Highcliffe Sailing Club Sea Spring Points Series - Update
by Stephanie McCormick 5 Aug 2014 15:56 BST
3 August 2014
Pete Bell is current leader in the Highcliffe SC Sea Spring Points Series © Stephanie McCormick
This Sunday, Highcliffe sailors were keen to get out and make the most of the blustery, gusty SW Wind. Averaging 2 – 17 knots, it was by no means an easy race, multiple capsizes and a broken mast kept the race team constantly busy with no time to eat their sandwiches!
Coinciding with the RNLI Funday the harbour was extraordinarily busy and the course was set well down into the Bay. Race one consisted of a square course. Ken Fowler, Laser Radial was pushing hard at the front of the fleet, relatively new to sea racing his determination is paying off, making him a serious contender. Pete Bell, Europe, is a force to be reckoned with and came across the line close on Fowlers heels, taking first place in the corrected results. Chris Perry, Laser, had the race of his life, crossing the line in 3rd place.
The winds continued to gain in strength and at the end of race 1 The race team changed the course to a triangle/sausage in time for Race 2.
This time John Phelps, Laser, was having more luck and avoided a further capsize allowing him to storm across the line 40 seconds in front of Ken Fowler. The race team couldn't afford to look away as Pete Bell was following just seconds later. Highcliffe Youngsters, Josh McCormick and Jamie Perry had traded in their Lasers and were out in the club's RS Vision. Usually towards the front of the fleet their inexperience at double handed sailing kept them at the back together with an unfortunate capsize 10m from the finish line from which they struggled to recover.
Pete Bell leads the series so far. Ken Fowler in second and John Phelps in Third..
RNLI Raft Race
The third race of the day was an entirely different kettle of fish. For the first time the club had decided to enter a raft in the RNLI Raft race. Keen to support our neighbours on the quay, we hastily constructed a raft, 'Heath Robinson' style. On the day, our basic design was dwarfed on the shoreline by entries, whose design and construction had clearly had more thought and time!
Our willing victims – ahem, sorry, 'Crew', suffered equipment failure almost from the start, however the low profile design was less affected by the strong winds that saw some of the spectacular entries fail to finish.
Four of the crew had only just returned from the morning's sea racing, and after a gallant effort, we achieved second place in the first heat. With a place secured in the final, club members on the quayside were praying that the raft could hold up. We shouted and cheered as, determined to finish, they finally managed to cross the finish line with only half a raft!
We were extremely proud to receive our finalists' trophy. This was a fabulous event for a fantastic cause. We'll be back next year bigger and better.