On behalf of Poole Yacht Racing Association, the Royal Motor Yacht Club hosted a fantastic weekend of sailing on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August, with two very different but equally enjoyable races forming part of the PYRA programme, proudly sponsored by Stoneways Marine Insurance.
Saturday – PYRA Annual Two-Handed Race
Saturday saw the PYRA Annual Two-Handed Race, hosted by the RMYC, with Race Officers Andrew Pearce and Dave Butters overseeing proceedings.
The morning began with very little breeze. At 09:30 there was virtually no wind, although a promising 5–6 knots was showing from around 140 degrees. Andrew set the course at 09:45, using the Stoneways Race Mark as the windward mark.
Incredibly, just five minutes before the scheduled 10:00 start, the wind arrived almost exactly as hoped, allowing the fleet to enjoy a lovely race.
With the fleet of yachts divided into four classes the Elan 295 – Mad Fish, was the overall winner, winning VPRS Class Two in the process.
Second overall and winning VPRS Class Three, our own Keith Lovett’s Ecume de Mer and smallest boat racing, QT.
Just 4 seconds behind on corrected time was the Archambault A31, Red Fox, wining Class One.
The Sun Fast 3200, All or Nothing wining Class Zero.
Sunday – RNLI Poole Station Pursuit Race
Sunday brought the RNLI Poole Station Pursuit Race, organised as part of a new PYRA Poole Bay Series, initiative introduced in 2026 and proving very successful.
Once again hosted by RMYC, the race attracted 20 yachts, with start times over a 30-minute period, based on the VPRS rating system . The morning initially looked very similar to Saturday, with light winds forcing Andrew to postpone the start by 65 minutes.
The fleet eventually got underway in less than 5 knots of breeze, with Keith’s QT as the smallest boat in the pack leading , a position he held for the first hour of the two-hour race, before being overhauled by the Elan 295 – Mad Fish.
The wind steadily increased to around 12 knots, producing some excellent and, in Andrew’s words, “champagne racing.” It did not take long for the lowest rated monohull racing, the Farr 30 – Wild Haggis to climb into the lead, a position he held until the finish, also winning Class Zero.
Red Fox was to again win Class One, Mad Fish Class Two, QT holding on to win Class Three, Sweden Yachts 370, Magnum, taking Class Four and the Corsair F
31 – Smithy, Class Five for multihulls.
The weekend delivered two exceptional days of sailing, despite the challenging light-wind conditions at the start of both races.
Supporting the RNLI
The Sunday event also provided an opportunity to support the Poole RNLI station. The RNLI water safety team examined more than 20 lifejackets ashore, identifying a number that were not in satisfactory condition, hence very worthwhile.
A raffle was also well supported, raising an impressive £470.
The RNLI crew arrived in style aboard the Atlantic 85, with Poole Helm, Jon and his crew joining everyone on the RMYC terrace afterwards for a well-earned alcohol-free beer.
A Fantastic Prizegiving
The racing was followed by an enjoyable prizegiving on the Royal Motor Yacht Club terrace, providing the perfect opportunity for competitors, families, volunteers, RNLI crew and supporters to come together and celebrate a great weekend of sailing.
With the sun shining and a fantastic atmosphere on the terrace, there was plenty of time to relax, share stories from the racing and enjoy the camaraderie that makes these events so special. There was a real sense of celebration as everyone gathered together after two challenging but rewarding days on the water.
Paul Thompson from Poole RNLI had the honour of presenting the trophies to the winners, with plenty of smiles, congratulations and good-natured banter as the prizes were awarded. It was a fitting way to round off a weekend that had combined competitive sailing with friendship, fun and valuable support for the RNLI.
The RNLI team expressed their thanks to RMYC, PYRA and everyone involved in making the event such a memorable success.
Particular thanks were given to Andrew Pearce for his expert race management, PYRA Captain Rob Gibson for his support to the competing yachts, Keith Lovett and the Stoneways Marine Insurance team for their sponsorship and support, Richard the RMYC’s charming steward who all helped make the weekend possible.
With great racing, strong support for the RNLI, an excellent prizegiving and a fantastic atmosphere ashore, it was a hugely successful weekend for everyone involved.
A big thank you to everyone who took part and helped make the weekend such a success.
Let’s do it again next year!