Before the final race of the Early Summer Series there were heavy showers threatening, so most sailors put on waterproofs, only to find the sun breaking through later. Race Officer Phil Badger took advantage of the westerly breeze to set different courses which sent all of the yachts out into Falmouth Bay. In the PY race Valkyrie was first to finish, but with times adjusted for handicap Kudu was the winner by nearly two minutes, with Jackpot in third place. This result gives Terry Pascoe’s Kudu a comfortable win in the series with maximum points, followed by Amanzimtoti and Valkyrie, both on nine points, but second place going to Amanzimtoti having had a first place earlier in the series. Jinjy, Jackpot, Flasher and Demolition will hopefully be able to compete in more races in the next series to challenge Kudu’s supremacy.

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Big Purple and Origin

Jacobi out in front

In the IRC section of the race there was another tussle for position at the start between Jacobi, Gotcha and Big Purple. This time Jacobi got through in front, with Big Purple forced the wrong side of the Committee boat and having to restart. The order at the windward mark off Trebah beach was Jacobi, Jetta, Gotcha, Orijin and Big Purple. Then followed a long spinnaker leg out into Falmouth Bay to the Eastern mark. Jacobi established a lead, and Jetta proved a little faster than Gotcha downwind, turning about 100 metres ahead of her at the mark. Big Purple passed Orijin to round in fourth place. Jacobi extended her lead on the beat back into the river and Gotcha passed Jetta, tacking in front of her up the river to round the Central mark in second place. Just before reaching the Gedges Buoy Gotcha dropped her spinnaker on the leg to the Rosemullion mark, and Jetta passed Gotcha still flying her spinnaker, but struggling to make the mark in gusty conditions. Reaching back to the Dennis mark Jetta and Gotcha arrived at the mark together, with John Jane of Jetta calling for water. The final windward leg to the finish off Trebah Beach saw Jacobi win comfortably by over two minutes. Gotcha again passed Jetta, and being the faster boat tried to gain enough lead to clinch second place, but Jetta hung on, finishing only 22 seconds behind, to gain second place on handicap. However the Early Summer Series was won by Gotcha, with Jetta second, one point behind, Jacobi third, Big Purple fourth and Orijin fifth.
3rd June 2009 Race 5 | Course: DBXDBXGDXGC | Wind Dir: N | Force: 2 | Race Officer: Garth Weaver

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Kudu, Gossander, and Valkyrie at 1922

Jinjy at 1842

A scorching, cloudless day filled the car park with water lovers before the evening sailors arrived, who found a gentle breeze from the NNW caressing the glistening water. An impressive fleet of twelve yachts came to the start. Race Officer, Garth Weaver, started the seven PY boats at 1815, with Jackpot, Hatty and Gossander joining the race for the first time this season. The dynamic course set had all twelve legs within the river, so crews had a busy evening, preparing spinnakers, hoisting them and recovering them again. Kudu led the way again with Valkyrie and Amanzimtoti not far behind. The IRC section of the fleet started well fifteen minutes later, heading first to the Durgan mark on the North side, and turning for the short spinnaker leg to Bosahan on the South side. However this is where the confusion all began. Gotcha was the only boat to round the mark to starboard as instructed by the Race Officer, with the other four IRC boats rounding in error to port. When the boats came within hailing distance at the special mark set for the evening, Chris Broad skippering Gotcha, (due to the illness of Stuart Sawyer,) protested to Jetta informing them of their mistake. Jetta then turned round to return to the Bosahan mark to round it correctly to starboard. Andy Dennis on Orijin also realised his mistake and followed Jetta back to Bosahan, but Big Purple and Jacobi carried on without making the correction. The race positions became very confusing with the five IRC yachts crossing and recrossing the River. Gotcha was now in a clear lead; Jetta and Orijin had backtracked, and Jacobi and Big Purple apparently decided to sail on, enjoying the first fine evening this year. Gotcha won by a big margin of over eleven minutes from Jetta, with Orijin third, making Gotcha favourite to take the series with only one more race to come. The PY section was won by Terry Pascoe’s Kudu, recording her fourth successive victory, and Valkyrie came in second with Amanzimtoti third.
27th May 2009 Race 4

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Big Purple and Gotcha at 1837

PY Winner Kudu

It was good to see Jinjy rejoining the fleet for the first time this season, as nine yachts came to the start. With a brisk breeze from the South West, decisions had to be made about how much sail to carry. The four PY boats got away at 1815 and Kudu, Amanzimtoti, Valkyrie and Jinjy tacked up Trebah, to the windward mark. The five faster yachts followed at 1830 with Big Purple starting well and rounding the windward mark first. The spinnakers were soon up for the two and a half mile broad reach out to the Eastern mark. Jacobi, near the South shore had to jibe, and the spinnaker managed to find enough freedom to wrap itself at the head. The skipper, Tony Statham, headed off down towards Maenporth where he found enough shelter for Ollie to go up the mast to unclip the halliard from the head of the spinnaker. Fortunately there were no injuries, and no damage done. Meanwhile Big Purple was leading Gotcha and Jetta towards Eastern, with Orijin handicapped by not being able to use her spinnaker. On the long beat back into the River Orijin began to catch Jetta, but Big Purple maintained her lead over Gotcha, with Kudu staying ahead of the PY fleet. The next leg out to the Rosemullion mark was another spinnaker run and with the wind decreasing noticeably it was time to think about a change of foresail for the next beat. It was impressive to see Roger McDonald changing his foresail on Amanzimtoti as he sailed single handed out across the Bay. The fleet then had to beat back for the finish at the Dennis mark, with the faster boats having overtaken the PY fleet. Big Purple sailed an excellent race to beat all of the supposedly faster yachts, finishing over a minute ahead of Gotcha in second place with Jetta third. Kudu won the PY section of the race from Amanzimtoti withValkyrie third by one second from Jinjy, and Kudu confirms her lead in the series. Gotcha leads the IRC section of the series, but a couple of wins by another boat could still snatch victory.
20th May 2009 Race 3 | Course: 15A | Wind Dir: SSW | Force: 3-4 | Race Officer: Wally Royall

Eight yachts arrived at the start, three in the PY section and five in the IRC section. Even before the race began Jetta was trying to free a spinnaker sheet from the underside of the hull, and when that failed a new sheet had to be rigged. Kudu, Amanzimtoti and Chablis started without incident at 1815, but there was trouble when the IRC fleet came to a delayed start at 1835. There was congestion at the Committee boat end of the line and Jetta forced Jacobi into touching the Committee boat. This resulted in Jacobi having to perform a 360 penalty before even crossing the line. Wally Royall, Officer of the Day, sent the boats out to Porthallow via Gew and Shag, visiting Rosemullion and then back into the River via Nare. Gotcha took the lead followed by Big Purple and Jetta, rounding the Gew mark and hoisting spinnakers for the short run to the Shag mark. On the close reach to Nare Point Jetta slowly overhauled Big Purple, and Jacobi came up with Gotcha. Amanzimtoti and Kudu kept changing places as Amanzimtoti was faster on the white sail legs, but only Kudu being able to use a spinnaker downwind, gave her the final advantage. From Porthallow to Rosemullion Gotcha, Jacobi and Jetta used their spinnakers again, sailing almost side by side for about five minutes, in a good breeze. The long beat from Rosemullion to Nare allowed Jacobi to pass Gotcha, and having rounded the Nare mark only Gotcha managed to fly a spinnaker into the River mouth. Jetta was not far behind Gotcha, and Orijin overtook Big Purple. Kudu and Amanzimtoti were overhauled by the faster boats, so that there was less than five minutes separating the first and last boat at the finish off Trebah. With the series half way through, Gotcha leads, with Jetta close behind in the IRC class, but any boat could still win at this stage. Kudu is ahead in the PY class with Amanzimtoti second, and it was good to see Chablis out for the first time this season.

Jacobi at 1832

Amid grumbles about the drizzle, the sailors pulled on waterproof trousers and zipped up their jackets ready for a wetting. Cynics have likened sailing to standing in a cold shower, tearing up ten pound notes, but none of the brave sailors of Helford share that view. The three PY boats got away to a good start at 18:15 and Kudu, Amanzimtoti, and Valkyrie set off on the beat to the Shag mark on the North side of the River mouth. There was some confusion in the IRC fleet at the start, over which side of the Committee boat to begin the race. Two boats started on the North side, and three started on the South side. Fortunately the Race Officer, Tony Statham, took pity on the crews and signalled a General Recall so that having come out in the rain, they would at least have a valid race. At the second start Jacobi got away well skippered by Phil Samuel, standing in for Tony Statham. Orijin, Gotcha and Big Purple tacked over towards the North shore and left Jetta guarding the rear. After rounding the Shag mark there followed a broad reach with spinnakers back into the river. Jetta made progress passing Big Purple, as the yachts ran up to the Voose mark with the flooding tide. Next it was back out of the River to the Dennis mark via the Committee buoy, where Big Purple re-passed Jetta after an excellent beat. A final spinnaker leg to Trebah saw Jacobi with a comfortable, lead followed by Gotcha. Jetta again showed good speed downwind, and finished just 2 seconds ahead of Big Purple on corrected time. The race was won by Jacobi two minutes ahead of Gotcha, with Jetta another minute behind in third place.

Big Purple, Gotcha and Origin at 1854

Origin, Gotcha and Big Purple at 1843

Jacobi and Orijin nearing Eastern at 1848

Jetta and Gotcha

Race Officer, Simon Filmer, assisted by Lynda, chose a course which took the fleet of six yachts out into Falmouth Bay, taking advantage of the good westerly breeze. Valkyrie, the only PY yacht started at 1815, and at 1830 Gotcha led the way to the windward mark off Trebah Beach. Spinnakers were hoisted to port for the two mile run out to the Eastern mark. The two big J boats, Jacobi and Orijin, got away from the rest of the fleet, and were close together at the mark, with Jacobi rounding just ahead. Jetta and Gotcha also went well, but struggled with some gusty conditions near the mark. Big Purple took a line nearer to the North bank and seemed to lose ground. Next there was a long beat back into the River to the Central mark. Another good spinnaker run followed, out to the Rosemullion mark, and with the wind easing Jetta changed her foresail from her number 3 to the number 1. On the beat back to the Dennis mark Jetta and Gotcha were almost level, but by overstanding the Dennis mark Gotcha was able to sail in freer and faster, rounding just ahead of Jetta. The order on the final leg to the finish was in exact handicap order, with the fastest boat, Jacobi, first to cross the line. However when the handicap calculations were made, Jetta was the winner by twelve seconds from Gotcha, with Jacobi third.