Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series Race 3
by Dan Bridger & David Greening 9 Nov 2025 09:20 PST
8 November 2025
Fast Handicap Race (by Dan Bridger)
Competitors in the third race of the winter series were greeted by a lovely sunny mild day.
The wind was a rather fickle westerly, the tide a ferocious 5.2 metres and there was more weed in the estuary than in Brixton on a Saturday night. Most of the fleet were suitably line shy except for yawl 150 who was caught out, and by the time he had recrossed the line his race was over.
The first mark was Millbay, Race Officer, Esther McLartey, sensibly keeping us away from Blackstone and the bar. A run back against the tide would normally cause bunching up and place changing but oddly the fleet stretched out and the front runners generally got the best of the breeze.
After rounding Snapes it was really just follow my leader. In the light breeze the fast boats didn't have a chance to stretch away and yawls duly took the first three places.
A lovely day out on the water and warm enough to sit out on the terrace afterwards. You can't ask for much more in November.
Handicap Series Results so far
Solo Report (by David Greening)
A sunny day with a light west south westerly breeze saw twelve Solo sailors come out to play for the third race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series. Race Officer Esther McLarty set a course to Mill Bay, Gerston, Mill Bay, Crossways.
With a spring ebb tide it was a struggle for the fleet to keep behind the starting line at the bang of the gun, however a good start or not made little difference, following the rounding of the Mill Bay mark, the fleet reconvened at the East Portlemouth ferry landing for restart number one, with Chris Turns taking the inside berth along the beaches to emerge in the lead at Fishermans Cove.
Running out of wind, the cognoscenti took the classic route and crossed to the town side, though on this occasion were proven wrong, as those who held to the beach side and crossed straight to Snapes Point emerged ahead.
Snapes Point provided the second restart, with Robin Hodges taking inside berth, and taking a more direct route to Ox Point, whilst Will Henderson gybed onto starboard toward Bungalow Point, to find the slacker water in Ox Bay, Hodges prevailed.
The rest of the fleet were divided, most crossing from Ox to Tosnos Point, however comparative back markers, Bill Jago, and Simon Dawes took a leeward route to Hallwell Point, undercutting the rest of the fleet who had got stuck off Tosnos, to emerge just behind Hodges, Henderson and Chris Cleaves.
Hodges picked up some weed on the fetch toward Gerston, allowing Henderson through. This formation was maintained until on the last lap, Cleaves allowed Jago through to third place, with the finishing order Henderson, Hodges, and Jago.
Solo Series Results so far