Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series - Race 4

Salcombe Winter Series race 4 © Malcolm Mackley

Salcombe Winter Series race 4 © Malcolm Mackley

There was a somewhat depleted turnout for the Salcombe Yacht Club Winter Series Race 4, after many of the regulars surveyed the flat calm estuary and decided to save their sanity for the forthcoming Festive Series.

There was barely a breath of wind. However the weather forecasts suggested that if there was any it would come from the Northwest, and since the tide was also going that way, Race Officer Malcolm Mackley decided to send the hardy few in that direction.

After a ten minute postponement for the arrival of the barely existent NW wind, 6 Solos started heading for the Saltstone mark. One hour later Chris Cleaves led them back past Snapes.

Chris stayed mid-stream on a rising tide, while others hugged the Portlemouth shore, but ended up aground off Fisherman's Cove, had to climb out of his boat to turn around and restart.

The second mark was placed near the Watch House just upstream of the line and the whole race would depend upon the choice of where to cross from the Portlemouth shore to lay X.

Cleaves and Bill Jago went too early, leading to Cleaves, sailing Phil King's new Boatyard at Beer Solo, having to retire after he was swept down by tide. Bill crossed to the Salcombe shore but ended below the line and the mark.

Peter Sturgess crossed next from Portlemouth and was swept down too, but held position just above Bill.

Eventually Chris Spencer Chapman crossed above Smalls and got it right but went round the X mart to Port and not Starboard as required! He was swept across the line by the tide and thought he had won, but then realised his mistake and duly retired! Peter Sturgess and Bill fought a close near zero wind tacking match to X against tide. Peter rounded first and therefore finished first. Billy touched mark rounding, but managed turns before being swept over line. James Hannaford went to Millbay and crossed to finish a close third with Rob Hyde the only other finisher in the Solo Fleet.

Peter Cook and Janet Exelby led the Blazeby Laser throughout and in fact overtook the Solo fleet at Saltstone to take an easy victory in the Handicap Class.

Solo results

1st 4612, Peter Sturgess
2nd 5316, Bill Jago
3rd 4894, James Hannaford

Handicap results

1st Merlin Rocket, 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby