Fat Face RS K6 event at Aldeburgh

by RS media on 17 May 2006 In stark contrast to last years wet and wild ride at Aldeburgh, the 2006 Fat Face event was going to be challenging in an entirely different way.

After a small delay while the start line was adjusted for the shifts, race 1 got underway cleanly. The fleet remained tightly bunched throughout the race and it was very much a case of keeping close and pouncing when you could. This was demonstrated perfectly by Bill Masterman & Tom Seppings in 101, when they took the lead at the leeward mark on the last lap and held on for the win.

Race 2 had an ominous looking thunder storm providing some interesting wind shifts and rain (along with discussions about whether carbon fibre actually conducted lightening or not!), it was Ian Robson & Sandy Johnson in 162 that showed local knowledge counts as they lead from start to finish to win race 2. The storm soon passed and with it went the wind, so race 3 was abandoned and the race officer literally gathered his flock and towed a number of boats home.

Day two started off with a cool easterly and a rapidly flooding tide. It was soon apparent that local knowledge was again going to be the order of the day, as a number of visiting boats had brief encounters with the mud. But through it all and despite a good challenge in race 3 from several boats it was local boys Simon Fulford & Mark Ingram in 159 who came through with 2 wins and a second on day 3 to secure the event (despite losing their rudder on day one only to find they really do float!).

Final overall leaders:
1st 159 (Puffa Smoke) – Simon Fulford, Mark Ingram, Aldeburgh YC
2nd 162 (Cloud Nine) - Ian Robson, Sandy Johnson – Aldeburgh YC
3rd 145 (Mildly Moist) - Dave Cummins, Ian Schenkel – Queen Mary SC
4th 101 (Scooby Doo) – Bill Masterman, Tom Seppings – Hayling Island SC
5th 126 (Pippi) – Peter Kirkby, Will Elson – Queen Mary SC
6th 000 (Fat Face) – Martin Wadhams, Amanda Wadhams - Lymington SC