Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard brokerage

Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series Race 6

by John Burn & David Greening 9 Oct 2023 05:38 BST 1 October 2023

Fast Handicap Report (by John Burn)

The exceptional October weather set the perfect backdrop for the sixth race of the Fast Handicap Autumn series.

A mixture of eight teams arrived at the start to tackle the course 1-7-1-3 set by expert race team Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith.

The mixed fleet quickly settled into their natural running order up the first beat, with the faster 505 and RS400 taking the lead, rounding mark 1 first. Andrew and Sheila Squire in the Albacore followed next, with John and Frankie Burn in Y170 leading the Yawls out.

As the fleet hugged the Portlemouth shore on the long downwind leg to mark 7, Andrew and Elizabeth Savell in Y187 worked their way past John and Frankie and led the closely fought yawl contingent through the bag and again on the return leg.

As they reached Snapes, John and Frankie took a slightly higher line than Savell's, which resulted in them regaining the lead. The father-and-son team now appeared in the groove as they made their way through the main harbour and pulled clear of the chasing yawls.

John and Frankie continued to stretch their advantage for the remainder of the race, and once the handicaps had been applied, they emerged victorious, racking up their second win of the series.

Andrew and Sheila Squire claimed a comfortable second, with Andrew and Elizabeth Savell coming home third.

Solo Report (by David Greening)

A sunny Autumn afternoon, high tide and a light but shifty breeze out of the south westerly quadrant was enough to attract twenty one Solo sailors to the start line for the sixth race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn series.

The fleet was pleased to welcome the return of Will Henderson to the fleet after a period away from the class, and our friend from the North John Evans.

There was a certain inevitability of a General Recall with the ebbing tide, and Race Officer Graham Cranford-Smith reached for the Black flag for the restart.

The form sailors were very much mixed up in the pack at the Blackstone windward mark, with Simon Dobson and Simon Yates leading around. With the fleet running out of air off Biddle Head, Will Henderson and Tim Law lead a breakaway group down the Town side, whilst they got away with it, some of the back markers, including your correspondent, were left languishing in Crab Pots as the breeze died (note to self never go into Crab Pots). For this reason the rest of the report is based on anecdotal evidence, hearsay and bar chat.

The leaders, Tim Law, Simon Yates and Will Henderson got clean away at Snapes point when entering the Bag, whist the ensuing pack got rafted up waiting for the fresh breeze, Tim Fells was first to pick up the breeze to break clear in fourth place.

There was place changing in the leading group with Will working into the lead on the final (shortened) run back from Blackstone. The fleet chose the Portlemouth shore, but the wind appeared to die in Mill Bay. Will led a breakaway to the Salcombe shore, but Tim Law persisted on the Portlemouth side to steal the win from Will followed home by Simon Yates.

Related Articles

Salcombe RS Aero Open and UK Masters Champs
30kn gusts from a variety of angles alternated with 0kn calms every few seconds The Salcombe RS Aero Open doubled as the RS Aero UK Masters Champs and despite a challenging forecast 7 RS Aero visitors travelled to Salcombe joining the Solos, K1s and the local Yawls to enjoy and be challenged by Salcombe's high sided tidal ria valley. Posted on 4 Oct
YW Dayboats at the Salcombe Town Regatta
The 'various' crews rotated each day giving great experience to younger sailors Twelve YWDB's made the trip to Salcombe again this year to take part in the fun of Salcombe Town Regatta. Whilst two of the leading helms were sprightly grandparents, the 'various' crews rotated each day giving great experience to younger sailors. Posted on 27 Aug
Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series Race 6
A superyacht, a broken mast, and a committee boat start A superyacht, a broken mast, and a committee boat start — race 6 of the summer series certainly provided plenty of excitement for both spectators and competitors. Posted on 29 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 6
Persistent rain, but less wind than feared, for the final day Friday morning in Salcombe was wet and windy. With an ebb tide the conditions in the harbour were deemed too rough for the first start and a one hour postponement was put up. Tom Gillard having the title in the bag elected not to put his kit at risk. Posted on 5 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 5
A beautiful sunny morning and a solid westerly greets the tired competitors A beautiful sunny morning and a solid westerly greeted the tired competitors for the fifth morning of Merlin Week with Tom Gillard and Ollie Meadowcroft leading overall. Posted on 4 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 4
A change in the weather provides a good hiking breeze Wednesday brought a change in the weather. The wind had backed to the WSW, giving a truer breeze down the harbour, and although less than forecast in the morning there was a good hiking breeze with occasional planning gusts. Posted on 3 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 3
Following the traumas of Monday, the fleet woke to bright sunshine and a brisk breeze Following the traumas of Monday, the fleet woke to bright sunshine and a brisk breeze. Would it be from a more helpful direction? Well, slightly. Posted on 2 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 2
On most days Salcombe is a beautiful place to go. This was not one of them On most days Salcombe is a beautiful place to go sailing and on some days the conditions are wonderful making a perfect combination. This was not one of them. Posted on 1 Jul
Salcombe Gin Merlin Week Day 1
A building North Westerly for the 120 boats After a sunny Saturday spent moving boats to the beach, the 120 competitors were greeted on Sunday Morning to a light North Westerly and broken sunshine. Posted on 30 Jun
Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series Race 2
Bue skies, blue seas, great breeze and a strongly flooding tide Races 2 of the Salcombe YC Summer Series took place on 22nd June. The competitors were favoured by what the over 60s call classic Salcombe conditions. That is to say blue skies, blue seas, a strongly flooding tide and a Force 3-5 South Westerly wind. Posted on 25 Jun