Dinghy Racing: May 26th

ByJeff

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Dinghy Racing: June 14th

Dinghy Racing: June 14th

ByJeff

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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Dinghy Racing: June 28th

ByJeff

Spring Weekend Series Sunday 28th June 2015 : Pursuit SW, Wind S-W 4-6 

In Pursuit of Happiness

Andy Biggs had a huge grin on his face as he had been just been thrashed by the 4.7s, and taken part in one of Helford’s best pursuit races of the season. Deciding his relative – the garrulous Gallic Hugonaut – should have a good workout before Sunday lunch, race officer Roger McDonald set a course that ran and reached in the odd 25+knot shifty gusts down river; strained sinew and shrouds on the gallop upriver.

First off, Beccy Kestin and Beks Hosking popped out of the Narrows in their 4.7’s planeing downwind in the big gusts; by the time they both rounded Toll Beccy was clearly well ahead. It wasn’t until a gust caught Beccy between Committee & Toll turtling the 4.7 that young Beks Hosking finally pounced and stayed at the head of fleet with Beccy snapping at her ankles to the end of the race for their 1-2.

A little stumble at the first hurdle and our chatty Hugonaut chum slipped to the back of the Laser queue; where, despite huge efforts, his loaned Laser scooped up water as if a Canadair. This flightless canard however was for sinking – and came last; not by much as the entire fleet were within seconds of each other.

So it was for the remaining Lasers to wait for the slightest error or favourable gust to gain advantage. Phil Philpott’s slowish start on his third Laser outing soon turned into a display of confident seamanship; the throttle opened 110% when Biggsey cuffed Central and turned a 360 penalty into a pirouette.  

Team Hosking & Brooks were out on their first date. Despite loose head prop Brook’s fight with the wet spaghetti in the front of the Laser 2 there was enough ballast & brains in the rear to hold the craft flat on the long beats and upright on the reaches to tease a third within seconds of the finish.   

Results 1st R Hosking, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd A Hosking

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

Safety Boat: R McDonald

  

Dinghy Racing: April 23rd

Dinghy Racing: April 23rd

ByJeff

Spring Series Thursday 23rd April 2015 : Triangular Average Lap x 2 UCD Wind ESE3

First Race
It’s always best to get the first race done discretely, particularly if the boat or brain were left in a metaphorical compost heap for the winter. In what could only be described as blatant trolley neglect McD spent most of Thursday evening swapping boats, sails, trolleys, & banter – in quite possibly a novel attempt to distract the opposition. Andy & Hamish Biggs in Committee boat – blissfully unaware of the protracted comings & goings at the dinghy park – had plenty of time to lay a delightful triangular course, and for a quick nap before the fleet’s tardy arrival.

For most of the week an easterly wind had piled surf and sunshine into the Helford, but abated as per forecast to a gentle ESE breeze & swell. Indistinct in the haze, the first mark at Central proved elusive as racers, dressed for Armageddon, sweated, and toiled on the beat to a fuzzy memory of where the mark should be. McD’s memory and strategy proved correct as he first rounded central for the reach to Durgan. Aided by a gentle swell on the shifty run to Trebah, Brooks was clearly overwhelmed by the idea of getting closer to the front of the fleet and went off in the wrong direction at the leeward mark. Phil Samuel’s immaculate boat preparation and bicycling throughout winter led to his seemingly effortless performance in a gleaming Solo as he elegantly cruised to a third, 5 close seconds behind the Lasers.

With a combined age in the region of 180 the top 3 helms on the day prove that competitive dinghy racing is suitable to all. Newcomers, are always welcome at HRSC so if simply dipping your toes in or ready to challenge our teenage hotshots contact Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs via 01326 231006

Results 1st R McDonald 2nd S Brooks, 3rd P Samuel

Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Safety Boat: Andy & Hamish Biggs