailing, only to be washed out of his boat!

Phil/Oliver Smith in a Mirror soon broke through to the front of the fleet, and maintaining better progress through the narrows enabled them to create an unassailable lead, winning the race by several minutes.

The second prize giving of the week followed racing.

Photo Gallery has additional photos from this afternoon’s racing.

High winds and rain were forecast, and that’s what appeared.

Morning racing was for youth novices, but cancelled due to wind conditions. In the afternoon, 20 of the hardiest of sailors raced in a mixed handicap fleet with a mass start, and results calculated on average lap basis. There were a few capsizes, various gusts that enabled exciting planing reaches, and unfortunately a broken mast. Finlay Watson towed his own life raft (aka rubber ring) around the course, and probably regretted the level of drag it caused!

Photo Gallery

More overnight rain has cleared, and the wind has filled in from the SW again, but the sun is hiding.

The wind backed to the SSW which meant that Sale Fell had more influence on the course, and caused challenging shifts/soft spots while trying to round mark 9, but when needs must… The rain held off, and with the wind being more blustery in the afternoon race, there were some good planing opportunities, as well as various capsizes to keep rescue crews busy.

The conclusion of the series led to the first prize giving of the regatta.

Evening entertainment in the form of quizzes will keep brains stimulated while bodies rest!

After a week of sunny weather, campers were all set up on Friday before the heavens opened! A good reason to meet up with old friends in the bar?

Racing for the weekend series started this afternoon. The sun stayed out again, perhaps boosting the turnout of 180 boats in 11 fleets. After light winds in the morning, the F3-4 breeze filled in nicely from the WSW offering great sailing conditions, and resulting in a few capsizes. As ever, there were numerous shifts for sailors to contend with!

A few boats were caught OCS by the one minute rule, and there was one general recall

The evening entertainment starts with the commodore’s reception followed by the first disco of the week.

Bass Week 2024 will run from 3rd-11th August. Note it in your diary!

After a long night on the dance floor there was a depleted fleet for the final race of the series, and regatta. There were some occasional light showers, and the wind was lighter than forecast, but brief planing opportunities remained.

The final prize giving followed, at which Commodores Ian and Andrea Preston thanked all that had contributed to prepare for and bring the week to a successful conclusion.

Following the presentation of the prizes for the Cutty Sark Challenge sponsored by The Lakes Distillery, there were some special awards for performance throughout the week

The final weekend and rain has finally moved in, hopefully just for the morning. The wind was available in abundance, so another busy day for the rescue crews!

There was a reduced turnout due to the conditions, and, of those that ventured out, several decided the gusts were of the boat bending type so retired. The changeable wind strength, and gusts, certainly proved testing, but with some great planing at times!

Three races completed, and numerous crews shattered after a challenging, exhilarating, day’s racing, sponsored by The Lakes Distillery. What more could they ask for other than a visit from the chippy, and a late night final fling disco?!

Photo gallery

Friday is here already! The rain has kept a low profile, and the sun been in regular attendance, but it could all be set to change for the weekend. Wind is forecast to be building up throughout the day so there could be challenging, and exciting, conditions ahead…

The windy conditions were sailable, but they ensured the rescue crews were kept busy! The morning race had one determined young sailor sailing for almost 100 minutes!

The conditions did put off many of the usual contenders for the afternoon junior/seniors race, especially as the wasn’t relenting. Although there were numerous capsizes, there weren’t too many squalls to overpower the rescue crews, but the race was kept relatively short. Surprisingly, the day passed without any rain showers! The day’s racing was sponsored by AC Yacht and Boat Surveyors.

Another prize giving followed before some live music later in the evening.

Photo gallery