THE 49th annual Highlight Race was held at Barry Yacht Club on Saturday, September 10, with 20 boats lining up at the start, writes Brian Dotchon.

The weather forecast for Saturday was very good and this appears to have encouraged both visitors and BYC members to take part. The very encouraging entry of 20 vessels included nine visitors, from Porlock Weir Boating and Sailing Club and Cardiff Yacht Club.

The actual weather was somewhat overcast but the wind was generally a moderate force three from the northwest and the sun did make a short appearance towards the end of the race. The wind remained steady for most of the time with only occasional increased gusts.

The course set by the officer of the day, vice commodore John Wilson, received general approval and involved a broad reaching first leg from the start off Jackson's Bay to the Holm Middle buoy which is located between Flat and Steep Holm.

There followed a beam reach up to the Tail Patch buoy north east of Flat Holm before the beat home to Barry via the South Cardiff buoy off Lavernock Point. The fleet spread out quite quickly from the start with the faster boats, and those flying spinnakers, getting ahead.

It was necessary to jibe at the first mark for the reach on port tack to Tail Patch. At this point competitors had to decide whether to remain on port tack, and cross the shallow water off Cardiff, or come about onto starboard tack towards Flat Holm.

The majority decided to stay on port and seek the first of the ebb tide inside the Cardiff banks. Those that went onto starboard appear to have gained an advantage by entering the flood tidal shadow to the east of Flat Holm.

The eventual winner, Tomahawk, sailed by Martin Rudkin of Barry Yacht Club, followed this course. The second and third boats, Brian Dotchon's Sally Loper, also of BYC, and Hidden Secret, sailed by Colin Brooks of Cardiff YC, went in towards Cardiff.

The wind freshened at times during the final beat home and there were some short seas to negotiate off Lavernock Point and Sully Island when the ebb began to run.

Leading boat, the Soling keelboat Madcap, finished the course in less than three hours and the leading cruiser, Violet Flame, was only some 15 minutes astern. The finishers were then spread out over a period of about an hour and a half. The prize-giving took place later that evening at the BYC Clubhouse before a well attended supper.

Generous money prizes and replicas were awarded to the first three boats on corrected time and there was also a special trophy for Madcap (Mark Fisher) the first boat home. Trophies were also awarded to the first boat from the north shore of the Bristol Channel, won by Tomahawk, and from the south shore, won by Sophie of Porlock Weir BSC.

John Webb, Highlight Building, and John Wilson, vice commodore, thanked the competitors for attending and those involved in organising the event both afloat and ashore. The general consensus was that everyone had a very enjoyable day both afloat and in the convivial atmosphere of Barry YC.

The race, which was original named the BBC TV Race, has been generously supported by Highlight Building and Property Maintenance since 2010.