Crouch Yacht Club Local Handicap Saturday Series Race 2
by Phillip Harbott 30 Jun 2014 10:51 BST
28-29 June 2014
The second race in the four race series took place on Saturday morning in warm sunshine and variable winds, with big shifts. Seven boats started with Andy Heel's Bella Vela OCS, although they returned so were back in the race. The 707 owned by Tony Hall, Martyn Randall and Duncan Haley with Tony on the helm got a good start, with Blue Movie, the Limbo sailed by Guy Warry and Phillip and Sally Harbott's 101 Mantra in close pursuit. The course took the fleet up to Cliff and Canewdon on a rising tide, and this was a white sail leg, with a beat from Cliff to Canewdon. The 707 took the lead and stayed there throughout the race. Tumblehome II and Mantra were tussling all the way around the course and Mantra managed to get ahead towards Canewdon. However, a Port and Starboard led to Tumblehome II getting ahead. Blue Movie kept in touch at the back of this group.
Rud Groot, the Dehler owned by Mark Lyons, Goosander the T24 owned by Dave and Nina Smith and Bella Vela rounded in fifth, sixth and seventh position. The boats flew their kites from Canewdon to Cliff Reach where they dropped and hastily repacked to rehoist at Number 13. The 707 appeared first a little way ahead of Tumblehome II, owned by Charlie Ball, who was being closely pursued by Mantra. These three all came over to the North shore and reached over to Number 9, dropping before rounding the mark to go back to Cliff Reach. The 707 hoisted her kite from Number 15, as did Tumblehome II; Mantra didn't hoping that on the short fair tide leg this wouldn't punish them too much. Rud Groot, however, rounded the mark at Number 9 with their cruising chute still up, a crew member tacking it round. This saved them a lot of time on Blue Movie, and they comfortably completed this leg without dropping.
Bella Vela and Goosander had a real tussle rounding Number 9 and Bella Vela managed to get through the T24, and pull out a small lead on the way to Cliff Reach. The fleet appeared at the corner, coming down to the finish line. The 707 were still in the lead and remained on the North Shore, as did Tumblehome II and Mantra. These two enjoyed a really close reach to the line, with Mantra getting past them again off the houseboats, and finishing in front on the water. Blue Movie went to the South Shore and fell into one of the days many holes, but got going again to finish fourth on the water, followed by Rud Groot. On the last white sail reach for Bella Vela and Goosander, Goosander came right up to Andy Heel's Bella Vela to leeward but couldn't quite get through before the finish line.
On corrected time, Charlie Ball's Tumblehome II were first, Mantra second having taken their penalty and the 707 third.
On Sunday it was race 5 of the Victory Cup for the Centenary Sword, presented to the Club in its Centenary year by Nick Poole. Double Trouble the SJ320 owned by Duncan and Beccy Haley and Charlie Ball's Tumblehome II raced for the trophy in the IRC class, and Phillip Harbott's Mantra in local handicap class. Mantra got the best start, bang on the line, and a recall for both Double Trouble and Tumblehome II allowed Mantra to get clear. Duncan Haley in Double Trouble cleared the line and took Tumblehome II back up river with them before they had cleared the line, this led to Tumblehome having to slow right down to return to clear the line, giving Double Trouble a good lead.
Duncan Haley in the SJ 320 got through Mantra sailed by Phillip Harbott before the wharf and led the fleet for the remainder of the course. The fleet beat all the way from Essex Marina to Cliff before fetching to Canewdon. Double Trouble rounded Canewdon first, followed a way behind by Mantra, and Tumblehome third. The reach was too shy to set a kite until Black Point, where all boats hoisted. Mantra opting for her asymmetric, and went over to the North shore out of the tide, following Double Trouble. The boats gybed out to round Number 13 and then back in to the North shore again.
A drop close to Number 9 for all three yachts then another beat back up to Cliff Reach. Double Trouble extended her lead on the other two, and Mantra began to pull away from Tumblehome II. The race remained uneventful for Double Trouble and Mantra; Mantra being shortened on her way down to Number 9 for the second time, the IRC fleet completing the course. Charlie Ball's Tumblehome II however, did not appear round the corner on the second spinnaker leg, and it transpired that she had gone aground between Cliff Reach and Creeksea. On a rising tide, they opted to wait to float again and finish the race in order to ensure a second in the series.
Duncan Haley was presented the Centenary Sword by Anne Burn in the Clubhouse after racing. Next Sunday is Summer Series Race 2, and some of the Crouch Yacht Club fleet will be up at Felixstowe for SailEast.