Dinghy Racing 2015

ByJeff

After the success of the 2014 season I think we are all looking forward to another fantastic fun and competitive season of dinghy racing on the Helford. This season will again be a mix of line start courses, average lap racing and pursuit races. With the number of racers increasing we should be able to increase the use of the Q20 committee boat and have more line starts. Committee boat duties will be requested of racers during the season.

There will be a pre-season briefing on Thursday 16th April at 7.00pm. The weekend races are mainly on Sundays and I hope to organise several fun Saturday events to encourage new sailors and progressing juniors to join the fleet. The formal racing starts on Thursday 23rd April but depending on weather and enthusiasm there may be some informal practice races earlier in April. These events will be notified by email circulation. The Dinghy Regatta Day will be on Saturday 11th July, with the first race at 10.30am. This will be a day of 5 average lap races allowing all standards of sailing ability and speed of dinghy to compete in fun exciting races.

The Susanna May Cup will be held on Saturday 8th August at 3pm. The May family are again hosting this fun race afternoon and party/prize giving event, and everyone is welcome. My thanks to everyone who helped make the 2014 season such a success and I hope 2015 is as enjoyable for everyone.

If you would like to try dinghy sailing, experience racing or join the adult sailors in the Club fleet of Wayfarers on a Tuesday evening, then please get in touch. Email me on [email protected].

Andy Biggs – Captain Dinghies

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Percuil Regatta & HRSC Racing

ByStephen Brooks

Freya (13) & Lilly (12) had a great day crossing to and competing at the Percuil Regatta Sunday, 25th – results to follow at St Mawes SC. Thanks to their Parents and Tom & Troy for escorting them across! More Pics on St Mawes Face Book Page. Percuil SC and its regatta have been merged into St Mawes SC.

At HRSC on the same day TJ Hart gambled on a full RIG and took first over a TopperTastic holiday maker.

Dinghy Racing: May 21st

Dinghy Racing: May 21st

ByJeff

Spring Evening Series Thursday 21st May 2015 : Linestart NW, Wind W-NW 3-4

A Hot Line

Starting in the middle of the river between Bosahan and Durgan HRSC’s PY fleet set of on Thursday evening’s NW course into variously a W-NW moderate breeze and a perfect flooding tide.   Just back from an Italian job, a thirsty McD executed a perfect manoeuvre to get to the head of the Bosahan cream tea queue; except this was race night and the rest of the fleet had gone to Trebah, the short way.

Phil Philpott’s Blaze with its 125sq ft Halo was the first to elegantly round Trebah before the gentle run out to the Gew. Luring no one with him, McD’s Laser rejoined the main peloton at the rear, chattily working his way through its congenial ranks to within 30 seconds of Andy Biggs’ Laser, himself 30 exhausting seconds behind the understated gentleman on the Blaze.

Out racing for the first time this season, Andrew Hosking anticipating a forecast gentle breeze soloed his immaculate Laser 2 against the refurbished Radial rig of his daughter Beks. Both found themselves performing limbo dance like as the shifty gusts on the beat over powered their sails; the more supple Beks finally chalking up a good two minutes ahead of her father.

Phil Samuel’s Solo and Beccy Kestin’s Radial stuck glue like to the Peloton the entire race; their dogged persistence & skilful navigation paid off at the final accounting – Beccy piping the Solo for first by 3 small seconds, and the Blaze with Bronze a further minute behind.

Results 1st R Kestin. 2nd P Samuel 3rd P Philpott

Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day

Safety Boat & Photography: Stephen Brooks

 

Dinghy Regatta: July 11th

ByJeff

HRSC 67th Dinghy Regatta 2015 Saturday 11th July Wind WSW 4-6

67th Helford Regatta

Helford’s Senior racers were as delighted with the performance of their Junior section, as the Juniors themselves.  In the combined Youth & Senior fleets, Youth Laser 4.7 sailors Olly Chamberlain and Beks Hosking relieved the seniors of their two largest pieces of silverware; Phil Philpot left content with a Bronze for his Blaze.

Race organiser Andy Biggs had been promised a breezy days sailing all week by Culdrose, and he wasn’t disappointed with an average of 12 knots and double again in the gusts.  Four racers and three generations of the Philpott family were out on the water, proving dinghy sailing is for all ages, taking prizes in youth, senior and overall categories.

There were thrills and multiple spills for most, yet peri octogenarian, Grandfather Dave Philpott kept his immaculate middle aged wooden Solo upright and raced all five races with panache – to the envy of everyone.  Phil Samuel had a promising morning with a modern Solo, and with 3 good races under his belt had rightly every expectation of a podium finish had not Aeolus tripped him up.  Getting the Solo out of an inversion & going again is an exhausting exercise, given a cockpit as large as a double bath.

With room to bath a rugby scrum, three conventional double handers out racing would try at all costs to avoid capsize.

Roger Philpott and his young crew Gabriel in a Graduate were holding nicely to middle orders; nevertheless it was too gusty for their large sail area and retired.  Team Kestin & McDonald on a second outing racing Beccy’s Wayfarer decided there was no profit to be had flying a big yellow kite on the short downwind course and shorter reaches; a wise choice as they stayed dryish and medalled.   Anton Chamberlain’s Comet Trio needed a crew and reef both, which he finally got after lunch, when a brave Jack Lawrence joined him after abandoning an exhausting wrestle with his over powered Laser in the morning.  Jack gave the Comet  just the edge needed in the battle royal that had being going on all day with Andrew Hosking’s Laser.  Just as Andrew was really showing superiority over Brooks and Anton in the stiffer winds of the afternoon, he threw it all away with a moment’s indiscretion on the penultimate gybe.

Chris Hosken boldly went where he had never been before,  into an RS Vareo, and probably wished he hadn’t on this particular day, but made sure he gave it a wash – in fact several – out of gratitude to Tom Smith, its owner.

Phil Philpott’s Blaze, a veritable aquatic version of his Ducati, roared ahead of the fleet, yet did on occasion, skid on gravel around the leeward bend; there being no ABS on the big red beautiful beast, still at least the landing was soft.

In the first race Phil’s nephew Sam was third in a 1, 2, 3 triumvirate of youth Laser 4.7’s.  For the first 3 races it was Olly Chamberlain […]