Nautica Typhoon Series final race

by Simon Blore on 30 Aug 2011 Nautica Typhoon Series 2011. For the final race of the series on Saturday 27 August there was all to play for in the overall series places in all divisions, but with Red Kite 2, St Happens, J-Chi and Brace having their divisions won, some of the final competition was for podium spots.

A meek five to seven knots of NE breeze gave way to a much more encouraging nine to eleven knots southerly in the preamble for the race start, and HHYC’s ex-Commodore Mark Houghton set the fleet away on a windward /leeward 'Gate' course with two marks to choose from at the leeward end of the course.

IRC A and B were away first on a three lap race, and having expected a start line further out, Minnie the Moocher were some four minutes late for their start having sprinted back from Shelter Island. By lap two, the breeze had dropped again and the gate resembled something of a parking lot as boats changed direction to find pressure to one mark or another. Thankfully the wind filled again, and all but the early finishers had decent winds to conclude the race.

Free Fire did enough in the series to win overall in IRC A, and Mandrake completed her series victory in IRC B. With IRC C and D already sewn up, Red kite 2 could afford a third place (an off day for them) but IRC E was much closer with one point separating the final three top places, and a win on the day for Impala 1 relegating the previous series leader Taxi to second overall. Brace and J Chi won their respective races to consolidate their series wins in Sports Boats and J80’s respectively, and in HKPN a win in race 10 for DEA 2 could not stop the B32 Bits and Pieces (with a third on the day) taking the class win.

The day’s proceedings concluded with a day and series prize-giving at Hebe Haven Yacht Club, followed by the now traditionally raucous Typhoon party for the tired yet satisfied sailors.