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More then 60 oldies an classics gathered in Trieste for a two week end rally on the 13/14 and 20/21 October 2007, with some Vertues among them. It is not so common to have four of the glorious little ships together at the same venue and outside English waters, so for the class it was the occasion to call the event as the “first Adriatic Vertue Rally”, and it was a success, as also the local press recognized.
Moored one alongside the other at the smaller yacht pier of the club there
where:
V35, Vertue XXXV, nowadays owned by Antonio Bonini, E. F. Elkins built in
1950, first to cross the Atlantic from Lymington to New York in 1950 with
Humphrey Burton;
V58, Bettina, owned by Enea Riboldi, first Cheoy Lee built in 1953;
V100, Return, owned by Enrico Pollini, E. F. Elkins built in 1960;
V123, Jan Gilda, owned by Tihomir Trnovski, Cheoy Lee built 1963, in 2004
sailed from Scotland to Dalmatia via Biscay and Gibraltar.
The first week end there was the “BARCOLANA”, which is the race that closes
the season in Trieste, with nearly 2.000 boats at the start. It has become
one of the most important sailing events in the Adriatic and it is not only
the Sunday race, but a whole week of sailing races, concerts, happenings and
so on. Among the events, on Friday evening all the classics where aligned at
the piers of the oldest club of Trieste, the Yacht Club Adriaco, for the
pleasure of the many visitors passing by. The four Vertues, the only moored
bow to in the English way, all together, were a nice view. The superb dinner
at the club gave a chance for crews to meet together in relaxed atmosphere.
Saturday the BARCOLANA Classic regatta took place at 12.00, bright sunshine,
a good north east with strong gusts and smooth sea. It was the perfect
weather for the oldies, with enough wind for powerful sailing in beautiful
conditions, eight funny miles round the marks, but no great fight between
the Vertues, as soon after the start they where quite apart. Anyway it was a
first really beautiful day.
Sunday morning brought a stronger north east, the famous “bora” of the gulf,
and the start of the BARCOLANA race was postponed from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00
p.m.. By that time the wind eased a little bit and some 1500 boats filled
the waters in front of the town centre in a spectacular glimpse. Jan Gilda
did not take part to the race and followed the fleet from outside the race
course. After a conservative start, where the first aim was to avoid
collisions, with reefed main and No 1 jib, Bettina, Return and Vertue XXXV
where in sight of each other, half way of the first leeward leg, and as the
wind was easing soon mains and genoas where up. Round the first mark and
back to windward it was a matter of sails: Return remained with full sail,
suffering under the stronger gusts but speeding up in the calms, the other
reduced sail again and inevitably where left slowly astern. Anyway the three
little ships defended well themselves, also in the third windward leg to the
finish, leaving back many modern “bathtubs”. In the sunny afternoon, back to
the pier, red wine bread ham and cheese and cheerful chats and comments from
one cockpit to the other, so the big event was over.
On the next weekend, again ideal Vertue sailing weather: sunshine and 20
knots of north east, with gusts up to 30 knots, and it was real race among
the sixty oldies, with no other amid. Unfortunately due to crew problems
Vertue XXXV did not participate, but the other thee Vertues where at the
start.
On Saturday the committee decided for something more “technical” and opted
for a three leg triangle course to be repeated twice with the first and
fourth leg straight to windward. After the start, full main and lower Genoa
set, Bettina and Return kept tacking all the first leg up, very close to
each other.
Round the first mark Bettina had the lead, Return’s bow on her stern and Jan Gilda following a little bit away. It was a superb powerful sailing downwind leg, with the duel between Bettina and Return going on, the latter trying to pass on the leeward or on the windward side. Three big gaffers where in the group. The third leg was dead after the wind and finally Return got the lead at the third mark. The second round was less interesting from the racing point of view, as positions where not changing any more, but it was still wonderful sailing. In the evening the crews soaked their enthusiasm in the wine offered together with the dinner buffet at the club and the sort of chat “your planking is ipol, mine is teak, or have you been on that little bay south of that island?” between Vertue crews was interrupted only by other boats’ crews wondering about the results and the seaworthiness showed by the three little ships during the day.
On Sunday, with the same weather conditions, the race was a three leg
course, two downwind and one long single tack back. For the occasion Jan
Gilda embarked two locals, and at the end one could see the results. At the
start there was a very favourable and shifting wind, with the
occasional gust, and in the wind lottery Jan Gilda took the lead, followed
by Bettina and Return just after.
Back to the club, just the time of cleaning and closing the boats and there
was the prize giving ceremony.
Unfortunately the Vertues where only four and for some odd rule there must be five for making separate class, so the Vertues where classified with an handicap rating together with the older “barche d’epoca”. During the ceremony a Vertue class pennant was presented to the Yacht Club Adriaco in the hands of its president.
Although there where four racing days, final results have no particular
meaning compared to the pleasure for Vertue owners to meet and sail
together, and such a success where this two weekends that everybody
confirmed participation for next year.
Capt. Trnovski sailed then Jan Gilda back to Murter, a beautiful spot in the
Dalmatian Islands, where she lies usually. Maybe there could be an informal
Vertue rally in Murter next year, during the summer cruising period, and
maybe some other Vertue will join us.
I am also glad to let you know that a fifth Vertue has joined the
Adriatic Vertue Fleet, as mr. Marco Milani has bought V 146 Tanera.
She is currently at the Cantiere Alto Adriatico in Monfalcone near
Trieste for some maquillage works, just some painting nothing
structural, and next summer she will be based in Ancona.
With my best regards
Enrico
Enrico
pollini
pollini+smania architetti contra' pasini 18 36100 vicenza tel +39 0444 540421 fax +39 0444 542446 |