Laser Plate Final 2016

Spring Evening Series Thursday 2nd July : Average LapW/L, Wind SSW 2-4

Dave & Phil Philpott found the best course for a sloppy southerly on Thursday. Rather than race, Beks Hosking preferred to revise for a Spanish final exam with Ben Johns in the rescue boat – guessing there wouldn’t be much call for their services until the tow home as the wind faded.

The trick for the evening was to catch or rather anticipate where a fickle wind might be. Brooks caught a buoy just before the 1st race and came last behind Andrew Hosking. Hugo, our gallant Gallic guest for the week pipped Beccy Kestin by one fine second per lap but could not quite emulate the grace of Andy & Karen Biggs in their National 12, 2nd behind McD who had all his gyros spinning in the right direction

Sandwiched between an Aeronaut and Hugonaut at the Pin end at the start of the second race Brooks remembered that sticking his craft amidships onto the nose of Ginnie’s laser wouldn’t do the entente cordial much good either in France or Falmouth and aborted the manoeuvre.   Meeting at the Windward mark the Naut’s continued their congenial tour and went left while Andy & Karen N12’s slippery hull sent them gliding like a swan to victory. Andrew found wind & form moving to within 5 seconds of McD but after another great sail Beccy snuck in front of McD for 2nd

Results

Race 1    1st R McDonald, 2nd A Biggs, 3rd le Hugonaut

Race 2     1st A Biggs, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd R McDonald

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

Safety Boat: Phil Samuel & Andrew Hosking, Chris Broad.

With an amazing demonstration of downwind speed & control, playing the angles with the spinnaker, Lymington racer Sam Webb and his mum Jenny zoomed around the course making the Feva XL do things it probably didn’t think it could. Its always a pleasure to be thrashed by sheer quality, and never more so than Team Webb’s 12 year old helm – we want his autograph!

Good turnout for the Laser training. The wind wasn’t too cooperative, but a fun and useful couple of hours (with Duncan Skingley providing entertainment with his no-wind capsizing skills ).Many thanks to Keith Wilkins and Linda for running the session.

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.

Andy & Karen Biggs in their N12 round the Leeward mark as Phil Philpott in the Halo prepares to overtake

Andy & Karen Biggs in their N12 overtaken by Phil Philpott in the Halo

A Humongous thank you to the entire team making this years regatta work and of course the racers themselves travelling all the way to the Lizard from Somers YC Melbourne AUS and indeed Port Navas YC CWL.  A full report for download will be available soon.