Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club

Nathan Clark ahead of Julian Hood - Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC © Karen Langston

The Streaker open meeting at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC (WOBYC) on Saturday May 16th was a shifty and tactical affair! It counted towards the Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle Series and the East Anglian Series and attracted a fleet of 17 boats including 10 visitors.

A westerly breeze meant that a long windward/leeward course could be set, using the full length of the Broad and the races could be started on the normal clubhouse startline. So all was looking nice and straightforward although Ben Falat, the Race Officer, did point out at the briefing that he'd spotted some interesting windshifts...

Anyway, Race 1 got under way and the fleet got to work, playing the shifts upwind and down. It was nice and tactical and kept everyone busy. Veronica Falat (WOBYC) and Ian Gore (Up River YC) crossed tacks on the first beat and Ian was first to the first mark but Veronica caught a sneaky gust and got past early on the run and managed to hold the lead for the rest of the race. So far so good!

Playing the shifts downwind - Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC - photo © Karen Langston

Race 2 was held straight after Race 1 and its start coincided with the first of the big shifts of the day! There was a big port lift and boats on the starboard side of the course were struggling to get to it. Ian Gore had read the situation correctly and was soon speeding towards the first mark, with the chasing bunch charging along behind.

Fears that the race would become a two-way reach were unfounded however because the breeze became ever more fitful, shifting one way then the other. Ian and Alan Bishop (Girton SC) pulled well ahead of everyone else, while Nathan Clark (WOBYC) gained his second 3rd place of the day.

It was now overcast with some ominous clouds and, during the lunch break, it was really quite chilly.

Ominous clouds in race 2 - Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC - photo © Karen Langston

However, as we prepared for the third and final race, the sun came out! There was now club racing preparing to start too and we were waiting for a handicap race to get going when the breeze again swung to the south, so much so that the AP was flown. A new course was displayed but then everything changed back and we stayed with the morning's course! In fact, the breeze was swinging hugely from SW to NW.

This was a race that was very much a light wind affair, except that on the first beat an unexpected gust came and caught several boats out and at least two capsized! I think the gust was a northerly one but in the confusion it was hard to grasp what was happening! The front runners were Nathan Clark and Robin Parsons (Deben YC) and while they managed to pull clear, the rest of the fleet struggled on the run as the breeze came and died. Ian Gore had been well back at the first mark but managed to sneak up to 3rd place ahead of Alan Bishop and Julian Hood (WOBYC).

The race was shortened and we finished in a flat calm.

Overall, Ian Gore took the win with a 1st and a 2nd to count, with Nathan Clark having a 1st and a 3rd and Veronica Falat took the 3rd place tie-break with a 1st and a 5th.

Ian Gore, overall winner - Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC - photo © Karen Langston

Thank you to all the organisers and volunteers at WOBYC for a very enjoyable day on The Broads. Also, it was great to see several new faces taking part.

Next up for Streaker travellers:

• 24 May - West Lancs YC - North Sails Northern Paddle Series
• 6-7 June - East Lothian Regatta - HD Sails Scottish Series
• 13 June - Wroxham, Norfolk Broads YC - East Anglian Series

Overall Results:

Race 1 - Streaker HD Sails Southern Paddle and East Anglian Series at Waveney & Oulton Broad YC - photo © Karen Langston