Datchet Flyer from a Musto Skiff perspective by Sam Pascoe
by Sam Pascoe 10 Dec 2023 12:10 PST
9-10 December 2023
Sam Pascoe during the Datchet Flyer © Tim Olin /
www.olinphoto.co.uk
Team Ovington Portland turned up on Saturday morning to another winter event in the rain and lighter than forecast winds. We had a few more friends in the Musto Skiff class than Draycote with six of us - it should have been seven but Richard Smith abandoned us to take his new RS600 for a very wet play.
Race one started in a building breeze. Sam Barker was over the line and made it look hard work ducking back behind the line. Sam Pascoe and Dan Vincent matched each other perfectly out to the port lay line, but Pascoe picked the lay line to lead into the windward mark. Dan pushed Pascoe hard for a few laps until his main sheet block detached from the cleat finishing his day. Barker had a clean race to beat Robbie Richardson into third. Mark Cooper tried to knock some sense into him self by head butting the mast whilst dropping the kite. A hand full of stitches later meant he was watching from the side lines for the rest of the weekend.
Race 2 was "all on for young and old". Robbie nailed the start by coming in late at the committee boat and lead from Pascoe at the windward mark. Pascoe had a quick swim at the gybe mark, trying to gybe with full kicker doesn't work in a Musto. As Pascoe righted from his capsize he saw Robbie being blown of the side of the course with his kite up. Barker was right on Pascoe transum after the swim. We then discovered there appears to be very little speed difference to Pascoe reaching style of flat out in the foot loop and Barker standing safely on the gunwale. Robbie threw away his lead by pitch polling at the leeward mark and ripping his sail so retired to the beach. Pascoe and Barker flogged around for another lap somehow finishing in gusts of 38knots. Everyone rallied around to help each other onto the beach.
Unfortunately no social Saturday evening so everyone went home for some well earned rest.
Day two and a building breeze forecast was with us again. Pascoe had the pleasure of wearing the horrible coloured gold Selden rash vest as the overnight leader. We started 3 race and the last handicap race of the weekend in a nice 12 knots. Barker won the pin with Pascoe on his hip, Robbie, Dan and Fred Cudmore stuck to the committee boat end. Pascoe lead at the windward mark with Barker being chased hard by Robbie. Robbie slowly lost touch during the race, moaning that the old style sail he had up was slower than the new ones.
Pursuit race
The fleet was split into fast and slow. So we were starting with the Wayfarer. Five Musto Skiffs were reaching flat out at the pin on port whilst the Wayfarer was trying to hit the pin on starboard. Thankfully the Wayfarer was 10 seconds late, leaving room for us to get through. Barker lead at the first mark with Robbie second. Pascoe tacked underneath them both to lead at mark 2. Barker and Pascoe then swapped positions for 4 laps as they pushed flat out, weaving through the fleet. Thankfully for Pascoe, Barker dropped it in on a double gybe drop at the leeward mark as there was no way this tempo could be kept up for whole 81 minutes and 10 laps we did. Pascoe went on to win the pursuit race with Robbie in second followed by Dan.
Musto Skiff Results:
Sam Pascoe won overall
Robbie Richardson 6th
Sam Barker 9th
Dan Vincent 17th
Fred Cudmore 32nd