Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Salcombe Yawl late May Open

Salcombe Yawl Red Fleet (by David Greening)

Saturday PM Course: 757X3X

Paul & Julie Rayson got a perfect start getting clear to power towards Snapes. Will and Mandy Henderson took leeward route through the Yawl Trots to be in the front bunch. By Snapes, Will was on the tail of Paul, and a trip inside the Lincombe pontoons saw Will emerge in the lead at Tosnos. Meanwhile, Duncan Salmon led Tim Law along the windward shore, feeding them in at third and fourth.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

The fleet maintained formation until off the Watchhouse where the Yawl fleet met the back of the Solo fleet at mark X. Will and Mandy rounded X unencumbered, whilst David Greening and Steve Conroy went round the outside to emerge in second, Rayson having to complete a penalty turn.

RO wisely shortened course after fleet returned from Crossways. Henderson, from Greening, from Rayson followed in by Gibbens and Reed.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Sunday AM Course: 171323 (WSW F4, Ebb Tide)

RO Adrian Griffin set the traditional Blackstone Gerston course, followed by two laps of the harbour. Blackstone involved a hairy bear off in big waves, the fleet then ran down the Portlemouth shore, balancing the need to get out of the tide with the bigger gusts that were out in the harbour.

The Hendersons got their nose ahead again at Snapes and were gone, whilst for the rest of the fleet, those who followed the traditional route from Snapes to Ox to Tosnos emerged from the pack and extended their positions over the reach across Widegates.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Upon returning to the harbour, RO Adrian Griffin changed Blackstone for Millbay to spare the fleet from the bigger waves in the mouth of the harbour.

The Hendersons took the gun from Burn and Stone followed by Gibbens and Reed.

Sunday PM Course: 272323 (WSW F4, Ebb Tide)

With a Black Flag, a strong ebb tide and a line bias toward the Salcombe shore there was a lot of congestion at the Fairway end, with an incident involving Tim Law and Ossie Stewart and the Hendersons resulting in the Hendersons retiring with a broken boat.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

This should not takeaway from the performance of Andy and Liz Savell in Firecrest, who made the break at Snapes together with Gibbens and Reed.

The two boats had a close battle, with the Savells holding onto the lead despite a strong challenge from Gibbens and Reed. Phil King and John Sleep secured third place.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Monday AM Course: 141313 (SW-WSW F3-4, Ebb Tide)

RO Graham Cranford Smith set a meaty beat out to Blackstone, Will and Mandy Henderson escaped the front bunch and by the Ferry landing had established a sufficient lead to steer their preferred course and distance themselves from their pursuers whilst the rest of the fleet slowed each other down.

Inevitably the rest of the fleet converged at the end of the run at Yalton, with Phil King, John Burn, David Greening, and Simon Gibbens making big gains from the left hand side of the creek.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Red Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

There followed a tight beat out of Yalton followed by two laps of the harbour in challenging conditions, the heavier weight teams ground in the lighter weights, except for the Hendersons who took the win, with King and Sleep taking second place from John Burn and Tris Stone.

So, Will and Mandy Henderson took the Late May Open win from John Burn and Tris Stone with Simon Gibbens and Andrew Reed in what were classic Salcombe conditions.

At the prize-giving Will went on to thank the sponsors, Yeti @ Stones Boatyard, for supporting the event with generous prizes.

A bumper turnout for the late May Bank Holiday Open Meeting saw 18 blue-fleet Yawls take to the water (by Phil Magee)

Saturday PM Course: 7-5-7-X-3-X (F4, Ebb Tide)

Andrew Wood and Simon Tweedle in Y97 got a clear start on the Salcombe side to power away on the best breeze to Snapes, closely pursued by Y123 Robert Smith and Y138 Matt Greenhill. The chasing pack, who had bunched up at Snapes, was soon led out by Olly Turner and Chris Skelhorn in Y68, who were now leading the chase. The front three held station for the 7-5-7 loop, with Y68 closing in on the leaders as they exited The Bag. As the front two rounded Crossways, they split, with Matt and Luke Greenhill (unfortunately for them) opting for the slower Ditch End route, relinquishing their lead and handing victory to Olly and Chris, with Mark Waterhouse and Phil Magee in Y17 locking out the last podium spot in 3rd.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Sunday AM Course: 1-7-1-3-2-3 (WSW F4-FF5, Ebb Tide)

With the fleet clean away, Robert Smith in Y123 was first round mark 1 chased by a pack of four Y138, Y14, Y68, and Y15. The fleet compressed again at Snapes with places changing, but Y15, Y138, and Y123 managed to open up a small gap. By the turn at mark 7, Y68 had moved to 3rd and began their chase of the leading two, Y15 and Y138. With an infringement at mark 7, Y123 had to undertake penalty turns and was now out of contention. Upon exiting the bag once again, Y68 hit the front and was followed by Y138 and Y15.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

The PRO decided to change the course, and instead of a second trip to Blackstone, Mark 2 was utilised to spare the fleet from the building waves and huge gusts in the mouth of the harbour.

As they rounded Millbay, Ollie and Chris Y68 were clear ahead, sailing on to their second win of the weekend. Meanwhile, there was a three-boat battle between Y138, Y15, and Y17, which continued up the final beat with Y138 besting Y17 and Y15.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Sunday PM Course: 2-7-2-3-2-3 (WSW F4 F5, Ebb Tide)

With the fleet clean away with a fairly even start, Y138, Y97, Y84, and Y17 set the early pace, closely followed by the pack. Y138 took the turn at mark 2, closely followed by Y17, Y68, and Y97.

Into the bag and Y68, Y138, and Y84, John McLaren pulled clear of the pack; the positions remained to the shortened finish after mark 3.

Three wins in a row for Olly and Chris in Y68, job done!. Y138 and Y84 coming home 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Monday AM Course: 1-4-1-3-1-3 (SW-WSW F3-4, Ebb Tide)

With Ollie and Chris having a well-deserved lie-in safe in the knowledge that the win was secured and Matt Greenhill Y138 sailing 3 up as he had also already secured second overall, it was only 3rd place left to play for and the main contenders Y17 Waterhouse and Y97 Wood.

The fleet got away cleanly, with only Y152 falling victim to the black flag, the race was on!. Y97 set the early pace, and as Y17 fell victim to a moored prop off Millbay, they had no choice but to retire. Although chased hard at times, once Woody and Simon rounded mark 1, they never lost their lead, sealing the race win and a well-deserved 3rd place overall.

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn

Y15 Mike Knowles and Y19 John Smithers came home 2nd and 3rd, ending a fantastic weekend on the water.

A big thank you to all who helped make this an amazing few days of sailing and, of course, Tristan from Stones Boatyard and Yeti for their generous sponsorship.

Overall Results:

Yeti @ Stonesboatyard Yawl late May Open Blue Fleet - photo © Lucy Burn