Flying Fifteen Inland Championship

The Flying Fifteen Inland Championship was held at Bassenthwaite Sailing Club on 4/5 June. 32 boats came from as far afield at Loch Earn in Scotland and Bala in Wales. Saturday saw moderate westerly winds with a few testing gusts thrown in. The OD started the race on time and the fleet got away cleanly first time. Mike Hart with Tim Hall (Port Dinorwic) lead at the windward mark and left the rest a considerable distance behind by the end of the first lap, but behind him places were changing all the time with Steve Goacher with Phil Evans (Windermere) making up most places. On the last beat, Mike was still in front, but Steve was gaining all the time. Good tactics up the last beat gave the race to Steve by about a foot.

The races were sailed back to back, but a few sailors need to come ashore – including Keith Thomas from Bass who was last seen leaving the jetty on a rescue boat with a full tool box including drill, and heading back out to his boat to make running repairs!

Unfortunately the rain came in for the second race, but that did not dampen the spirits of the competitors. Another clean start saw Steve first to the windward mark and then increase his lead on every leg to notch up another victory. Alan Bax with Paul Busby (Hayling Island) didn’t have a brilliant first beat, but steadily improved up to second.

The sailors came ashore to afternoon tea and cream cakes followed in the evening by a fantastic BBQ – for which the rain held off.

Sunday had light winds forecast, but there was definitely enough wind to sail and the OD took to the water early to make sure the course kept in the wind. Unfortunately the wind was a bit shifty leading to a postponement due to a 60 degree wind shift. The wind shifted back and a start was made, but this resulted in a general recall. The start line was moved into steadier wind up the beat and the fleet got away cleanly at the next time of asking.

At the windward mark, Steve was in the lead, with Neil Platt in second, Justin Waples with Ian Stowe (Grafham) in third and Dave & Sue Giles (Ullswater) in fourth. However there was a bit of a melee as the boats were heading off on a run through the still beating rest of the fleet – even the lead boat had trouble getting through the fleet! To avoid the beating boats, the first few boats round the mark reached off on starboard, but some of the later boats gybed immediately and went off on port, giving them water at the next gybe mark – including local veteran Mike Watson who made up about 8 places on this short leg. There were frantic shouts of water at the gybe mark, but most boats seemed to get through ok. Meanwhile, Steve was extending his lead at the front. There was a short second beat, but this seemed to sort out the fleet, some gaining several places. Steve remained in the lead, but several other boats were being caught by Neil Platt. Then there was almost a disaster for Steve as he headed for the wrong mark. Fortunately he realised in time and gybed back to it, but his lead was reduced to about 30yds. On the last beat, the leading boats took the port side of the beat, with the next few opting to chance it up the starboard side. In the end, however, the positions remained the same with Steve winning, Justin second, Mike Hart third and then a very close finish with Dave McKee & Chris Hewkin (Dovestone) beating David & Peter Kitchen (Tees & Hartlepool) by a second.

In the final race, Steve had opted for an early lunch. The fleet was too keen and the general recall flag was raised – followed not long after by the black flag. The fleet split up the beat, some by a long way. Flying Fifteen president Ian Preston overshot the mark prompting the comment ‘He could raise his spinnaker to get to the windward mark’ from one of the race committee!

Nigel Tullet with Sam Raynor (Windermere) were first to the windward mark followed very closely by Alan and local Paul Burnell with Joe Roberts and then Neil Platt and another local, Scott Beattie. In the middle of the fleet, the competition was still very tight prompting many shouts of starboard and boats ducking behind others. As the fleet went down the reach, the sun tried to come out and was glinting off the spinnakers. The boats in 5th and 6th went high on the reach and gained places. Nigel remained in the lead, although the next six places were changing frequently. Then, much to the astonishment of the spectators on the shore, Nigel made the same mistake Steve had done in the previous race – he headed for the wrong mark. This lost him his lead as he had overshot a leeward mark by about 100 yds. However, this did serve to compact the first seven boats again, making for some exciting sailing up the next beat.

Alan made the most of the opportunity and won the race, followed by Mike Hart and then Nigel.

 

Phil Evans receiving Inland Championship Trophy from Rhonwen BryceSilver Fleet winners Tim Wills and Ian PrestonBronze fleet winners Graham Lamond and Scott Train

         


Final Results

Sailed: 4  Discards: 1

 

Rank Fleet Boat Name Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 Nett
1 Open 3721 Steve Goacher Phil Evans RWYC 0.0 0.0 0.0 DNC 0.0
2 Open Gekko Blaster 3817 Mike Hart Tim Hall Port Dinorwic 3.0 10.0 5.7 3.0 11.7
3 Open 3786 Alan Bax Paul Busby 11.7 3.0 15.0 0.0 14.7
4 Open New Order 3770 Neil Platt Richard Rigg Bolton and West Kirby 8.0 5.7 11.7 10.0 23.7
5 Open Sweet Chariot 3805 David McKee Chris Hewkin Dovestone 5.7 13.0 8.0 11.7 25.4
6 Open Sparks 3716 Justin Waples Ian Stowe Grafham Water 14.0 17.0 3.0 14.0 31.0
7 Open Jocks Lover 3673 Scott Beattie John Somerville Bassenthwaite 17.0 15.0 13.0 8.0 36.0
8 Open Kiffs 3816 Nigel Tullet Sam Rayner RWYC 15.0 16.0 17.0 5.7 36.7
9 Open Silent Wings 3727 Andrew Palmer Graham Wadeley Grafham Water 10.0 11.7 20.0 15.0 36.7
10 Open 3612 David Giles Sue Giles Ullswater 13.0 8.0 19.0 DNF 40.0
11 Open Dingo 3595 Peter Kitchen David Kitchen Tees & Hartlepool 16.0 19.0 10.0 BFD 45.0
12 Open Sucking FFeagulls 3835 Andy Goddard Colin Dovestone 18.0 14.0 16.0 17.0 47.0
13 Silver Fighting Machine 3293 Tim Wills Ian Preston 22.0 20.0 18.0 19.0 57.0
14 Open Eleni 3737 Simon Robinson Dave Vasey DRSC DNF 28.0 14.0 16.0 58.0
15 Open 3685 Jeremy Arnold John Allen Notts County 19.0 18.0 24.0 21.0 58.0
16 Open Proactive 3831 Bobby Salmond Robert Till Loch Earn 20.0 22.0 21.0 18.0 59.0
17 Open 3521 Paul Burnell Joe Roberts Bassenthwaite 23.0 29.0 27.0 13.0 63.0
18 Open Firebolt 3806 Peter Hogg David Downes DSC 21.0 21.0 30.0 23.0 65.0
19 Silver Mr Sponge 3281 Michael Watson Duncan Firth REYC 24.0 33.0 22.0 22.0 68.0
20 Open Ffandangle 3473 Mike Moore Steve Hunt Bassenthwaite 26.0 23.0 26.0 24.0 73.0
21 Open 3539 John Eaton Maggie Eaton Bala 25.0 32.0 33.0 20.0 77.0
22 Classic Spring Sonata 2620 David Naylor Norman Christie Dovestone 33.0 30.0 23.0 28.0 81.0
23 Classic Fettercairn 617 Graham Lamond Scott Train South Windermere 27.0 34.0 28.0 26.0 81.0
24 Open Graffter 3451 Hugh Simpson David Watkins LESC 31.0 26.0 37.0 25.0 82.0
25 Silver FFrisky 3208 Mark Gardner Anne Gardner Carsington 29.0 27.0 32.0 27.0 83.0
26 Classic 1117 Keith Jamieson Maf Smith Bassenthwaite 32.0 24.0 31.0 30.0 85.0
27 Silver Flatulent Fairy 3182 Steve Cragg Pete Gough Draycote 28.0 31.0 29.0 DNC 88.0
28 Open Outsider 3732 Graham Wilkinson Mike Pearce Carsington 36.0 DNC 25.0 31.0 92.0
29 Silver 3381 Russ Clarke David Wheeler Dovestone 30.0 35.0 35.0 29.0 94.0
30 Open Unffinished Business 3813 Peter Slater Ann Morrel South Cerney DNF 25.0 36.0 DNF 100.0
31 Open Jim Jam 3484 Raymond Coates David McCombe Tees & Hartlepool 34.0 37.0 34.0 33.0 101.0
32 Classic Fake Emerald 2504 Keith Thomas Stephen Kirkpatrick Bassenthwaite 35.0 36.0 38.0 32.0 103.0

 

 

Sailwave Scoring Software 1.57
www.sailwave.com

 

Position Helm Crew Club
3rd Classic Keith Jamieson Maf Smith Bass
2nd Classic David Naylor Norman Christie Dovestone
1st Classic Graham Lamond Scott Train South Windermere
3rd Silver Mark Gardner Anne Gardner Carsington
2nd Silver Mike Watson Duncan Firth REYC
1st Silver Tim Wills Ian Preston /Bass

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