Spring Sunshine Brings out the Racers
Published 17:51 on 6 Apr 2025
Blue skies, sunshine and a fresh easterly breeze brought out the Sunday dinghy sailors - a far cry from Saturday when just 3 Solos and 1 handicapper ventured out in a very strong gusty easterly. So it was great to see 8 in the handicap fleet and 6 Solo dinghy sailors gather for a briefing about the 3 races to come. It was a pleasure to welcome 17 year old Thomas Crawford to the fleet!
Three races of 3 laps each were planned and that was what happened on race 1. But with engine trouble on the safety boat necessitating the launch of our smaller safety boat we kept races 2 and 3 to just 2 laps and actually finished the slowest of the handicap fleet to just one lap and gave them average lap points as if they'd sailed the whole course.
Rob Upton in his Finn dinghy led from start to finish in the handicap fleet and unfortunately for the returning Tim Flower, also in a Finn, sailed the wrong course on race 1. Fortunately Tim recognised his mistake and sailed the remaining races correctly. Great to see 3 ILCAs, formerly Lasers, out as well as the RS Feva of Nicky Sharp, RS Tera of John Sharp and RS Qba of Thomas Crawford - all 3 RS boats being club boats meaning any club member has free access to these boats to encourage them in their early sailing careers.
Handicap Fleet Results race 1, 2, 3 overall
- Brian Tucker, ILCA4 (4.7 rig), 166592
- Rob Upton Finn 562
- Phil Clayborough, ILCA7 (Stnd rig), 204066
- Andy Reynolds, ILCA7 Stnd rig), 1991
- Tim Flower, Finn 547
- John Sharp, RS Tera Sport
- Thomas Crawford, RS Qba, 595
- Nicky Sharp, RS Feva, 4053
Individual race results can be found by clicking here
Also great to see Simon Jones making a very welcome return to the Solo fleet who immediately made an impact in the first race of the day leading around lap 1 but no doubt frustrated as he slipped to 2nd and the 3rd at the finish coming home after Gary Molton and Owen Martin. It was Owen that had ruled the roost the day before revelling in the strong conditions then until taking a swim in the 3rd of yesterdays races. The lighter conditions obviously suited Gary who was on fire for Sunday's racing taking the bullet on all 3 races. The lower places were shared out among the fleet from race to race.
Solo Fleet Results race 1, 2, 3 overall
- Gary Molton, Solo 5893
- John Ewbank, Solo 6035
- Owen Martin, Solo 5252
- Paul Heather, Solo 5954
- Grant Simmons, Solo 5133
- Simon Jones, Solo 5496
Individual race results can be found by clicking here
Last updated 11:26 on 7 April 2025
