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Scottish Series Event History

by Ian Macdonald

In 1973 cruiser racing under the International Offshore Rule (IOR) was at its height providing racing to a huge variety of types and size of boat. The most famous competitions apart from Grand Prix events like the Admirals' Cup were the World Level Rating Championships for the Ton Cups which consisted of three inshore races, one short offshore race and one long offshore race. This became the standard format for cruiser racer series of the time, whether at world championship, national or local level.

To mark its 75th anniversary in 1973, the Clyde Yacht Clubs' Association introduced a new series for cruiser racers under IOR, the prize for which was to be a scale model of the flywheel of the first steamship, the Greenock-built Comet. The first Comet Wheel Series was incorporated within that year's Clyde International Regatta at Rothesay, the short offshore race being from Rothesay to Bangor and the long offshore race round the Isle of Man back to Rothesay!

It was always the CYCA's intention that the series would be held in different places each year, generally alternating between the Clyde and the Irish Sea so in 1974 the Comet Wheel prizes were awarded within ISORA Week in Dublin Bay. In 1975 it was the Clyde's turn again and the Clyde Cruising Club through its Honorary Secretary Sandy Taggart put forward proposals for a new series based around its Tobermory Race in July. The CCC was (and still is) the main organiser of offshore racing on the Clyde and the offshore races of the 1973 series had been CCC events. At the same time the CCC was approached by Tomatin Distillers who were keen to sponsor a sailing event so the 1975 event became the Comet Wheel Series for the Tomatin Trophy. The series included a number of classes but the Tomatin Trophy was to be awarded to the one yacht which in the opinion of the Race Committee and the sponsors had given the best performance of all yachts in the series.

The 1975 series started with a 200-mile race round the Mull of Kintyre via Belfast Lough to Crinan, then after the second leg of the Tobermory Race itself in company with the rest of the CCC fleet had three Olympic triangle races in increasingly strong winds in the area north of Tobermory. The final race was to have been the 90-mile short offshore race from Tobermory finishing at Armadale on Skye but because of the severe weather this was postponed until the following morning and shortened to "only" 60 miles. The first winner of the Tomatin Trophy was Kavala II, a Nicholson 30 from Bangor.

In 1976, the Comet Wheel Series was again included within the bi-annual ISORA Week, this time in North Wales, but the Tomatin Trophy had been such a success that the CCC decided to run the event again, reduced in size with only one Olympic triangle at Tobermory and renamed the Tomatin Trophy Series. The limitations of the west coast as the venue for a major regatta were obvious but an opportunity arose in 1977 to bring the event to the Clyde. The country was given an extra two day holiday in early May to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee and the third Tomatin Trophy was held over this special weekend. The long offshore race was reduced to one night, started at Gourock late on Friday, raced round Ailsa Craig and finished at Campbeltown. The short offshore race was from Campbeltown to Tarbert and the three Olympic triangles were held in Loch Fyne and for the first time the winning boat won all her races in the series - Hydrodjinn sailed by Nick Stratton who is one of only a handful of people who can claim to have taken part in or organised (or both) every series to date.

The May experiment had worked so well, filling a gap in the Scottish and indeed national racing programme, that it has stayed in May ever since, although moved from 1978 to the Glasgow holiday at the end of May. 1978 also saw the change to the present Thursday night start and Tuesday finish. The Comet Wheel Series in its original form did not survive beyond the last Clyde International Regatta in 1979 but the Tomatin Trophy Series went from strength to strength, the child quickly outgrowing the parent.

Tomatin Distillers went out of business in 1984 shortly after the 10th Tomatin Trophy Series (no connection between the two events) but the CCC had a successful event which it was keen to carry on. With no major sponsor immediately available, the 1985 series was run with invaluable support from the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Thomas Tunnock Limited, both of whom are still closely involved in 1999, the HIDB through their successor enterprise company AIE and Tunnocks in exactly the same enthusiastic way as in each of their 15 years' sponsorship. A new name was required and regular helper Ian McBain came up with the Scottish Series although he has given the credit for the idea to his wife Heather. There was certainly no other event in Scotland which could match the series for numbers of competitors and in the rest of the UK only Cowes Week was bigger.

Scottish Brewers became the main sponsors in 1986 and stayed for six years, the first four under the title McEwans Scottish Series. In 1990 this was shortened to McEwans Series but this proved the prelude to a number of changes with Stakis Hotels coming in as joint sponsors in 1991 (McEwans Stakis Series) and Rover taking over in 1992. Rover Cars also stayed for six years and always had only their name in the Rover Series title but the Scottish Series name revived in 1998 when a sponsorship package was put together through a local enterprise company at Tarbert to continue the event at its natural home.

In 2000 Bell Lawrie White, portfolio managers and stockbrokers, took over as headline sponsors and the series now became the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series. Bell Lawrie (as they were always known and as they became officially a few years later) agreed to sponsor the series for an initial commitment of three years but the Club is delighted that they are still here ten years later, now under the name of their holding company Brewin Dolphin.

In 1998 and 1999 when there was no title sponsor, a number of organisations came forward as support sponsors and the series has been fortunate to retain a number of these for many years. These valuable support sponsors have included Graham Technology, Clyde Marina, Tiso, Talisker (Diageo/Classic Malts), Luddon Construction and, of course, Tunnocks. Tarbert Enterprise Company has continued to organise and finance much of the shore side so the event is firmly a co-operative effort.

For the competitors and helpers, the important action is on the water but on a few occasions the Series has hit the headlines for reasons other than the race results. Twice in the early 1980s, yachts competing in the overnight feeder races capsized and sank although thankfully in both cases the crews were rescued immediately by fellow competitors showing great seamanship. The resulting investigations influenced developments in international construction and equipment regulations to reflect changes in the types of boat which were racing.

In 1993, the local Tarbert fishing fleet blockaded the narrow harbour entrance one morning so the fleet was unable to set sail. The fishermen’s dispute was with Government and EC quotas, not with the competitors or organisers, so having made their point and got themselves on television news, the protestors relented and the fleet got to sea for the afternoon race.

The following year, the hillside above Tarbert was set alight (not by anyone connected to the Series!) and burned for two days despite the attentions of a number of helicopters dumping water on the flames. Fortunately no-one was hurt and the racing was not affected although the whole event was quite a spectacle for all. Despite the concerns of the “three in a row” brigade, the 1995 series passed off without incident!

Among the volunteer helpers have always been a group who are not able to start work until after everyone has finished racing for the day and get little thanks for their efforts but without whom the series could not take place at all. These are of course the members of the independent protest committee who over the years have come from all parts of the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the United States, many of them returning year after year. In recent years, the number of protests has (thankfully) fallen dramatically as competitors have become more familiar with the rules, as alternative penalties have become universally accepted and as arbitration has been introduced. The days of protest hearings going on into the early hours have gone.

Over the years, the series has developed to reflect the increasing numbers taking part (over 270 on three occasions), changing handicap systems and patterns of racing and different social priorities. The progress of the Series represents the changes which have taken place in yacht racing over its 35 years – more than a generation. For example, in the first few years, most crews lived aboard their boats throughout the event but now this is almost unheard of, even although many of the cruiser racers are far more comfortable and better equipped than before.

Although the format of the series varies very little from year to year, it is interesting to list some of the changes which the event has seen over 35 years:
 

With all these changes, some things do stay the same:

WINNERS OF THE SCOTTISH SERIES (scottish unless stated!)

 

Year Boat Owner/Skipper Type
1975 Kavala II Richard Croasdaile - N. Ireland Nicholson 30 - IOR
1976 Opposition Kenneth Mackinnon S & S 40 - IOR
1977 Hydro-djinn Nick Stratton Hydro - IOR
1978 Fiskery Terence Brownrigg Bolero - IOR
1979 Jonathan Livingston Vulture Jonathan Anderson Shamrock - IOR
1980 Allez Cat Arnold Roberts Impala - CYCA
1981 Justine III Frank Woods - Ireland
 Castro - One Ton
1982 Quickflash Barry Bullen - England
 Dubois Quarter Ton - IOR
1983 Tom Bombadil Jonathan Money - England
 Peterson Quarter Ton - IOR
1984 Balthazar Ian Macdonald-Smith - England
 Castro - Half Ton
1985 Bateleur Chris Bonar MG RS 34 - IOR
1986 Chia Chia Jonathan Anderson Welbourn Half Ton - IOR
1987 Scenario Act II Alan Fitton - England
 MG RS 34 - ¾ Ton
1988 Red Hot Poker Simon Pender Sonata
1989 St Joan Ian Nicolson Sigma 33
1990 Local Hero V Geoff Howison Humphreys - ¾ Ton
1991 Ufor Howard Morrison UFO 31 - CYCA
1992 Suave Dancer Jonathan Anderson Sigma 38
1993 Saraband Steve Goacher - England
 Sonata
1994 Eclipse V Alex Duffus Sigma 400 - CHS
1995 Crusader John Highcock Moody 336 - CYCA
1996 JHN John Nesbit - England
 Andrieu Half Ton - CHS
1997 Bateleur 97 Chris Bonar BH 36 - CHS
1998 Kooshtie Graham Campbell Sonata
1999 Pepsi John Fitzpatrick Sigma33
2000 White Knuckles II John Bainbridge - England Prima 38 - IRC
2001 Silver Darling Richard MacKenzie Elan 362 - IRC
2002 Elanor Andrew Mitchell Elan 333 - IRC
2003 King Quick Ruairidh & Graeme Scott Cork 1720
2004 Antix Anthony O'Leary - Ireland
 Corby 36 - IRC
2005 Tiamat T. Costello - Ireland
 Mills 40 - IRC
2006 Antix Anthony O'Leary - Ireland
 Corby 36 - IRC
2007 Jump Juice Conar Phelan - Ireland Mills 39 - IRC
2008 Lady Courrier Gery Trentesaux - France
 First 45 - IRC
2009 Christie Cancer Care
 Nigel Biggs - England
 J109 - IRC

WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?

The series has been known by a number of names during its 35-year history, reflecting the different sponsors which have supported it. Many organisers and competitors who have been involved in the series for longer than is good for them still refer to the event by one of the older names - I'm a Tomatin man myself but perhaps I'm showing my age.

 

 



 
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