Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series 2026 - Race 3
by John Burn 12 Nov 05:50 PST
7 November 2026
Salcombe YC Winter Series race 3 © Lucy Burn
The forecast in the week leading up to Saturday's race looked particularly unfavourable. The problem was sunshine, warmth and an almost complete absence of wind. It's a rare sight to see Prawle Point recording zero knots, but there it was.
Even so, two Blue Fleet Yawls, a Merlin Rocket, an RS400, two Laser 4.7s and seven Solos paddled, pumped or were towed out to the start line. Race Officer Adrian Griffin wisely kept the course compact and in front of the club, using an X mark laid just off the Ferry Inn and a mark at Mill Bay.
The race, if you could call it that, began with a good deal of sitting still and waiting for the promised breath of wind. It finally arrived half an hour in, allowing the fleets to creep around the course. Some made rather better progress than others.
In the Fast Handicap Phil and Roz Magee relish a drifter, and they took the win in Y17. Fran Gifford and Frankie Burn crossed the line first in their Merlin Rocket and finished second on corrected time, with John Burn and Emily Hoar third in the RS400. Andrew Stirling and Mark Alexander were unlucky in Y161, missing out on a puff in the first half of the race and never quite recovering.
In the Short Race Handicap Suzy Andrews won the battle of the Laser 4.7s ahead of Sian Hodges, with both spared the pain of a second lap.
In the Solo's Mike Hodges was the first to get away, with Chris Cleaves in pursuit. Cleaves gradually reeled him in to win by just 25 seconds. The rest of the fleet was spread out around the course, although Will Henderson and Simon Dobson stayed close in the battle for third. Henderson had the edge at the finish, with Dobson fourth.
All in all, it was a lovely morning afloat. Thanks to Adrian and his team for holding their nerve and seeing the race through.