Crouch Yacht Club Nutcracker Series - Race 3
by Phillip Harbott 12 Dec 2016 22:29 GMT
11 December 2016
Crouch Yacht Club Nutcracker Series race 3 © Russ Cashel
A light westerly and welcome sunshine greeted the CYC fleet in the final race for the Nutcracker trophy. The young ebb tide made for a slow start as the yachts beat up river to No. 13; Exile the X37 owned by Paul Trueman had the best start on the South Shore but was still line shy with the rest of the fleet. Mantra helmed by Ian Hart was some way behind her. Glorious Fools owned by Digger Harden and Pete Jackson and Grace and Danger owned by Roger Noble, Stephen Gosling and Andrew Courts started on the North shore and Double Trouble the Corby 29 who started in the middle of the river, took the lead by short tacking in the shallow water quicker than the rest of the fleet.
On rounding the first mark the lead boat, Double Trouble, owned by Duncan and Beccy Haley, hoisted her spinnaker and very quickly took a significant lead on the yachts following behind; next round was Exile with Glorious Fools very close to windward and a quick kite hoist saw the J80 take second place on the water. On the run down river to Greenward, Glorious Fools put in many more gybes than the other yachts to get the best out of her asymmetric spinnaker.
At Greenward it was a kite drop and a fetch to Jubilee and then a fetch back out of the Roach to Redward and a slow foul tide beat to the CYC finish line where the race officer shortened the course. The on the water positions hadn't changed since just after the rounding of No. 13, the first mark, so Double Trouble took line honours. On corrected time Double Trouble were declared the winners, with Glorious Fools second and Mantra third. Overall for the Nutcracker, Double Trouble won with 4 points with Glorious Fools 2nd on 5 points and Mantra 3rd.
Next Sunday, December 18th is the Christmas Grand Prix for the Horse Trophy - festive hats and decorated boats essential!