Guide to Racing in Bridlington Bay by Jim Saltonstall

North Bay

Wind Direction

330-030 degrees

The shifty sector, with the wind coming off the relatively high land of the Danes Dyke area. As is to be expected, the wind is shiftier near the windward mark. Down near the leeward mark, the shifts are over a narrow arc and less frequent. If you’re racing in this area, know the numbers on the compass and use the shifts – usual golden rule, do not get to the lay-lines too early! Watch out for a persistent wind shift in the windward mark area. As the wind leaves the land and comes onto the water it veers, there may well be more lifts on starboard tack, if the mark is within half a mile of the shore.

030-060 degrees

With the wind now coming off the peninsular to the left (looking upwind), there is better breeze on that side of the beat. There is more wind closer to the land because of the convergence zone, plus there is a header as you go in on starboard tack, with lifts on port tack along the shore. But don’t get too close in under the land, because you’ll start to get affected by the wind shadow.

060-090 degrees

Now the wind is coming into the North Bay parallel with the land, and it pays to go left up the beat for the wind, because of the convergence zone of stronger breeze. But also, if the port lay-line is close enough to the land, there may well be a header as you go in on starboard tack, with the lifts on port tack near the shore.

090-180 degrees

The bay is now open to the wind, with nothing to disturb it in either direction or velocity. This is also the sector for rough seas in the mid-to-upper wind strengths.

180 degrees

When the wind comes from the south, it pays to work the beat left of middle, as there is less breeze close to the shore due to the wind divergence area. But the tide may influence you to go inshore if it is a spring ebb, which we will look at later.

180-230 degrees

Catch 22 scenario, less wind inshore, but lifts on starboard tack near the shore – if in doubt, let the tide decide.

230-330 degrees

An offshore wind and the usual rules apply – use the shifts, so know the numbers on the compass or have references on the shore. You must know when you are down on both tacks, so that you can take advantage of the shifts. And as always, do not get to the lay-lines too early!

South Bay

Wind Direction

000-020 degrees

With the wind in the north it pays to go left up the beat, as there is more wind on the port side of the course in the convergence wind area. As you go towards the shore on starboard tack you may also get headed, with lifts on port tack as you come out.

20-160 degrees

Unlike the North Bay, the South Bay race course is not affected by Flamborough Head. So with the wind coming from the eastern sector it is quite stable in both direction and strength.

160-180 degrees

There is left wind on your right upwind, near the shore in the divergence zone, so left-of-middle pays for more wind strength.

180-230 degrees

There is less wind near the shore, but there are also lifts on starboard tack in close. So once again you may want to let the tide decide your strategy.

230-310 degrees

The shifty sector – know the numbers on the compass and use the shifts. Remember that there may be more lifts on port tack up near the windward mark, as the wind veers leaving the land to come onto the sea.

310-000 degrees

Go left up the beat for the wind, as there is more on the port side of the course, as well as possible headers on starboard tack and lifts on port.

Sea Breeze

The usual signs for a good sea breeze day are early morning with a clear blue sky, and a light offshore gradient breeze coming from the south-west. As the cumulus clouds develop late morning, the breeze initially comes in from approximately 090 degrees, backs slightly as it increases, then follows the sun as the day gets older. Protect the starboard side of the course from about 1400 onwards. The breeze normally ends the day in the south-west.

Tide

The flood tide follows the curvature of the bay from north to south, slightly stronger offshore. The ebb tide flows from south to north-north-east, again slightly stronger offshore.