Hamble Winter Series 2025 Race Week 5, sponsored by Pharmacy Consulting Ltd
by Trevor Pountain 12 Nov 17:14 GMT
11-12 October 2025
The CV, Sea Angel, set up at 4J, hamblewinterseries.com, for Race Week 5 of the Hamble Winter Series, which was sponsored by Pharmacy Consulting Ltd. The plan, according to PRO Peter Bateson, was "for a challenging variety of legs up, down and across the wind and across the tide, ending after 2-2 half hours back at hamblewinterseries.com."
Wellies had been compulsory on the Hamble foreshore mid-week which meant that some big spring tides were still prevalent in the Solent. 10 - 15 knots of breeze with a lot of South in it (185 - 200 degrees) meant that there would even more "opportunities" for cross tide sailing than usual.
With the series entering its last four weeks, one longer race is the order of the day, allowing boats to return to their berths in daylight. IRC 1&2 were sent on a 13-mile course which had two legs across the Ryde Middle Bank. IRC 3 were despatched on a 10.9-mile course which went to Royal Thames (4F) and then to Ben Wood (4N) on the southern edge of the East Knoll Bank.
The aforementioned Spring cross tide came into play at the start for IRC 1&2, as Jybe Talkin', J109, Chris Burleigh, who last week was photographed very close to a mark, went one better this week, when they got tangled up on the pin. In manoeuvring off, they came together with the Sigma 38, With Alacrity, Chris and Vanessa Choules, which led to a protest. However, having witnessed some turns by Jybe Talkin' that would have graced the dance floor in Strictly and, there being no damage, Chris withdrew the protest.
Hot Rats, First 35, Robbie and Lis Robinson, avoided the interesting party at the pin end of the start line and got cleanly away at the Committee Boat end. Despite a mistaken early drop near Paul Hayes (48) the Rats managed to sail higher and set them selves up for a good run down to Royal Southern (4S). "An absolutely cracking course, "said Lis," with finally three proper runs. It got our vote for best course of the series."
A missing autopilot cover led to an involuntary pirouette on Hot Rats, and this let Mojo Risin, J109, Rob Cotterill, push Hot Rats into 4th place on the day by 2 seconds. With Alacrity, recovered from their ballroom start to place second. Jukebox, J109, John Smart, has place first every time it has come out and week 5 was no exception. The problem they have is that they have only been out three times.
In IRC 3, Banter, Mustang 30, Ian Handley and Tim James, had its worst, but best start of the series, as a dropped mainsheet by the helm gave a third-row seat. However, tacking onto port and taking all the transoms, gave a fine tack out into a gently lifting port breeze coupled with a nice tidal lee bow. Stand the Boat, Tony Gorman, came back out for its second race of the series and Polly, Impala 28, Ben Meakins made their 2025 winter series debut.
Dark Horse, Mustang 30, Rob Macgregor, still had its new rig in the boat. Rob was not terribly pleased with the first beat. He told Peter Bateson in the bar that it was "interesting." He followed up by stating that "Dark Horse had done a variety of manoeuvres that they had never done before!"
Protis, Quarter ton, Team Hamble, stormed round the course enjoying the various shifts with good boat speed. They handed home port of Grimsby baton to back Banter, who briefly dropped its kite into the drink, but only trawled it long enough to catch a few sprats. Protis, charged on round to come first. Banter recovered their net and came second and Quokka 9, Half Ton, James Crew just managed to keep Dark Horse out of third.
Tigris, Sunfast 3600, Gavin Howe, won IRC 1 by a big margin from Mad Dash, Elan 410, Sam Tregelles. Cougar, Reflex 38, James Bathhurst came third.
Back in the HRSC clubhouse, Jackie Peck of Pharmacy Consulting Ltd, gave away some unusual prizes alongside the usual wine. Jackie had been out working on the CV all day but did a swift change for the prize-giving. That's the sort of sponsor I like.
Next week sees The Bugle, Hamble, as the day sponsor. With three races to go and another discard in play, things could get very close.
Full results at www.hamblewinterseries.com