Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 8
by David Greening 23 Oct 2016 16:48 BST
22 October 2016
Saturday had an Autumnal feel, with bright skies, an empty estuary and a slightly chilly East North Easterly force 3 to 4 breeze. Race Officer Malcolm Mackley did his best with the conditions to set a beat to Crossways followed by Blackstone and a circuit of the harbour to the finish.
First away was the Cadet Handicap with James Alexander completing the course in his RS Tera Sport, whilst other Cadets attended a training event at Paignton.
In the Medium Handicap fleet the Laser Radials of Esther McLarty and Elodie Grenen prevailed, with George Alexander and Ruari McColl once again sailing their RS Feva XL efficiently into the remaining podium place.
All eyes were on the Fast Handicap start, as Alistair Morley in his Phantom chose to start on the Portlemouth shore, and Peter Cook and Janet Exelby's Merlin Rocket started on the Salcombe side; would Morley's single tack approach feed him in ahead of the Merlin which required more tacks but had less work against the tide? Cook and Exelby chose the faster route, but were later to retire gifting Alistair the race from the Lloyd's National 12.
Learning from the earlier Fast Handicap start, saw the majority of the eighteen strong Solo fleet to favour the Watch House end of the line, with a lonely Graham Cranford-Smith trying to achieve what Morley had not. Bill Jago prevailed, leading past the Ferry landing, and despite being chased hard, was always to be in charge of the race.
A tidal gate at Tosnos; saw seven boats make a clear break, with some fast planing reaches across Widegates. Upon the return to the harbour, the leaders closed up on the final beat against the tide along the Salcombe seawall, with Bill taking the win from Simon Dobson who secured second place on the final tack from Chris Cleaves.
Six Yawls continued their second wind into the late Autumn Series, with David Jayne helming for Dan Bridger working their way into a lead, with the Classic Yawl of Andrew Wood and Tim Petit sailing above her their handicap to lead the modern Yawl of Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer-Chapman.
Cadet Handicap
1st RS Tera Sport 881, James Alexander
Medium Handicap
1st Laser Radial 181676, Esther McLarty
2nd Laser Radial 190864, Elodie Grenen
3rd RS Feva XL4165, George Alexander and Ruari McColl
Fast Handicap
1st Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley
2nd National 12, 3534 Charlie and Helen Lloyd
Solo
1st 5598, Bill Jago
2nd 5676, Simon Dobson
3rd 5573, Chris Cleaves
Salcombe Yawl
1st 159, David Jayne and Dan Bridger
2nd 97, Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt
3rd 170, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman