Harken UK Musto Performance Skiff National Championships - Day 2
by Dave Poston 16 Aug 2014 00:36 BST
14-17 August 2014
Day 2 dawned with a NW 7-10kt breeze and sunshine, with 4 races scheduled the fleet prepared themselves for a long day on the water and they weren't to be disappointed!
Race 3 started with a strong head tide and the majority of the top 10 tacked inshore in search of slacker tide. Ian Trotter and Sam Barker lee bowed the tide and pulled out a huge lead in race 1 which they held to the finish with Nicolas Duchoud rounding out the top 3.
A postponement before Race 4 due to shifting wind allowed time for the tide to slacken off and begin to turn around. A port biased line meant there was a fight to get away from the pin end and the race officer wisely postponed in the last 20 seconds. The fleet got away the 2nd time cleanly with the usual suspects in the mix. Schwerdt and Keen read the shifts well to lead round the windward from Alex Cooper. At the finish Schwerdt held off from Keen with Nicholas Duchoud showing great pace to pull through to 3rd ahead of Schooling and Palfreman.
Race 5 and the tide was now taking the fleet over the start line and it took a black flag start to get the fleet away cleanly. Alastair Conn took an early lead on the left side of the course followed by Dave Poston and Bruce Keen. Keen overhauled Poston on the second beat, but Conn held on to his lead to the finish. Keen finished 2nd with Poston 3rd just ahead of Frithjof Schwerdt
With the tide now in full flow against the wind a few boats fell foul of the black flag start for Race 6 Dave Poston took the lead round the first mark just ahead of Iver Ahlmann. Ahlmann put some great downwind speed to good use and overhauled Poston to build a commanding lead. A big shift and a gust allowed the following pack led by Schwerdt to overhaul Poston downwind, then the wind tracked further right and some boats were hoisting kites to make the next windward mark! Schwert overhauled Ahlmann to take the win followed by Stenhouse.
After 6 hours on the water the fleet devoured some well earned fish and chips and enjoyed as we type are looking forward to ex-skiff legend Dan Vincent's super quiz!