Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series - Race 2
by John Burn & David Greening 12 Sep 07:23 PDT
11 September 2022
Medium Handicap
Two Laser 4.7s (not fancying competing in the Laser open meeting) headed out to take on the strong tide and light winds that presented themselves on Saturday for Club Racing. They had a good, close race but it was Jane Walk who emerged victorious over Sian Hodges.
Fast Handicap
Again, only two takers for the fast handicap, Alice Markham and Rob Henderson in a Lark with Andrew and Sheila Squire in their Albacore.
The conditions perfectly suited to the Albacore meant Andrew and Sheila quickly established a lead over Alice and Rob. The Squires extended their lead throughout the duration of the race to ensure first place on corrected time with Alice and Rob second.
Yawls
Three Yawls started the race but only two managed to get to the finish. Unfortunately Philip McGee and Peter Andrews scored themselves a DNF.
Will and Mandy Henderson however got straight down to business. Leading round the first mark they quickly disappeared off out of sight in what turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon on the water. In the end on corrected time they finished over 30 mins ahead of second-placed Mark Alexander and Robin Hodges who struggled to get round Blackstone in the strong tide and light winds.
Solos
With a spring ebb tide and a shifty light wind coming out of the southern quadrant the Solos that started on the line, or better still in less tide close to the Portlemouth shore, gave themselves a head start on those who were less precise.
Simon Dobson benefited most by this approach, winning the start from Paul Ellis pursued by David Greening. Simon managed to pull out a healthy lead on the off wind leg to Gerston, and excellent routing thereon never saw his lead challenged.
However, the following bunch of five boats played a game of snakes and ladders, notably upon their return to the harbour, where Simon sailed the beat against the tide on the Portlemouth shore, and when it appeared that he was running out of wind, Paul and Chris Cleaves led a charge to the Town side.
Simons Dobson and Yates were vindicated on what turned out to be a ladder, whilst the rest of the fleet slid down the snake that was a windless cross from Woodcot to Biddle. This was too much for Paul, who had a flight to New Zealand to catch and retired.
Greening rounded the final Crossways mark in third, only to squander the position to Cleaves and Graham Cranford Smith by failing to cover, and having to tack in the tide to avoid a moored yacht, which gifted Cleaves third place.