Bluepoint Construction Late Autumn Series

by Richard Baldwin on 17 Nov 2008 Liverpool Yacht club held two 'back to back' races in the Bluepoint Construction Late Autumn Series on Sunday 16 November.

Light winds and a strong 5 knot tide gave Race Officer Jim Connolly the difficult problem of setting courses for the 20 yachts that would enable a second race to be held on the same tide. He succeeded and two exciting races were held with close finishes in both of them.

In the first race Warrington skipper Jim Cartwright in his Beneteau First 34.7 Daydream Believer won the IRC class 1 6 seconds ahead of Neil Thomas’s Prima 38 Mighty Max II who was 5 seconds ahead of Richard Booth’s Prima 38 Another Nods. IRC class 2 also had a close finish with Sigma 33s taking all the podium places with Michael Inman from Prenton beating Steve Harrison by 9 seconds with Paul Hampson third. Class 3 sailed the same course as class 2 with Liverpool skipper Andy Napper in his GK24 DiRich taking the class ahead of Richard Baldwin’s Superseal Tango and Warwick Telfer in his Achilles 24 Clarevouyant.

The second race had an exciting upwind start with the ebb tide squeezing several yachts prematurely across the line. There was further drama later in the race when the strong tide caused Liverpool sailor Mark Blanchard, whilst avoiding another competitor, to be swept onto a buoy sustaining considerable damage to his J92 Jenevieve.

In class 1 the Prima 38s swept the board with Richard Booth from West Kirby in Another Nods taking first place ahead of Neil Thomas’s Mighty Max II and Glyn Sheffield’s Dinamite Tee. Class 2 saw another close finish between the 3 Sigma 33s again Michael Inman beat Steve Harrison by 10 secs but Paul Hampson failed to make it to the podium with Stuart Lofthouse beating him to third place by 4 just seconds. Class 3 yachts acquitted themselves well with Richard Baldwin from Weaverham in his Superseal Tango taking the class, also beating the class 2 fleet, ahead of Warwick Telfer and Andy Napper in third.

Bluepoint Construction Late Autumn 3 Bluepoint Construction Late Autumn 4

Class 1
Jim Cartwright Beneteau F 34.7 Daydream Believer Richard Booth Prima 38 Another Nods
Neil Thomas Prima 38 Mighty Max II Glyn Sheffield Prima 38 Dinamite Tee
Richard Booth Prima 38 Another Nods Neil Thomas Prima 38 Mighty Max II

Class 2
Michael Inman Sigma 33 Musketeer Michael Inman Sigma 33 Musketeer
Steve Harrison Sigma 33 Quattro Steve Harrison Sigma 33 Quattro
Paul Hampson Sigma 33 Magic Moments Stuart Lofthouse Impala Skukusa

Class 3
Andy Napper GK 24 DiRich Richard Baldwin Superseal Tango
Richard Baldwin Superseal Tango Warwick Telfer Achilles 24 Clarevouyant
Warwick Telfer Achilles 24 Clarevouyant Andy Napper GK 24 DiRich