Race report by Richard Whitworth
Right was wrong and Stans to Starboard.
What an interesting build up, early in the season with a few boats being out for the first time, slightly more breeze than forecast at 10-15kts, warmer than the last few days, sun breaking through and the first low water 30 mins after the start gun. Couldn’t be much better, what a heady mix!
Twenty six boats took to the water and given our chaotic experience of launching on the first Saturday everyone was very well behaved with lots departing the Haven under jib alone.
Crispin from the XOD fleet and the race team set the first beat to NC2 which is approximately 1NM from the platform and just north of the Royal Motor YC. Where were the snakes and ladders?... Ebbing tide for another 30 minutes, wind forecast threatening to back at some stage over the afternoon and the race track less sheltered as you pass by Salterns marina.
The bias on the line was pretty fair, where would the fleet congregate? Furthest left was Richard W & Trefor with Patrick & Aly and Geof & Nick in close proximity. A gaggle of boats at the starboard end started peeling off toward Brownsea looking for the outgoing conveyor belt. Apparently Andy and Chewey who pushed our National Champions round last week decided kindly to start under some form of self imposed handicapping system and left the jib 1/4 furled. Note to self:- ensure the jib is out 1 minute to go!
A few tacks here and there took us to Salterns whereby the long port set commenced into NC2. Patrick and Aly were first round proving that checking your rig and ‘numbers’ for half an hour ashore is always a good thing especially with a new mast (and we all thought Aly was having a power nap when sighting up the mast on her back)
Crispin and guest harbour guru Nick Cornish rounded second and the pair led the fleet back in a north westerly direction to Nord Homes. The left seemed to have paid with the top few coming in from that side ahead of the majority coming in from the middle and ‘Brownsea side’
The fun (spelt challenge) of a big fleet is running down to the gybe mark with everyone wanting to go low but everyone ending up high having to protect their wind. The first gaggle set off high toward Salterns and with a few gaps around allowed other boats behind to take a lower more direct route. Quite a spread when half way down.
Nord Homes to port, so gybing and heading off to 26 Crispin & Nick had sniggled past Patrick & Aly and led the fleet on the westerly broad reach. Everything was somewhat busy but well behaved. Gybe to starboard at 26 and head off on another run to Stans. Same story, boats going high to protect their wind with others soaking low where possible.
At Stans boats were approaching from various angles as some were desperately trying to go low alongside Poole Quay Haven whilst others were coming in ‘hot’ from the ferry terminal side. Lots of boats had compressed and boat handling was at a premium.
The leaders sailing out of Stans were followed by a handful of the chasing pack and were fortunately clear of what was about to happen. Unfortunately, it was always going to end in tears when the two outside boats started to call water on each other!
I’m not sure anyone could accurately describe what happened but Richard Ledger’s mast head GoPro does a pretty good job! Have a look on Youtube.
Starboard it was then.
As a lucky escapee looking back at the melee it was carnage with the fleet now spread over 8-10 boat lengths in all sorts of different directions and sail setting combinations with Stans somewhere in the middle!
Commiserations to Steve Randle who had to make a quick visit to A&E after trying to protect his boat and crushed his thumb and to Kim for her ambulance service.
Back to the race track… Crispin/Nick, Patrick/Aly headed back through the line for a second lap closely chased by the usual suspects of the Gorringes, Geof/Nick, Bob ‘n Huw, Richard W/Trefor & Pete/Jo in their first time out this year.
So which way is the conveyor going now and will it be the same across the various lanes going back up to NC2. The long port set into RM was assisted by the lee bow flood tide so maybe the middle/left was the way to go.
With the fleet split up a little more now (either side of the big gap) everyone certainly went straighter/lower on the run to Nord Homes to keep in the deeper water.
It was a slightly tighter reach to 26 but with the incoming tide pushing you along it was a straight line decision.
After the gybe at 26 and a benign run things at Stans were also much calmer!
Boats then tried to pick their way up the beat against the flood tide being mindful not to hit a corner as the shortened course flag was flying after an hour and a half.
Well done to Crispin and Nick who sailed a great race to pip Patrick/Aly and Richard W/Trefor to the chocolates. They seem to have found a rich vein of form (now that Steve’s taken all the tricky bits off 4101!)
What fantastic racing on our doorstep. It’s no wonder that the fleet continues to grow providing ever better fleet racing. With mini series, coaching, Poole Week and the Southerns on the horizon Parkstone Fifteens is the place to be.
Full results:-
4101
3821
4114
3(537) - time to splash out on some numbers? Ed.
4025
4088
4052
4115
3793
3922
3966
4054
4058
4111
3974
3758
3934
3901
4125
3851
4036
3965
3850
3936
4027
4019 (rtd)