LATEST DINGHY RACE REPORT

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

Summer Weekend Series Sunday 20th September 2015: Triangular Ave Lap DCX Wind S2-4

At sunrise on Sunday, you could hear the bark of a dog across the river at Helford, but not see the village in the quiet Autumnal mist filling the valley. Knowing the river and putting his faith in the Met Office – Race Officer Andy Biggs had wisely chosen a 10.30am race start for Bart’s Bash – collectively the world’s largest charity fundraising event involving 62 countries & near 10,000 participants. See bartsbash.com
After a slow procession on the ebbing tide out to the course a gentle breeze greeted arrivals for the start of the first race; Phil Philpott expertly scooping up most of it with a large rigged Blaze – the Halo.
Refreshed from his holiday, Phil Samuel put in a fine performance in the Solo, leading a threesome behind the Blaze & coming 1 tiny second behind the Halo for a second. Andrew Hosking deployed his Laser Two’s spinnaker on the dogleg back to Durgan from Central, keeping ahead of Brooks in the Laser, but the legs were too short as the wind increased, and there was always the risk of a downhaul tangle for which his rival would show no mercy and came 4th.
Dominic Brandreth on his first competition racing a venerable laser showed promise keeping touch in the early laps with youth racers Beks Hosking and Matt Broad in Laser Radials and Dave Philpott in another Solo; holes in the wind were very unforgiving leaving the rearguard well of the pace.
The second race proved a much closer affair in a freshening breeze with all racers improving upon their individual handicap performances.
Phil Philpott’s first tack to Central was slower going east than those going west, but by the time he got to the end of the lap he knew where he wanted to go, and like a metronome produced 7 & under minute laps for the remainder.
Dave Philpott had an inspired second race giving his 15 years the junior sexagenarian Solo rival the tightest race yet. Both crossed the line in the same second on the first lap, Phil ahead by 1 second on the next and by hardly a boat length on the final lap to take third.
Andrew Hosking, discarding his spinnaker, did what he likes doing best and beat Brooks in the final lap for a fourth place; the two continuing to race back to the clubhouse. Beks Hosking kept pace with the similarly handicapped Solos and ahead of Matt Broad for the first two laps, but the wind evaporated for her in the final. In the rear gunner’s seat, Dom Brandreth continued making progress, knocking a good 2 minutes from his earlier lap times and stayed dry & observant.

Results:
Race 1 1st P Philpott, 2nd P Samuel, 3rd S Brooks
Race 2 1st P Philpott, 2nd P Samuel, 3rd D Philpott

Captain Dinghies: Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Committee: Andy, […]

HRSC Dinghy Race & Winter Report

Here are this years Dinghy Racing Instructions and Entry form. If you can have a read and bring a signed Entry form that would be great, I will have some at the club tomorrow if you dont!!

https://helfordriversc.co.uk/…/HRSC-DINGHY-SAILING…

https://helfordriversc.co.uk/…/Dinghy-Race-Entry-Form…