UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series at Hebe Haven Yacht Club - Race 8
by Event Media 20 Aug 2018 13:52 BST
19 August 2018
An amber rain storm warning (with 30mm expected) caused some anxiety among race management (and sailors) for the penultimate Race 8 in the UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series 2018.
The schedule was for an islands course but race officer, Nigel Slattery, and assistants Ben Chong and Geoff Taylor, were concerned that after the rain the wind was more likely to die, although signs were that the storms were skirting Port Shelter.
With conditions light, the committee vessel headed out beyond Shelter Island, where a 300-metre start line was set into a southwesterly from 220 degrees.
In view of the unpredictable conditions, race management opted for relatively short courses, with Course 69 of approximately 13 nautical miles for all but IRC A – they were given Course 51 (15 nautical miles).
First off, in a combined start, were the 15 boats in IRC A and B and, with no windward mark laid, all headed for Steep Island. IRC A, under kite, then rounded Bluff Island before returning to Trio, Table and finishing at Little Palm Beach. Meanwhile, IRC B, along with the other classes, after rounding Steep and likewise under kite, headed for the Port Shelter mark and then on to Trio, Table and Little Palm Beach.
Apart from Gambit in IRC C, which was caught OCS and obliged to restart, all other classes and divisions got away smoothly.
It was a colourful spectacle at the Port Shelter mark where there was much drama in retrieving kites, most notably Outrageous, Kingsman and the J-80, May 13.
The plan was for the race to last about four hours but the wind gods had other ideas. Jelik finished in an impressive 1:27:58 to take IRC A line honours. Ambush beat Mandrake III to the line but lost out to Mandrake III for second, while Phoenix rose to take handicap honours.
With the wind blowing 6-7 knots at the start, Glen Smith and crew on Blackjack got lucky enjoying 12 knots, gusting 16, which gave them line and handicap honours. Like Jelik, their race was over in less than one and one half hours. Outrageous finished second and Kingsman third in IRC B. Red Kite II took the honours amongst the 11 IRC C boats followed by Whiskey Jack second and Dexter II in third.
In Sportsboats, Merlin claimed line honours among the eight entries, but lost out by 19 seconds to the VX One, FAB, with Gnarwhal in third. Jazz headed the five J-80s – Footloose was second and May 13, third.
In HKPN A, Bits and Pieces led the 11 entries home to take line honours but finished eighth on handicap with DEA II, Tornado and Lazy Piggy finishing third, second and 1st respectively.
Line honours and third place went to LoTech in HKPN B. Pepper and Salt scored a second whilst Ma Cherie 2 took handicap honours among the eight-boat fleet.
Despite the relatively short race, the 58 boats on the water made the most of the improved conditions, allowing an early prizegiving back at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club's Garden Bar where, as always, the sponsored San Miguel was greatly appreciated.