Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

HYS Hamble Winter Series - Week 6

by Trevor Pountain 21 Nov 2019 03:58 AEDT 17 November 2019
The Dukes of Hamble - HYS Hamble Winter Series week 6 © Paul Wyeth / www.pwpictures.com
Hot Rats on the final day of the HYS Hamble Winter Series 2019 ©Paul Wyeth / www.pwpictures.com
previous next

Week 6 of the HYS Hamble Winter Series dawned with lovely winter sunshine bathing the Solent. As is now becoming the norm, the wind was forecast and indeed was from a northerly direction. The CV Condor made its way to East Knoll. With over half the spring flood completed and a NNE air flow there would be plenty of water to keep the fleet North of the Bramble Bank.

The only thing missing was enough puff to start as scheduled. So, the AP was displayed, if not flown, at 10.20 pm, in the 2 knots available at the time. The wind picked up enough for the Orange Attention to be displayed at 10.40 pm and the well-known firm of Robinson, Smalley and Bateson produced a course that would hopefully see a finish time of somewhere between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm. Fingers and just about everything else were crossed until the boats approached the finish.

Not all positions in yacht racing are won on the water. Some are decided in the protest room, and so it was on the night before this start. A redress hearing was held to determine if anyone was put at a disadvantage when 8P, inflatable black mark, went on a little journey two weeks previously, before being swiftly replaced. The outcome was no change!

Also the night before was the HRSC Club prize giving, and Uproar, Andy Chapman, partied themselves into an 8th place performance in Class 4 on Sunday, only managing to keep another HRSC boat Imptish, Barnaby Smith behind them. "You needed to go the right way up the beats in the fluky conditions. We didn't!" commented Barney.

Another HRSC boat, Protis, sailed by Ian Southworth, won comfortably again at the top of Class 4. This is a boat that can party and win at the same time. Jeffrey Dakin, brought the Quarter Tonner Starflash, back to the podium for only the second time since Race 1, when they came second. Stan the Boat, Toby Gorman, came third with his big rival for second overall, Gr8 Banter, Ian Handley & Tim James slipping to a 5th place. With the second discard coming into play there was no position change between the two.

The tricky conditions clearly suited Captain Scarlet, J92, Guy Stansell, in Class 3. They took first place having never been near the top three all series. Second was David Greenhalgh in the J92, J'ronimo, no doubt wishing he could have his bigger jib back for the day. Peter Rutter and James Crew brought Quokka 9 home third with La Nef IV, John Noe, just behind them. The best start and finish in Class 3 was by a local club's well-branded J70. Sailed by an Olympic Gold medallist, it crossed the fleet on port and led all the way. If only they had an IRC rating and Cat IV kit, it would have been a stunning result.

In Class 2, Hot Rats, Robbie & Lis Robinson and Jiraffe, Simon Perry, were pinned "Almost head to wind" on the start line by Mojo risin, Rob Cotterill. This allowed Jongleur, Richard Cooper and Jago, Mike and Susie Yates to get away at the pin end. Jongleur was able to go on to finish third missing out to Tigris, Gavin Howe, in first and the fast finishing Jiraffe in second. Hot Rats fifth place lifted them above Sabriel jr, Dirk Van Beek in the overall placings, for now.

In Class 1, there were no reports of shabby spinnaker work this week on Peasus DekMarx, Malcolm Wootton. They picked their way round the course to finish second to Icy, Ian Atkins. Third was a J112e, Jangle, sailed by Will Ayliffe, out for the first time this week. Rupert Wolloshin, brought Thunderbird home in fourth. Chaz Ivill, who must have taken a more scenic route in Devanti Tyres, had a fifth place his was happy to discard, keeping him within one point of the Melges IC 37, Icy, overall.

Back in the club house, the HYS Hamble Winter Series day sponsor was NJO Sails of Shamrock quay. Nicky Octon herself presented some fabulous looking bag prizes. They should do a great job when Christmas shopping.

Next week the day sponsor will be Force 4.

More of Paul Wyeth's pictures: www.pwpictures.com
Full Results: www.hamblewinterseries.com/page/results-by-hals

Related Articles

Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing Day 3
Youth, grit and glory define inshore battle The final day of inshore racing at the 2025 Admiral's Cup delivered high drama, high stakes and no shortage of action, especially at race starts. Three intense races pushed crews to the limit and completed the six-race inshore series. Posted today at 4:58 am
WASZP Games 2025 Day 4
The Weymouth weather continued to keep the fleet guessing The Weymouth weather continued to keep the fleet guessing, with the northerly breeze hanging in the early forecast before giving way to a westerly build. Posted today at 4:38 am
Admiral's Cup Paul Wyeth Thursday Photo Gallery
The battle points ahead of the Fastnet race intense The six-race inshore series has now been completed with an unstable northerly, swinging to the west later. The starts were particularly intense as the teams battled for points ahead of the Fastnet, and Paul Wyeth was on hand to capture the action. Posted today at 4:18 am
Admiral's Cup 2025 | D3 Inshore Racing Videos
More light and tricky conditions on the Solent. Three races? More light and tricky conditions on the Solent. Three races? Posted today at 1:55 am
O'pen Skiff World Championship in Japan
Team USA delivers a solid performance Five US sailors traveled to Nishinomiya, Japan for six days of challenging conditions, hot temperatures, and world class sailing. USA sailor Lucas Doran was in third place in the U17 fleet before the final day of racing. Posted on 24 Jul
Admirals Cup: Day 4 - All hanging on the Fastnet.
The end of the beginning of the 2025 Admirals' Cup. Rán runs aground - claims redress. Today marked the End of the Beginning of the 2025 Admirals' Cup with the conclusion of Inshore racing on what is known as the "Central Solent". The Baltic teams' TP52 Rán hit a sandbank and has claimed redress. Posted on 24 Jul
Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49ers Series
Happening for the first time at Hamilton Island Race Week Palm Beach Motor Yachts is proud to be the naming rights sponsor of the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series, which will debut at the 2025 Hamilton Island Race Week, celebrating its 40th edition in August. Posted on 24 Jul
Less than 48 hours to Rolex Fastnet Race
Battle lines are being drawn up Battle lines are being drawn up for the RORC's centenary Rolex Fastnet Race. As the final day of Admiral's Cup inshore racing took place in the Solent, so several yachts due to take part in Saturday's main event were out training. Posted on 24 Jul
A Day at the WASZP Games
Video interviews with some of the sailors and supporters of the class The WASZP Games 2025, being held at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy in the UK, has attracted 248 of the foiling dinghies to take part in a week of varied and high intensity racing. Posted on 24 Jul
Admiral's Cup David Maynard Thursday Gallery
First race of the day, captured for our viewing pleasure David Maynard was out on the water to catch the action from the first on Thursday of the Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing. Posted on 24 Jul
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERSea Sure 2025