Rooster West Country Boat Repairs RS400 Southern Tour at Salcombe Yacht Club

Mick & Sarah Whitmore win the Rooster West Country Boat Repairs RS400 Southern Tour at Salcombe © Trisha Clancy

Caroline Whitehouse and Trisha Clancy finish 2nd in the Rooster West Country Boat Repairs RS400 Southern Tour at Salcombe © Trisha Clancy

Light winds were forecast for the three days of the early May bank holiday racing in Beautiful Salcombe, add to this the Spring tides and we were in for some really fun, challenging and sometimes frustrating racing conditions.

Only two races were possible over the three days with the Sunday lost to no wind at all. However, Saturday's racing saw a clean start for once and no need for the fleet to sit on sandy beach for 40 minuets whilst the other classes started. Caroline Whitehouse and Trisha Clancy were quick off the mark and led for most of the race, followed by Howard Farbrother and Lou Hosken.

Various no wind traps were laid around the course where places changed, none more so than the final leeward mark, here the entire fleet bunched up and engaged in a gybing dual for a good few minutes without actually making headway against the tide. Finally, and probably rightly so having led for most of the race, Caroline and Trisha won with Mick & Sarah Whitmore second, Peter Jackson and Alex Noakes third, Howard and Lou fourth.

Last year's winners Figs Cain and Barney Dearsly had to take a DSQ for entering the fairway, a protected area for other traffic during the starting sequence.

Mondays race in very similar conditions, Figs and Barney led off the start followed closely by Mick and Sarah, these two getting the jump on the rest of the fleet by the windward mark, and turning to go downwind and down tide both had a big lead over the fleet by the bottom mark. With the wind dying and the tide kicking in the whole fleet again met up, this time for a tacking duel.

Close to the rocks as you dare go to get out of the tide seemed like the best option, at least 50 tacks to cover half a mile. Figs and Barney held on to win the race, with Mike and June Baker taking a well-earned second place. Paul Engleman and Tom Noakes braved the strong tide to get across to the other side and sailed through and took third place.

Fourth place was good enough for Mick & Sarah to take the overall win with Caroline and Trisha finishing second and Mike and June third.

Salcombe, if you've never sailed there before, put it on your bucket list. One things for sure, It's never dull.

Thanks to Sponsors Rooster Sailing and West Country Boat Repairs.

Overall Results: