All photos © Roger Stollery

Met & Southern District Marblehead Ranking Event

Light variable winds made racing frustrating for the dozen entries from 7 clubs. There were lots of course changes including moving the control area to the western bank, as the initial NW wind became SW by lunchtime. Despite this holding up the racing, 14 races were completed before the wind finally gave up the ghost at the end of the racing time.

The racing started with 3 wins for Martin Crysell, who looked invincible sailing his refurbished ‘Rok’, until he handed the yellow jersey to fellow Guildford member, Mark Mortimore sailing a ‘Roar Edge’, who got the best start in the lightest of wind in Race 4. Then it was the turn of light airs maestro, John Cleave to win Races 5 and 6 with ‘Paradox’ sailor Alf Reynolds in second place. For the latter race the single sausage course was changed to two sausages at different angles to ensure that there would be windward work as the wind continued to shift to the south. On this course in a very fluky wind John won by a mile! In Race 7 the wind died almost completely and filled in briefly from the SE and again the same two skippers dominated. At the break Martin Crysell was leading with 25 points, one ahead of another ‘Rok’ sailor, Rick Buxton with Hugh McAdoo some 8 points behind.

During lunch the fleet moved to the west bank control area where a longer windward leeward sausage course was set with a leeward gate. The wind was still frustratingly variable with big holes at the start, but apart from some of the race winners, 11 year old ‘CJ’ Vice was the most consistent starter and his best start is shown on one of the photos. He may not have had the fastest boat, but he did enjoy the lead for a short while! Furthest travelled skipper, Roy Stevens, sailing a ‘Prime Number’ won Race 8 from a sister ship sailed by Hugh McAdoo. John Cleave added another win in Race 9 from Mark Mortimore, but then had to settle from some mediocre results, whilst Hugh McAdoo’s consistency improved with a win in Race 10 and seconds in the next two races to Roy Stevens and Alf Reynolds. John came back in Race 13 to win from Roy and it was not enough and in the final race Hugh sealed the result to win both the race and the event; his first win at an MYA ranking event!

Like the first 2010 ranking event in similar conditions it was good to see older designs from the early 1990’s still able to win races against the latest designs. Some of these post 1991 narrow designs can be a very cheap way of getting into model yachting, as second hand these boats can be very good value.

Overall Results:

1st Hugh McAdoo Guildford ‘Prime Number’ 34pts
2nd John Cleave Ryde ‘Skalpel’ 42pts
3rd Alf Reynolds Chelmsford ‘Paradox’ 44pts
4th Martin Crysell Guildford ‘Rok’ 45pts
5th Roy Stevens Killingworth ‘Prime Number’ 48pts
6th Rick Buxton Norwich ‘Rok’ 54.6pts
7th Roger Pearce Woking ‘modified Paradox’ 74pts
8th Mark Mortimore Guildford ‘Roar Edge’ 87pts
9th ‘CJ’ Vice Guildford ‘Mystic’ 95pts
10th Phil Broszek Guildford ‘Roar Edge’ 101pts
11th Geoff Sutton Frensham Pond ‘Roar Edge’ 125pts
12th Alan Viney Guildford ‘Crazy Tube Too’ 133pts