Crouch Yacht Club Victory Cup Series - Races 6 & 7
by Phillip Harbott 26 Jul 2016 18:31 BST
23-24 July 2016
Grace and Danger in the Crouch YC's Victory Cup series © Jan van der Schans
Saturday was the Puxley Trophy from Burnham to Levington in memory of John Puxley. In challenging conditions, the race officer started the boats at Buxey Number 1 where there was a more consistent breeze and less foul tide.
Mantra, helmed by Ian Hart, got the better start of the four, but were soon overhauled by Double Trouble, the Corby 29 owned by Duncan Haley. Sapphire, the Dehler owned by Martin and Kirsty Brooks were in fourth with Stephen Gosling in third in the SJ 27, Grace and Danger. The boats fetched to Swin Spitway, with Sapphire getting through Grace and Danger around the Swallowtail.
Double Trouble led for the race, but Mantra chased hard. The Aphrodite 101 sailed a lower course than Duncan Haley's Double Trouble after the Wallet buoy and having climbed, Duncan was able to set his asymmetric spinnaker earlier and pulled away. However, he sailed a longer course, as Mantra cut across Dovercourt Bay under AP spinnaker. The boats gybed to the finish and Phillip Harbott's 101 finished quickly, spotting the bias on the finish line set up by Russ Cashel aboard his boat Havana Papa.
Mantra were able to save their time on Double Trouble, as did Grace and Danger who took second by a minute from Double Trouble, Sapphire were fourth, having finished third on the water.
The trophy and traditional bottle of gin were presented to Phillip Harbott and the crew of Mantra by the Commodore of the CYC, Dave Smith at Haven Ports Yacht Club.
Sunday saw the race back for the Grayling Bowl. Again, Havana Papa were committee boat and started the fleet down by Pye End. The fleet used the bias to start at the pin end, with Mantra getting the best start, closely followed by Double Trouble, who sailed under the 101 quickly to take the on-the-water lead, which they kept.
The fleet had a fair tide beat all the way to Wallet Spitway, where Double Trouble were leading with Mantra second, Sapphire third and Grace and Danger fourth. Half way down the Wallet, Sapphire were still close to Mantra, but some significant wind shifts saw Mantra pull ahead further.
Double Trouble were 12 minutes ahead of Mantra at this point, so could still be beaten by the 101, however, the Corby pulled away on the fair tide beat to Inner Crouch, before fetching home. Double Trouble finished 26 minutes ahead of Phillip Harbott's Mantra beating them by exactly 4 minutes on corrected time to take the Grayling Bowl.
Grace and Danger who finished with the first of the ebb tide were third on corrected time, with Martin Brooks Sapphire fourth.
The Victory Cup concludes in September with the Whirlwind Pursuit race.