Peter Ganderton has given the low down on the competitive Enterprise Fleet. They all look so clean cut who would have thought there would be so much in fighting?
You can access the page from the Enterprise link under Mini Fleets on home page menu or click here.
The fifth race of the summer series finally provided what we have all been waiting for ….. a decent steady wind !!
With many of our regular sailors away at the NSSA nationals (as well as our normal race officer). Nikki Buckler stepped up to the mark to run the nights racing assisted by David Wines from West Hoe SC (a special thanks to both of you). Despite the absences a healthy number of 28 boats raced in the ideal conditions.
The Assymetric fleets had a windward leaward course racing between Melampus & West Mallard with Rod Boswijk and Sharon Binney making a welcome appearance and revelling in the conditions. They had a close battle with Graeme Macleod’s Hobie Tiger but were beaten to second place by Catherine & Rob Lloyd’s RS500.
The Fast / Slow Handicap fleets along the Laser Fleet & Enterprise fleet also raced out to Melampus with a fantastic reaching leg to Dunstone followed by a broad reach back to West Mallard. Each fleet saw places changing throughout the race with the occasional capsizes to catch the unwary out.
Neil Oxton & Martin Austin took a well deserved first place in the Enterprise fleet making four different winners in four races showing how close the racing is in the class. Peter Hickling despite leaping out of his boat prior to the start recovered to take second place ahead of Pete Ganderton.
The fast handicap fleet saw Dave Bogart & Jeremy Goslin’s Laser 2 take first place ahead of Derry Bowman’s Hawk. The Slow Handicap fleet saw another Lightning domination of the results with Rob Beaton taking the glory ahead of Hugh Spencer with Steve Oliver in third place.
The well established Laser fleet saw Dan Ellis take fist place ahead of Chris Lloyd with laser 195030 in third spot ahead of David Rollinson.
Well done to all that took part and a special thanks to all the safety boat crews & line crew.
Next week there is no RPCYC club racing due to Plymouth Week Regatta which has racing on Wednesday, Thurday & Friday evenings, all day Saturday & most of Sunday. If you have not entered please do so now at http://www.plymouthregatta.co.uk/
Calling all Lightning sailors – Do you have a spare rudder that Guy Mitchelmore can borrow for the regatta ? His current one is somewhere under Plymouth Sound (Guy promises to take care of any loaned items !!)
For tonights results pleae click here with the series results to date found here
by Jon Buckler
In view of seere weather forcast St Marys Race has been cancelled by Race Officer, Steph Newcombe.
In view of the horrendous forecast for today I feel that the best plan is to cancel tonights race. The Inshore Shipping Forecast is saying SW 6/7 becoming 8 and Wind Guru is forecasting 22 – 23mph with gusts over 30mph.
The other problem we will have is that, due to the Air Show and the fun and games on the Hoe, Madeira Road and Hoe Road are closed to all traffic until 8.00pm, thus making access to the club impossible for cars.
Keith Kendall
by Rob BeatonThe third race of the Summer Series saw 33 dinghies racing on Wednesday evening which saw the best weather of the day with a reasonable WSW wind for a change. The racing across all the fleets proved to be very tight with seconds splitting many of the results once corrected times had been calculated dependant on each boats handicap.
Tonight’s results can be found here with the Series Overall results available here
Thanks to all that took part & to all the safety boat & line crews
Up close and personal
The Lightning sailors all get on really well. Good job really as they sail around the course in a tight fleet. This week the leading 3 boats all finshed within 7 seconds.
We still get teased by the weather providers about having 10 knots of breeze but only get 5 knots. It did hold out for the whole race and provided some great summer sailing. It’s not yet got its own wiki page but summer sailing is when there’s a lightish breeze to allow you to sit on the side but not hike out but also not have to hang it out to leeward. It also involves wearing sunglasses and maybe a jaunty hat.
The fleet set up on port tack alongside Mountbatten Breakwater. Rob Beaton and Peter Ganderton in his Ent were over the line at the start and had to throw a U-turn (with no rights) back through the pack. Steve got the best start in the Lightnings and lead Hugh and Guy out into the Sound. Rob followed some 50 metres behind.
The silver lining on being behind at the back of the fleet is that you can see the rest of the fleet sailing away. You can however see how well they are sailing away and make some choices.. Follow, sheep like and bide your time or lauch your audacious attack. Rob chose option B. He tacked on to starboard and found his way to Melampus in first place. Good news – was in the lead.
Bad news – could not see the next mark. It was a laid mark (small and easy to miss unless you know where it is.) It did have nice flag on the top but it’s a bit of worry when you get the lead but don’t know where to lead people to.
Heading towards Dunstone with the Ents highlighted the buoys location so the main aim was to stay in front until the end. This was mostly acomplished. After stick buoy positioned half way to Dunstone it was to West Mallard on a near dead run. Rob held a 50-80 metre lead over the closely scrapping Hugh and Steve with Guy in close attendance as a potential witness for any protests that might results from their combat. I do like the phase in the rules books ‘When two boats meet’. It sounds very friendly, like the two helms wave, smile and say Hello. If you’ve been in one of the boats that ‘meet’ it’s not often (ever) like that.
Seasoned pros like Hugh and Steve keep it fair and out of the protest room which is the best way forward. It’s not a fun place to be.
The second beat required Rob to loosely cover the rest of the fleet and hold on to most of his lead to Melampus. In the run to finish the rest of the fleet closed up to Rob with a new gradiant breeze from the West. Rob and the Ents around him could do nothing but to watch the following pack with their frothy bow waves close them down. Steve Oliver used his momentum to pass Rob to windward and get an overlap for the hook finish. Rob luffed him a number of times but could not take him too high without letting Hugh passed underneath.
Steve gets another win. Rob held second but was quite cross for a few moments. Hugh was third and Guy fourth. Everyone had a real chance of a win and a really close race all the way to the finish.
BTW Steve’s boat is for sale. It seems quite fast and has winning ways.
Rob Beaton
by Jon BucklerThree Plymouth sailors’ have travelled to Largs in Scotland for this year Laser World Championships held on 9th – 14th July 2010 with two races held back to back each day.
Dan Ellis from Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club along with Max Robinson & Kate Sargent from Saltash Sailing Club had to qualify for a limited number of spaces allocated to each country in a number of qualifying events held earlier this year.
Dan & Max will be taking part in the Men’s Laser Radial Class with only 18 UK places available out of the 104 entries with 32 countries taking part in this class. Kate Sargent is taking part in the Woman’s Laser Radial Class in one of the 8 allocated UK places out of the 118 worldwide entries with 41 countries taking part in her class.
RPCYC wish all of our sailors the very best of luck in the Laser World Championship which has one of the world’s largest numbers of sailing dinghies. They are a true credit to the sport & to our city proving once again we can produce world class sailors.
(pictures from one of the qualifying rounds held in March 2010 in Plymouth are below – courtesy of Nikki Buckler)
Tonights Results are here
Overall Results are here
I never thought it was anyway but Steve Oliver proves the point by being the on-form Lightning after a week off.
There was much anticipation of 15 knots of breeze this week but my first view of the Cattewater indicated that hiking out was restricted to Dartmoor. It was, umm, flat. Early birds cruising the start area were gliding nicely along but after previous weeks I feared more paddling was ahead.
The slow handicap fleet were set a course of Melampus, NW Winter, West Mallard.
There was a strong(ish) flood tide, I don’t really know how strong it was, I could not see the moon. From the club line it was a virtual fetch to Melampus on port tack but the hole in the wind at Melampus and tide meant it paid to take a hitch to the east before getting into more tide and less wind. Well that was my plan and I was not alone in my simple logic.
Rob nailed the start (a rare occasion) but had Steve Oliver and a brace of Enterprises chasing him out into the Sound. After some changes of position Rob was back in front by Melampus, leading Steve close behind with Hugh and Guy mixing it with the Enterprises.
Steve turned up the boat speed down the run and caught Rob by NW Winter. They were still battling by the start of the beat from West Mallard.
Whilst Rob and Steve crossed close tacks up the second beat Hugh and Guy were having their own great battle a hundred yards back and enjoying some close racing.
The second lap had the same best route as the first but Steve’s boat speed won the day and got him to Melampus with a 100m lead which he held to the end.
Well done to Matt who completed the race with one lap in his Pico.
by Rob Beaton