39th Hoo Freezer at Hoo Ness Yacht Club

Hoo Freezer 2010 © Roy Winnett

Hoo Freezer 2010 © Roy Winnett

The 39th Hoo Freezer was held over the weekend 27th & 28th February hosted by Hoo Ness YC and organised with assistance from Wilsonian SC. Hoo Marina were the main sponsors of the event with generous contributions from MDL, Chatham Precision Navigation, Gillingham Marina and Shepherd Neame, as well as being the last race in the 4 race SailJuice Global Warm-up Series. Other sailing clubs, the scouts, St John’s Ambulance and Coast Guard provided safety cover.

The customary format is a practice race on Saturday and the Hoo Freezer on Sunday, but regrettably Sunday’s race had to be abandoned. A northwesterly gusting over 30 knots and a prediction of strengthening gave grounds for the Coast Guard and Medway Ports to advise that the race should not be held, therefore Saturday’s results were used to determine the Hoo Freezer prizes. The long-range forecast for gale force winds over the weekend probably accounted for just 39 pre-entries.

Saturday dawned with overcast skies and a shifty force 3 – 4 southwesterly creating tricky conditions for the 29 boats that ventured out with 6 failing to get a finish.

There were two starts, fast handicap PY less than 1000 and medium handicap PY 1001 – 1160. The Course were set to make full use of the river over top of the tide and give a variety of leeward, windward and reaching legs.

Neil Ashby/Sam Proctor (RS 800), after a hasty replacement of a faulty rudder just before the start, took an early lead of the fast handicap fleet with Simon Allen (Int. Canoe) in hot pursuit. Gareth Davies (Int. Moth foil) closed up on the leaders on the homeward leg, however on adjusted time Allen claimed victory to lift the Hoo Freezer Cup and Gun Wharf Cup with Ashby/Proctor runners-up, while Davies was relegated to 7th on corrected time. Meanwhile after several place changes, Steve Hall/Simon Haighton (Lark), Tim/Sarah Parsons (Scorpion), Martin Brown/Max Caston (3000) and Janet/Alan Ritchie (Scorpion) led the medium fleet home for third, fourth, fifth and sixth prizes respectively.

Juniors Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (29ER) and Richard Whitworth/Olly Turner (Merlin Rocket) were also up with the leaders but an unscheduled swim for the youngsters held them to 8th overall and the highest placed youth sailor while Whitworth/Turner missed out a rounding mark, had to retrace their course but still picked up 9th prize on handicap. Mike Gower kept his Vortex powered up to be rewarded with 10th prize. Wilsonian’s Brian Lamb/John Goudie (Wayfarer) and Grahame Smith/Tom Lambert (Laser 2000) battled for honours but finished outside the prizes at 11th & 13th respectively. Whereas a 12th place for R Wolfenden/M Titmarsh helped the Scorpions secure the highest placed class team prize.

Tom Sims awarded the Race Officer’s prize to Marinus Zilvold/Julie Nuttal (Merlin Rocket) who had travelled the furthest.

Peter Gaskin, Commodore of Hoo Ness Yacht Club presented the prizes.

Overall Results:

1st Int. Canoe 278, Simon Allen (Hayling Island SC)
2nd RS800 978, Neil Ashby/Sam Proctor (Bough Beech SC)
3rd Lark 2519, Steve Hall/Simon Haighton (Northampton SC)
4th Scorpion 2014, Tim/Sarah Parsons (Lyme Regis SC)
5th 3000 3608, Martin Brown/Max Caston (Wilsonian SC)
6th Scorpion 2005, Janet/Alan Richie (Chipstead SC)
7th Int. Moth (foil) 3253, Gareth Davies (Blackwater SC)
8th 29er 342, Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (Wilsonian SC)
9th Merlin Rocket 3703, Richard Whitworth/Olly Turner (Hollingworth Lake SC)
10th Vortex 1013 Mike Gower (Wilsonian SC)

Hoo Freezer Cup and Gun Wharf Cup
Simon Allen (Hayling Island SC)

Hoo Marina Cup (Highest placed Youth Sailor)
Aaron Smith/Alec Rodgers (Wilsonian SC)

Highest Placed Class Team
Scorpions:
Tim/Sarah Parsons (Lyme Regis SC)
Janet/Alan Richie (Chipstead SC)
R Wolfenden/M Titmarsh (Chipstead SC)

Race Officer’s Prize
Marinus Zilvold/Julie Nuttal (Merlin Rocket)

Full Results: