Dinghy Racing: July 5th
Summer Weekend Series Sunday 5th July : Pursuit, Wind SW 4-6
Hasty Pursuit
With no Lasers out Sunday the PY handicap fleet had the morning to themselves. With the Hooter Blown at 9.30 under large black clouds, a clap of thunder in the distance, and flat calm at the clubhouse was the usually reliable Met Office forecast for Culdrose going to deliver? 25 minutes later as a Wayfarer and National 12 crossed the startline, gone was the mill pond, to be replaced by streaks of foam as gusts +25knots propelling racers through the narrows and into the main racing area. Beccy Kestin helming and racing her new Wayfarer for the first time, enjoyed the shove in the back as her craft nosed ahead of Andy & Karen Biggs’ sea sawing N12 – but not for long as the Wayfarer needed its Lemon coloured spinnaker to stay ahead. Nothing like sorting a vessel out in the last race before Saturday 11th July Open Regatta at Helford.
As the sun broke out fully on the beat back up river to Trebah the force of the gusts soon became apparent as the double handers showed excessive hull and even a hint of centreboard – useful if checking for seaweed fouling the foils. Needing a winch to haul in the ropes Beccy gave the helm to her crew Roger McDonald as Trebah beach drew a little close for comfort. With a look of intense concentration on their faces Andy & Karen planed on the bareaway around Trebah mark; looking back to see the Wayfarer about ½, and Roger Philpott’s Halo hardly a minute away. By the time the N12 reached the mouth of the river, it was well and truly in the Halo’s gaze, and from this point on – apart from an unplanned dismount to free up the Cunningham of Toll it was Phil’s race to sail at the edge of the crafts stability.
Stretched over the bow Beccy managed to free the launch of her spinnaker and began to make inroads on the N12’s lead. Racing became a lot closer as a double gybe and pirouette around the leeward mark saw Karen bailing the N12 furiously. Staying together the two similarly handicapped boats close raced until the 90th minute with N12 just ahead for 2nd.
Results 1st R Philpott, 2nd A&K Biggs, 3rd R McDonald
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Safety & Photography: Stephen Brooks.
