XOD Itchenor 2008
The XOD class at
Itchenor Sailing Club
photo Eddie Mays
News
May 10
Frank Powell remembered
A large gathering of Frank's family and friends met at Jetty House this morning to remember Frank. Stories were exchanged and in speeches, Cherry Powell, Frank's step-sons Mark and James, Roy Griggs and Mark Hall paid tribute to Frank who died in February. Cherry, Mark and James have generously presented the XODs at Itchenor with a new trophy - Measurer's Model - a splendid half model of an XOD. The trophy will be raced for on the Tuesday of Points Week.
Cherry Powell presents the Measurer's Model to Bill Barnes
Frank sailing Terrapin leads the fleet during Points Week
May 5
Felix gets the cream
The Spring Bank Holiday series was closely contested with 23 Xs coming to the start line. Four boats scored first places in the four race series including an unusual event – a tied first place after over two hours of racing on Saturday between X39 Gone Away (Bill Barnes and Chris Leaver) and X101 Thora (Ted Roose, Chris Blevins and David Priscott). Peter Taylor’s Felix X192, achieved two first places and was the eventual winner of the series. Tom and Carole Tait in Xtravagance X181 were placed first on Monday morning and secured 3rd place in the series behind Gone Away.
Stocker and Pilsey prizes were won respectively by X189 Onyx and X152 Beaver
Full results CLICK
April 27
April winners
First blood to Chartreuse X171. Well Colin, Neil and David - winners of the April Fools Mug. Four first places were unbeatable in a best of four series.
Congratulations also to Tony Probert in X141 Madame X and Stu Haill and Philip Walker in X130 Ilex for winning the Stocker and Pilsey prizes respectively.
For full results CLICK
April 5th
New buoy in the Harbour
XODs are the first to round Peacock the new addition to our race chart:
Click on the picture for a larger image.
Photos: Ginny Fox
April
From my communications post high in the French Alps I have been monitoring the XOD happenings at Itchenor. It appears that the Itchenor Xs have been experiencing a mixed bag of weather.
The first race of the season was scheduled for Saturday April 5th and a fleet of 7 X’s raced while other Itchenor keel boats stayed shore. Here is my personal tribute to those who braved cold Northerlies and a strong Spring tide:
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that shares the Harbour with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And Swallow and Sunbeam sailors now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their seamanship cheap whiles any speaks
That competed with us upon April’s 5th day.
(With apologies to William
Shakespeare and Henry V)
The following day the snow fell and everyone stayed ashore.
Friday 11th saw a small armada leave Bembridge bound for Itchenor. Despite mountainous seas and a strong Westerly, Xs 121,141 and 184 arrived safely.
Saturday 12th continued the mélange of weather with a 40+ knot squall hitting the X fleet just before the start gun. All wisely dropped mainsails and retreated to the moorings and a hot mug of Bovril at the Club.
Mountainous seas in the Southern Ocean (aka Hayling Bay)
On Sunday 13th there was race - hurray! (See "Results")
Now I'm back in the UK so I can witness things at first hand and would you believe it we had races on both Saturday and Sunday! Both were won by X171 Chartreuse - yes, those guys in our banner. (Question - Does Neil put the Hart in Chartreuse?)