Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle Series and South-East Series at Downs Sailing Club

Streaker open meeting at Downs © Brian Mumford

The Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle Series continued at Downs Sailing Club. It featured all the conditions typically seen at Downs, from light, shifty airs to huge planing reaches and waves.

The forecast was for sunny conditions, but the wind was looking less promising; west-north-west gradually swinging to the south, and dropping. A veritable quandary for Race Officer Brian Mumford and his team aboard the committee boat. But there was a glimmer of hope - would a sea breeze materialise in the afternoon?

There were three visitors in all - Lee Goodey and Deborah Thomas from Broadstairs SC and Andrew Hudson from Margate YC. The remaining boats were all from Downs, and comprised a mixture of Streaker regulars with the exception of Solo sailor Richard White and Mirror sailor Sally Heatlie borrowing boats to compete. Rookie sailor Rhona Jardella, who had initially come down to help, was coaxed into a Streaker too, her first time ever sailing one - her usual boat being the club's Laser Radial.

Richard White - Streaker open meeting at Downs - photo © Brian Mumford

A square course was set - windward mark 1, then wing marks 2 and 3 followed by leeward mark 4.

Race one began with a decent amount of breeze, enough to get into the hiking straps, though typically for a westerly at Downs, it became very light and shifty at the windward mark in its inshore position. Lee Goodey got away with Simon Cory and Richard White not far behind. That was how the order stayed to the finish - Lee Goodey 1st, Simon Cory 2nd, Richard White 3rd.

The wind was now starting to track to the south so the AP went up and the hard-working mark layers set to repositioning the marks.

Race two saw Lee Goodey establish a comfortable lead. Simon Cory was next to the windward mark followed by Phil Halldron. After mark 2 Simon and Phil parked up in a hole but Simon managed to extricate himself, leaving Phil to be overtaken by Sally Heatlie, Martin Wyman and Jeremy Daniell having caught a sudden gust from the shore. With the wind being so inconsistent the RO shortened, leaving Lee Goodey to score another bullet, Simon Cory second, and Sally Heatlie on the podium in third.

Streaker open meeting at Downs - photo © Brian Mumford

Another wait under the AP ensued whilst the marks were repositioned. Then two minutes from the start signal it was displayed again as the wind shifted further south. The mark layers were prevailed upon again and race 3 got away fairly smoothly.

However, as the fleet approached the windward mark the wind died leaving all of the contestants' boats parked up en masse. After a short interval the wind filled in swinging to the south, and freshened considerably - the hoped for sea breeze had arrived! Simon Cory scored his first bullet pushing Lee Goodey to second, whilst Richard White scored another third.

The wind was now getting organised, and with a south flowing tide waves were building. The course was re-laid, with the windward mark laid off to the south, towards Walmer Castle to give a decent sized windward leg. This was by far the most entertaining race of the day, the long beat to windward being followed by huge legs in the waves giving surfing opportunities a-plenty.

Lee Goodey pulled away to windward, establishing a lead over Simon Cory. Further back, Sally Heatlie, Phil Halldron and Richard White were in close contention. Lee Goodey scored his third bullet of the day with Simon Cory 2nd. Sally came back from two capsizes to score another 3rd.

With the final results in, the day was Lee Goodey's, with Simon Cory second and Sally Heatlie third overall.

Lee Goodey, overall winner, with Deborah Thomas - Streaker open meeting at Downs - photo © Brian Mumford

In all, a great day's racing. It was a compilation in one day of all the conditions we can get at Downs, from light, shifty airs to huge planing reaches over waves. It was good to see some of the less experienced sailors sticking out the last race to the end in the stiffer breeze. Rhona said she'd enjoyed her first Streaker sail too.

Thanks are due to the Race Officer, Brian Mumford and team on the committee boat and the rescue boats who had to put in the hard yards with all the repositioning of marks that was needed throughout the day.

And we mustn't forget the galley who were up early to prepare that staple of open meetings - the bacon and/or egg butty!

Next up for Streaker travellers:

• 12 Sep - Loch Tummel SC - HD Sails Scottish Series
• 19-20 Sep - Inland Championships at Grafham Water SC - Rooster Super Series

Overall Results:

Phil Halldron - Streaker open meeting at Downs - photo © Brian Mumford