TYCO Healthcare Hamble Winter Series 2003 - Day 6
by Eddie Mays 25 Nov 2003 06:26 GMT
23rd November 2003
Sponsored by Kayospruce Ltd.
On what must have been the most miserable sailing day of the year, with a cold Northerly breeze and driving rain, 156 boats started the 6th day of the Tyco Healthcare Hamble Winter Series, which was sponsored by the Segensworth based marine supplies company Kayospruce Ltd.
During the Black Fleet start sequence it was interesting to see how the first beat tactics changed as the different classes started. First away were the big boats of IRC 0. Most of them chose a middle course to the top mark and for the second week Mike Greville in his DK 46 was fastest over the water and saved his time on handicap. Not having sailed in the first half of the series precludes him from the overall title but he is proving to be very fast. In IRC 1, starting ten minutes later, most boats went out to the left. Jon Perry, sailing his Prima 38 Firestorm, went right and when the boats crossed at the top of the beat he tacked level with the leading boat, Shaun Frohlich’s IMX-40 Exabyte2. Perry rounded the top mark in 3rd place and then saved his time. This win moves him into 3rd overall. Nick Jones, sailing the Beneteau 40.7 Tarka, was forced out at the first mark but recovered to claim 3rd place behind Rob Goddard’s Falcon. Nick keeps his overall lead in the class. The only major casualty reported was in this class. On the downwind leg towards Gales HSB Stuart Hemingway on Beam On steered to correct a minor broach and then lost control again as his rudder blade floated away. The boat was towed into Cowes by the Calshot lifeboat. Stuart is trying to locate a new rudder and doesn’t know whether he will be able to compete in the last two weeks.
As the other classes started more and more boats chose the right hand side of the course so that by the time the last class, the Sigma 33s, started everyone went to the right. Richard & Valerie Griffith sailing Cerefe scored their 2nd win in this class and this moves them level with Richard Puddifoot, Whippa Snappa on 16 points. There is also a tie for 3rd place overall between Richard & Mark Smallwood, Scaramouche of Southampton, and David & Fiona Crawforth on Sigress. Both have 18 points. This class could well be decided on the last day with discards playing a crucial factor. Tony Dodd in IRC 4 lost his perfect record when he finished 4th behind Donald & Julia Wilks in their modified Impala Burhou. But Eurof Philips (IRC 3) and Ian Dawson (X-332) have their records intact for the fifth week.
On the White Group course the strong west going tide caused some problems, particularly for the large 707 fleet, during the morning starts. The Mumm 30s voted with their feet after the first race and went home. With two laps to complete the morning race was a little longer than expected and with the wind slowly increasing the afternoon race for the other classes was restricted to one lap. Even so the Committee Boat recorded gusts to 28 kts as the 707s were finishing. Andrew & Jane McLelland’s double victory in the 1720 class puts them over 20 points ahead of their nearest rivals, the syndicate owned Oi! Mike Ewart-Smith sailing his Laser SB3 Sublime had another good day with a 3rd in the morning behind David Evans in Distinctly Minty and then winning the 2nd race. Messers Morton, Brown & Devonshire also won both races in the Sportsboat class sailing the Beneteau 25 Impetuous. Ian Southworth & Nigel Smith recorded another pair of victories in the 707 class. In both races they finished two minutes ahead of their nearest rival in the overall standings, Mark Gillett in Pocket Battleship. James Ross, the other main contender had a poor result in the morning race finishing 16th.
Winners:
IRC 0 236 Erivale DK 46 Mr. M. Greville
IRC 1 6505 Firestorm Prima 38 Jon Perry
IRC 2 1404 T Kier building with Flair Elan 40 Jim MacGregor
IRC 3 3417 Great Scot II Adams 10M Eurof Phillips
IRC 4 9597 Burhou Mod. Impala Donald & Julia Wilks
X 332 8233 T Glide-X Ian Dawson
Sigma 38 8404 Festina Lente Philip Meakins
Sigma 33 4542 Cerefe Richard & Valerie Griffith
Bowsprit 9319 Jazolo J-109 Robert Shaw
Mumm 30 Race 1 Highlander III 8930 Gregor Logan
1720 Races 1 & 2 Splash Test Dummies 1774 Andrew & Jane McLelland
Laser SB3 Race 1 Distinctly Minty 3011 David Evans
Laser SB3 Race 2 Sublime 3035 Michael Ewart-Smith
Sportsboat Races 1 & 2 Impetuous 2505 T Morton, Brown & Devonshire
707 Races 1 & 2 Chilli Chaser Ian Southworth and Nigel Smith
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