Haven Series Harwich to Ostend Mecator Race
by Neale Fuller 1 Jun 2011 07:16 BST
27-28 May 2011
Race Officer Nigel Mower was greeted by twenty two boats on the start line for the Mercator race at 7:30am last Friday. The winds were Northwest and Westsouth west 3 to 20 knots.
It was a reach off the start line and with spinnaker set Fatjax took an early lead to Medusa bouy. After bearing away to the North East Gunfleet and longsand head bouy many of the leading boats; Fatjax, Deliverance 11, Foubroke, Bula Gila and Jabberwock went North of the rum line. Berserker chose to gybe and go South. This seemed to pay off at first as the leading yachts sailed into a windless area just before the Galloper wind farm. Unfortunately Jabberwock entered a restricted zone and volunteered to retire from the race in Ostend. A rain cloud then came over and the boats that went South then lost their wind and the boats to the North surged ahead, only to run out of wind again at West hinder.
Finally the wind filled in for all on the reach in to Ostend. The smaller boats were able to use this to full advantage with the Contessa26 La Mouette sailed by Geoff Pickard winning by over a hour on corrected time. J Hale and R Farrance won the IRC division in Rainbow.
Most boats had a rough trip home on Sunday.
Overall Results:
IRC
1st Rainbow, J Hale and R Farance
2nd Eclipse, D Cowan
3rd Fatjax, I Kirkpatrick
4th Silver Gull, F Gooderham
5th Bule Gila, M Fuller
Haven Handicap
1st La Mouette, G Pickard
2nd Rainbow, J Hale and R Farance
3rd Eclipse, D Cowan
4th Fatjax, I Kirkpatrick
5th Bula Gila, M Fuller