PYC 2018 Yacht Haven Friday Evening Series 1 Race 9 8th June 2018
Rather a dull evening for Race 9 of this series but with a reasonable South West Wind of between 7 to 15 knots and the last of an incoming Spring Tide just an hour before High Water. Quite a change to have enough wind to make for a really good race but where tidal influence would not be too evident.
Race Officer Paddy O’Connor was determined to give all boats a course of sufficient length to test them completely. For the A Fleet of 10 boats his course would take them beating out to New Ground before reaching across the Sound over to Duke Rock and then turning to run down to South Mallard, hopefully all with flying spinnakers and thence to West Mallard to start the second lap, again on a beat to New Ground but this time running over to F Buoy before returning to the Mallards. A final lap would take boats to Melampus and over to Dunstone Rock then finishing by
passing South Mallard before the finish line at West Mallard.
The B Fleet, consisting of 5 boats, and starting five minutes after the A Fleet, would complete the same first lap as the larger group but would then sail the two laps beating over to Melampus with
the run over to Dunstone Rock then through the Mallards for the finish.
On time the A Fleet went away in fine fettle with the leading boats taking just about half an hour to reach New Ground with Curly Wurly just in the lead ahead of Mischief, Aquaessence and Rumour.
Ian Luscombe’s Curly Wurly was taking quite a lead as they continued this first lap but the other boats were much closer together with only minutes between them when they completed the first
lap, ready for lap two.
Meanwhile the smaller B Fleet were well on their way led by Duchess with Larrikin and Summertime in close order only a few seconds behind. This fleet continued their shorter course with little space between all boats even after the three laps.
With a considerably longer course the A Fleet tended to spread out more and a few changes took place on the beat but all made very good time with most of the two fleets completing in pretty close
contention, well before the end of allotted time.
Final Results of the A Fleet
IRC 1st Curly Wurly, Ian Luscombe. 2nd Mischief, Ashley Crawford. 3rd Italian Job, John Gorman. 4th Aquaessence, Team Aqua.
ORC 1st Soundbite, Robin Butterworth. 2nd Rock Hopper, Ian Mills. 3rd Marks And, Hugh Spencer.
NHC 1st Curly Wurly, Ian Luscombe. 2nd Jos of Avon, Mike Nuttall. 3rd Aquaessence, Team Aqua. 4th Soundbite, Robin Butterworth.
Final Results of the B Fleet
NHC 1st Summertime, Chris Tyrell. 2nd Duchess, Janie Smallridge. 3rd Larrikin, Team Larrikin. 4th Poppin, Tim Burne.