Pursuit 3: Saturday 24th May 2014

Prospects of sailing had looked extremely ominous on the Friday as rain poured down and the fresh north-easterly built up quite a big sea in the harbour entrance, but, thankfully the wind had calmed down by Saturday morning, but there still remained a long, rolling swell which would test quite a few stomachs when the boats came out. Seven yachts came out to compete in the third race of the Pursuit series where the slower boats set off first and eventually the greyhounds are released and headed off to devour the leading boats, like Pacman!

Serenade of Parkstone got procedures underway  followed a minute later by Double D and a little later by Masquerade. After a brief spell, Samaki was released and then the greyhounds had a lengthy wait before Icon, Antix and No Compromise were released almost half an hour after the lead boat. These three quickly picked up the chase in the order Antix, No Compromise and Icon, but the lead three, Serenade, Masquerade and Double D, got sucked towards Whitby rocks with stronger tide and a bigger rolling sea, allowing Samaki to inflict the first casualty as she overtook Double D and was hot on the tails of Serenade and Masquerade. 

The long, rolling, run against the tide commenced as the boats headed for Sandsend and Samaki gained the better over Serenade and Masquerade, before they turned for the beat against the wind back to the Bell Buoy. Samaki enjoyed her lead for over half an hour but could see the charging greyhounds eating away her lead as they charged past Double D, Serenade and Masquerade and was under no illusion that she would be in the front when time ran out. At the end of the first lap, the two hours of racing was almost used up, the boats were well bunched up around the starting line and Antix and then No Compromise passed the long time leader, Samaki, and the handicapping proved extremely effective with the rest of the fleet very close together. 

Result:  1^st Antix, John Allen, 2^nd No Compromise, Derek Frank, 3^rd Samaki, Nigel Robinson