Wayfarer Eastern Championships at Royal Harwich Yacht Club
by Michael McKechnie 26 May 2004 08:37 BST
22-23 May 2004
The Wayfarer, Eastern Area Championships were held at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club at Woolverstone on the River Orwell over the weekend of the 22nd / 23rd May. The entry list of 33 boats included the 2002 National Champion, Michael McNamara from the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club, and the 2003 National Champion, Ian Porter from Hayling Island Sailing Club. The entry list was particularly strong with many of the best Wayfarer sailors in the country attending. There were also two Wayfarer crews who came over from Holland, so it turned out to be an international event! There were two races programmed for each day and the first day dawned bright and sunny with a fresh gusty wind from the north.
Race one was delayed firstly by a general recall and then by a large commercial vessel in the main Orwell channel! Eventually the first race was safely underway using a figure of eight course opposite Woolverstone. Mike McNamara showed his usual turn of speed finishing first with Ian Porter second and Guy Hacon (Waldringfield SC) a very creditable third.
The second race used the same course in slightly more spirited wind conditions and this time Ian Porter won, but he was given a good run for his money throughout the race by Toby Mace from Waldringfield SC. Martin Collen from Upper Thames SC was third, with Mike McNamara fourth.
The second day’s racing began in glorious sunshine and a north to north-west force three land-breeze. Somebody asked at the morning briefing whether a sea breeze was likely to kick in and they were told, quite firmly, “unlikely in the present strength of wind”! How wrong they were!
The third race in the series was fraught with fading winds or no wind at all, but, amazingly, the best helms and crews showed their form again with Michael McNamara winning from Ian Porter in second place. In third place this time was Gordon Harris (Waldringfield SC).
The fresh, easterly sea breeze was well in place for the fourth race and the race officer set a triangular course with the first mark opposite Pin Mill. But the mark was an offset windward mark very much favouring a long port-tack approach out of the tidal stream. This time Ian Porter showed his dominance and came in first, from Michael McNamara second and Toby Mace third. For the top three the final race result was also the overall results of the Eastern Championships.
Overall Results:
1st Ian Porter and Kevin Gibb (HISC)
2nd Michael McNamara and Simon Townsend (NBYC)
3rd Toby Mace and Rachel Rhodes (WSC)
4th Guy Hacon (WSC)
5th Roger Challis (WSC)
6th Mike and Rani Pert (WSC)