Osprey Open at Hayling Island Sailing Club
by Alistair Reynard 27 Apr 13:37 BST
23-24 April 2022
Pre-start manoeuvrers during the Osprey Open at Hayling Island © Peter Hickson
With the forecast for plenty of wind from the East, eleven Ospreys showed up for the Hayling Island SC Open Meeting on 23rd & 24th April. Those who didn't show missed a cracking event. Hayling is possibly going to host an Osprey National Championship soon, and this would be the perfect venue.
The event was a joint meeting with the Contender and Fireball classes, it will be interesting to see their take on the weekend.
Saturday, bright sunshine with strong, cool easterly blow. The Race Officer briefed competitors that it was going to be 15/20 knots, building through the afternoon. The decision was to do one race and complete the other three races on Sunday, as it was forecast to be lighter.
Race 1: Only seven teams launched on the way to the race area. The wind had built to 25-30 knots. The course was triangle sausage. Three laps with a 1 mile beat! The racing was close, with decisions - shall we hoist, drop, put back up, gybe or granny tack around the Gybe mark. All were tried with a few capsizes!! Terry Curtis & Pete Gregg stayed upright to take the win. Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards, in the Class Boat, sailing well in second, then went in for a swim, letting Alastair & Rob take second. Locals, Alex & Nick Willis incredibly finished 4th, with no rudder, after losing it down the last reach to the finish. Getting back to shore was a challenge.
From Facebook post: "Sue Bannister - HISC Club Racing - well done to Alex Willis for bringing the Ospreys to HISC once again and for finishing 4th on day one after losing only one place just by the finish line, they were able to cross the line 4th without a rubber, some great seamanship by Alex and Nick Willis.
Alison Yearsley - I was on Lady G and it was amazing to watch... not often a boat finishes without a rudder!
Sunday
Race 2: 20-25 knots. Russell Wheeler & Mark Mawhinney blasted round to win. Peter & Geoff 2nd.
Races 3 & 4: The wind did drop, Peter & Geoff won both, to take a well deserved win of the Open meeting, in the Class Boat. WhatsApp message - "Well done Pete Gray, hope you enjoyed sailing the Osprey (he normally sails Scorpions extremely well). I know his grandfather sailed Osprey's and he's always wanted to give one a go - hope he enjoyed it!"
Lees Boat (1183) gets a new name... good luck with that after a few tipples.
The next events are the Kielder Dam to Dam Challenge on Sunday 1st May & Monday 2nd May followed by Panmorra Cup at Mounts Bay SC on 7th & 8th May.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 1360 | Class Boat | Peter Grey | Geoff Edwards | Staunton Harold SC | ‑3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 1234 | Plan B | Terry Curtis | Peter Greig | Weymouth SC / Weston SC | 1 | ‑5 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 1183 | HippoCrocoDonki | Russell Wheeler | Mark Mawhinney | Isle of Sheppey SC | (DNC) | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | 1363 | Robbers Alley | Alistair Raynard | Rob Burdekin | Carsington SC | 2 | 3 | ‑6 | 5 | 10 |
| 5 | 1369 | Dark Matter | Roger Blake | James Blake | Great Moor SC | ‑7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 6 | 1373 | Great White | Richard Marshall | Stuart Maunder | Poole YC | 5 | (DNC) | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| 7 | 1347 | | Philip Meakin | Tommo Tamsin | | (DNC) | 6 | 5 | 9 | 20 |
| 8 | 1372 | Mellow Yellow | Mick Greenland | Lee Marriott | Wilsonian SC | 6 | 7 | 8 | (DNC) | 21 |
| 9 | 1292 | Light & Bitter | Paul Heather | Jonathan Osgood | Teignmouth Corinthian SC | (DNC) | 8 | 9 | 8 | 25 |
| 10 | 1291 | Waimanu | Alex Willis F | Nick Willis | Hayling Island SC | 4 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 28 |
| 11 | 1296 | WhiteStar | Kevin Francis | Simon Hawkes | Castle Cove SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 7 | 31 |