Yachting World Dayboat open meeting at Poole Yacht Club
by Steve Wilson 22 Jul 16:27 BST
20-21 July 2024
Colin Blewett and Chrissie Campbell, winners - Yachting World Dayboat open meeting at Poole © Wendy Davies
Overall 19 boats took part, with visitors from Avon SC, Bosham SC,
Hamble River SC and Thornbury SC.
The open takes the form of two separate days of racing in Poole Harbour.
On Saturday there are two long distance races around the harbour
islands, Green Island, Furzey Island and Brownsea Island, once clockwise
and the other anticlockwise.
The morning race started with just five
boats in a fresh southerly with a long, tricky beat to Green Island,
care being required not to stray too far from the marked channels to
avoid grounding.
Nick and Jennifer Crang in 639 took an initial lead
which they held to the end, but sadly they had missed a mark out during
the beat. Behind them the boats were rather strung out, although Wendy
and Roy Davies in 649, who know that part of the harbour better than the
rest of us, managed to recover from last place by taking a better route
between marks.
As we approached crossing the harbour entrance the sea
was a bit lumpy and there were a number of awkward gybes in the fresh
breeze, achieved without incident. The final stretch back to the club
had light winds in the shadow of Brownsea Island but finally emerged for
the leg home.
The winner, who had been second on the water all the way
was Peter and Annette Kay in 634 followed by Roy and Wendy Davies.
By the afternoon more visitors had arrived and ten set off clockwise
round the islands. Once past the harbour entrance winds dropped light
while fighting a foul tide and it poured with rain. The fleet struggled
to keep moving at times.
In the end three boats found a little breeze
and broke away. Everyone finished but it was close run on the time
limit. Third was Georgina and Simon Bullingham in 648, second Matt and
Hugh Straker in 621, the winner Peter Hewitt and Colin Blewett in 669.
Racing on the Sunday consisted of three races on triangle/sausage
courses. 18 boats took part. The wind was a light to moderate north
westerly characterised by localised shifts on the beat. In all three
races there was an element of luck as well as skill.
What looked to be
the best side of the beat on one lap was frequently the wrong side next
time around. Places changed hands a great deal.
However in the end our
winner showed us how it should be done with three wins. Third David and
John MacFarlane in 597 Yellow Peril, second Andrew Hewitt and Rebecca
Crang in 639 Magic Roundabout, Winner Colin Blewett and Chrissie
Campbell in 647 Alice.
After racing it was obvious that everyone had thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Overall Results:
Pos | Boat | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
1st | Alice | 647 | Colin Blewett | Chrissie Campbell | Poole YC | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
2nd | Magic Roundabout | 639 | Andrew Hewitt | Rebecca Crang | RYA | ‑3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
3rd | Yellow Peril | 597 | David MacFarlane | John MacFarlane | Bosham SC | ‑7 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
4th | Groovie | 678 | Michael Hewitt | Freddie Gent | RYA | 2 | 7 | (OCS) | 9 |
5th | Mallory | 676 | James Hewitt | Cora Starker | RYA | 6 | 3 | ‑9 | 9 |
6th | Merlin | 669 | Peter Hewitt | Chris Lovett | Poole YC | ‑9 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
7th | Tiger | 664 | Tim Wilcock | Alastair Seaton | Bosham SC | 5 | ‑6 | 6 | 11 |
8th | Shamal | 648 | Georgina Bullingham | Simon Bullingham | Avon SC | 11 | ‑14 | 4 | 15 |
9th | Daydreamer | 621 | Matt Straker | Hugh Straker | Hamble River SC | 4 | ‑11 | 11 | 15 |
10th | Piu Mosso | 634 | Peter Kay | Annette Kay | Poole YC | (OCS) | 9 | 7 | 16 |
11th | Kerfuffle | 629 | Nick Crang | Jennifer Crang | | 8 | 8 | ‑14 | 16 |
12th | Damons Daughter | 606 | Gerry Philbrick | Cherry Giles | Poole YC | ‑12 | 12 | 8 | 20 |
13th | Men Behaving Sadly | 604 | John Waters | | Poole YC | ‑10 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
14th | Kaos | 633 | Natalie French | Paul French | Poole YC | 14 | ‑17 | 12 | 26 |
15th | Aurora | 675 | Steve Wilson | Annette Wilson | Poole YC | 13 | ‑16 | 13 | 26 |
16th | Mandarin | 649 | Wendy Davies | Roy Davies | Poole YC | 17 | 13 | (DNC) | 30 |
17th | Daylight Robbery | 673 | Robbie Gent | Laurie Gent | | ‑15 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
18th | Attila | 572 | Dave Allen | Louise Brown | Thornbury SC | 16 | ‑18 | 16 | 32 |