Salcombe Yacht Club Commissioning Race 2014
by David Greening 10 Mar 2014 16:35 GMT
8 March 2014
Salcombe Yacht Club Commisioning Race © Rob Hyde
The annual Commissioning Race kicked off the 2014 Season for the Salcombe Yacht Club dinghy fleet. Spring like conditions greeted the 21 entries, with sun, a Force 3 South easterly and an ebb tide under the beat, providing a gentle warm up.
Race Officer Chris Cleaves showed characteristic wisdom, by setting a course that was mainly in the upper reaches of the harbour, since the area between the start line and Blackstone was to prove very fluky.
The fleet was somewhat premature for the start, resulting in an unseasonal general recall, so unseasonal that there was a considerable delay as the race team searched for the General Recall Flag, together with the Black Flag for the restart, which usually stays in its locker at least until Merlin Rocket Week in July.
For the second start three boats found themselves caught out by the Black Flag, but it was the 505 of Peter Colclough and Dan Bridger who were first to reach the Blackstone mark, followed by the RS400 of John and Annie McLaren, they immediately headed for the Salcombe shore, squandering there early advantage in the no wind zone of the Crab Pots.
A gaggle of Solos and the Laser Radial of Pete Ballantine rapidly closed the gap, and there was neck and neck racing all of the way to Gerston. The challenge was to balance whether it was more important to sail in wind, but against the stronger tide, or sail out of the tide, but in less wind.
The familiar green 505 rounded the Gerston mark first, albeit in the wrong direction, prompting an un-wind and re-round, followed by the RS400 and the Merlin Rocket of Tristram and Andrew Squire. David Greening found a fortunate band of wind to break out of the bunch of Solos and the Radial, somewhat assisted by Bill Jago having to effect running repairs to his Solo.
The fleet did two rounds of the Bag and Widegates, before emerging into the harbour, to a shortened course, with the RS400 winning on the water but the Solo of David Greening eventually winning on handicap.
Ironically the Foxer of Janet Exelby, being sailed by Peter Cook came closest to challenging the Solo for the win on handicap, although finishing nearly 40 minutes after the first finisher, it was only 27 seconds away from winning on handicap.
On completion of the race the competitors returned to the boat park, rather than Smalls Cove, since for the moment there is no beach, most of it having washed away in the winter storms. The yacht club are grateful to the Harbour Master for helping us make temporary arrangements in the boat park.
Overall Results:
1st Solo 5301, David Greening
2nd Foxer 146, Peter Cook
3rd Solo 5317, Julian Meek
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