Euromarine Insurance Ramsgate Week 2019 - Day 4
by Piers Hodges 25 Jul 08:48 BST
21-26 July 2018
Euromarine Insurance Ramsgate Week 2019 Day 4 saw the third of the IRC and cruiser class regatta series race on different courses in hot sunny conditions which started in a with a good breeze that steadily built to over 20 knots.
The IRC boats were set an offshore windward leeward course which saw a four mile beat to South Brake, followed by brisk, and for some 'hairy', run North to the Broadstairs Knoll, with a beat back to Brake before running to the finish in conditions where some boats elected not to fly kites.
In IRC1, Peter Jackson made another good start in 'Assassin' to lead the field away. 'Oystercatcher XXIII' made the windward mark around four minutes ahead of the chasing duo of 'Assassin' and 'Stiletto' who arrived together and found a slower boat 'parked up' trying to negotiate the tide. Some very tight manoeuvring saw 'Assassin' round the mark ahead of 'Stiletto' and lead the race home, after 'Oystercatcher XXXIII' succumbed to regatta ending mast damage during their kite hoist at the same mark. 'Stiletto' won on corrected time from 'Assassin' with Ross Eldred's Swan 42 'Mercury' in third.
In IRC2, Niek Spiljard bought his HOD35 'Vanilla' home ahead of Brita van Roussun's HOD35 'Zarafa' with local boat 'Sandstorm' third.
In IRC3, the Farr half tonner 'Swuzzlebubble' narrowly beat local boat 'Buccaneer' on corrected time with Simon Farren's Dehler 34 'Shear Joy' in third.
The cruiser classes enjoyed a pleasant run north to the up to Broadstairs knoll before two loops around Brake and Icom before heading for the club finish line.
Class 5 saw a close race on the water with a line honours finish for local boat 'Blown Away'. But corrected times saw Nick Moulton's Sunfast 3200 'Dabtoe' pip and Blown Away by just 13 seconds from the First 35s5 of Danny Besse 'Mrs Jones'.
In Class 6, Jean Marc Devos maintained his pace with a 1st place in 'Carpe Diem', followed by local boat 'Miss Amelia' and the Westerly Fulmar 'Mallard' skippered by Howard Bates.
In class 7, James Fisher took line honours in the ¾ tonner 'Borsalino', but was third on corrected time with local boat 'Splash' taking the victory ahead of Bernard Sealy in 'Karibia Breezes' in second.
Full results can be found at www.ramsgateweek.com