Solo Eastern Series at Hunts Sailing Club

by Graham Cox 20 May 2012 21:15 BST 19 May 2012

The morning was cool, overcast and almost still. Fourteen visiting helms and nine HSC members took part. Fortified by bacon butties and a terse, clear briefing from race officer Richard Major the fleet started in three knots shifting about westerly.

Godfrey Clark from Fishers Green SC pulled away by the first mark, followed by Simon Maskell of Hunts SC in a borrowed boat then two tight packs of eight to ten boats. Close racing continued within each pack throughout the race. On the first beat in lap 3, Maskell pulled into a lead which he then increased. Unfortunately three helms did not notice the shorten course signal and failed to finish correctly.

After lunch the wind had veered NW and fallen. A starboard-handed Olympic triangular course was set to fit the shape of the lake in that wind direction. James Mead, also of Fishers Green SC took the lead, followed by Robert Lauries of Tollesbury SC and Simon Maskell. In the second half of the race the wind fell light and variable. The front third of the fleet became rather processional but even in the last lap there was tight racing in the middle, at the tail and between the leaders where Maskell beat Mead to the line.

The warning signal for the final race sounded as soon as the last boat finished. A breeze was picking up now. Maskell took the lead followed by Clark, Mead and Andy Anderson of Paxton Lakes SC. These positions held and their leads built up but there was keen racing throughout the rest of the fleet with some major changes as the breeze strengthened to marginal planing conditions by the end.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	5155	Simon Maskell	Hunts SC	1	1	1	2
2	4803	Godfrey Clark	Fishers Green SC	2	7	2	4
3	5158	James Mead	Fishers Green SC	4	2	3	5
4	5138	Pat Overs	Paxton Lakes SC	3	3	8	6
5	5134	Robert Lauries	Tollesbury SC	5	5	9	10
6	4506	Andy Anderson	Paxton Lakes SC	8	14	4	12
7	4620	Gary Fowler	Hunts SC	7	10	5	12
8	5243	Richard Christmas	Hunts SC	10	6	6	12
9	4487	Peter Matthews	Waveney & Oulton Broad YC	6	17	7	13
10	4269	Trevor Smith	Thorpe Bay YC	12	4	17	16
11	5303	Andy Savell	Salcombe YC	DNF	9	10	19
12	4215	Claire Clark	Fishers Green SC	9	11	13	20
13	4461	John Saddington	Rollesby Broad SC	11	13	12	23
14	4783	Colin Vincett	Hunts SC	13	15	11	24
15	4263	Andy Alcock	Hunts SC	14	12	18	26
16	4314	Barry Graver	Rollesby Broad SC	DNF	8	20	28
17	4675	Nick Jones	Stewartby WSC	16	18	14	30
18	3318	Mark Fowler	Littleton SC	15	21	15	30
19	3398	Stephen Whiteside	Hunts SC	17	16	19	33
20	4375	Greg Northmore	Hickling Broad SC	DNF	20	16	16
21	4844	Vernon Gamon	Hunts SC	18	19	DNC	37
22	3592	Tom Lachlan-Cope	Hunts SC	20	22	21	41
23	4960	John Cooper	Hunts SC	19	DNC	DNC	43