RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club

RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club Sportography.tv

RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club © Sportography.tv

The right paid and Harry rounded first with Acres second and as much as he tried he could not get past the lighter youth who covered well and made no mistakes. (Whatever happened to age before beauty?) Paul Watson came in third after sailing a little further after going round the spreader mark meant for the RS100s who were doing upwind, downwind legs rather than the trapezoid course set for us.

Race two saw what appeared to be another clean start with most going right again. Acres led but McViicar again showed good pace and the positions changed a few times with Acres just managing to come back through at the end. Sadly for Harry he was UFD’d for being over the line with one minute to go. Rather than a black flag, the U flag (red and white squares) was used, which seemed a little vicious for a friendly little fleet like ours. Ben Deacon took advantage and picked up second with Rob Jones in third.

RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club © Sportography.tv

The third race saw Nick Bubb take a port hand flyer and cross all but Rob Jones who started at the committee boat. This at least proved that the line was square but also that the rest of us in the middle were late. Again it turned out to be Acres and McVicar fighting it out. On the last run it was Harry who just led but Acres harassed him the whole way down and managed an overlap by a gnat’s foreskin before the gybe mark helped by two RS Aeros. Watson took a closely fought third with Jones fourth.

RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club © Sportography.tv

A delicious cold beer was provided by RS for tallying off, which was very welcome and got us all into the drinking mood for the ensuing evening. This was topped off with a curry thrown in for good measure along with a band and a spattering of RS200 totty thrown in for entertainment.

Sunday brought baking conditions. Mark Taylor, all the way from Scotland was very pleased to see sun for the second time this year but less pleased at the lack of breeze. After a long drift out to the start the Race Officer kept us all sitting around. This was all the more frustrating when we could see the RS400s, RS700s, RS800s and RS200s racing away on a different course in the distance. Four of us gave up the wait and drifted in only to hear the starting hooter go in the distance and race four begin. Harry showed a clean pair of heels with Paul second and Rob third. Race five was canned part way through due to a lack of breeze. Well done to Harry for sticking it out and getting a well-deserved win, along with some stripy burnt arms.

RS Sailing RS300 Summer Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club © Sportography.tv