Stick Boy – Enterprise Report 2012-05-06

Tonight’s top Stick Boy (aka helm) was Martin Bevan who, despite leading the fleet around a big orange inflatable and not the required Stick Buoy, did not miss a beat to take an excellent win.

The course was VAL#

Jon Buckler, who has not left his RIB since the Lark Nationals at the weekend, was lurking by the windward mark to show the way but it’s quite a night raider style stealthy RIB. Whichever we didn’t spot it so had a reaching leg from the mark thrown in for fun.

Back to the start. Port end, pin bias. Martin took pole position from Rob and Mr Mac in the Spoon and lead around West Mallard. With a flood tide it paid to stay left which Dave took to heart and closed down the leaders by the fake windward mark. Martin apply glue like cover to the Spoon up the middle but was only a boat length ahead by the first (fake) mark. Dave and Pocahontas with the Doctors behind were in close company on the reach down the real McCoy stick buoy windward mark.

Down the run to South Mallard Martin and Dave took an Easterly line which paid well and Martin stretched his lead to 40m.

Up the second beat some of the boats went middle right which had better breeze but more tide. Egg n Spoon rang a big bell on the left to stay out of the tide. This worked to a degree as they closed down No Handles to 15 metres but it was not enough to challenge for the lead.

At the end it was No Handles with Martin and Nick followed by the Spoon, Dave Mitchell and the Doctors.