5:07pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
A BRISK easterly wind greeted competitors for the latest race in Flushing Sailing Club’s Hine-Downing Series.
The crowded start of Q class soon spread out as skippers sought clean air in order to get to the windward mark. From the Vilt spinnakers were hoisted for the shy reach down the Roads towards the Bay.
In E class Puffin was first at the mark closely followed by Mary Boon and Saphire. The second and third boats quickly hoisted their spinnakers and the contrast between the small spi on the three-quarter rigged Folkboat and the much larger one on the mast head rigged Contessa 26 was striking.
On such a shy reach Mary Boon was dragged sideways while the Folkboat stood up much better and slowly pulled away, but neither of them got far from the Sonata under just main and genoa. Behind them Redgauntlet and Socrates had another duel when the second boat Socrates managed to overtake the other Achilles 24 and changes in positions like this continued all through the race.
The yachts enjoyed being sent out into the Bay where the full power of the breeze picked up the seas and heeled all the boats. The change from the shelter to the east of Pendennis head to the exposed sea south of the point was quite dramatic and the crews enjoyed the challenge but the open boats were happy to stay in the flat water of Carrick Roads.
As the boats reached the docks for their final leg of the course the wind diminished rapidly and the shelter of the town worsened the situation. The foul tide was accelerating and so the brisk conditions in the bay gave way to very flukey airs at the finish. This meant that the first boat to cross the line had an advantage over the later arrivals because they had less wind power and more resistance from the tide.
M class: 1st, Flying Circus, D Healey; 2nd, Crackerjack, M Webb; 3rd, Alderney Race, C Gladwell. Q class: 1st, Macavity, J Murrell; 2nd, Miss Whiplash, Denning/Hurst/Pullen; 3rd, Insatiable, T/D Cunliffe. V class: 1st, Bubbly, L Trenoweth; 2nd, Saucy Sally, J Lowry. E class: 1st, Hawk, C Bell; 2nd, Tresilian, J Beavis; 3rd, Illusion of Lorne, P Sharpe. W class: 1st, Puffin, R Little; 2nd, Wild Child, N Chamberlain; 3rd, Sheveva, T Kitchen. G class: 1st, Ruby, A Martin; 2nd, Magpie, R Roebuck.
B class: 1st, Victory, Muithead/Carne; 2nd, Rita. Watkins/Peters; 3rd, Cousin Jinny. G. Pearce.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.boatingcornwall.co.uk/trade_directory/