Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series - Race 4
by John Burn 14 Jul 2025 05:52 PDT
12 July 2025
Race 4 turned out to be one of the most memorable club races in recent history.
Faced with tricky harbour conditions — no water and a course that would result in a procession of reaches — Race Officer Simon Ballentine had a bold solution: send the fleet out to sea. The course, 3 N B N B, posted from the watch house, immediately sparked head-scratching among sailors as they tried to locate mark "B." It turned out "B" had been laid roughly a mile upwind of "N," providing a long, tactical beat that would be sailed twice.
Seventeen yawls assembled at the start line, though space was limited thanks to a yacht moored inconveniently close to the beach.
The leg to the first mark saw Phil King & John Sleep in Y183 establish an early lead. However, as the fleet reached the transition zone at Blackstone, the breeze faded. Boats that had favoured the Millbay/Sunny Cove side were left stranded, while those who chose the crab pot route trickled through.
Mike and Karen Whitehouse in Y171 were the first to pick up the new breeze and made a quick getaway, along with Y183. Conditions over the Bar were nothing short of spectacular — a modest chop, a steady 12-15 knot easterly, and uninterrupted sunshine.
King & Sleep extended their lead with confident sailing, finishing well ahead of the fleet to claim a commanding first place.
Mike & Karen Whitehouse, though reeled in toward the end, held on to secure second, just ahead of John and Katy Meadowcroft in Y175, who impressed with their downwind pace to take third.
The first of the classic fleet was Simon Dawes & Ross Borne in Y150, edging out Dan & Gail Bridger in Y98.
A big thank you to Simon and his team for setting such an enjoyable and well-laid course. A true showcase of yawl racing at its finest!