Sailing: Cunliffe first in Q Class race (From Boating Cornwall)

Sailing: Cunliffe first in Q Class race

9:15am Thursday 26th May 2011 in Falmouth

In spite of a cold southerly breeze under leaden grey skies more than 30 boats in six classes came to the start line near the water tower on the St Mawes shore, writes Harold Martin.

The Officer of the Day (OOD) thought that the light breeze was dying and he knew that the outgoing tide was accelerating so that in order to avoid a difficult and frustrating final leg up the harbour he chose short courses.

These succeeded in providing good racing at close quarters as different classes crossed tacks on turning the same marks. Tactics became more hectic, but John Murrell just survived a close port and starboard dual.

In light airs the spinnaker is vital on the reaching and running legs and over enthusiasm caused an expensive error.

In Q class where the very competitive IRC boats race Demolition helmed by an experienced skipper beat up to the Vilt buoy and immediately bore away onto the reach simultaneously hoisting the spinnaker.

They were very close to the mark and as the voluminous sail was hoisted it managed to drape itself over and around the green steel buoy. Unfortunately as they sailed off the inevitable happened, the buoy heeled and then the sail ripped badly and finally the foot tape burst and the boat sailed on. Hopefully they have a replacement because they still came third in the race and they are fifth in the series overall.

Coming out of St Mawes first Insatiable, tacked at the Lugo, followed by the rest of the fleet but on the quiet beat across the Roads and up the harbour he extended his lead to cross the line first by more than a minute and a half. In E class the crew of Minx were pleased with their excellent work because they not only won by nearly fifty seconds they also won on handicap and they are leading in the series but they felt that with improved helming they could do even better. The light airs do not favour Levity but he started well and after a tight tacking match with Amneris in the last leg he crossed the line more than thirty seconds ahead.

It is early in the season and it is pleasing to see new boats racing and experienced skippers changing to new classes where they have to modify their skills to meet the challenge of different rigs and hulls. The W class saw the return of Bob Chapple, who won his class in Wilkie.

In the same class the recent starter Cledha Mur causes problems because the large hull and even larger rig set up a huge wind shadow. Martin Leech in Incite had the courage and luck to do a perfect port tack and he got away in clean air to be in the lead at the first mark and he kept this all round the course to be five minutes in front of the next boat at the finish.

In G class Lennie Trenoweth a new arrival had a close dual with Alan Perham to come second overall, there is already talk of changing his handicap.

Results: G class:1st; Magpie of Mylor, R. Roebuck; 2nd, Delilia, L&T Trenoweth; 3rd, Clementine, Perham/Franks.

V class: 1st, Mayfly, R Stedman; 2nd, Whimsey, C Perkins.

W class: 1st, Wilkie, B Chapple; 2nd, Incite, M Leech; 3rd, Sweet Friday, L Cheshire.

Q class IRC: 1st, Insatiable, T&D Cunliffe; 2nd, Macavity, J Murrell; 3rd, Demolition, M Sharp.