Salcombe Yawl Open at Salcombe Yacht Club
by David Greening 24 Sep 2015 11:08 BST
19-20 September 2015
Freddie & John Smithers, 1st in the Blue Yawl Fleet during the Salcombe Yacht Club Yawl Open © Andrew Stirling
Fifteen Salcombe Yawl's gathered for their final open weekend of the year. Sadly a high pressure system was sitting over the South West of England, and with shorter days, there was little opportunity for any sensible sea breeze to fill in.
Race Officer Tim Law made the best of the conditions, postponing the Saturday morning race, allowing time for the forecast southerly "breeze" to set in for afternoon.
In the Modern fleet A J Squire and Sue O'Brien led off the start line showing excellent speed, to lead a windward leeward course in the harbour from the light wind masters Graham and Tessa Pike.
On completion, there was no hanging around and the Race Officer promptly set the fleet off for a second race, which, on a dying breeze was finished on the run, with Andrew and Sue repeating their win over the Pikes.
Sunday morning dawned with a flat calm at the Boat Park, but as the fleet paddled toward the start line, as the tide changed, there was sufficient apparent wind for Race Officer Julian Meek to somewhat optimistically set a course around the creeks.
David Greening and Stephen Galvin recovered to take a comfortable lead in Yalton Creek as AJ Squire and the Pikes sailed out of wind off Ditch End. The Race officer shortened the course, with Greening and Galvin hanging onto the win after covering their pursuers back to the line.
Andrew and Sue's third place was sufficient to give them their first Salcombe Yawl open meeting win.
In the Classic Fleet, the pace was set by Yawl 19, Heron, John Smithers lovely restoration, helmed by his son Freddie. In the first race they showed a clean pair of heels to Simon and Nicki Dobson, followed by David Jayne and Chris Spencer-Chapman.
In the second race, the Race Officer was forced to shorten the race to perhaps one of the shortest ever, to Blackstone and back, which gave little opportunity to "get out of jail", and once again the Smithers prevailed from Jon and Clare Lewis.
Sunday morning saw Andrew Wood literally hold it together to take the win, which was sufficient to pull through to third overall.
The final race was combined with the Bart's Bash Handicap Event, with both of the fleets of Yawls starting together. There is much talk about how the Modern Yawls are much faster than the Classic Yawls, yet Freddie and John Smithers led the Modern boats for most of the race, only to be beaten by the bowsprit of Michael Webster and Peter Brewer at the finish line.
Overall Results: (top three)
Modern Fleet
1st 166, Andrew Squire and Sue O'Brien
2nd 154, Graham and Tessa Pike
3rd 163, Michael Webster and Peter Brewer
Classic Fleet
1st 19, Freddie and John Smithers
2nd 28, David Jayne and Chris Spencer-Chapman
3rd 97, Andrew Wood