Crouch Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 1
by Phillip Harbott 4 Oct 2016 20:00 BST
2 October 2016
Goosander the T24, Mantra and the blue Corby 29 Double Trouble start the first race of the Crouch Yacht Club Autumn Series © Russ Cashel
A very chilly north-westerly breeze greeted the crews of the first CYC Autumn series race. The early strong flood tide and large wind shifts throughout the race challenged the fleet, with some broaching, as well as some having to depower the main on the beat.
Five boats in two divisions started in strong blustery conditions. The best start was achieved by Phillip Harbott's Aphrodite 101, Mantra, with Goosander the T24 owned by Dave Smith also starting well just to leeward. Very quickly Duncan Haley's Corby 29 Double Trouble passed the slower boats to take the lead. On the beat up river to Cliff, Mantra and Sapphire, the Dehler 33 owned by Martin and Kirsty Brooks, saw some very close racing, exchanging positions a couple of times. Double Trouble rounded Canewdon,the windward mark, first with Mantra and Sapphire a little way behind.
A shy reach led the fleet towards Black Point where AP spinnakers were hoisted. Double Trouble chose the North side of the river with Mantra going south; Sapphire also went north. At Fairway No.13 Double Trouble still had a good lead but was probably not saving her time on Mantra.
With the fleet heading towards Fairway No.9, Sapphire with her longer waterline length, powered over Mantra to round the buoy in second place. The IRC division sailed back up river to Cliff Reach and repeated this leg with the on the water with the positions not changing.
In the Local Handicap fleet Grace and Danger, the SJ 27 owned Noble/Gosling/Courts and helmed by Roger Noble, sailed very quickly round the course at times finding the gusty conditions testing. Goosander, who didn't set a spinnaker, were not that far behind, Dave Smith's T24 finding the choppy conditions easy to power through. The race officer shortened this classes' course after the first leg to Cliff Reach.
On corrected time Double Trouble were 1st with Mantra 2nd by 57 seconds and Sapphire in 3rd place In the local Handicap class Grace and Danger were 1st and Goosander 2nd.