Exe Sails Starcross Steamer this weekend
by Mark Barnes 13 Jan 2016 17:55 GMT
17 January 2016
Starcross Exe Sails Steamer 2014 © Mike Rice /
www.fotoboat.com
The Exe Sails Starcross Steamer takes place this weekend on Sunday at Starcross Sailing Club on the river Exe. For those not familiar with the place it is a wide river course with a few sand bars at the extremities of the sailing area. Entry is limited to 100 boats, and closed out last week.
The big question will be which fleet will get the bragging rights. There are 12 B14s, 13 Lasers (standard/radial rigs), 9 Merlin Rockets, 13 RS Aeros (7 – 9 rigs) and 8 RS100s (8.4 – 10.2 rigs).
Forecast is for a decreasing South-westerly to less than 8 knots clocking NW and increasing to 16 – 20 knots NW by mid afternoon, with HW at 1140 hrs. With no rain and cloud cover, it could be a sublime morning on the water.
Racing will be within calling distance of the shore, so should be a spectacle. Format is for a pursuit race starting at 1030 hrs. and lasting for 150 minutes. First away will be the Mirror and last away the RS800.
Question will be which fleet will get the most benefit as the breeze clocks and decreases before increasing. One thing will be certain, it will not be over till the Fat Lady sings as it will be more a case of which fleet gets the best conditions rather than which is most suited to the topography of the course.
To add spice, it is also round 3 of the Seavolution B14 Winter Pursuit Series with Team GUL/North (Mark Barnes/Charlotte Jones), Whitstable Marine (Nick Craig/Tom Pygall) and P&B/Airbus (Mark Watts/Chris Bishop) vying for overall bragging rights in the series.
All will be revealed on YachtsandYachting.com early next week.