Salcombe Gin Autumn Yacht Regatta at Parkstone Yacht Club
by Keith Lovett 2 Oct 2023 20:00 BST
30 September - 1 October 2023
Salcombe Gin Autumn Yacht Regatta at Parkstone © Andrew Pearce
Thirteen yachts representing four Poole clubs, enjoyed consistent if not a little variable breeze over the weekend 30th September / 1 October racing in the stunning Poole Bay for a five-race Autumn Regatta.
The fleet split into two, larger boats racing under IRC and generally smaller the VPRS rating system.
Racing organised immaculately under race officer Andrew Pearce and his reliable team, a mixture of windward/leeward, olympic courses and around the bay longer race concluding each day.
Highly tactical with a strong westerly running tide for the majority of both days, Ian Braham's, MG346 - Haven KJ Enigma was to dominate the IRC class, taking three wins and ultimately discarding a 2nd place. Trevor Annels, Elan 333 'Energy' was never very far behind mixing it up with Oliver Nuttall's, Pogo 8.5 L'Aventure and Nick Fullagars' X99, Fixation.
All three boats finishing within one point, with both L'Aventure and Fixation taking wins, a testament to the incredibly close racing.
The larger VPRS fleet again saw some very close racing but the largest yacht in the fleet, Mark Careys recently acquired Beneteau First 34.7 - Zorra 4, proved unassailable, taking the overall win.
In the fleet that followed four boats were constantly vying, ultimately; Keith Lovett's Ecume de Mer - QT getting the better of Peter Taylor's, Parker 27 - Pied Piper by just half point, to secure second and third place respectively.
Competitors gathered back at Parkstone Yacht Club for a prize-giving generously sponsored by Salcombe Gin alongside additional prizes provided by Quay West Chandlers and Stoneways Marine Insurance.
With Salcombe Gin also providing the post racing refreshments what is there not too like?
Class 1 IRC Results:
| Pos | Boat | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | IRC | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Haven KJ Enigma | GBR4365T | Ian Braham | Nick Smith
| Parkstone YC | 0.942 | 1 | 1 | ‑2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2nd | Energy | GBR65252 | Trevor Annels | Peter Biggs
| Parkstone YC | 0.949 | 2 | ‑3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 3rd | L'Aventure | 69L | Oliver Nuttall | Jim Gorrod Tom Saunt Kev Stibbs | Poole YC | 0.939 | ‑4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 |
| 4th | Fixation | 9851 | Nick Fullagar | | Parkstone YC | 0.952 | 3 | ‑4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
Class 2 RYA-NHC Results:
| Pos | Boat | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | VPRS | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Zorra4 | 82L | D Mark Carey | PYC Members | PKYC | 0.968 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1.5 | ‑5 | 5.5 |
| 2nd | QT | GBR1972 | Keith Lovett | Judith Spark
| Parkstone/RMYC | 0.834 | (RET) | 1 | 3 | 1.5 | 4 | 9.5 |
| 3rd | Pied Piper | GBR2846L | Pete Taylor | Mark Bracey
Peter Brown | Pkstn Yc | 0.813 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ‑6 | 3 | 10 |
| 4th | Toroa of Axe | 50Y | Colin Stewart | Paul Heawood | Lilliput SC | 0.861 | 4 | 4 | ‑7 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
| 5th | Patriot Games | 9503 | Martyn Bright | D Scott MA Bright S Wilkinson N Hayes
K Starr | Parkstone YC | 0.881 | 6 | ‑7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 |
| 6th | Shebeen | 982 | Ken Morgan | Peter Kent | Poole YC | 0.862 | 3 | 6 | ‑8 | 5 | 7 | 21 |
| 7th | Temptation | GBR3321T | Alex Clapperton | John Guess Sue Marjasson John Gibbs | Lilliput | 0.85 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ‑8 | 8 | 22 |
| 8th | Freebird | 1371 | Shaun Kerwick | PYC Members | Parkstone YC | 0.95 | 7 | ‑8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
| 9th | BLEW | 2190 | Bob Lowden | Nick Hadley
Steve Budden | Parkstone YC | 0.813 | 8 | ‑9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 |