Phantom East Coast Championship at Burnham Week 2024

by Andy Poirot Pyett 27 Aug 20:21 BST 24-26 August 2024

A fleet of 14 Phantoms battle it out with the yachties, with strong winds, flowing tides and big BBQ game...

For the first Saturday of Burnham week, fourteen Phantom sailors descended on a very wet Royal Corinthian Yacht Club at Burnham-on-Crouch, with the excellent boat park, facilities and Phantom camping village matched only by the stylish and welcoming clubhouse of the RCYC, the base was set for three days of great racing. The weather however, had other ideas with AP Over 2 Displayed. There was a two-hour delay whilst the sailors waited for the relentless rain to be pushed eastwards by a steadily building breeze.

By mid-afternoon it was 'go time' for Race 1. The Phantom fleets camaraderie ensured everyone was safely afloat and race one began from the Pile House start line. The continuously building breeze saw a reaching start, with a pack including Richard Nurse, John 'Titch' Wayling and Bill Taylor hitting the start of the beat first, now heading up the River Roach towards Jubiliee it was a race between tidal knowledge and all out-boat speed. A run back down to the north shore of the river Crouch and a fetch back to Pile House saw Rich, Titch and Bill finish in that order.

With the delayed start the fleet retired for the day to continue festivities at the Burnham Beer Festival, refuelling for Sundays forecast at Grandad's Burger and Kebab bar, with several sailors managing more than a few laps sampling grandad's game.

Sunday's Royal Corinthian breakfast was supported with a side of weather app comparisons, with sailors looking to find any information that gave hope that the brutal wind forecast wouldn't come to fruition. The Phantom 2024 National Championships is now only two weeks away so there was some trepidation around broken boats (and bodies) so close to the 'big one'. Powered by Grandad's pigeon sausage, eight sailors readied in the 16-18+kt breeze and they weren't short of willing shore support to help get them afloat. The broad reach to Pile House Start line had taken about 15 minutes on Saturday, the fact most sailors reached it in sub 5 minutes gave a clue just how big some of the gusts now were. For race 2 the course followed a similar route to Saturday but with two windward/leeward trips up the River Roach planned. As the eight boats started a blistering reach to the first mark, a waterspout was reported coming from the stern of Mark 'Team Sprucey' Spruce's boat. Local, Bill Taylor, managed to get himself comfortably ahead of the fleet, only for a big bear-away, and the resulting G-Forces to displace his rudder and send him for an unfortunate swim.

Passing Bill with messages of sympathy, Sprucey, Rich N and Titch raced toward the finish, with Team Sprucey hiking hard for the win.

As the honking conditions continued building the fleet decided to head for home, squeezing themselves back onto the RCYC pontoon against a backdrop of dismasted yachts.

On Sunday evening the fleet assembled in the Phantom Village Square, with antipasti and a BBQ grill to follow, another great evening was enjoyed by all.

Sunshine and a steadier 10-12 knot breeze greeted the fleet on Sunday morning, with Bank holiday Mondays ever growing Royal Corinthian Breakfast supported with discussions on tide and mark positions as the fleet switched to a day's racing in front of the town quay, with racing being run by Burnham Sailing Club.

Race 3 started in front of Burnham Sailing Club right on low water, with the fleet beating towards the first mark which was placed adjacent to Essex Marina on the southern, upstream bank of the River Crouch. First to the mark were the familiar faces of Bill, Titch and Chris Roberts, with Bill taking another unfortunate dip from the leading position. Into the second lap the tide turned on, with Chris and Titch taking the southern bank that worked well in the first lap they were caught by Andy Pyett who made one of his less obvious observations of the weekends and found some tide and a good lift up the middle of the river. Andy managed to hold off Chris and Titch to take the win.

Into the final race, with a strong tide now flowing, Rich Nurse was back at the front end making the windward mark first with Bill and Andy P following, Chris, Titch and Stewart Brewer all remained in the mix too. Into the last lap Bill passed Andy then Rich to finish the event with a win.

Final placings saw Richard Nurse retain the Eastern Championship and keep his hands on the trophy he's so fond of. Titch's consistent results saw him in a well placed second and the local Creaksea boys of Bill Taylor and Chris Roberts following up in that order.

Burnham Week again provided a great sailing and social event, thanks to all the race officers and teams at RCYC and BSC for putting on such a well-run event.

Could we get 20 Phantoms to haunt next year...?

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat	Club	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1st	1500	#	Northampton SC	Richard Nurse	1	2	‑4	2	5
2nd	1504	Phloosie	Northampton SC	Titch	2	3	3	‑5	8
3rd	1420	Ghost Ship	Creeksea SC	Bill Taylor	3	6	‑9	1	10
4th	1395	Gromit	BSC/ Creeksea SC	Chris Roberts	(DNC)	4	2	4	10
5th	1488	Phantom	Combs SC	Andrew Pyett	7	(DNC)	1	3	11
6th	1342	Phurious	Lee on Solent SC	Mark "Team Sprucey" Spruce	6	1	7	(RET)	14
7th	1433	Pink Panther	Creeksea YC	Warren Martin	‑8	5	5	8	18
8th	1482	The Ghost of Tom Joad (aka "TJ")	Royal Thames YC	Andrew Hunt	5	(DNF)	6	7	18
9th	1404	Well‑Eeled	Creeksea YC	Eric Howe	4	(DNC)	8	10	22
10th	905	Schorch	Creeksea YC	Alan Husk	10	(DNC)	11	9	30
11th	1248	High Plains Drifter		Stuart Brewer	(DNC)	DNC	10	6	31
12th	1305		Ardleigh SC	Ian Hill	(DNC)	7	DNC	DNC	37
13th	1425	Perpetual Motion	Royal Harwich YC	Steve Pates	9	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	39
14th	1337		Creeksea SC	Peter Sarbutt	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	45