Race Report: 11th & 12th July 2015

Sailing Report 10^th and 11^th July

Nine boats headed out in a gusty Westerly wind for race 5 of the Pursuit series on Saturday. Double D was first away with a 10 minute head start on the next boat – Bugs Bunny, followed by Trampas, who were making their first start. It was a short downwind leg followed by a swift reach out to the Bell Buoy where the fleet would encounter a strong tide.

Double D were caught out as they tried a close rounding and touched the mark, the resulting penalty turns throwing away much of their lead, and so it was Bugs Bunny at the front as the leaders started the first beat. By now the faster boats were starting the chase, Samaki, Monsoon, Teemane and Qantro all away in quick succession. Monsoon losing two early places as she took a wide line. Cold Steel was away 3 minutes later and quickly into her stride, while Icon had time to finish the crossword as a further 11 minutes passed before they finally got to start.

Bugs Bunny was clear infront as she rounded the Sandsend mark. A charging Cold Steel was 2^nd round after gobbling up 5 boats in quick succession on the beat. Samaki was one of those but had made some passes of her own to be 3^rd, ahead of Double D. Trampas found conditions a bit lively approaching the mark allowing Qantro through into 5^th which became 4^th as she caught Double D early on the return run.

Starting lap 2, Bugs still led but Cold Steel was gaining. Samaki and Qantro were disputing 3^rd, while the rest of the fleet were all converging together. Teemane got up to 5^th but Icon was looming, pulling off a brave move inside Monsoon at the bell bouy as she gained places. 

The closing stages saw a mistake by Cold Steel as she touched a mark but she still had the pace to catch Bugs Bunny and take the win. Samaki managed to re-pass Qantro for 3^rd, and Icon caught Teemane for 5^th. The others finishing close enough together to require GPS co-ordinates to sort them out.

Result; 1^st Cold Steel, Dey, Jarvi & Gowland, 2^nd Bugs Bunny, A Martland, 3^rd Samaki, N Robinson

Two summer series races took place in blustery conditions on Sunday. 4 boats made the early start, Icon leading away from Cold Steel, Teemane and Qantro. Rapid progress was made by all around a simple triangular course. Qantro overtook Teemane on the first leg but there was little other opportunity for changes in the order, everyone negotiated the gusts successfully despite requiring a few intimidating jibes at the marks.

Class A Result: 1^st Icon, N Williamson, 2^nd Cold Steel, Dey, Jarvis & Gowland, 3^rd Qantro, N Drake

After a slightly extended lunch break the fleet headed back out, now joined by 3 class B boats – Bugs Bunny, Samaki and Serenade of Parkstone. The strong gusts remained and the course would provide a stiff challenge. Icon again made the best start while Qantro and Serenade of Parkstone struggled to get going.

A hard windward leg to Sandsend soon sorted the fleet out. Icon and Cold Steel pulling well clear and Bugs Bunny was going very well to hold 3^rd. Samaki was next, then Qantro and Teemane who swapped places several times as the approached the mark. It was a rapid return run then a zig-zag back to the line, the order remaining unchanged. The fleet was now well spread out, the race officer thought the slower boats might have had enough, but the smallest of all, Bugs Bunny, was bounding enthusiastically after the leaders and so it was a second lap for everyone.

Icon took her second win of the day, edging clear of her sister Cold Steel. Bugs Bunny was next home – taking an easy class win, ahead of Samaki. Fifth home overall was good enough for 3^rd in class for Qantro ahead of Teemane, while Serenade of Parkstone took the final podium spot in class B.

Result: class A: 1^st Icon, N Williamson, 2^nd Cold Steel, Dey, Jarvis and Gowland, 3^rd Qantro, N Drake, class B 1^st Bugs Bunny, A Martland, 2^nd Samaki, N Robinson, 3^rd Serenade of Parkstone, L Franks 

Race Report: 4th/5th July

Sailing Report 4^th and 5^th July

Six boats came out to compete for the RNLI pennant on Saturday, including a first appearance by Scaramouch. Cold Steel led the fleet away, chased by Samaki. Behind some were already having troubles – Masquerade touched the mark and had to do a penalty while Qantro got it all wrong and found herself at the back after some extra tacking.

Cold Steel was the only boat to use a spinnaker as she continued to lead to the bell bouy. Next a long leg to Sandsend gave the big boats a chance to show their speed, Cold Steel starting to establish the lead she’d require to overturn the handicap while Qantro overhauled Scaramouch and Masquerade to take third behind Samaki.

The order remained unchanged until the start of the second lap, when Qantro overtook Samaki. Cold Steel remained clear in front, deciding that she didn’t need to risk the spinnaker again as she completed the 3 lap course. Qantro was second home ahead of Samaki to the line but hadn’t done quite enough to beat her after handicap. Then the bigger boats had an anxious wait as Scaramouch was sailing along nicely and they knew the diminutive newcomer would have a sizable handicap advantage.

Scaramouch was indeed next to finish, ahead of Masquerade and Double D, and had done enough for second after handicap but Cold Steel had pulled out enough of a lead to take the prize. 

Result: 1^st Cold Steel, Dey,Jarvis & Gowland, 2^nd Scaramouch, Ian & Alison Paton, 3^rd Samaki, Nigel Robinson  

Sunday saw the continuation of the Coastal series, with little wind at the start a virtual mark set a few of miles north of the Bell Bouy. It was a downwind start towards Sandsend, Icon taking the early lead from Qantro and Cold Steel, all using their spinnakers to pull ahead of Serenade of Parkstone. Then a few hundred yards short of the mark Icon ground to a halt as the wind died. Qantro and Cold Steel pulled alongside then also stopped. Spinnakers were rapidly packed as the wind re-emerged from the other direction. Icon escaped the best and led on what was now a beat to the mark.

Icon re-launched their spinnaker for the leg to the virtual mark, Qantro followed suit while Cold Steel headed further out under white sails. Then the wind disappeared again. Serenade quickly anchored to avoid being swept backwards by the tide, taking the lead as the others were pushed in the wrong direction. Icon decided they’d spent enough time at sea recently and retired.

An hour or so later Serenade was still at anchor, Cold Steel was drifting far out to sea in search of the elusive breeze and Qantro was having a picnic near Runswick but suddenly lunch was interrupted by the sails gently filling with breeze. Qantro was moving in the right direction again. Slowly they pulled towards the virtual mark, Cold Steel was on the move too but was now far out to sea with a lot of ground to make up. The wind kept coming and going but with the tide now turning the persistence was paying off for those two. Serenade of Parkstone couldn’t find enough breeze to get going and retired.

It was now going to be a race to rather than around the virtual mark. Qantro was again becalmed about a mile short of it, looming rain clouds prompting the crew to grab their oilskins, but the rain brought with it a bit of wind and after over 5 hours of effort they finally reached their target. Cold Steel eventually found the wind too and took second. 

Result: 1^st Qantro, Nathaniel Drake, 2^nd Cold Steel Dey, Jarvis and Gowland.