PASAB 2025 Race Report

At 1900 on Friday 25 July, twelve yachts ranging from 25 to 38 feet LOA set off from Penzance in excellent conditions for an overnight passage to St Mary’s. With a mix of cruising and racing yachts, the fleet quickly spread out on a course leaving Wolf Rock to starboard en route to a self-timed finish at the Spanish Ledge buoy at the entrance into St Mary’s Sound.

Upwind all the way, conditions were kind with a warm sailing breeze and calm waters producing memorable displays from dolphins leaving long phosphorescent trails in the water. With passage times ranging from under 7 to over 13 hours, the earliest arrivals found moorings in St Mary’s harbour but, in a repeat of 2024, boats were forced to raft together or anchor elsewhere. Although rafting is standard recommended practice in the harbour, the patrol boats lost no time in ejecting us as soon as they started work at 0900.

Anchoring in Porth Cressa was a popular choice, beautifully quiet and calm, ideally suited to the prevailing wind. Saturday is a “rest” day – time to catch up on some sleep, explore the islands, take a walk or, in many cases, party in The Atlantic or Mermaid pubs in preparation for Sunday’s race around the islands.

With only light winds, the RO chose to send us on a shortened course around the northern islands which turned to be an excellent decision giving a race of between 5 and 7 hours for the various boats. An upwind start took us to Spencer’s Ledge, before gradually rotating clockwise for a long spinnaker run around Bryher, Tresco, St Martin’s and myriad small islands and rocks before reaching down the eastern side and a short beat to finish once again at Spanish Ledge.

After another evening in the ever popular Mermaid, the fleet re-assembled at 0930 for the return race to Penzance. Reversing our course from the Friday night, we went out via Spanish Ledge, around Wolf Rock and another self-timed finish on a transit off Penzance harbour. Flying spinnakers in variable wind strengths for much of the day, the fleet stayed considerably closer with the first boat again finishing in just over 7 hours.

Penzance SC hosted a prize giving at the club on Tuesday evening when the seven COGS boats took the lion’s share of the prizes with Green Magnum, Blue Horizon and British Beagle first, second and third overall respectively.

As one of only two boats sailing two-handed, Blue Horizon also won the two-handed class. Our thanks are due to all at PZSC for organising another great event sure to bring us back again next year.

Tim Rowley