Salcombe Yacht Club Spring Series - Race 6
by David Greening 21 Apr 2014 12:34 BST
19 April 2014
Forty Salcombe Yacht Club dinghies took to the water for the sixth and final races of the Spring Series on Easter Saturday. Race Officer Simon Dobson set a course to Gerston, followed by two or three loops of the harbour, in a force 3 to 4 Easterly set against a Spring ebb tide. This provided for challenging short tacking up the Salcombe shore in the later stages of the race.
Twenty Solos arrived at the start line, with half of the fleet choosing the Portlemouth shore and the remainder starting on the Salcombe side. Although most of the leading group emerged from the Portlemouth side, Simon Gibbens lifted out through the Salcombe moorings to have a close battle with Tim Law who crossed from Fishermans, with Greening, McGregor and Meek in the pursuing pack.
On the return to the harbour, Tim Law held a narrow lead over Gibbens but a brief capsize at Woodcott Rocks saw Gibbens, Greening and McGregor pass him, however on the penultimate beat Tim crossed the early to move into second place which he held despite a late challenge at the finishing line by McGregor. Tim's second place was sufficient for him to take the series.
The Handicap fleet numbers were boosted by an unseasonal turnout of eleven Yawls, with several being dusted off for the first time in several years. The leaders around the course were the Merlin Rockets of Andrew Squire with guest crew Chris Mehew and Graham and Fiona Cranford-Smith. After a capsize by Andrew and Chris, it looked like the Cranford-Smiths would take line honours, however Squire ground them down on the short tacking final beat to take first place at the finish line.
Next to finish was the Laser of Robin Hodges, and although he was demoted to fourth on handicap, this was sufficient to secure first place in the Spring Series.
First Yawl home was the Firecrest sailed by Andy and Liz Savell, who finished third on corrected time.
Race 6 Results:
Solo
1st 5428, Simon Gibbens
2nd 5315, Tim Law
3rd 5270, Iain McGregor
Handicap
1st Merlin Rocket 3725, Andrew Squire and Chris Mehew
2nd Merlin Rocket 3698, Graham and Fiona Cranford-Smith
3rd Salcombe Yawl 187, Andy and Liz Savell