Dinghy Racing: June 18th

Spring Evening Series Thursday 30th April 2015 : Linestart NE, Wind 2-3

A Fine Line – By Chris Hosken

A NE line start at Voose was agreed as fitting for the evening’s handicap race, & with no hooter or whistle DO Chris Hosken conducted the countdown by loud shouting. With the usual jostling for pole position, Phil Samuel in his Solo, closely followed by Roger McDonald in his Laser were first off as the rest of the fleet ventured over the line in a close huddle. Ginnie Sykes, taking a dislike to the argy-bargy chose to follow the rest in a neat and tidy way.  Ginnie’s first outing for a couple of years; good to see her back racing.

The fleet split for the first mark at Central; Samuel chased by McD opted for mid channel, while a majority took a tip from Phil Philpott, and sailed the southern shore.  Andy Biggs decided a happy medium was best sailed between the two groups. It was the Solo that reached Central first, followed by Philpott, McD, and Biggs, while Brooks and Sykes brought up the rear.

The Solo and Blaze kept close on the run to Bosahan, the Lasers following looking for any advantage. Again the Solo rounded first, followed closely by the Blaze; the lasers of Biggs, McD, Brooks, and Sykes nearby.

Philpott’s Blaze also on its first outing soon moved away from Samuel’s Solo heading for Toll on the North shore. This mark was misjudged by all, apart from Philpott, & without the extra tack he gained the space needed to get a good lead. Gunnel to gunnel, Samuel and Biggs were next around Toll, McD, and Brooks following. Sykes sailed with thought and clarity and rounded each mark in a very seaman like manner, regaining her confidence on the water.

His lead growing, Philpott blazed ahead to Trebah, rounding at half time. Behind, two schools of thought were evident in the rest of the fleet.   Samuel and Biggs decided centre of the river was the place to be, McD and Brooks were convinced the north side might gain them some time. With all apart from the Blaze closing in on each other, it was McD’s mature Laser that took the mark followed by Samuel’s highly polished Solo – Biggs and Brooks next.

In lighter airs, Sykes decided a graceful retirement was her goal, and sailed impeccably back to the club house.

Heading to the mouth of the river on the final downward leg, the Blaze with its new larger sail continued to stretch the lead.  McD with a never say die attitude had put some distance between himself and Samuel – but would it be enough to beat the Solo’s handicap?  Philpott crossed the finishing line back at Voose in 59m10s, in the same calm and understated manner he had competed all evening.   McD followed 4 minutes later with Samuel at 65.44, the lasers of Biggs and Brooks battling it out to the end with 67.25 and 67.53. At the final accounting […]

Spring Weekend Series Sunday 14th June 2015 : Pursuit North N-NW 3-4

Matt’s Double First

Perfect racing conditions allowed a good laser fleet to closely race in Sunday’s Pursuit. There are four laser classes with representatives in each at Helford.   Setting of first was under 18’s Beks Hosking and Sam Philpot in 4.7s, the smallest rigged of the Laser class, relentlessly battled it out with each other throughout, but a tad underpowered for the day being caught by everyone except their parents.

Had Beks & Sam powered up with the larger Radial rigs of Matt Broad and Beccy Kestin, then the entire parent and senior’s fleet would have been routed by the Junior section. Matt & Beccy gave each other no quarter and fought to the head of the fleet where they stayed for the best part of the race – only seriously threatened at the final mark by Roger McDonald – otherwise distracted by extraordinarily interesting varieties of seaweed wrapped around his foils.

Starting at the pace of a Broccoli planter, team Hosken & Hosking were a little late to the line in their Laser 2 ; occasionally able to show   their potential with spinnaker hoisted on the shifty reach’s; not enough consistent wind for the trapeze artist Chris to get parallel in his harness.

Biggs and Brooks went a toing and froing with each other, McD teasingly wandering into and out of their sights as they fell into the Doldrums especially around the melee at Voose. Beaming parents Chris & Emma Broad in Safety boat were delighted to see Matt cross the line to take a double first – Overall and of the Juniors

Results
Overall:   1st M Broad, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd R McDonald,
Juniors: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd S Philpott.

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

Safety Boat & Photography: Chris & Emma Broad

 

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Autumn Weekend Series Sunday 4th October 2015: SE Linestart Wind SE 4-6

Lazerette Lashing

Nick Glossop – ably assisted by a sleepy-eyed Ben Johns, rose to the challenge for his first Helford Race Officer duty, competently setting a delightful beat South East from Trebah out to Gew. With its back to the wind, trees and cliff’s protect the dinghy park, deceiving the unwary to what lies around the corner. Mid morning, the Met Office’s promise duly delivered 10-25kts of bliss. Bliss, that is, for Lazerettes Matt Broad and Beks Hosking comprehensively thrashing the seniors in both real and handicap time with a 1-2.

There is no secret to sailing the Laser into the wind in a good breeze; it has to be sailed flat and upright and that’s why there are four sizes of sail catering for all sizes of helm.     Shadowing the leading Wayfarer, Matt & Beks relentlessly chased each other the entire race with Matt delivering the coup de grace in the final seconds at Bosahan

By contrast, in the over powered slow fleet, Brooks & Andrew Hosking fighting in the Heavyweight section (90+kg) could not stay on their feet under the sustained assault from Bantamweight Dave Philpott in the Solo class. Dave’s experience over many years at club and national level saw him able to coax and tempt his large sail to a mostly calm yet always dry canter.

Attempting to hide from the wind on the first beat to Gew in the Laser Two, Andrew Hosking battered the swell along the south shore; multitasked his way back into contention with the spinnaker on the reach back to Trebah. Second time round, Andrew was less lucky on the gybe under Toll, turning the Two turtle. Paul Greensmith in safety, handsomely & divinely crewed by son Sam & fiancé Amandine, attended the supine racer who seemed to take rather, and perhaps wistfully, longer than usual to return to the fray.

A few minutes later on an uncontrolled reach to Central, Brooks’ Laser tossed him in, a just reward for any gloating – concealed or otherwise over his rival’s demise.

Results: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd R Kestin & McD

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

Committee: N Glossop, B Johns

Safety: P Greensmith, S Greensmith & Amandine

Photography: © D Flunder

Following: C Broa