East Kent Radio Sailing Club DF95 Spring Series final event at Barton's Point Coastal Park
by Peter Jackson 29 Jun 16:34 AEST
26 June 2025
DF95 Spring Series at East Kent RSC - Rob Owens wet run under C rig. Alan Hounsell © Alan Hounsell
In the final Spring Series event at Barton's Point Sheppey all places were up for grabs in a stiff breeze well exceeding the forecast 13 knots. It was mainly 17-18 and often over 20 with the choice of B or C rigs critical. The steep waves due to the long fetch down the lake added to general carnage and made tacking tricky. Alan Hounsell set the course with Ralph Wilkinson Race Officer.
Adrian Tomlinson wanted the series win and took the first bullet, from Rob Maunder and Peter Jackson, but then struggled with control issues. Robert Owens was fast with a smaller rig and took race 2 after a signature port tack start, from Alan Hounsell and Peter. Then it was the Peter & Rob Maunder show for 4 races up to lunch, Peter scoring 1,1,2,1 and Rob 2,2,1,2 with Adrian 3rd three times. Simon Thornton took the other podium place.
The wind increased in the afternoon with mostly C rigs dominant. Alan took his first win, from Robert Owens and Rob M as Peter struggled to tack with his B rig, then often struggled even to bear away to gybe as the wind increased and fleet size shrunk to 8 shipshape runners. With Dave Adams and Mike Brand out of the picture Adrians chance came but he could only manage a 2nd to Rob M in race 8, then yet another 3rd ahead of Alan before retiring in the last race.
Peter had come back for his 4th win in that 9th race leaving things all square with Rob Maunder's 571 for the event with a race to go. In well over 20 knots it was Rob Owens C rig that hit the front. Adrian and Rob Maunder came together trying to tack at the windward mark, couldn't be separated and had to be rescued. Peter and Simon Thornton battled it out for 2nd. Peter's 211 nose-dived into the mud at the bank on failing to tack or gybe nearing the finish line.
The skippers thought Simon had got 2nd in the melee but Peter had anyway done enough to take the event win by either 1 point or a tie break from Rob Maunder on 15 points. Rob Owens was 11 points back in 3rd after some 6 and 10 scores, 3 points ahead of Alan and 7 less than Adrian in 5th. All top 5 skippers had managed at least one win.
Dave Adams held on to the Spring Series win from Adrian. Peters win secured 3rd overall from Mike Brand.
Event 10 Results: (top 8)
1. 211 Peter Jackson
2. 571 Rob Maunder
3. 479 Rob Owens
4. 380 Alan Hounsell
5. 30 Adrian Tomlinson
6. 665 Simon Thornton
7. 156 Martin Hill
8. 007 Edward Coxon