Summer Series at Royal Temple Yacht Club - Race 4
by Peter Jackson 15 Jul 00:12 PDT
13 July 2025
A benign breeze and flat water belied a moderate tide, running south to Sandwich Bay. The club's new racing marks were out ready for Ramsgate week and two were employed after a running start with the tide.
In Classes 3 & 4 Alan Lucas's new entry Ziggy joined in to upset the established running order. A modified E boat Ziggy replaced Alan's previous E boat which was damaged after losing her rig a year ago. Ziggy had capsized on her trip to Ramsgate, just past Reigate on the M25, the repairs delaying her launch.
The eight boat Class 1 fleet suffered a few boats ashore or berthed preparing for the EAORA 'Round The Goodwins' and East Coast IRC Championship start to Ramsgate Race Week on the following Sunday. Flying Pig, Martin Law's modified Cork 1720, made a conservative start, reaching under jib, just ahead of Peter & Alex Jackson's 42ft Assassin, still training new young crew, who went for a spinnaker.
The kite proved a mistake as it held a classic wineglass for most of the short first leg, letting Flying Pig round first. Peter Pearson et al's HOD 35 Buccaneer and Nick Rawbone's First 34.7 Warrior flew kites more conventionally, rounding close behind the leading pair.
Assassin glided silkily past the 1720 and away, but now owed a debt on handicap she never quite gained back. The wind shifted but held as the tide eased. Assassin got round the course in under 1hr 10 minutes, but most of the fleet crossed within 13 minutes. The Poupard family X99 Xpedite and Gary Walters J97 Jura, after a close tussle won by the X99, only another 9 minutes back.
The 1720 corrected a clear 2 minutes in the lead, but 2nd place was far closer. Buccaneer, not a light air specialist, just held on to her 1st leg lead over Assassin to take 2nd place by 4 seconds. Warrior corrected within 3 more minutes, 4 minutes ahead of Xpedite, partly due to the X99, like Assassin, not yet having a jet-washed bottom. The win left Flying Pig 2 points clear of Assassin in the series.
In Class 3 the 22ft Ziggy shot round the track on the tail of series leader Pippy as if powered by stardust. The big rig E boat made John & Michelle Stoneley's Pippy, a Jeanneau 37, look a bit portly in the light stuff. Michael 'Chalky' White's et al's UFO 31 Manana couldn't stand the pace. The 37 crossed 3 minutes ahead after 1hr 50 minutes but owed Ziggy far to much and corrected to 10 minutes behind.
Manana seemed to struggle sheeting her spinnaker on and corrected another 10 minutes back. Pippy still leads the series from Bad Boys but now has a more potent threat.
Podium Places - IRC Class 1-2:
1st Flying Pig, Martin Law
2nd Buccaneer, Peter Pearson et al
3rd Assassin, Peter & Alex Jackson
Podium Places - IRC Class 3-4
1st Ziggy Alan Lucas
2nd Pippy, John & Michelle Stoneley
3rd Manana, Michael White et al