Dinghy Racing: May 20th

U18 Laser & Feva 2016

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 […]

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Thursday 19th April Variable NW 3-5 – Culdrose NW 4-5 RYA PY Line Start – 1 triangular NW course

Ollie & Ed Bolitho: on winning by staying upright the entire race

Helm
Crew
Class
Name-No.
PY
Race 1

Ollie Berryman
Ed Bolitho
RS400
588
948
1

Phil Samuel

Laser
186886
1085
2

Roger McDonald
Beccy Kestin
RS400
958
948
3

Adam Mason

Solo
4099
1150
4

Stephen Brooks

Radial
179651
1110
5

A good stiff breeze tending to West on the south shore and 70 degrees higher on the north demanded a lot of thinking in not a lot of time. Having laid a good compromise to the NW Phil & Carrie could now enjoy a fine start.

Phil Samuel emboldened and resplendent in new black tie deftly tacked in front of the reaching fleet to lead at the penultimate hooter. With the weather end favoured, your cautious correspondent was able to watch the impending chaos as Phil moved to close-haul. Without pinching, Phil’s was generous enough to leave sufficient room for Ollie & Ed to squeeze the red RS400 past the boarding pikes of the committee boat. The cork now firmly in the bottle, McD & Beccy forced the purple RS 400 to an impromptu pirouette. Never disconsolate, McD was soon back in contention as Phil cuffed the windward mark at Trebah and thereby obliged to perform his own version of Swan Lake.

From Trebah to Voose the wind picked up and moved to west. Whilst Phil confidently bore away for the run to Gew, Adam Mason & Stephen Brooks in Solo & Radial paused to pull up tutus and added a tack. A run back to Gew in shifty stiff breezes seemed a little less unsettling for the lasers as they appeared to sail closer to a dead run than the Solo.

Surprisingly the whole fleet stayed dry – meaning Ollie and Ed – in spite of some close manoeuvring around the solid geology of the Gew? In staying erect and maintaining blistering pace the red RS just beat Phil, himself 12 fine seconds ahead of the McD & Beccy.

There does appear a need for a bar copy of RYA Racing Rules to assist with post match debriefs for those amongst the racers less certain of their Elders recollection & interpretation.

Captain Dinghies Beccy Kestin thanks all those supporting the fleet on the day
Marshalls: Phil Philpott & Carrie Hoskin
Safety cover: Paul Greensmith & Nick Glossop
Photography: IA

PY Handicap race accounting means the fastest boats get to the bar first without necessarily winning the race.  A great credit to all those behind the action for selflessly putting themselves forward for duty.