Crouch Yacht Club Summer Series - Race 1
by Phillip Harbott 30 Jun 2015 00:20 BST
28 June 2015
Sunday saw 4 boats compete in the first race of the CYC's summer series.
With the wind predominantly in the south and between 10 and 15 knots the race officer set a course taking the fleet down river with the first of the ebb and then two windward legs into the river Roach.
Inn Spirit, a Humphreys' 36 owned by Alan Bartlett and helmed by Ian Hart and Duncan and Beccy Hayley's SJ320 Double Trouble, started well near the town side of the river; Sapphire, Martin and Kirsty Brookes' Dehler 33 and Bella Vela,a Beneateu 31 owned by Andy Heel, both started on the South shore. Inn Spirit with Double Trouble in hot pursuit quickly fetched down river and when clear of the moorings they both popped up their spinnakers. Sapphire and Bella Vela were a little slower having started too close to the sea wall, Sapphire had the ability to bear off hoisted her kite and started to chase the two in front. Inn Spirit arrived at Greenward, the first mark, dropped kite to harden up for the leg up to Roach, this was a foul tide beat which suited the longer waterline length of Inn Spirit and consequently pulled away from Double Trouble and the others. From Redward to the Crouch Yacht Club Line, Inn Spirit were able to make it in one, whereas the others had to tack just before the Royal Corinthian.
Positions on the water didn't change for the remainder of the race and with the wind strength decreasing the race officer shortened the course at the CYC line.
Inn Spirit took line honours with Double Trouble not far behind in 2nd place and Sapphire 3rd place, sadly with the dying breeze that had veered more westerly Bella Vela found the beat home very hard work and retired.
On corrected time, Inn Spirit won by 3 and a half minutes with Double Trouble second. Sapphire took third.