Emsworth Slipper offered up another awesome day of sailing on Saturday 15th March, the event was once again shared with a very competitive D Zero fleet.
Visitors arrived from various parts of the UK and some of the HISC Finn fleet sailed up for the day. It was a very sunny but chilly day with a 15 – 20 + knot gusty breeze blowing from the northeast. Some of the shifts were massive which, allied to gusts, caught out quite a few sailors during the day. These conditions were ideal for blowing away any winter rustiness.
The race team set a great course and, despite the strong tide and shifting breeze, managed to set some very even beats and kept the Oscar flag flying all day.
Race 1
The tide was pushing the fleet over the line and perhaps the fleet was wary of this and a bit line shy. The pin end was favoured and Richard Sharp (Emsworth Slipper) and Nick Craig (Frensham) got clear and tacked across the fleet.
At the windward mark, Richard was ahead of Nick with a gaggle of boats just behind. By the wing mark Nick was close to Richard, and on the bottom reach he got past. Matt Johnston (Emsworth Slipper) had slipped away from the bunch and joined the leading two.
Local experts – Richard Sharp leads Matt Johnston
There was some duelling up the next beat and it was interesting to see Nick footing fast, Matt pointing high and Richard something in between.
At the finish, Nick was well ahead of Richard, Matt, George Coles (HISC) and John Mackie (Blithfield).
Unfortunately, John Pyke (HISC) had some technical issues and headed back to HISC.
Race 2
Again the pin was favoured and John Mackie carried out a perfect port start, flying across the bows of Nick and Richard. John led the top mark but unfortunately touched it and the resultant turn was costly.
Nick led Richard and Matt but by the top mark of the next lap, the three boats were close again.
After another frantic 3 laps, Nick won ahead of Richard, Matt, Roman Khodykin (HISC) and Nick Mason (Emsworth Slipper) who had enjoyed a close duel with Roman.
Overall winner, Nick Craig, GBR 790
Race 3
As the fleet nudged towards the pin end of the line Roman set up for a Mackie style port tack start but the fleet weren’t having it again and shut the door.
Nick Mason tacked off first and looked very good two thirds of the way up the beat. However the boats to windward on port benefited from a significant lift and crossed ahead at the top mark.
Nick lead Matt and Richard around again and pulled away for a big win. George was pushing but had a gybe mark issue and dropped back. Matt was unlucky to hit the windward mark and at the finish it was Nick, Richard, Matt, John and Steven Board (Bosham) who was sailing very well.
By now a few helms had tasted the chilly water at the gybe mark and tiredness was apparent.
Race 4
The breeze had shifted right and the race team had dropped the pin mark back some distance, plus the tide had now changed and the water had flattened. This tempted the fleet towards the committee boat end of the line.
Richard saw a gap and shot off – only to realise his watch was wrong and sheepishly gybed back behind the fleet.
The front runners tacked onto port as they hit a lefty shift but John and Richard sailed further left into a bigger shift and gleefully screamed into the top mark above those who had tacked early.
At the first mark it was John from Richard and a flying Steven. John led to the gybe but Richard got over him on the bottom reach. Nick (for him) had been a little behind at the first mark but was ominously moving through the fleet.
John Mackie, GBR 68
After two laps Richard still just lead Nick and extended some on the final beat. He still led at the final gybe with just a reach to the finish. Was this enough? Had Nick lost his stranglehold on the fleet? Of course not – he got inside at the last mark to make it a clean sweep of victories. Richard warmly congratulated Nick through gritted teeth! John, Matt and George had a good fight to finish in that order.
The sailors then had a long beat back to the club against the tide but the magnificent views of Emsworth with the sunny South Downs behind helped.
After a fantastic day, the results were:
1st Nick Craig, GBR 790, Burghfield SC
2nd Richard Sharp, GBR 90, Emsworth Slipper SC
3rd Matt Johnston, GBR 29, Emsworth Slipper SC
Next up in the Spring Series calendar is the Blithfield Spring Open on 22/23rd March, followed by the Burghfield Sprints Open on 5th April and Bough Beech Open on 12th April – catch some great racing and early season practice at a venue near you soon!
Report by Richard Sharp.
Photos by Claire Power
