Autumn Series Race 3 - Fast Handicap

Published 11:14 on 17 Sep 2023

Course 7-1

Five Yawls, the McLarens in their RS 400, along with Andrew and Sheila Squire in their Albacore, took to the water Saturday afternoon to participate in the third race of the Autumn Series.
 
All the forecasts had aligned and were predicting much the same: 1216 knots from the NE; however, what actually came to pass was much less interesting.
 
As the fleet got underway, Malcolm Strang and Simon Gibbens in Y160 found themselves in an unfavourable position and ended up on the wrong side of the start line. They saw a gap and sailed back to get their race underway correctly.

As the group rounded Snapes Point, the RS 400 and Albacore started to pull clear, with the Hendersons in Y168 leading the Yawls from John Burn and Tristan Stone in Y170. 

It was fairly processional as they all made their way to Gerston and back, but as they returned to tackle the infamous Halwell Wood section of the course for the second time of asking, the wind dropped to practically nothing.
 

The McLarens in the RS 400 navigated this tricky section well and disappeared off around Snapes. Behind them, the wind filled in from behind, which closed the rest of the fleet up, and as they in turn rounded Snapes Point, they were just able to make out the pink spinnaker of the RS 400, who was just arriving at Mark 1.
 
With the tide now under them, there would be no catching the McLaren's, and so they were awarded a well-deserved first position on the water and on corrected time.
 
Will and Mandy Henderson in Y168, despite having their lead cut, managed to stay ahead of the group and finished second.
 
Third place would be a close-fought affair decided by an outright tacking battle between Y160 and Y170. As they rounded the last mark together, Malcolm and Simon had to hold off the challenge from John and Tristan as they did everything they could to break the close cover they found themselves subjected to by Y160.
 
Malcolm and Simon sailed the last beat very well and, with no mistakes, earned themselves third place.

By John Burn

Photos - Lucy Burn