Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series - Race 8

by Malcolm Mackley 31 Jul 2017 13:09 BST 29 July 2017

Driving rain and no wind did not deter a small group of "extreme" dinghy sailors from attempting the impossible.

There was in fact a hint of a wind zephyr from the North; however a strong ebbing tide made beating to mark 3, which was the nearest windward mark to the start line very challenging with shore hugging essential. The Race Officer John Wyllie bravely postponed the start for half an hour; however the clutch of dinghies at the Smalls beach shore were clamouring to start. Some delayed leaving the beach until their respective starting signal utilizing the quirky racing rule that as long the crew are standing in the water behind the start line they can quite legally hold station waiting for the starting hooter to sound.

Progress to the Famous Portlemouth Ferry steps against the tide was painful; however once past this there was just about enough wind to call it sailing. There were winners and losers in the battle to secure a good rounding of Mark 3. Once round the mark, the "run" or should I say drift with the tide to Mark 2 was relatively straightforward, providing you were alert to bailing out water from your boat in the torrential down poor. Following this, the return to the finish line was tricky but rewarded by a bevy of rescue boats towing boats back to shore. A useful bonus for the day was also that the rapidly assembling armada of Salcombe holiday rubber ribs was keep in port by the torrential rain, leaving the estuary to the sailors that had ventured out.

Race 8 Results and Series Winners:

Juniors
Series winner: Tera 2136, James Alexander

Medium Handicap
1st Feva 4186, Andrew and Lewis Groves
2nd Laser Radial 1559, Rew Mcoll
Series winner: Andrew and Lewis Groves

Fast Handicap
1st Aero 9 1752, Dan Bridger
2nd Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley
3rd Merlin Rocket 3725, Andrew and Trisrtum Squire
Series winner: Andrew and Tristrum Squire

Solos
1st 5601, Simon Yates
2nd 4813, Robin Hodges
3rd 5598, Billy Jago
Series winner: Billy Jago

Salcombe Yawls
1st 171, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman
2nd 161, Peter Stratton and Caroline Adcock
Series winner: Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman