Salcombe Yacht Sailing Club Series - Race 7
by Malcolm Mackley 7 Jun 2016 07:58 BST
5 June 2016
Race Officer, Simon Gibbons was faced with a challenging set of conditions for Race 7 of the Sailing Club Series Race, as a very fickle South Westerly wind meant that a beat against a ferocious incoming Spring tide to mark 1 or 2 was going to be extremely difficult.
The OOD took mercy on the juniors and sent them to the nearer number 2 mark, however the rest of the starters were invited to go to number 1 mark that is situated just before the Blackstone Rocks. In these conditions the key decision is whether to start from the Portlemouth or Salcombe shore and both options had there merit and associated minefields. Those that started on the Portlemouth side had the particularly dangerous region to negotiate near the Portlemouth rocks where the adverse tide was so strong that many had to have several attempts at getting from the rocks to the number 1 buoy before being sweep back by the tide in a light patch of wind and having to do the whole thing again, again and again.
Three Junior fleet sailors showed great tenacity to complete their shorter course with Will Meek winning from George Alexander, both in Teras. The medium handicap fleet was reduced two finishers with Claire Booth in her Aero 7 the victor from her husband Chris. The fast handicap had only one finishers the National 12s of Nigel and Sarah Blazeby.
The Solos were subjected to visiting mark number 1 which for many was very difficult, however there then followed a high speed journey being swept down with the tide to a Saltstone mark on the Kingsbridge side of the "bag". This is where challenge number two arrived in attempting to fight the tide back to the finishing line at the club. Some made it within the two and a half hour time limit, whilst others were swept further down towards Kingsbridge. Eventually all boats were accounted for and the worthy winner was Billy Jago showing supreme skills and light weather boat speed.
By the time the Solos had past the start/finish line on their trip to Saltsone and being swept away by the tide, the OOD took pity on the following Yawl fleet and put them out of their misery by finishing them on the run with Andrew Wood crewed by his daughter taking a well deserved win.
Whilst all this difficult sailing was going on, local sailing maestro Tim Law was returning from Mexico where he came 4th Overall in the World Laser Masters Championship. This was a huge achievement in such a competitive fleet and where evidently there was a perfect sailing breeze on every day of the championship.
Race 7 Results:
Juniors
1st Terra 1131, Will Meek
2nd Terra 2136, George Alexander
3rd Terra 2146, Evie Booth
Medium Handicap
1st Aero 7 1066, Claire Booth
2rd Aero 7 1416, Chris Booth
3rd RS Feva 1521, Elode Grenen and Ollie Sando-Reynolds
Fast Handicap
1st National 12, 3439 Nigel and Sarah Blazeby
Solos
1st 5598, Billy Jago
2nd 5271, Peter Hammond
3rd 5676, Simon Dobson
Yawls
1st 97, Andrew Wood and his daughter
2nd 181, Paul Ellis and Stephen Page
3rd 170, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman