Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series - Race 4
by Malcolm Mackley 6 Jul 2015 00:22 PDT
4 July 2015
While Salcombe Yacht Club prepared to host the 120 boat Doom Bar Merlin Rocket week, fifty club member's dinghies took to the water for the fourth race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series.
Starting on a low water spring tide, in a brisk force 4 south westerly breeze, Race Officer Malcolm Mackley had few course setting options, so set the default Blackstone Gerston course followed by two additional loops of the harbour.
First away was the Junior Handicap fleet sailing an abbreviated course. It was great to see the club's newly acquired RS Quba Sports out in force, with I Tudge securing the handicap win from Evie Booth's RS Tera Pro.
Mike Calvert secured a comfortable win in his Laser from Toby Rew's Laser Radial in a slightly depleted Medium Handicap Fleet.
The Fast Handicap fleet is becoming a regular showdown between the Merlin Rockets and the National 12's. Their start was slightly distracted by a RNLI Lifeboat launch one minute before the start, however the Merlin Rocket of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby managed to hold on to win by only four seconds, in surprisingly breezy weather, from the National Twelve of Chris Winzar and Ritchie Park.
Twenty three Solos came to the line with David Greening controlling the early part of the beat, a damaged sail saw him put into Mill Bay for repairs allowing Ed Stephens to take the lead from Chris Cleaves and Tim Law. Eventually Tim worked his way through, with Ed showing very good form holding off Chris Cleaves.
Peter Stratton and Nigel Hannaford pulled off a blinder of a port tack start in the Salcombe Yawls; however Anthony and Allyson Lofts worked their way through with David Jayne and Fenella Goldsworthy in close pursuit. The modern boats of Charles Thompson and Richard Bawden never made the necessary break, allowing Anthony and David to fill the first places.
Race 4 Results:
Junior Handicap
1st RS Quba Sport 2, I Tudge
2nd RS Tera Pro 2146, Evie Booth
3rd RS Tera Sport 1881, Ben Meek
Medium Handicap
1st Laser 204889, Mike Calvert
2nd Laser Radial 180706, Toby Rew
3rd RS Aero 7 1517, Claire Booth
Fast Handicap
1st Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
2nd National 12 3524, Chris Winzar and Richie Park
3rd Merlin Rocket 3725, AJ Squire and Mary Henderson
Solo
1st 5599, Tim Law
2nd 5194, Ed Stephens
3rd 5573, Chris Cleaves
Salcombe Yawl
1st 132, Anthony and Allyson Lofts
2nd 28, David Jayne and Fenella Goldsworthy
3rd 189, Charles Thompson and Alistair Morley