K1s Push The Clocks Back at Broxbourne Sailing Club

by David Hume 30 Oct 2018 06:17 GMT 27 October 2018

K1s at Broxbourne © Siobhan Laming

Despite the media vaunted warnings of an 'Artic Blast' five visitors, from as far distant as Herefordshire, Wiltshire, Rutland and Surrey, arrived early at Broxbourne on Saturday 27th, for the final K1 event in the 2018 travellers series, and with frozen fingers to fumble with their rigging under the chill of an azure blue clear sky.

The 'Blast' was actually now a stiff shifty northerly punctuated with some strong gusts. This all looked rather challenging whilst launching from a lee shore, but the K1 helms had the assurance of a keel beneath them, so were confident they would not get completely wet through.

RO Robin Fletcher set a course with three windward legs to ensure that, in the backing/veering shifty conditions, one leg would provide a true beat on each ensuing lap, he judged it well. After a ragged start the first race set the pattern for the day, Andrew Snell in 138 led from David Hume in 111 and although David tried to keep Andrew honest for the first few laps, staying within 50/60 metres, these two pulled a big gap from the remaining fleet. Then Andrew too pulled away so that the first two had lonely races to the finish, whilst Hilly King in 117 finally established a secure third place. The fleet then retired to the club for lunch, with welcome hot food and drinks on offer in preparation for further two races PM.

K1s at Broxbourne - photo © Siobhan Laming

At the start of the second race David Hume missed the starboard shift that rendered a complete 'horlicks' of his intended pin end port flyer. So he was forced to let the fleet cross him and was the last to start, however, he was very fortunate that the shift persisted and after a lonely but clear port leg was able and had the speed on the new starboard lay line to squeeze past the fleet, save for Andrew Snell, and round the windward mark in second. On the subsequent downwind leg David Hume struggled to free himself from the rest of the fleet who were bunched up all around him. Meanwhile Andrew Snell took clear advantage and was at least 150 metres ahead by the next mark, which David Hume, still second, rounded just in front of Bill Jubb in 30 and the rest of the fleet. Andrew Snell was now uncatchable, David Hume shook himself free from the rest and set about building himself a good gap, whilst there were plenty of place changes going on throughout the fleet. The King brothers – Hilly in 117 and Geoff in 115 – had a race long tussle, which ended in favour of Hilly who came in third. Those two were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The third race featured some stronger shifty gusts, but also some lulls. The order though remained the same Andrew Snell rounded first followed by David Hume and then the fleet. On a subsequent downwind leg Andrew found himself in a light patch and David caught a lucky wind line to leeward and pulled up alongside, but that was as close as Andrew would allow and he then pulled out to a convincing lead, winning the event with three firsts. David Hume again a lonely second and Hilly King third again.

Overall Results: (top four)

1st Andrew Snell, 138 (Army Sailing Association)
2nd David Hume, 111 (Broxbourne Sailing Club)
3rd Hilly King, 117 (Frensham Pond SC)
4th Geoff King, 115 (Teweskbury SC)

The Broxbourne Open was the final event in the 2018 K1 Travellers Trophy and David Pritchett stalwart competitor and K1 Association Treasurer was on hand to award the Travellers Trophy to Andrew Snell. Andrew, fresh from an outstanding first foray in the 2017/2018 Sail Juice series in a K1, has won all the K1 traveller events he has entered in 2018, save one, the Nationals at Torbay. We are sure this is something he aims to put right at Draycote in 2019.

K1 Class Association Open Meetings 2019: