Salcombe Yacht Club Yawl Early May Open
by David Greening 3 May 2016 13:10 BST
30 April - 1 May 2016
Twenty-four Salcombe Yawls came to the start line for the 2016 Sabre sponsored Early May Open Meeting, an increase upon the previous year's attendance.
Race Officer Geoff Gilson set a range of courses over the weekend in predominantly breezy conditions over high neap tides, giving scope to make maximum use of the Salcombe Estuary.
The Salcombe Yawls are divided into two divisions the Red fleet boats being those from the drawing boards of Phil Morrison and Ian Howlett, whilst the other Yawls, albeit designed to the same set of rules race as the Blue fleet.
First away on Saturday afternoon was the Red fleet into a 10mph North Westerly on the lowest tide of the weekend in what was to prove to be a predominantly off-wind race. Malcolm Squire and Jonathan Britton and Simon Gibbens sailing with Andrew Reed made the early running, but the irrepressible father and son team of Will and Rob Henderson sailing Black Tern emerged from a poor start to eventually take the lead on the shifty beat back into the harbour.
Sunday dawned with a force 4 South Westerly, with a tough beat against the tide to Blackstone Gibbens and Reed and Paul Ellis and Peter Cook made the early running, however on the fetch from Gerston to Frogmore the Henderson's made their move to again take control of the race, a lead which they maintained to the finish.
After the lunch break the apparent wind went up a notch as the tide started to ebb, David Greening and Stephen Galvin were first to flick onto port to head the fleet around the Blackstone mark only to be reeled in by the Hendersons and then by Ellis and Cook.
A most enjoyable Black Tie dinner was organised by the Salcombe Yawl Owner's Association on Sunday evening for the owner's, their crews and families, and it was a somewhat bleary eyed fleet that emerged on Monday morning with a forecast of a Force 6 South Westerly breeze.
Greening and Galvin pursued a lonely route off the start along the Salcombe shore to feed in at the Blackstone mark with a healthy lead from Gibbens and Reed, however team Shags race was soon over with a loud bang as their rudder failed, making way for the Hendersons, who demonstrated exceptional speed on the reach into Gerston to plane past Greening and Galvin to take their fourth win of the weekend, with Ellis and Cook picking up third place.
In the Blue Fleet Jon and Clare Lewis opened their account with a win from Kevin and Maddy Anderson with Andrew Wood and David Jayne picking up third place.
The breezier conditions of Saturday morning were more to the liking of Wood and Jayne who took the win from John Smithers and Peter Hughes, which was to be reversed by Smithers and Hughes in the afternoon race.
This set the scene for a winner takes all three way showdown in the Monday morning race; this was to prove a nail biter, especially since Andrew Wood had to affect repairs to his jib stick while standing on the foredeck during the windy run into Gerston. Wood and Jayne, the Lewis' and Smithers and Hughes were neck and neck on their return to the harbour, but it was Woods and Jayne who prevailed to win the series.
Overall Results: (top three)
Red Fleet
1st Yawl 183, Black Tern, Will and Rob Henderson
2nd Yawl 181, Typhoon, Paul Ellis and Peter Cook
3rd Yawl 167, Shag, Simon Gibbens and Andrew Reed
Blue Fleet
1st Yawl 97, Saraband, Andrew Wood and David Jayne
2nd Yawl 19, Heron, John Smithers and Peter Hughes
3rd Yawl 150, L'Eagle, Jon and Clare Lewis