Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series Race 1
by David Greening 7 Sep 2015 23:51 PDT
6 September 2015
Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series Race 1 © Adrian Griffin
Business returned to normal, as the visitors returned home, leaving a less crowded estuary for the regular club racers at Salcombe Yacht Club.
In a strong ebb tide and a light Northerly breeze, race officer Chris "Maradona" Cleaves set a course taking competitors into the Bag, toward Gerston, back to Saltstone, Gerston then returning to the finish line.
The early starters in the Junior Handicap, Medium Handicap and Fast Handicap fleets had attritional races, having to drift against the tide, and did not benefit from the slight increase of wind later in the afternoon.
In the Junior Handicap, Martin and Tom Ley made the best progress in their Mirror, to take the win from the Topper of George Alexander.
Only the Laser Radial of Toby Rew finished the Medium Handicap race, with five boats retiring making no progress in little wind.
In the Fast Handicap race, Chris Winzar's National 12 did well to take the corrected time victory from the Merlin Rocket of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby.
The Solo fleet once again were strongest in numbers with twenty one entries. With all of the contenders aiming for the same spot in front of the Watch House, the almost inevitable General Recall, saw a restart under the Black Flag, which was not noticed by a few competitors, resulting in their early baths.
David Greening was held back under the Watch House at the start, allowing Ed Stephens and Bill Jago to make the early running to Snapes Point. Simon Yates made a strong recovery when the wind shifted East, by taking an early cross to Halwell Point, and proceeded to overtake all of the front runners to round Gerston in the lead, which he then extended all the way to the finish, followed home by Bill Jago and Simon Dobson.
Only two Yawls arrived at their start, with Robin Hodges and Chris Turns showing the way around the course in the legend that is Taylor Maid.
Race 1 Results:
Junior Handicap
1st Mirror 70390, Martin and Tom Ley
2nd Topper 46721, George Alexander
3rd RS Q'ba Sport 2, Ruarl McColl
Medium Handicap
1st Laser Radial 180706, Toby Rew
Fast Handicap
1st National 12 3524, Chris and Rosie Winzar
2nd Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
Solo
1st 5601, Simon Yates
2nd 5598, Bill Jago
3rd 5313, Simon Dobson
Salcombe Yawl
1st 61, Robin Hodges and Chris Turns
2nd 161, Peter Stratton and Nigel Hannaford