Hamble River SC Wednesday Night Series - Series A Race 3

Published 20:00 on 20 May 2015

The wind last night was 180 degrees round from last week. This enabled Kathy Smalley as Race Officer to set pretty much the courses used last week but with the finish round Hamble Point and onto the Club finish line. The tide was just on the turn at the start and the breeze , although usually about 12 to 15 knots every now and then threw in a little kick to surprise competitors. The downwind start provided competitors with some timing challenges on the spinnaker hoists under the ever critical eye of the committee boat. This weeks newcomers included Vlad the Impala swelling - yes you've guessed it - the Impala fleet and Class 2, whilst Steve and Sarah Powell returned to the fleet in Class 3 on Mahjong.

In the XOD Class Leading Wind (Hamish Calder) demonstrated the art of practising timed runs into the start line but caught one puff on the verge of a perfect start to become OCS and were forced to return. In Class 2 it was all excitement at the start. Mist (Ursula and Ross Elliston) did just miss the committee boat whilst Voodoo (Pete Rouse) powered up just one second before the start and kept going in a graceful arc round the entire transom of the committee boat on her ear. However Needlework (Patrick Pymm & Peter Smith), slightly in front of Voodoo, came off worst losing her tiller at the crucial moment and hence bouncing off the transom corner of the committee boat and subsequently retiring. Class 3 were remarkably line shy but were left looking early by the Class 1 start where the leading boat La Nef (John Noe) strolled into the line about a minute and a half late with Light (Rob Denning) making an even more relaxed start.

The XODs led the fleet to the finish line. Shri (Ben McGrane) led at the end although apparently not all the way around the course. Leading Wind pulled back from their OCS into 2nd place with a couple of seconds lead on Kathleen (MOS Fitzgerald).

Mahjong took Class 3 under NHC and probably Class handicap (handicap tba), on her first trip out this year. Forethought of Gosport ( Mike James) just beat Cockleshell (Jonathan Sherwill) handicapped by the loss of his usual crew under Club Class whilst under NHC Starfall (Adrian Hull) took 2nd from the lovely Fritha (Bob Allen). In Class 2 Dino Volante retired for reasons unknown and Imptish (Barney Smith/Graham Tullett) led Polly (Ben and Steph Meakins) and Vlad the Impala into the finish under whatever system you like to take an Impala hat trick. With true impartiality in Class 1 La Nef took 1st under Club handicap whilst Light took 1st in NHC!

Wednesday night racing continues next week but everyone on the Hamble please get this date in your diary - BIG WEDNESDAY - is coming 24th June. Get your boat out on the water , even for just one race, and get a friend or two to come and try out Wednesday night racing at HRSC - you don't have to join to race that night! Throughout the year Wednesday night racing is free for all members of Hamble River Sailing Club with annual membership costing less than many other series entry fees. Details of the full activities, training courses and events of the Club are on the Hamble River SC website.

Article Lis Robinson

Last updated 10:29 on 17 May 2024