The Brass Monkey Trophy Race at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club

 The Leigh on Sea SC Brass Monkey Trophy - 3 Brass Monkeys mounted on a polished wooden base - dates back to the early 1950's. The race is traditionally sailed on Boxing Day when the tide and weather allow.

This year the weather and tide were as good as it ever gets, sunshine, a steady force 4 West Southwest wind and an early afternoon spring tide, some might have liked it a bit warmer but after the extreme cold earlier in December 10°C was warm. 24 home boats from LSC and our neighbours the Essex YC were joined by 12 visitors from Thorpe Bay, Benfleet, Wembley and Warsash.

The race is always started and finished from the club race hut with the normal fixed start line modified with a buoy set to give less bias than the post limit mark. This tends to confuse some of the regulars who are used to the posts. The fleet line up for the start but with about a third of the fleet over the line, eager and with the strong flood tide pushing them forward the Race Officer had no choice other than a general recall. Once all had returned the second attempt at starting was much more orderly with a clear start.

Once the Race Officer had processed the results, there was only 3 seconds on handicap between Chris Boshier in a full rig Laser and second place Duncan DeBoltz (the defending trophy winner from 2021).

The usual after-race Brass Monkey party with hot chilli provided a great way to round off the race with prizes to 6th overall and the trophy to Chris Boshier. Unfortunately, in 2023 the Boxing Day tide is too early for the race on that day but the next Brass Monkey Trophy race will be on Saturday 30th December 2023 start 13:00.

Overall Results:

Pos Class Sail No Helm Crew Club PY Brass Monkey Trophy

1st LASER/ ILCA 7 215429 Chris Boshier TBYC 1100 1:00:24/4

2nd LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 193523 Duncan DeBoltz Benfleet YC 1147 1:00:27/4

3rd LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 142329 Tom Hanman EYC 1147 1:02:32/3

4th Hadron H2 102 Ian Little TBYC 1034 1:02:35/4

5th LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 1525 Anna Brown EYC 1147 1:03:05/3

6th RS 200 718 Vicky Little Millie Little TBYC 1046 1:03:28/4

7th LASER 4.7/ ILCS 4 215413 Holly Cole TBYC 1208 1:03:29/3

8th Solo 3983 Cass Monk Essex YC 1142 1:03:39/3

9th RS 200 1128 Alex Stenhouse Mindy Birnee EYC 1046 1:04:15/4

10th SPRINT 15 1642 Daren Fitchew TBYC 926 1:04:17/4

11th LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 218959 Darren Taylor EYC 1147 1:04:26/3

12th Solo 3987 Matt Tothill LSC 1142 1:04:29/3

13th Byte 652 Allan Roberts LSC 1215 1:04:31/3

14th solo 3904 Robin Tothill LSC 1142 1:04:32/3

15th Solo 3325 John Charles LSC 1142 1:04:33/3

16th LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 205133 David Tierney TBYC 1147 1:04:43/3

17th SPRINT 15 2031 Len Flynn TBYC 926 1:04:50/4

18th LASER RADIAL/ ILCA 6 172424 Andrea Stenhouse EYC 1147 1:05:00/3

19th MRX 3622 Mark Candelas Julie Cronshaw Wembley SC 1000 1:05:10/4

20th Topaz Uno 951 David Googe EYC 1251 1:05:19/3