Please select your home edition
Edition
Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD
Product Feature
Harken 29mm Block - 348
Harken 29mm Block - 348

Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series - Race 5

by Simon Dobson 25 Nov 2019 15:05 GMT 23 November 2019
Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series Race 5 © Jonathan Reynolds

Race 5 of the Salcombe Yacht Club's Winter series will not go down as a classic in the memory of either competitors or anyone unfortunate enough to be watching.

Things began reasonably promisingly with a light north easterly breeze blowing over a flood tide. Race Officer Tim Fells deployed a temporary mark in Batson Creek hoping to give the fleets a reasonable windward leg up to the Yalton mark after the initial fetch from the start line to the Batson mark. Unfortunately, just after the start the wind swung to the north, putting Batson Creek and the temporary mark in the wind shadow of Snapes Point.

First off was the 12 strong Solo fleet, lead by Graham Cranford Smith and Roger Guess. Graham lead around the first mark but on the drift back to the main channel was passed by Simon Dobson and Ed Stephens. The front three pulled away from the rest of the fleet as the wind died further and by the time they were half way up Yalton Creek, the breeze had all but disappeared.

There followed a tortuous battle in Mill Pond-like conditions with Stephens and Dobson swapping positions several times but Guess maintaining a narrow advantage over both. When the Race Officer mercifully finished the fleets at the Yalton Mark after the best part of an hour and a half's racing, Guess won from Stephens and Dobson.

Starting ten minutes after the Solos, the Handicap Fleet suffered even more. Less wind on the way into the Batson mark and almost no wind all the way up to Yalton. The National 12 of Mike Hoyle and Charlie Evans managed the light air conditions superbly, taking a comfortable victory from the Lark of Will and Arthur Henderson and the Phantom of Alistair Morley.

Next week the Winter Series makes way for the annual South West Water Pursuit Race, the traditional forerunner to the Club's annual prize-giving dinner.

Race 5 Results:

Solo
1st Roger Guess
2nd Ed Stephens
3rd Simon Dobson

Handicap
1st Mike Hoyle and Charlie Evans
2nd Will and Mandy Henderson
3rd Alistair Morley

Related Articles

Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week overall
Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray take the trophy The final day of Helly Hansen Salcombe Merlin Week dawned to another day of blue skies with a light Southwester forming in the harbour and forecast to increase. The overall result was still up for grabs with both leading protagonists in the morning race. Posted on 4 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 5
Wall to wall sunshine for the 102 teams The fifth morning dawned with wall to wall sunshine and a 5 knot SW sea breeze popped in at the surprisingly early time of 8.30, promising a good day's racing for the 102 teams. Posted on 3 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 4
Random gusts from every direction, including vertical Past the halfway stage and the weather served up another wind direction for the fourth day of Helly Hansen Salcombe Merlin Week. Posted on 2 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 3
South-Westerly establishes itself after a windless dawn The third day dawned with light cloud and absolutely no wind in the harbour. As often happens at Salcombe, by the time the fleet started to launch a South-Westerly had started to establish itself and by the 10.30 start time there was 4-5 knots. Posted on 1 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 2
First start gets away on the top of the tide With the rest of the UK cooking in 30+ degrees, Salcombe has been veiled in sea mist for the last few days. Monday was the day when this was meant to clear but competitors woke to find the race track still shrouded in mist. Posted on 30 Jun
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week Day 1
Over 200 of the UK's top dinghy racers are in the picturesque South Devon Ria The ever popular Salcombe Merlin Week, sponsored by Helly Hansen, Craftinsure and Creation Covers, has again attracted over 200 of the UK's top dinghy racers to the picturesque South Devon Ria. Posted on 29 Jun
Delivery to Salcombe Week - Final Call!
Devon's calling, and P&B are answering This weekend finds members of our Sail Loft team at Salcombe Yacht Club, for Merlin Salcombe Week. We'll be making the most of the conditions, the surroundings and the chance to catch up with other sailors who share our passion for competitive sailing. Posted on 26 Jun
Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series Race 1
More classic Salcombe conditions on Saturday kicked off the series in style More classic Salcombe conditions on Saturday kicked off the Summer Series in style. Plenty of sunshine and a 15-knot south-westerly saw Race Officer Simon Dobson set the course: 1-7-1-3-2-3. Posted on 16 Jun
Merlin Rocket Week runners and riders
Who's in your flight? Who's sailing when? With Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Salcombe Week just around the corner and the sacred PDF of doom (AKA the flights list) finally released, the WhatsApp groups are already ablaze. Sails are being tweaked, excuses rehearsed... Posted on 16 Jun
Salcombe YC Sailing Club Series final race
Despite the drenching, it was a fantastic afternoon on the water With winds forecast in excess of 30mph all week, ten hardy Solo sailors made it to the starting area, and despite the conditions seeming sailable most chose to wait until the preparatory signal by using the comparative protection of Smalls Cove. Posted on 9 Jun