Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle Sails 2020 - Redefining Boundaries 728x90 TOP

Phantom class at Burnham Week 2023

by Eric Howe 7 Sep 03:32 PDT
Burnham Week 2023 Day 1 © Alan Hanna

Six phantoms took part this year but, despite the smaller than normal fleet, racing started on Saturday in a shifting tricky breeze from the west south west on a trapezoid course in town off the BSC.

The reigning east coast champion Bill Taylor and Northampton's Richard Nurse were the first to show their pace, whilst Roger Smith was quick as well but failed to sail through the outer distance mark gate on the final upwind leg. Richard took the win with Bill second, Chris Roberts took third as Roger had been relegated to sixth. In the second race Roger put things right taking second with Richard collecting his second win. Bill was pushed back to fourth place by Chris, now getting up to speed after a quiet year in the phantom by his standards. After racing we retreated to the Corinthian balcony for drinks and to continue discussing the days events followed by dinner at the White Harte. We agreed it was a fantastic start day to the event.

Day Two was forecast to have a little more wind from the west north west and it lived up to the forecast.

The town course was extended and included a very tricky town side beat against the tide. Bill Taylor got out of bed with a huge smile on his face at the conditions and took both races in formidable form. Richard kept the pressure on with two close seconds with Chris right in there for third having led the second race for a time.

Pete Sarbutt unfortunately had his kicker explode knocking him out of both races. Roger had a fourth and then with one bad tack where he just couldn't squeeze under his boom, he capsized and succumbed to the shallows and mud on the town bank which trapped him, forcing a retirement.

He was found later removing all the mud in the dinghy park and licking his wounds.

We retreated to the Corinthian balcony for drinks and more debriefing then off to the White Harte again to top up the calories that had been lost after two hard races.

There was nothing in it now between Bill and Richard with Chris after them.

It was starting to get interesting for the race for fifth place now and subsequent report writing prize as well.

A added dimension was the reversion to the traditional Burnham Week courses (long!) with a Committee Boat start at Pile House and down river courses with the "big boats".

Monday's race start was also later at one o'clock but with a very light breeze, a long course and an ebbing tide, an epic tactical hour and three quarter race took place for the title.

After an hour the fleet was pretty much together with most of us having a lead at times. Chris was now in his element and found the magic to take the win, whilst Roger had the makings of the conditions for a great second, whilst Richard took third.

Pete, after an unlucky first couple of days, got the fourth he deserved. This pushed Bill back to fifth.

This meant Richard took the championship with Bill second and Chris third. Roger got the fourth and I'm writing this with fifth.

The final event in the Eastern Series is at Waveney and Oulton Broad Oulton Broad on 28/29 October.

Related Articles

Phantom Eastern Region 2023 in review
31 competitors took to the water over six events up and down the coast Well, that's a wrap. What a great year we have had in the East having 'phun' in Phantoms. Over the course of the year, 31 competitors took to the water over six events hosted up and down our beautiful East Coast. Posted on 5 Nov
Waveney & Oulton Broad Phantom Open
Final event of the Phantom East Coast Series The weekend of the 28th & 29th October marked the end of the Phantom East Coast Series with winner depending on the result of this final event. Eleven boats competed with 50% of the fleet opting to stay at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk YC. Posted on 30 Oct
Allspars Final Fling
67 boats take to Plymouth Sound for the 6th edition of this event The Allspars Final Fling, now in its sixth year, saw records broken. With 70 entries and 67 boats taking to the water for the two-day event, the Royal Western Yacht Club welcomed over 100 competitors from all over the country. Posted on 18 Oct
Burton Phantom Open
Final event of the Phantom Midland Travellers Trophy The morning of October 8th saw the keen Phantom sailors start arriving at Foremark reservoir for the 2023 Burton Sailing Club, the final event of the Phantom Midland Travellers Trophy. Posted on 13 Oct
Phantom SE Travellers Series at Broadwater
Impeccable organisation from the host club Broadwater Sailing Club hosted the final round of the 2023 Phantom South East Traveller Series on Saturday 7th October. The weather was unseasonably warm with a south westerly wind which varied between 3 and 8 mph. Posted on 11 Oct
2023 Phantom Nationals at Abersoch overall
Briddon wraps up a convincing win Well, "That's a wrap" as they say in Pinewood, the Tinsel Town of the south of England. Up here in Abersoch, on the beautiful Llyn Peninsular (which surely, must have been used as a film set in the past?) the lights have been turned off. Posted on 18 Sep
2023 Phantom Nationals at Abersoch Day 2
Harry Briddon continues to dominate After an hour's postponement for lack of wind and a hold on shore to allow The Rock Triathlon and a paddle board race to finish on the beach, the fleet sailed out into a building ENE wind eventually reaching 12knts for the start of Race 3. Posted on 16 Sep
2023 Phantom Nationals at Abersoch Day 1
Briddon dominates 50 boats went to the line in 10-14kts SSW for day one of the Phantom Nationals. PRO Mike Crompton set 2 W/L courses, squeezing a 2 lap second race in with a fading breeze. Posted on 15 Sep
2023 Phantom Nationals Runners and Riders
The tipster Mark Spruce and sure fire winners I've just had a meeting with my bookie's assistants and my snouts and I'm now sat here, slurping my pint of Black and Tan in the public bar of the Muzzle & Leash pub next to the Adult Shop, just over the road from Walthamstow Dog Stadium. Posted on 13 Sep
Burnham Week 2023 Round Up
Competitors enjoyed some great racing and excellent courses A very successful Burnham Week concluded with Trophy Day. Thirteen boats raced for the prestigious Town Cup which again had the EAORA race for the Houghton Cup within it. Posted on 6 Sep
PredictWind - Routing 728x90 BOTTOMZhik 2023 Black Friday FOOTERNorth Sails Performance 2023 - FOOTER