Salcombe Yacht Club Sailing Club Series Race 3
by David Greening 8 Jun 10:25 BST
5 June 2021
The third race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Sailing Club Series took place on Saturday 5th June under the watchful eye of PRO Andrew Stirling. There was a gentle breeze from the southern quadrant over a neap low tide.
The Junior Handicap fleet opened proceedings with a Millbay to Crossways twice course, contested between the Toppers of Issy Wood and Freddie Reynolds, with Issy taking the winning bell.
The Medium Handicap was hotly contested between the Laser Radials with George Alexander taking control on the first beat to the finish, with Ru McColl in runner up place.
It was good to see a growing Aero fleet making up the numbers of the Fast Handicap Fleet. The Aero of Tim Fells held on to the back of the Merlin Rocket of stalwarts Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith, with the Aero of Clare Booth making up the podium.
Seventeen sailors made the Solo start, the majority contesting the Portlemouth pin end. Paul Ellis, Tim Law and Simon Dobson picked the port shift at Biddle Head to round Crossways ahead of the pack, drawing ahead in clear air to Gerston. By Gerston Paul had built up a sufficient lead to wait for Tim to catch up for a spot of tuning, Tim broke through to take the lead, and Simon overtook Paul at Crossways on the last lap as the wind went light.
In the Yawls, James Greenhill and Nicky Bass drove Black Betty, complete with new mast and sails to a narrow win on handicap over Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt, and with some luffing shenanigans within the modern fleet boats saw Martin Beck secure third place on handicap.
A great day's sailing, with most fleets taking over two hours to complete the course, so no thirty minute races at Salcombe!
Race 3 Results:
Junior Handicap
1st Topper, Issy Wood
2nd Topper 48172, Freddie Reynolds
Medium handicap
1st Laser Radial 210001, George Alexander
2nd Laser Radial 191271, Ru McColl
3rd Laser Radial 209997, Andrew Groves
Fast Handicap
1st RS Aero 7 1505, Tim Fells
2nd Merlin Rocket 3769, Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith
3rd RS Aero 7 1517, Clare Booth
Solo
1st 5743, Tim Law
2nd 5898, Simon Dobson
3rd 5574, Paul Ellis
Salcombe Yawl
1st 138, James Greenhill and Nicky Bass
2nd 97, Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt
3rd 181, Martin Beck