International 14 Hayling Hull
by Sam Pascoe 1 Jun 2018 10:48 BST
26-27 May 2018
An invite I could not turn down. When the legendary I14 sailor Andy FitzGerald invites you to come sail in Hayling Bay for the weekend it was too hard to resist.
The weather delivered on the day as well. A glamour 15 knots and north easterly meaning flat water, although we were all slightly apprehensive as we launched with a building forecast, with the wind meant to shift onshore and go wind against tide.
Eleven other boats lined up on the start line. Andy did a cracking job and won us the committee boat - he promptly moaned that the two fastest boats were just to leeward. Half way up the first beat Douglas & Mark and our boat caught a lift and gust whilst the rest of the fleet got a lull and backer. Andy and I then led for two laps until on the third beat we got on the wrong side of a shift to let Douglas and Mark plus Neale and Ed through. Down the final run we came down with a huge gust to nearly steal second from Neale and Ed. Douglas and Mark took the win.
Race two saw more breeze, but just as gusty and shifty. Douglas and Neale had a great battle at the front until Douglas fell over on the second to last gybe giving Neale the win. Douglas proving he is still a team racer at heart, trying to hook Andy and I at the final mark as we flew past them with the kite up to take second.
Highlight of the evening social for me was watching my two year old son dancing with a pretty little girl his age. Learning quickly...
Day two saw an hour postponement while the wind came in.
Race 3 saw Katie and Nigel fly off the port end and sail into the distance. Unfortunately they went for a third lap, handing the win to Andy and I, followed by Neale then Douglas. This left the top three boats split by a point. This was when Douglas and Mark woke and put two bullets in to take the event by a point over Neale and Ed.
Videos:
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 1561 | Douglas Patterson | Mark Tate | Itchenor SC | 1 | -3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2nd | 1553 | Neale Jones | Edward FitzGerald | Itchenor SC | 2 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 2 | 7 |
| 3rd | 1530 | Andy FitzGerald | Sam Pascoe | Itchenor SC | 3 | 2 | 1 | -4 | 4 | 10 |
| 4th | 1557 | Katie Nurton | Nigel Ash | Itchenor SC | 4 | (DNC) | 5 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
| 5th | 1527 | Philip | Luke | ISC | 5 | 4 | -8 | 5 | 7 | 21 |
| 6th | 1559 | Andy Partington | Tom Partington | HISC | (DNF) | DNC | 4 | 2 | 5 | 23 |
| 7th | 1558 | Martin Pascal | Robin Pascal | Itchenor SC | 7 | (DNC) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
| 8th | 1554 | Peter Crockford | Jack Hartman | Restronguet Sailing Club | 6 | (DNF) | 7 | 9 | 8 | 30 |
| 9th | 1555 | Martin Jones | Adam Lees | Itchenor SC | (DNF) | 5 | DNC | DNC | DNC | 41 |
| 10th | 1488 | Dominic Van Essen | Simona Saccani | Itchenor SC | (DNF) | DNC | 9 | 8 | OCS | 41 |
| 11th | 1550 | Tom Watkins | Hugh Maclean | Itchenor SC | (DNF) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 48 |