4-8-10 Flushing Sailing Club Hine-Downing Series

 

On board Redgauntlet we cast off and under main only went down the harbour towards the committee boat anchored close to the St. Mawes shore. This gave a maximum beat to the first mark at the Vilt. As we looked up the harbour we saw a large and varied fleet running down wind towards us, in fact sixty six boats crossed the starting line. After we had checked the courses we slowly sailed north but I was startled to see the committee boat overtaking us followed by an inflatable carrying the distance mark. A wind shift had caused problems and so the O.O.D had up-anchored hoist the postponement flag and chosen a new position.

In Q class, our fastest fleet, there was crowding at the committee boat end of the line but Jonathan Cunliffe in Supersonic made a good start and got away well and lead at the first mark. Off the wind on the shy spinnaker reach places changed as skippers who read the wind carefully accelerated past those who were slow to react. Tim Cunliffe in Insatiable closed in on the leader and on the third beat found some extra speed to gain first place. On corrected time the first six boats were all within one minute and John Murrell in Macavity beat Supersonic by one second. The very close racing should be a good preparation for next week.

Sheheva had a near disaster when a sheet jumped from the block and jammed solid against the side of the sheave. After much sweating and heaving at last the line was freed but by then the rest of the fleet were hundreds of yards away.

As the six Sunbeams approached the line the three upwind boats with no rights were forced to the wrong side of the committee boat. They had to do a fast turn, go behind the inflatable and chase the quickly disappearing opposition. Once again Lennie Trenoweth came first but his dad could only manage fourth.

When the combined U and W fleets closed towards the start, once again there was crowding at the windward end of the line and this time Incite, the biggest boat in the fleet was forced to the wrong side of the mark and start late. On board Redgauntlet we avoided trouble and decided to cover the other two Achilles 24’s on the beat but we were put about by two large working boats who hadn’t even started racing. We gave them our blessing, I hoped that they caused more difficulties among our opposition astern of us. On the line two large working boats hovered as Grace luffed Rebecca to a standstill and then just before the gun Grace bore away leaving her opponent in irons with no drive at all. The gentle cool breeze fluctuated all round the course. Mike Robson in Saphire had a good start and avoided making any mistakes and won easily. As we beat up the harbour towards the finish chasing the leader we were overtaken by Illusion of Lorne in E class and three large working boats, Victory, Rita and Grace. These three set up enormous turbulences in the wind and we had to tack several times to get clean air. When these four bigger boats entered the narrowing channel towards the clubhouse we heard some polite requests for water and some not quite so polite replies. Peter Sharp in Illusion feared that he was going to be the meat in a working boat kebab but no damage was done. Behind us the large mixed fleet tacked towards the finish and we were pleased to see that our immediate competitors got into worse trouble than we had.

The clubhouse was jammed with hungry and thirsty crews who listened to Mr. Steve Nicholls the chairman of P.O.F.S.A.who asked for volunteers to do various jobs in Falmouth week and to enter some competitions which involved chasing inflatable sheep but is only open to consenting adults. H.Martin

 

Class M

1st. Flying Circus. D. Healey.

2nd. Alderney Race. C. Gladwell

 

Q class

1st. Insatiable. T&D. Cunliffe

2nd. Macavity. J. Murrell.

3rd .Supersonic.

 

V class

1st. Bubbly. L. Trenoweth.

2nd. Polly. S, Carter.

3rd. Saucy Sally. J. Lowry.

 

E class.

1st. Illusion of Lorne. P. Sharp

2nd. Amneris. P. Hackett.

3rd. Hooligan. R. Edwards.

 

U class.

1st. Saphire. M. Robswon.

2nd. Mary Boon. J. Cruise.

3rd. Redgauntlet. W. Hunt.

 

W class.

1st. Wild Child N. Chamberlain

2nd. Puffin. R. Little.

3rd. Incite. M. Leech.

 

G class

1st. Wagtail. D. Owen.

2nd. Clementine. Perham/Franks

3rd. Miss Agnes. M. Rangecroft.

 

B class.

1st. Rita. J. Wastkins/J. Peters.

2nd. Victory. Muirhead/Carne.

3rd. Grace. Tregaskes.

 

Flushing Sailing Club 27-7-10 Hine-Downing Series

 

By luck I crewed on board Cousin Jinny the newest large working boat and the second one built by owner skipper Graham Pearce. I am used to modern rigs and so I was bewildered by the complicated cat’s cradle needed to control and hoist a jib, a foresail, a surprisingly large topsail and an enormous mainsail. Happily those on board knew want they doing and so slowly the wardrobe of sails was fitted and put up. Due to the late arrival of the last crew member we only just got to the line in time before the klaxon sounded.. I thought that we made quite a good start but the opposition did better and so we followed them. Although the breeze was gentle one or two more powerful gusts heeled the boat and green water came over the gunwales. We accelerated well but the opposition still pulled away because their owners have had more time to tweak the sail trim and maximise the power. As we crossed Carrick Roads an inquisitive seal appeared several times to encourage us but we did not improve enough.

In Q fleet there was intense competition on the very short first beat so with Insatiable in the lead most of the fleet arrived together. As the spinnakers were hoisted Macavity followed by Supersonic chased the leader with the rest of the pack close behind. On the beat the two leaders covered each other closely with Supersonic threatening them both . The fleet enjoyed close competition all through the race with the youthful John Murrell finally winning on handicap and the recent arrival Miss Whiplash coming in a creditable third.

In G class a newcomer in an un-named boat with no sail number impressed everyone else with their boat sped and racing potential but being helmed by Sam Heard they were not surprised.

Although the conditions were generally mild the fierce competition caused two collisions. The first between Achilles was not serious but as the offender completed their 270 degree penalty turn the victim was pleased to escape and enjoy beating their assailant. The other more serious collision happened between boats in different classes when a bowsprit was badly damaged but happily nobody was hurt in either incident. The well set courses provided enjoyable racing for all. Harold Martin.

 

Q class

1st. Macavity. J. Murrell

2nd. Insatiable. D&T. Cunliffe.

3rd. Miss Whiplash.. Denning/Hurst/Pullen

 

V class

1st. Bubbly. L. Trenoweth.

2nd. Clary. T. Holm.

3rd. Saucy Sally. J. Lowry.

 

E class.

1st. Hooligan. R. Edwards.

2nd. Hawk. C. Bell.

3rd. Popincoota. A. Grose.

 

U class.

1st. Mary Boon. J. Cruise.

2ns. Saphire. M. Robson.

3rd. Socrates. D. Day.

 

W class.

1st .Incite. M. Leach..

2nd. Wild Child. N. Chamberlain..

3rd. Sweet Friday. L. Cheshire.

 

G class

1st. Katy . S. Grigg

2nd. Clementine. Perham/Franks.

3rd. Dragonfly. M. Maguire.

 

B class.

1st. Winnie. A. Williams.

2nd. Grace. D. Tregaskes.

3rd. Victory. Muirhead/Carne.

 

M class.

1st. Crackerjack. M Webb.

2nd. Flying Circus. D. Healey.

3rd. Alderney Race. C. Gladwell

 

 

Flushing Sailing Club Hine-Downing Series 31-8-10

 

Phil. Samuel the very experienced O.O.D arrived at the starting zone with all the courses and flags ready for the start of racing in the South-easterly cool breeze. On arrival the wind veered suddenly to the East which caused a last minute change of plans with the thought in mind that this direction wind frequently dies suddenly just before eight o’clock. The starting zone near to Trefusis Point became very crowded as nearly fifty boats manoeuvred waiting for their classes to start. The port end bias to the line encouraged the fleet to go to the pin end of the line leaving the committee in relative peace. G class, the best fleet racing in the club, according to them,reported that the course was ideal, starting with a dead beat to the Waterloo mark close under the eastern shore of Carrick Roads. This meant that near the shore the wind was very flukey at sea level so that those with topsails profited from the cleaner air high above the water. The next leg was a dead run to the F.B.C. mark at Trefusis point and then another beat to the windward mark by St. Mawes castle. This was followed by a spinnaker run to the finish in the dying breeze but helped by the full force of the incoming tide. In the I.R.C. fleet the first beat decided the result because those who went off on port gained enormously from those on starboard. Macavity took the lead and kept it all the way round until the finish with Scorpion enjoying the conditions to come second in the competitive fleet. The fresh breeze gave ideal airs which pleased all the crews.

Harold Martin

 

 

M class

1st. Flying Circus. D. Healey.

2nd. Alderney Race. C. Gladwell

 

Q class.

1st. Macavity. J. Murrell.

2nd. Scorpion. G. Davies.

3rd. Miss Whiplash. Denning/Hurst/Pullen.

 

V class.

1rd. Bubbly. L. Trenoweth

2nd. Whimsey. C. Perkins.

3rd Caprice. B. Trenoweth.

 

E class.

1st. Hooligan. R. Edwards.

2nd. Hawk. C. Bell.

3rd.Popincoota. A. Grose.

 

U class.

1st. Mary Boon. J. Cruise.

2nd. Redgauntlet. W. Hunt.

3rd. Socrates. D. Day.

 

W class.

1st. Wild Child. N. Chamberlain.

2nd. Incite. M. Leech.

3rd. Sweet Friday. L. Chamberlain.

 

G class.

1st. Miss Agnes. M. Rangecroft.

2nd. Wagtail. D. Owen.

3rd. Katy . S. Grigg.

 

B class.

1st. Victory. Muirhead/Carne.

2nd. Winnie. A. Williams.

3rd. Rita. Watkins/Peters.