Salcombe Yacht Club 2021 Sailing Club Series Race 3

Published 12:40 on 9 Jun 2021

The third race of the Salcombe Yacht Club Sailing Club Series took place on Saturday 5^th June under the watchful eye of PRO Andrew Stirling.  There was a gentle breeze from the southern quadrant over a neap low tide.

The Junior Handicap fleet opened proceedings with a Millbay to Crossways twice course, contested between the Toppers of Issy Wood and Freddie Reynolds, with Issy taking the winning bell.

The Medium Handicap was hotly contested between the Laser Radials with George Alexander taking control on the first beat to the finish, with Ru McColl in runner up place.

It was good to see a growing Aero fleet making up the numbers of the Fast Handicap Fleet.  The Aero of Tim Fells held on to the back of the Merlin Rocket of stalwarts Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith, with the Aero of Clare Booth making up the podium.

Seventeen sailors made the Solo start, the majority contesting the Portlemouth pin end.  Paul Ellis, Tim Law and Simon Dobson picked the port shift at Biddle Head to round Crossways ahead of the pack, drawing ahead in clear air to Gerston.  By Gerston Paul had built up a sufficient lead to wait for Tim to catch up for a spot of tuning, Tim broke through to take the lead, and Simon overtook Paul at Crossways on the last lap as the wind went light.

In the Yawls, James Greenhill and Nicky Bass drove Black Betty, complete with new mast and sails to a narrow win on handicap over Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt, and with some luffing shenanigans within the modern fleet boats saw Martin Beck secure third place on handicap.

A great days sailing, with most fleets taking over two hours to complete the course, so no thirty minute races at Salcombe!

Results

Junior Handicap

1^st           Topper                                 Issy Wood

2^nd          Topper 48172                     Freddie Reynolds

Medium handicap

1^st           Laser Radial 210001         George Alexander

2^nd          Laser Radial 191271         Ru McColl

3^rd           Laser Radial 209997         Andrew Groves

Fast Handicap

1^st           RS Aero 7 1505                  Tim Fells

2^nd          Merlin Rocket 3769          Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith

3^rd           RS Aero 7 1517                  Clare Booth

Solo

1^st           Solo 5743                             Tim Law

2^nd          Solo 5898                             Simon Dobson

3^rd           Solo 5574                             Paul Ellis

Salcombe Yawl

1^st           Yawl 138                               James Greenhill and Nicky Bass

2^nd          Yawl 97                                 Andrew Wood and Tim Petitt

3^rd           Yawl 181                               Martin Beck