Salcombe Yacht Club Spring Series - Race 2
by John Burn & David Greening 18 Mar 06:35 NZDT
15 March 2025
Handicap fleet report
A brisk 10-15 knot north-easterly, paired with plenty of blue sky and sunshine, set the stage for Race 2 of the Spring Series.
Launching once again at low tide turned into a muddy affair, but it was made more bearable thanks to Malcolm Mackley, who was efficiently whisking trollies away.
The Fast Handicap was again a two-boat contest. John Burn, sailing his Merlin Rocket with son Frankie, (back in the front after missing the previous race due to illness), went up against Peter Colclough in his RS400, with Emily Hoar crewing for the first time.
The Short Race Handicap, which starts alongside the Fast Handicap, saw two Laser Radials—sailed by Greg Hoar and Adam Ryan-Carter—along with Allan Willcox in a Laser 4.7.
Unfortunately, Peter and Emily were late getting to the start, giving John and Frankie a small head start as they set off on the course: 3-7-1-3-1.
The highlight of the race was an exhilarating two-sail reach to Gerston and back, with both boats flat out and their crews grinning from ear to ear. John and Frankie steadily built a comfortable lead. They completed the remainder of the course in the main harbour, securing both line honours and victory on corrected time.
Greg led the Laser fleet from the hooter, but Adam kept him keen up the first beat. As they made their way to mark 7 and back, the fleet started to spread out slightly, though Allan, in the smaller 4.7, remained within striking distance.
The Race Officer shortened the course as they returned from Blackstone for the first time. Greg, with a polished performance, crossed the line first, earning him back-to-back victories. Allan was awarded second place on corrected time, with Adam finishing third. The final results were incredibly close, with only around 30 seconds separating each of the three boats after handicaps were applied, highlighting a tight and competitive race.
Solo fleet report
Bright sunshine and a brisk east north easterly breeze greeted ten Solo sailors for the second race in the Salcombe Yacht Club Spring series. With the race time set at low tide it was a muddy departure from the Batson slipway.
Some confusion abounded when Race Officer Andy Savell set the Fairway flag, given that the fleet had already left the Fairway buoys to port in the Boat Park.
The fleet set off to Crossways, with Bill Jago and David Greening heading toward Fishermans allowing them to get inside of a lift and rounded the first mark in 1st and 2nd place.
There proceeded a predominantly off wind course back and forth in the Bag, made worthwhile by the flat out planing reach to Gerston amid the mudflats. The four leading boats arrived at the gybe mark together, Tim Fells and Tim Law joining Greening and Jago, all of whom survived a trepidatious forced gybe upright.
Law pursued a leeward route on his own and pulled into the lead, but Greening found the new breeze first at Tosnos and pulled away, which he maintained to Blackstone.
On the penultimate beat, Law sailed more upright and faster than Greening, to pull ahead at Crossways, a position that he held to the finishing line.
Meanwhile, Tim Fells who had a close race with Chris Cleaves carved a lonely furrow on the Portlemouth side on the final run to pick up a massive gust to plane past Cleaves who was on the Salcombe to secure third place at the final mark, which he held to the finish.