Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series - Race 6
by David Greening 21 Dec 2014 09:20 GMT
20 December 2014
The Salcombe Yacht Club Secret Santa Breakfast encouraged a good turnout of racers for the final race of Salcombe Yacht Club's Winter Series. Yet again the fleets were greeted by a fickle North Westerly breeze in the harbour.
Race Officer Roger Tushingham chose to send the fleet into the Bag and on to Gerston and to Yalton where there was the prospect of more breeze.
At least there was sufficient tide to accelerate the competitors away from the Start line, and in the Solo fleet, Phil King and Bill Jago made an early getaway, while the remainder of the fleet jostled for the minor placings. By Gerston Malcolm Mackley and David Greening formed a sub-group for third and fourth, with Greening overtaking Mackley at Dendridge Ledge.
However in Salcombe, it is never over until it is over, and in this case, despite an excellent and competitive race in sitting out conditions, the fleet returned to a becalmed harbour within 100 metres of the finish. Jago overtook King at the finish line to secure first place and the series win, whilst Ed Stephens came from zero to hero on a personal gust, to take third from Greening.
The Handicap turnout was up on recent weeks, with four Merlin Rockets out, to celebrate the launching of local sailors Graham and Fiona Cranford-Smith's new boat "Disciple". However it was the Merlin of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby that came to the fore, although a couple of old lags, Peter Colclough and John McLaren led home on the water in the 505 "Brigantes".
A handy shift and gust at Fisherman's was sufficient to accelerate Dan Bridger and David Jayne's Salcombe Yawl into second place a mere second ahead of another Merlin in the hands of Jon Gorringe and Nikki Bass.
Solo results:
1st 5316, Bill Jago
2nd 5568, Phil King
3rd 5194, Ed Stephens
Handicap results:
1st Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
2nd Salcombe Yawl 159, Dan Bridger and David Jayne
3rd Merlin Rocket 3754, Jon Gorringe and Nikki Bass