Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe Sailing Club - Day 1

Al (youth personnified) Dickinson appearing relaxed ahead of racing on day 1 of the Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe © David Smart

Huw (Cheshire Cat) Powell looking forward to a breezy day 1 in the Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe © David Smart

The day dawned bright and sunny with some sporty gusts across the dinghy park to add a touch of panic to the 28 sailors preparing their weapons for the wars ahead. There was much banter in the boat park as old friends met and new alliances formed among the gold and silver fleets helped by the addition of the new RS100 buddy system.

The first race had a committee boat bias, but a few of the fleet were trigger happy. Rob Richardson, Huw Powell and Clive Eplett were all a tad early, but only Clive did the decent thing of returning. Al Dickson, Steven Lee, Greg Booth and Andy Jones all made a strong showing, rounding the windward mark in a close bunch and setting off down the run trying to work out the time to gybe for the leeward layline. The tide meant that they all gybed late, leading to some frantic spinnaker drops and white sailing into the mark. That allowed the chasing pack to close up.

There was little change at the front up the next beat, but it was decidedly shifty, with places changing throughout the fleet and Clive making a charge from the back. However the leaders decided to repeat the mistake of going for the wrong leeward mark on both the second and third laps meaning that while Alistair Dickson won, David Smart (4th) could pick off Greg Booth (5th) and came close to taking Andy Jones (2nd) and Steven Lee (3rd). Greg was only just able to hold off the fast finishing Ian Gregory (6th) and Clive Eplett (7th), who had staged the 'recovery of the day'.

Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe day 1 - photo © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

Race two had a pin end bias, but Al Dickson took it a step too far hitting the pin and taking his turn in punishment. Most of the leaders hit the left, but Clive Eplett went right and so nearly led at the windward mark, but that accolade went to Greg Booth who was revelling in the breeze. Huw Powell had also found his mojo, rounding just ahead of Clive with Al 4th. Down the run Giles Peckham was making inroads, but a broken watch strap led to him diving off his boat to rescue it, losing his watch, boat and any semblance of sense. After 10 minutes of fruitless watch search he called it a day and sailed home.

Meanwhile, at the leeward mark Steven Lee claimed water on Clive to lie fourth behind the fast flying Greg, the chasing Alistair and Huw now in his element and grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe day 1 - photo © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

The last lap saw some place changing through some very rusty boat handling. Greg led the way with a delightful capsize bear away at the last windward mark, leaving the way open for Al to win and surely a safe second for Huw. However Huw decided to avoid his toestraps on his final gybe, rolling neatly out the back of his boat while the grin turned to a pained grimace. That left the way open for Steven Lee to take 2nd with the consistent Andy Jones 3rd and Greg Booth 4th. Class Chairman Mark Harrison had avoided the carnage to take 5th.

The line honours had initially been given to Paul Drewery, but unfortunately he had only finished 2 laps at the time. However he celebrated his unexpected (and later adjusted) win with a challenging capsize on Dawlish Warren testing the rescue boat's skills with a tow off the leeward shore. Paul and his boat survived unscathed and won the class's new 'RS of the day' award.

Volvo Noble Marine RS100 Nationals at Exe day 1 - photo © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

Friday's forecast looks challenging, so all looked forward to a good recovery after a few pints and a well organised Exe SC games evening, sponsored by the local Otter Brewery. We will now try hard to forget watching the pelvic thrusts of Mark and Giles trying to use their cucumbers to push oranges around an assault course.

Results after Day 1: