There was something for all 90 competitors in the Jura Scottish Series regatta just ended in Loch Fyne – variety of courses, weather, scenery, excellent racing and of course entertainment. SS24 delivered a full race schedule for all classes with the help of the deployment of Robotic Marks. Loch Fyne is up to 150m deep, and it is difficult to lay traditional marks.

Some of the prizes weren’t won until the last day. That was particularly so in IRC 1, where Ben Shelley’s J109 Mocking J from Fairlie won overall, having tied on 14 points with Jacob VII, the Corby 33 from CCC (John Stamp). Third was Robin Young’s J109 Jings, which was the order at the top of the RC 35 Championship.

Alan Ovington in the Half Tonner HeadHunter (RGYC) finished well ahead of Ally Paton’s J92 Jammin (HYC) in IRC 2. HeadHunter looked a contender for the overall prize but lost out as the Coastal Course was heavy going on reaching so the J92s did better and that cost them a fifth but they still won IRC 2 and the Scottish IRC title.

Etchells class racing at the 2024 Scottish Series Photo: Marc Turner

Stephen Rarity, in Bounce Back from RGYC, held on to his overnight lead and ended up 9 points ahead in the Etchells division. He has a string of places, never lower than second. To make the Series special for Bounce Back, Stephen won the overall prize.

The crew of Bounce Back were the Scottish Series overall winners in  in the Etchells class Photo: Marc Turner

In one of the other One Design classes, the Hunter 707s, Eddie Batchelor from Port Edgar YC held on to his lead to win that class.

A Hunter 707 start at the 2024 Scottish Series Regatta Photo: Marc Turner

It was the turn of the Impala 28 Arcade to head up CYCA 2. Finn Aitken emphasised Impala’s winning reputation in the last series when Arcade was awarded the Overall Winner prize. The overnight leader, Alan Dunnet’s Swan 36, Valhalla of Ashton slipped into third place behind the Mustang 30 (Rory Chalmers) in this class.

In the very competitive Sigma 33 division James Miller won emphatically in Mayrise with eight first places with Griogair Whyte’s Close Encounters runner up and in another One Design division, the RS 21s, Duncan Hepplewhite from Loch Lomond had a clean sweep. Eddie Batchelor (Port Edgar YC) dominated the Hunter 707 class counting seven first places.

Mayrise (James Miller) was the Sigma 33 winner Photo: Marc Turner

The Two-Handed General Handicap class produced an unusual tie for the first three places, with Lyrebird, Liaison, and St Bridget tying on four points each. Clive Reeves won in Lyrebird.

The sole winner from Northern Ireland was in CYCA (R) where Stevie Andrews’ Hanse 371 Dark and Scary, well known on Strangford Lough in County Down, was well ahead of Iain Cameron’s Moody 36 Honeybee from Largs. Dark and Scary apparently was elevated (I’m told) to the position of Superstar in that Class.

Event Organiser Roddy Angus was pleased that the Scottish Series racing was excellent “ Many of the competitors commented that the quality of the racing was the best ever. Being able to sail in mid-Loch in some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland was a joy”.

On a day when the IRC and the CYCA Scottish Series fleet raced around Inch Island in Loch Fyne, the overnight leader in IRC 1, John Stamp’s Corby 33 Jacob VII (CCC) lost out to the J109 Ben Shelley’s Mocking J from Fairlie Yacht Club who now leads the 13 strong fleet by just 3 points into the final day tomorrow (27th) when he presumably hopes he can discard the retiral in Race 7. Shelley won last year’s overall RC35 Scottish championships.

In CYCA, the best result is for the CYCA Restricted visitor from across the North Channel in Strangford Lough Yacht Club, Stevie Andrews. His Hanse 371 (who managed to get the number 3701), Dark and Scary, counted five first places to make his mark in that 13-boat class.

Other impressive results can be seen in the Hunter 707 division where Eddie Batchelor’s Tsunami has a string of firsts living up to the boat’s name.

But leading less comfortably is Alan Dunnet’s Swan 36 Valhalla of Ashton (CCC), which holds a lead of just one point from Rory Chalmers’ Mustang 30 Sleipnir. Dunnet must also be hoping to use the retirement as a discard.

A spinnaker run at the 2024 Scottish Series Photo: Marc Turner

The Etchells have produced a solid leader in Bounce Back (Stephen Rarity) from Gourock whose five firsts give a secure position at the top of the fleet. James Miller’s Mayrise still leads the One Design Sigma 33 Class with the Belfast Lough entry, Squawk (Paul Prentice) hovering in the middle of the fleet.

Tomorrow is the final day of the Jura-sponsored four-day Scottish Series, and the wind is forecast to be light. The weather is dreich in Scottish terms.

After five races sailed at the Jura Scottish Series 2024 on Loch Fyne, John Stamp's Corby 33 Jacob VII leads a 13-boat IRC 1 fleet from a strong challenge from J109 designs that hold the next three positions overall.

Jacob VII discards her first race result and counts two wins in her tally to be on seven points, two points clear of Ben Shelley's Mocking-J, who also counts two wins. Third on 13 points is Robin Young's Jings. 

Stamp's Corby 33 is repeating the result in the nine-boat RC35 class, where four boats share the same nine points.

HeadHunter leads by four points in nine-boat IRC Two, with four wins from five races. Adam Ovington's Half-Tonner has won four races and is six points clear of four J92s that fill the next places on the scoresheet. 

Griogair Macfarlane's Tata II is second on ten points from Alan Macleod's Samurai J in third.

In the one design classes, James Miller's Mayrise leads an eight-boat Sigma 33 class from Griogair Whyte's Close Encounters. Third is Kirsty Robertson's Leaky Roof II.

Racing continues until Monday, May 27th

Results are here

Of the 86 current entries for the Jura Scottish Series which runs from 24th -27th May in Loch Fyne, nine are from Northern Ireland, with most coming from Belfast Lough.

Competing in the eight-strong Sigma 33 OOD class will be Paul Prentice’s Squawk from Ballyholme and Royal Ulster, Mark Mackey’s Mithril (Ballyholme YC) and Victoria Dews’ Elandra from Royal Ulster and Donaghadee SC. In the fleet they will be up against the seasoned high fliers Kirsty Robertson’s Leaky Roof 2, Donald McLaren’s Sigmatic and James Miller’s Mayrise.

As a first-time competitor in the Scottish Series Victoria is excited at the prospect; “Entering the Scottish Series marks our debut outside our club. While we'd have loved to do Howth’s Wave Regatta too, scheduling clashed. Excited for the challenge, racing in our one-design class offers invaluable experience for future competitions.” Victoria is well known in Belfast Lough as a Women on the Water campaigner, with plans to race in the RUYC Inshore Points Series with an all-women crew.

Dark and Scary, Stevie Andrews’ Hanse 371 is the sole Strangford Lough entry at Scottish Series 2024 Photo: Tommy Brown

The two IRC entries are Shaun Douglas’s Beneteau 40.7 (Royal Ulster and Cockle Island BC) and the Beneteau 31.7 (Aidan Pounder) from Royal Ulster and Ballyholme.

"For next year’s event I’m going to invite myself to Dublin and Belfast to talk to the clubs to seek to avoid clashing dates" - Roddy Angus, Scottish Series

Roddy Angus, Event Manager for the Series, says, “The CCC is delighted that we have nine boats coming from NI to the Jura Scottish Series this year. I’d like to thank them for their support and invite the skippers to introduce themselves to me during the event. For next year’s event I’m going to invite myself to Dublin and Belfast to talk to the clubs to seek to avoid clashing dates and to discuss the racing possibilities in terms of the Feeder races, the Scottish double header with Kip regatta, promoting the Scottish IRC championship, coastal course options, specific class lobbying and handicap options. We want the message out that the Scottish Series is back and offers quality racing and a great social scene……… the 2024 event is all set, and all we can do now is cross our fingers for fair winds. We are still open for entries!”

The J133 Spirit of Jacana from Carrickfergus Photo: John Corson

The Series’ first entrant, Bruce Douglas, will compete in the CYCA division in the J133 Spirit of Jacana from Carrickfergus on the north shore of Belfast Lough. In CYCA [R] is the sole Strangford Lough entry, Dark and Scary, Stevie Andrews’ Hanse 371. From Co. Antrim’s East coast, also in CYCA are Marc Ritson’s Dehler 41 CRC Quaich from Cushendall S & BC and Richard Doig’s Hydro 28, Hydrology (East Antrim BC).

Four of the first 46 entries for the 2024 Scottish Series this season are from Northern Ireland. They received a 15% discount on their entries, which has now been extended to the end of March at 10%.

The event will be held by the Clyde Cruising Club from May 24th to 27th out of Tarbert in Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland.

Richard Doig's Hydro 28, Hydrology, will represent East Antrim Boat Club at the 2024 Scottish Series

Bruce Douglas from Carrickfergus Sailing Club on Belfast Lough was the first to enter, and he will take his J133 Spirit of Jacana, to Tarbert. From the opposite shore on the Lough, Paul Prentice's Sigma 33, Squawk, from Ballyholme and Royal Ulster Yacht Clubs will compete. Richard Doig's Hydro 28, Hydrology, will represent East Antrim Boat Club on Larne Lough, and Marc Ritson's Dehler 41CR Quaich will represent Cushendall Sailing and Boating Club on the Antrim Coast.

Although there is currently only one Sigma 33 on the entry list from Northern Ireland, it is rumoured that Martin and Victoria Dews' Elandra from Belfast Lough will also compete, and Mark Mackey (Mithril) from Quoile has yet to make up his mind.

The entries are here

It's 50 years since the Clyde Cruising Club delivered the first Scottish Series, and it has been run out of Tarbert, Loch Fyne, for the last 40 of those. This year’s event will be held from 24th till 27th May.

The 2024 Notice of Race has just been published, and now the crunch will be to see if the number of entries can reach the 2009 figure of 159, with the ‘interested’ register (now closed) standing at 150.

The early birds will benefit from an entry fee with a 15% discount in February, decreasing from 10% in March to 5% in April.

The 2024 Scottish Series schedule will incorporate one costal race, traditionally the Round Inch Race

At present, the highest level of interest registered is from the CYCA class, with a total of 50, including 11 in the innovative Introductory Class, which is tailored for those who are new to big event competition. The fee will include Pre-Event Racing tuition.

The IRC division has 29 interested, and the organising committee has announced that they will run the GBR IRC Scottish Championships as part of the event. The class will also have a Coastal Race around Inch Island south of the Kyles of Bute.

Despite the clash of dates with the Howth Wave Regatta, interest from Northern Ireland boats is fairly strong. 

The ‘interested’ register (now closed) stands at 150 for May's 2024 Scottish Series

More information here.

Another first for the fiftieth Scottish Series this year will include RS21 keelboats racing on Loch Fyne.

The RS21 Association has included the event as one of its 'Official Series', and that will give the class a chance to start in the expected 60-strong one-design fleet, which includes Etchells, Sigma 33s, Hunter 707s, and Hunter Sonatas.

The event is based at Tarbert on Loch Fyne by the Clyde Cruising Association from the 24th to the 27th of May.

The new RS21 is trialed in Belfast Lough with Colin Kevelighan (left) and Jeff Harrison

SmartMarks

The deployment of remote-controlled SmartMarks under Principal Race Officer Con Murphy of Dun Laoghaire will ensure that first-class courses are delivered with a minimal turnaround time between races.

For those trailing boats, there will be free launching, and accommodation options are available through the Clyde Cruising Club.

For those RS21 crews also taking part in the July Volvo Cork Week part of the RS21 UK & Ireland Series, the Tarbert event will keep the momentum going in the seven-event class series, which ends with the World Championships in Girona in September. On the other hand, Scottish Series Chairman Roddy Angus says one issue is that the RS21s have a class event the weekend before at Hayling Island on the south coast of England, so hard work to get to Scotland the following weekend”. But being part of an event with a big reputation may serve as a draw.

At the time of writing, the combined RS21 and Sportsboats start together in the One Design fleet, but with hopefully 6 to 8 RS21s, there is the option of a separate start. Roddy Angus commented, “I’m really keen to boost sports boat interest as the numbers are low, and it used to be a big area”.

Con Murphy from the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour will be the Principal Race Officer for May's Scottish Series Regatta on the Clyde in Scotland.

The regatta now has its team in place, and they are three highly accomplished Race Officers with a wealth of experience under their belts.

Murphy will run the IRC fleet. He is an internationally known sailor and International Race Officer. His experience includes Race Officer for the 49ers at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He will be joined by his wife Cathy, as Timekeeper, herself a former Olympic 470 sailor. Neither has ever been on duty at a Scottish event before - though competitors in the 2022 Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough will remember Con when he was Principal Race Officer.

Scottish Series Regatta racing on Loch Fyne Photo: Marc Turner

The One Design fleet will be looked after by David Kent who needs less introduction locally as he hails from Largs Sailing Club on the Firth Clyde. He has supported the Scottish Series before and has officiated at all levels from local club to the Olympics and World Cup Series. Scottish Series Chairman Roddy Angus says, “We are so glad we didn't put him off last year and he's working up to a 'blast' for One Design!”.

On CYCA it will be John Readman. Johnny too is a familiar face locally and a past CCC Commodore. He has been a huge supporter of the Scottish Series over the years and currently acts as Principal Race Officer for West Highland Yachting Week. Roddy Angus is pleased to have him on the team. “We are delighted he has agreed to work with us, perhaps 'this one last time".

One hundred and ten and counting. The popular Scottish Series Regatta run by the Clyde Cruising Club out of Tarbert on Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland has, at the last count, 110 expressions of interest.

The event runs from the 24th to the 27th of May, but unfortunately, Howth Yacht Club’s Wave Regatta clashes with the Scottish event. At least one top Belfast Lough competitor has had to decide between the two – John Minnis won Class 3 at Tarbert in 2021, racing the Beneteau First 31.7 Final Call, and then in his new Archambault 35 Final Call II, he topped Class 1 in the 2022 Wave Regatta in Howth where he will defend the title this year.

The Scottish Series Notice of Race and early bird entry for SS24 will open at the end of this month.

The Scottish Series has been a fixture in the sailing calendar for five decades. Established in 1975, this regatta has consistently drawn sailors from around the UK to compete in the waters of Loch Fyne. The Covid pandemic dampened the opportunity but in this, the 50th Anniversary Year, the organisers, the Clyde Cruising Club, promises an event to remember with innovation on the water and a shoreside social programme.

Excession competing at the IRC open meeting in Bangor on Belfast Lough

The fleet will be spread over classes ranging from IRC, through One Designs (at the time of writing, numbering 37 registering interest), CYCA, to an innovative new CYCA Introductory Class for those who have not raced in a major event before and twelve have interest in this division which will race close to but separate from, the main CYCA flee. The experience will incorporate a level of guidance and instruction.

Also new for this year is the deployment of remote controlled SmartMarks – a first for Scotland and described here, and the inclusion of a MOCRA (Multihull Offshore Cruising and Racing Association) ‘demonstration’ Class – multihulls showing their pace. Welcome too will be the opening of berthing in Portavadie on Loch Fyne’s eastern shore to improve accommodation availability with an evening water taxi.

The informal Register of Interest process is still open here

The word is that among the Belfast Lough boats hoping to head for Tarbert are three Sigma 33s - Squawk (Paul and Emma Prentice) Mithril (Mark Mackey) and Elandra (Martin and Vicki Dews); and the Sigma 33 Signet in Restricted Sail- the O’Tiarnaigh/ Harrington/ Mulholland trio’s IMX38 Excession and the Beneteau 31.7 Caesium (Aidan Pounder).

Vickie and Martin Dews Sigma 33 Elandra from Northern Ireland

The Chair of the N I Sigma Association, Paul Prentice from Belfast Lough, is excited to compete at the Scottish Series; “We are looking forward to the Tarbert event this year. It continues to offer fantastic sailing opportunities and activities ashore”.

For some of the Northern Ireland boats which competed in the Scottish Series at Tarbert, the results were very pleasing.

Of the nine who made the trip north, the best results were from Ballyholme-based Kevin Byers and Michael Russell’s Sigma 33 Signet in the eight-strong Class 7, who had the tie with Ken Andrew’s Jeanneau S Argento broken in his favour. Signet posted three wins out of four races.

The Sigma 33 Signet in home waters

Other Belfast Lough competitors who had excellent results were Shaun Douglas’s Beneteau 40.7 Game Changer from Royal Ulster, Ballyholme and Cockle Island, who was runner-up in IRC 1 to Jonathan Anderson’s J122E El Gran Senor (Royal Irish YC) whose crew included Gavin Watson and Robbie Milhench from Royal Ulster.

Gavin Watson (left) and Robbie Milhench (RUYC) on El Senor Photo: RUYC Facebook

Shaun Douglas's Game Changer racing in Belfast Lough

Shaun Douglas (3rd left back row) and the crew of Game Changer Photo: courtesy RUYC

Shaun and his crew reflected on the event, "We had the usual Lough Fyne weather – very light and fluky most of the time. We had a great first day and were pleased to have been leading after day one. The second and third days were a bit different, but we managed to keep in the hunt. The new sails have helped, but we are still learning about them, so hopefully, we can keep improving”.

Bruce Douglas’s J133 Spirit of Jacana from Carrickfergus Sailing Club, like Game Changer, counted six races in the top three to come third. In Class 3 Iain Chapman’s Attica (RUYC) was third, and the Strangford Lough-based Nicholson 43 Magdaleyne (Michael Petticrew) came fifth.

Emma and Paul Prentice from Belfast Lough racing Squawk began well with a first in a highly competitive Sigma 33 class dominated by James Miller’s Mayrise but unfortunately lagged behind in the other races though did count two seconds and a third. Mark Mackey’s Mithril, also from Belfast Lough was sixth, posting two thirds and second. Emma and Paul enjoyed the event; “Blue water sailing in idyllic surroundings. Our thanks to Jamie McGarrity and his team, and the hospitality shown by the people of Tarbert”.

The Sigma 33 Squawk Emma and Paul Prentice competing at an earlier event

Richard Doig‘s Hydrology had a disappointing event racing in Class 5.

The next meeting for several of these boats may be the IRC/RC35 two-day event at Royal Ulster Yacht Club on 24^th and 25^th June.