Notice of Race Published for the 56th Hamble Warming Pan
by Trevor Pountain 19 Jan 2018 14:30 GMT
24-25 March 2018
Hamble Warming Pan © Trevor Pountain
The Hamble River Sailing Club will be hosting the 56th Hamble Warming Pan on 24th & 25th March 2018. This year a number of new classes have been invited to the event. The RS Aero, Blaze and Scorpion will have class starts for the first time. In addition to this, the National 12's, once Warming Pan regulars, will be back to join those event addicts, the Merlin Rockets. The final Class returning again are the Hamble Foxers, who will operate in their own little part of the river as usual.
The Warming Pan is unique in that the fleets race up and down the Hamble River to a laid buoy off the Hamble Public Jetty and then to the Hamble Point Buoy, where the odd windward/leeward is thrown in for good measure. There are considerably more moored craft on the Hamble than there were 56 years ago so boat handling and good manners are at a premium. Fortunately, the event attracts some top sailors. In last year's Merlin fleet just about every helm was a National or multi National Champion.
It will be interesting to see how quickly the new classes adapt to the special circumstances provided by pontoons with small gaps and some of the rivers 3000 plus moored boats. The Blaze fleet will have some experience of sailing south of Warsash but heading north will be new to them. With the exception of the Foxers all classes are capable of going on the plane; so, with enough breeze the view on the river will be spectacular. Spectators can catch the racing from both the Hamble and Warsash banks of the river.
Racing starts at 11am on the Saturday with a 10.15 briefing at HRSC. Hot food and beverages will be available on shore all weekend.
Early, money saving entry, can be found at www.hrsc.org.uk/event/204155
The Notice of Race can be found at www.hrsc.org.uk/sailing/warming-pan-regatta