Stones Boatyard Yawl & ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club

Red Fleet Report by John Meadowcroft

20 Salcombe Yawls comprised the Red fleet for the Stones Boatyard Yeti Open Meeting, in the Mecca of the Salcombe Ria on a glorious Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend.

Whilst much of the UK was hot and sticky and 30 degrees plus, we just had temperatures in the mid twenties with also the commodity of breeze.

Four races over three days, with Stones Boatyard hosting a party on the Saturday afternoon for Yawl sailors on their fabulous pontoon which now allows 36 yawls to dry sail from this floating dock. And Salcombe YC pulling out the stops with a meal for owners on the Sunday night.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Race 1 on Saturday afternoon and everyone was eager to go resulting in a General recall and the fleet being relegated to the end of the start sequence in punishment.

The course sent the fleet to Blackstone before a long run and subsequent broad reach up to Gerston. Chubby Cleaves and Graham Cranford Smith were the early leaders and led the fleet down the Portlemouth shore. Lots of gybing in and out of the beaches and David Greening and Frances Gifford were no longer a Salcombe Yawl as they lost their mizzen and had to retire, and claim redress. Back markers John and Katy Meadowcroft and John Burn and Tris Stone took the option of the Salcombe shore with the fairway now removed after the final start. This paid dividends for them with better pressure and fewer boats.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

The leaders from the two sides came together off Batson with Will and Mandy Henderson leading from the Portlemouth shore along with Cleaves and Cranford Smith. The question was how close into Snapes dare you go with a foul tide. AJ and Shiela Squire got to the corner and were first to decide to take the low long route with the Meadowcrofts in pursuit. Uncharacteristically the Hendersons took the high route with a possy pursuing them through the short cut. The fleet came back together off Tosnos and the Hendersons plan had worked and they had a good lead ahead of the Squires, with Olly Turner and Chris Skelhorn emerging as the best of the rest. The rest of the fleet sailed as one pack to Gerston all arriving together and reacquainting each other with Rule 18.

From here it was a loop back to Blackstone and then to Crossways. The wind threatened to become a little fitful but held true, with the Hendersons taking the gun from the Squires and then Turner and Skelhorn, with much place changing going on behind them.

Stones Boatyard Yawl & ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Day 2. Two races. Glorious weather. If there is a word that is better than glorious it actually should be used here. A short course for the first race with a double beat to Crossways to starboard and then a second beat to a temporary mark a couple of hundred metres up South Pool Creek.

Turner and Skelhorn nailed the start and the first beat and did a horizon job on the fleet. The race was not many miles long but they seemed to win by miles. John Burn and Tris Stone took second from Cleaves and Cranford Smith.

Race 3 was to be sailed back to back but competitors were required to clear the start and finish line. The expectation of many was that the other fleets would finish and then we would start, but that was a poor assumption.

Stones Boatyard Yawl & ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

The result was only 9 starters for race 3 as those who had gone to windward did not hear signals and ultimately were black flagged as on course side. I dont know what happened on the start line as I wasn’t there... But in the race the Hendersons established a big lead over Turner and Skelhorn with Cleaves and Cranford Smith picking up another third powered by the impressive new HD sails rig. Some of the late starters caught up but they were all given penalties. At least it was a nice sail.

Race 4. Monday morning dawned with the same sun, the same heat and a touch more wind. It was sublime. A course in the main harbour on a rising tide with 4 trips to Crossways and 2 to Blackstone and 2 visits to Mill Bay. The regatta was between the Hendersons and Turner and Skelhorn who were tied on points. The apprentices tried engaging the masters in the pre-start. The inevitable outcome being that both started poorly.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

The Meadowcrofts started well and had a small lead at the first mark from David Stone and Mark Hazelwood. They extended well down the first run whilst Dan Bridger and Peter Morris emerged from the pack. Meanwhile the Hendersons were working hard to keep their rivals in their pocket with both boats mid fleet. Bridger and Morris sailed a super beat to get on the tail of the Meadowcrofts on the next run where they outsmarted them to take a lead they would not relinquish.

Greg and Clare Hoar then took the fight to the Meadowcrofts with much place changing and with the Meadowcrofts edging it on the final beat.

Overall the Hendersons took the win on tie break, Turner and Skelhorn second and the Meadowcrofts taking a tie for 3rd from the unfortunate Cleaves and Cranford Smith. Burn and Stone took 5th overall, one point behind. Fun sailing in gorgeous conditions.

Gold Fleet Report by Mark Alexander

Four couples battled it out for Gold Fleet honours. The Le Couillards in Y188, the Dalbys in Y165, the Alexanders in Y87 and the Newsomes in Y16.

Over four races there were three separate winners, with Y188 securing top spot with two wins an impressive performance given they missed the first race.

Stones Boatyard Yawl & ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Second place overall was secured by Y16, a result of their never say die spirit which enabled them on Saturday to go from third to first position on the final run from Blackstone to the finish line, sticking to the Portlemouth side after Y165 and Y87 both crossed to the Town side.

However, Y188 was clearly in a class of her own on Sunday winning both races comfortably, leaving the other three to battle it out for the minor honours. Y165 was the most consistent but paid the price for her faster rating.

The final day saw Salcombe at its best with glorious sunshine and a busy harbour. A decent easterly on a rising tide enabled all four boats to enjoy a good start with no interference. Y87 held an early advantage before Y188's superior speed started to tell.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Y188 was first round Crossways with Y87 and Y165 in hot pursuit ensuring 1Y88, for once, did not get too far ahead. Running down to Blackstone Y165 edged into second place and the pattern was set for the rest of the race, with Y87 securing the win on corrected time.

All four boats thoroughly enjoyed the series, with competitive racing and great esprit de corps.

Blue Fleet Report by Toby Strauss

Saturday was forecast super light but in the end the breeze stayed throughout the race. There were tacking duels all the way up from the start line to mark 'Y' which the race officer (Ian Stewart) had laid a short way up south pool creek because of the low water.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Yawl 19 and Y116 swapped the lead multiple times on the laps that followed between marks 1, 2 and 3 but on the last rounding of 3, Y19 sat on Y116s wind and then pulled away. Yawl 17 completed the top 3, followed by Y150 and Y99. Sunday brought two races, the first a short sharp race with very close racing amongst the top few boats as we sailed back and forth between 1,2 and 3, again because of the low water. The race finished with Y19 winning again, followed closely by Y17, Y126 and Y116 all finishing within a few seconds of each other.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Race 3 followed soon after race 2, complicated by the brave decision of the race officer to finish the lasers first race as we were lining up to start. Yawl 17 and Y116 duelled all the way to Mark 4 with Y17 pulling ahead in the light and variable wind up near the mark. Y17 pulled out a steadily increasing lead over the laps that followed. The following boats became becalmed short of Mark 1, with the small flow left in the tide causing them to grind to a halt. Y19, one of the teenagers well suited to the light winds, picked up speed before the others and pulled through into 2nd, followed by Y150, Y138 and Y123.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Monday brought slightly more breeze and a long race back and forth up the channel in front of the crowds enjoying bank holiday Monday in Salcombe. Again there were tight battles off the start line with Y116 eventually rounding Mark 3 first. Y116 managed to hold onto the lead for the rest of the race, closely followed by Y126 and Y123. Y19's great performance and consistency gave her the overall win, followed by Y17 and then Y116 in third.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Stones Boatyard ILCA Open by Allan Willcox

Thirteen ILCA sailors gathered at Salcombe for the Stones Boatyard Open over the bank holiday weekend. Temperatures in the mid-twenties with a reliable breeze made for two days of competitive, enjoyable racing in glorious conditions.

Saturday - Races 1 & 2

A mid-ebbing tide and a forecast of light winds gave way to a decent sea breeze by race time. Race 1 set a course of 1-5-2-3, and the start saw rather too much enthusiasm from several boats, with a number of ILCAs returning to clear themselves. Janet, who approaches her racing with the cheerful spirit it deserves, decided life was too short and carried on regardless.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

George Reynolds, Ivy Hart, Penny Guess and Mark Fryer established themselves at the front on the beat to mark 1. Running back through the bag against the foul tide the fleet compressed, with Frankie Burn - benefiting from the tutelage of the inimitable Frances Gifford - opting for the point-to-point route and making useful gains by mark 5. The beat back through the bag was better than usual: good breeze, most boats taking the Snapes side, and boat-length racing for much of the fleet.

Race 1 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Ivy Hart, 3rd Penny Guess.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Race 2 followed the same course and produced the same top three. Mark Fryer showed the local knowledge and experience that counts for a lot on the estuary, moving up to fourth. The mid-fleet order shuffled slightly but nothing dramatic changed. Adam Ryan-Carter and Jane Walker both sailed competitive weekends, with Ryan-Carter a consistent mid-fleet presence and Walker showing improving pace as the series progressed.

Race 2 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Ivy Hart, 3rd Penny Guess.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Sunday - Races 3 & 4

Perfect blue skies and a stronger easterly greeted the fleet for the final day. With the wind from the east the first mark was now to the north, course 3-1-3-1. The stronger breeze suited everyone and the start was sharp. George, Allan, Penny and Ivy were in close contention early, with the lead group trading places at mark 1 before George, Allan and Penny pulled clear by the finish.

Race 3 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Allan Willcox, 3rd Penny Guess.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Race 4 (course 4-1-3-1) saw the breeze ease slightly but the beat to mark 4 was fast and competitive. The run home and the tactical beat to the finish with a weakly ebbing tide produced the interesting sailing - some going town-side, others sitting mid-estuary looking for pressure. Emily Hoar and James Kingston put in steady performances to round out the fleet.

Race 4 Results: 1st George Reynolds, 2nd Penny Guess, 3rd Ivy Hart.

Stones Boatyard Yawl and ILCA Open at Salcombe Yacht Club - photo © Lucy Burn

Overall Results:

George Reynolds took a commanding overall win, winning every race sailed. Ivy Hart held off Penny Guess for second and third, with Allan Willcox fourth and Mark Fryer fifth. In the ILCA 4s, Charlie Mackenzie took the class win with a composed performance across both days; congratulations also to Sian Hodges on a solid weekend's sailing.

Many thanks to Stones Boatyard for their generous sponsorship and the superb YETI prizes for the top three in both ILCA 6 and ILCA 4. Thanks also to the race officer and all the support team who made the weekend run smoothly.

Overall Results:

ILCA Open Overall Results: