Crouch Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 4
by Sally Harbott 30 Oct 2018 05:48 GMT
28 October 2018
The start of Crouch YC Autumn Series race 4 © Alan Hanna
Seven boats braved the rain and a strong North Easterly gusting up towards 25 knots at times and a spring flood tide to race in the fourth race hosted by the Burnham Sailing Club.
At the gun, Mantra, Phillip Harbott's Aphrodite 101 got the best start crossing the line first in the middle of the river. Jeannie, John Saunders Elan 31 and Traigh, Dan Tribe's UFO 31 and Fidelio, the visiting Contessa 35 owned by Malcolm Fawkes were all to weather and powered up closing Mantra's advantage down quickly. Don Rawling in Skullduggery was also there along with Richard Moore in Ophelia. Misled, Richard Oram's Elan E3 started on the South Shore, so he didn't sail under the lee of the town.
As the fleet fetched down to Greenward, Jeannie took the lead and Mantra was in second place with Fidelio in third. Jeannie bore off round Greenward and chose to go white sails to Jubilee, whereas Mantra set their red asymmetric spinnaker, with Misled and Skullduggery also flying kites on this leg. Although the wind had dropped a little by this point, the strong tide and point of sail saw boats reaching speeds of over 6 knots over the ground. At Jubilee, Jeannie rounded first but was overhauled by the 101 within two tacks. Mantra remained in the lead on the water for the remainder of the race. The fleet enjoyed a good beat to Redward from Jubilee, with boats having to tack on depth and risk the shallow water. Misled went in and tacked out but hit a lump on exit staying aground for about eight minutes.
Fidelio managed to take some distance out of Mantra on the fetch home which wasn't quite kiteable. The next four were all very close throughout the race and by the finish three and a half minutes separated third from sixth. Unfortunately Jeannie had had to retire. Mantra took line honours with Fidelio 42 seconds behind. Skullduggery were next on the water 5 minutes behind the Contessa 35, with Richard Moore's MG27C Ophelia next less than 2 minutes adrift of the higher rated Skullduggery. Misled came in next with Traigh the lowest rated boat out just over a minute off Misled.
On corrected time Mantra took the win, with Fidelio second and Ophelia third. The progressive handicap has ensured close racing across the fleet and the top four boats were within just over 4 minutes. Phillip Harbott leads the series on three points after the first discard kicked in today with Jeannie second on 7 points counting a first, second and fourth. Richard Moore in Ophelia is third.