DF95 Autumn Series event 6 at East Kent Radio Sailing Club

DF95 Autumn Series event 6 at Barton's Point © Jim LaRoche

With ice, fog and no wind forecast eleven DF95 skippers still made Barton's Point Country Park in Sheppey. Ralph Wilkinson was race officer and Jim LaRoche took the photos.

At least the sun kept the frost away, and ten races were completing in the very light shifty conditions before, for the first time in recent history, the lake surface took on a mirror finish.

Race 1 was a tight duel between Peter Jackson and Adrian Tomlinson. Peter was quicker upwind and Adrian downwind but Adrian took the win as Peter headed for the wrong finish line. Dave Adams, and Paul Woodward, both returning after two week breaks, finished 3rd & 4th.

Adrian, Peter and Paul then sailed into big holes to drop off the radar as Mike Brand got the shifts right with two firsts then a second ahead of Dave Adams and Rob Maunder. Adrian and Alan Hounsell completed the podium spots. It was then that Colin Honour, more often sailing in Chipstead's fleet, hit the front, taking two convincing wins in a row. The first was from Mike, the second was Rob Maunder second second place in a drifter. Dave then Adrian completed the podiums. Lunch was taken early!

The afternoon started like the morning but with Mike Brand joining Adrian and Peter at the front, getting a close second. Dave had been struggling but finally found his mojo and patience to get his first win in race 7, from Adrian. Alan Hounsell grabbed his second third place from Colin.

That left it all to play for throughout the fleet, apart perhaps from Rob Owens and Paul, among those not being smiled on by the wind gods. Race 8 then saw the usual suspects in the usual order, Adrian winning his second race, from Dave and Mike.

Another win then tied it up for Adrian with a race to spare, but Mike and Dave were neck and neck for second. Rob Maunder finished with three fourth places to get clear of Colin and Peter.

Rob Owens, after some interesting starting antics and OCSs, finally got on the podium with a third place in race 9, but too little too late. Alan got his third third place in the last race to finish on equal points and beat Rob into eighth on countback. The close fight between Mike and Dave for second behind Adrian went Dave's way with only his second win in the last race behind Adrian as Mike dropped to sixth putting him just one point behind. Rob Maunder finished an excellent fourth overall, his best yet, four points clear of Colin. Peter was only 3 points clear of Alan and Rob, in sixth.

With the fickle wind swinging north and dying across the whole lake all agreed to an early trip home.

Results:

1. 30 Adrian Tomlinson
2. 358 Dave Adams
3. 875 Mike Brand
4. 571 Rob Maunder
5. 62 Colin Honour
6. 211 Peter Jackson
7. 380 Alan Hounsell
8. 479 Robert Owens
9. 20 Paul Woodward

It's just been confirmed the 2025 DF95 Nationals will be at Barton's Point.