Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 3

The Force 3 North Easterly breeze shifted sufficiently to the North for Salcombe Yacht Club dinghy sailors to enjoy perfect beating conditions on a flood tide through the Bag and to the Gerston mark.

The early starters were to enjoy the trip only once, but the later starts had two beats to Gerston. Evie Booth in her RS Tera Pro took control of the Cadet Handicap fleet, fresh from her Open Meeting win at Paignton, arriving home ahead of Ben Meek and James Alexander.

The Laser Radial of Esther McLarty led the Medium Handicap Fleet home, followed by the RS Feva XL of George Alexander and Isla McColl.

In the Fast Handicap Fleet Alistair Morley demonstrated perfect time management to arrive at the start line on the bang of the gun to take control of the start, however the Merlin of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby drew out a good sufficient lead to take the corrected time win, with guest help AJ Squire escorting Fiona Cranford-Smith home into third place.

In the seventeen strong Solo fleet there was some surprise even by those that considered themselves to be over the line, that they got away with this indiscretion, perhaps the race officer realised that the race was to restart at Snapes Point! The shifting wind conditions in the upper harbour made for plenty of passing opportunities, and it was Chris Cleaves who led a bunch of four boats around the Gerston mark, however an increasing flood tide and a strengthening breeze filling in, saw Ed Stephens break through to the lead by sailing down the middle, a position that he was never going to relinquish.

The chasing pack of nine boats rounded Crossways in close proximity, and reshuffled on the route back to Gerston. Chris Cleaves following Ed home, and Simon Dobson taking the remaining podium place, from David Greening.

Andrew Wood and Ru McColl demonstrated how a well sailed Classic Yawl can show a clean pair of heels to the more modern Yawls, by winning the start and holding the lead from Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman.

Sunday Morning saw the Salcombe round of the Bart's Bash charity Handicap Event, which was held in light winds, and won by the Savell's in their Salcombe Yawl.

Junior Handicap:

1st RS Tera Pro 2146, Evie Booth
2nd RS Tera Sport 1881, Ben Meek
3rd RS Tera Sport 881, James Alexander

Medium Handicap:

1st Laser Radial 181676, Esther McLarty
2nd RS Feva XL, George Alexander and Isla McColl
3rd Laser Radial 190664, Elodie Grenen

Fast Handicap:

1st Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
2nd Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley
3rd Merlin Rocket 3769, Andrew Squire and Fiona Cranford-Smith

Solo:

1st 5194, Ed Stephens
2nd 5573, Chris Cleaves
3rd 5678, Simon Dobson

Salcombe Yawl:

1st 97, Andrew Wood and Ru McColl
2nd 138, Barney and Juanita Greenhill
3rd 132, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman

Bart's Bash Handicap:

1st Salcombe Yawl 140, Andrew and Elizabeth Savell
2nd RS400 1329, Peter and Sue Colclough
3rd Cornish Shrimper, Bru Pearce, family and spaniel