Race Report: 27th and 28th June

Sailing Report 27^th and 28^th June

There was silverware on offer for the yachts as the Town Festival Cup was contested on Saturday. Cold Steel made the quickest get away ahead of Samaki but just as the fleet were settling into a steady leg towards Sandsend the wind shifted dramatically to the west and dropped to near nothing. There was some desperate manoeuvring to escape the hole which Cold Steel again did best at, pursued by Teemane and Qantro.

These 3 pulled clear as the rest of the fleet struggled. Qantro got up second, but she lost the wind and Teemane regained the position. Cold Steel rounded the mark and set her spinnaker for the run back to the bell bouy. All seemed to be going well for the leader but then she sailed into another wind hole. Teemane went inside, while Qantro went out, as they tried to avoid the same fate. Teemane was proved correct as she took the lead. Worse was to come for the early pace-setters as the entire fleet, led by Sky Walker, found the wind and caught up.

Teemane led around the bell bouy and, with the race officer deciding 1 lap was enough in the conditions, seemed set for line honours only to be caught out by yet another wind-shift and re-passed by Cold Steel. Sky Walker was third home hot on Teemane’s heels and easily close enough for the handicap win. A bit further back Samaki, Masquerade, Lady Hamilton and Qantro all reach the bell bouy at the same time, rounding it 4 abreast. Qantro found the speed to beat Masquerade to line with Samaki next then Lady Hamilton, but the close bunch meant the handicaps would decide it and Lady Hamilton took 3^rd.

Result: 1^st Sky Walker - P Brown, 2^nd Cold Steel - Dey, Jarvis and Gowland, 3^rd Lady Hamilton – M Stuart

Sunday saw the Summer series get underway in a brisk Southerly breeze that had most boats sporting reefed sails at the start. Qantro made a good get away, leading to the first mark but Teemane had impressive speed, pulling alongside as they headed downwind towards S mark and taking the lead as the sails were hardened in to head towards Sandsend. Qantro miscalculated the mark’s location and headed too far in allowing Masquerade to take second while Samaki, Lady Hamilton and Sky Walker were all close behind.

It was a quick reach to the bell bouy next which didn’t alter the positions. Teemane tacked around the mark to start the beat back inshore ahead of Masquerade. Qantro stood on a short distance to gain some clear air before starting her chase and this time the she had her tactics right as she overhauled both her rivals to lead at the end of the lap. 

Lap 2 was the same route as the first. Qantro now had her bearings sorted and was able to hold off Teemane. Masquerade was still 3^rd and now had a useful lead over the rest of the class B boats.

The order remained the same as the short lap 3 started but the wind was dropping and the reefs were being shaken out of the sails. Those with furling head-sails could also unfurl to give full power, and worryingly for the leader this included the two boats behind her and so she decided a change to her big genoa was required. This caused a few anxious moments aboard Qantro but proved to be the right decision as she led the fleet home.

Masquerade led home class B but Sky Walker was also going well in the lighter conditions, flying her spinnaker on the downwind leg she overhauled Lady Hamilton and got close enough to the others to take the class win on corrected time.

Result: Class A 1^st Qantro – N Drake, 2^nd Teemane – M Dixon: Class B 1^st Sky Walker - P Brown, 2^nd Masquerade - D Miller, 3^rd Lady Hamilton – M Stuart