RS300s during the RS Sailing Summer Championships at Hayling Island
by Dave Acres 20 Jun 2017 10:19 BST
17-18 June 2017
The RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship, and Magic Marine Grand Prix Circuit Round 4, was held at Hayling Island SC. It was great racing on Saturday with just enough wind to hike in blazing sunshine.
The racing was made all the more tricky by having lots of RS Aeros starting five minutes before us creating wind shadows and fun at the marks. First race saw Harry McVicar and most of the fleet hit the right hand side with Dave Acres going up the middle. The right paid and Harry rounded first with Acres second and as much as he tried he could not get past the lighter youth who covered well and made no mistakes. (Whatever happened to age before beauty?) Paul Watson came in third after sailing a little further after going round the spreader mark meant for the RS100s who were doing upwind, downwind legs rather than the trapezoid course set for us.
Race two saw what appeared to be another clean start with most going right again. Acres led but McViicar again showed good pace and the positions changed a few times with Acres just managing to come back through at the end. Sadly for Harry he was UFD'd for being over the line with one minute to go. Rather than a black flag, the U flag (red and white squares) was used, which seemed a little vicious for a friendly little fleet like ours. Ben Deacon took advantage and picked up second with Rob Jones in third.
The third race saw Nick Bubb take a port hand flyer and cross all but Rob Jones who started at the committee boat. This at least proved that the line was square but also that the rest of us in the middle were late. Again it turned out to be Acres and McVicar fighting it out. On the last run it was Harry who just led but Acres harassed him the whole way down and managed an overlap by a gnat's foreskin before the gybe mark helped by two RS Aeros. Watson took a closely fought third with Jones fourth.
A delicious cold beer was provided by RS for tallying off, which was very welcome and got us all into the drinking mood for the ensuing evening. This was topped off with a curry thrown in for good measure along with a band and a spattering of RS200 totty thrown in for entertainment.
Sunday brought baking conditions. Mark Taylor, all the way from Scotland was very pleased to see sun for the second time this year but less pleased at the lack of breeze. After a long drift out to the start the Race Officer kept us all sitting around. This was all the more frustrating when we could see the RS400s, RS700s, RS800s and RS200s racing away on a different course in the distance. Four of us gave up the wait and drifted in only to hear the starting hooter go in the distance and race four begin. Harry showed a clean pair of heels with Paul second and Rob third. Race five was canned part way through due to a lack of breeze. Well done to Harry for sticking it out and getting a well-deserved win, along with some stripy burnt arms.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 523 | Harry McVicar | Prestwick SC | 1 | (UFD) | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2nd | 544 | David Acres | Prestwick SC | 2 | 1 | 1 | (DNC) | 4 |
| 3rd | 337 | Paul Watson | Bowmoor SC | 3 | ‑4 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 4th | 480 | Rob Jones | Warsash SC | ‑4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 5th | 457 | Ben Deacon | Emsworth SC | 6 | 2 | 6 | (DNC) | 14 |
| 6th | 341 | Nick Bubb | Royal Lymington YC | 5 | 5 | 5 | (DNC) | 15 |
| 7th | 531 | Mark Taylor | Draycote Water SC | 7 | 7 | ‑8 | 4 | 18 |
| 8th | 460 | Tom Ballingall | Bawdsey Haven YC | 9 | 6 | 7 | (DNC) | 22 |
| 9th | 364 | Martin Walker | Shoreham SC | 8 | 8 | 9 | (DNC) | 25 |