Salcombe Yacht Club Spring Series - Race 3
by John Burn 26 Mar 2023 13:50 BST
25 March 2023
Race Officer Malcolm Mackley had a tough decision to make on Saturday morning. It was still blowing old boots and he would have to decide if it would be possible to run the club racing.
With the wind forecast to drop in the afternoon Malcolm waited it out until the last minute before giving the green light to go racing and just as well he did. We all expected the wind to ease, but not to the extent that it eventually did.
Course 2-7-2-3
Handicap
Unfortunately there was only one boat in the handicap fleet and that was the Albacore of Andrew Squire and Oli.
There's not much that can be said, they led the entire race from start to finish making it a solid 3 winds from 3. Hopefully there will be a few more takers next week.
Solo
The Solo fleet had yet another good turnout of 14 boats.
With a short first beat to Mark 2 the fleet remained fairly well bunched up until they entered the gauntlet that is 'The Bag'.
Inevitably there were winners and looser as the fleet took various different routes through this tricky section of the course, all trying to reach the more stable breeze at Saltstone.
Chris Cleaves and Tim Law hit the breeze first and found themselves battling it out up front with Paul Ellis not too far behind.
As the leaders rounded Snapes the wind had disappeared, Law suffered more than most as he found himself becalmed just off the Ferry Pub.
Tim Fells however made the best of it in the lighter, shifty conditions and propelled himself from mid-fleet up-to the leaders.
It was Ellis who was in front when it counted though and finished 1st, Cleaves 2nd and Fells 3rd.
Thank you to Malcolm and his team for running the racing in what turned out to be an enjoyable afternoon on the water regardless of the rain.
Solo Race Results