North West Norfolk Week 2023 Day 3

Day 3 of Norfolk Week saw the beginning of two days of sailing a Brancaster Staithe. The conditions were still windy, but much less than previous races at Snettisham Beach.

National 12

15-20kts, flat water, punchy gusts at times.

Plenty of N12s had arrived throughout the day at BSSC but by 4.30pm there were still quite a few masts down, perhaps the immediate bear-away to downwind after launching was playing on the sailors minds! 9 N12s launched and headed out to the race course.

With plenty of tide still flooding in, there was a clean start as the fleet headed off to a laid windward mark, which was quite hard to find against the backdrop of the shore. 1st to round were Ian & Alex Gore (N3525) followed by Graham & Anya Camm (N3530) and then George & Lucy Finch (N3551). It wasn't long until Steve & Jo Sallis (N3531) overhauled George & Lucy into 3rd. 3 gybes later and Graham & Anya had moved into first.

That set the scene for the rest of the race as we enjoyed occasional gusts and a lovely reaching leg across the harbour. George & Lucy Finch briefly overtook Steve & Jo but that didn't last long! Tim & Chris Hampshire (N3502) followed in 5th after Philip David & Rosie Gore (N3499) tested the water temperature after a downwind wobble!

1st - Graham & Anya Camm, N3530
2nd - Ian & Alex Gore, N3525
3rd - Steve & Jo Sallis, N3531

Allcomers

The Allcomers fleet was met with equally blustery conditions and a slight swell upon launching at Brancaster Staithe SC. After a short upwind leg up the river to the starting line, the allcomers set off, three minutes after the N12s.

All boats started on starboard tack, with Miracle 4120 (helmed by Neil Piper and crewed by Jack Gore, jumping ship after discovering he had broken his rudder yesterday) immediately headed up OK (95), Duncan Ellis. The RS300 of Sam Davy led into the windward mark, but hit the buoy, and after almost capsizing, did turns. Harry Yarwood retired after the first lap, after capsizing after an unfortunate snagging of his wetsuit in the mainsheet jammer.

The racing was close in the midfield, with Lasers (Richard Major, Brian Lambert), OK (Duncan Ellis), Solo (Jasper Barnham, sailing his Solo rather than the Laser 2000 he sailed at Snet Beach), and Streaker (Ian Bradley) all battling for top places. Miracle 4120 was in a good position, until a capsize on the dead run put them at the back of the fleet.

Laser 4.7 (210233), helmed by Oliver Means, won on handicap, by almost over a minute, ahead of Jasper Barnham in his Solo. Duncan Ellis finished off the top 3, with his OK.

Tomorrow is an early start (6.45am); see you there!

You can view the results here.

Find out more at www.norfolkweek.co.uk