Castletown and Derbyhaven Motorboat and Yacht Club

Posted By admin on August 19, 2009

It’s August, warm, sunny, gentle breeze, palm trees swaying ……………….. or not!  Try grey, dark and blowing a hooly, 4 boats left the calm confines of the inner harbour to meet Tony in his Hurley moored below the Bridge.  The two one designs of Mike Quine and Keith Shawcross had a brief head into the Bay quickly ( and probably sensibly)deciding to call it a night leaving Q in the Delta, Tony in the Hurley and JC out in the Swift having coerced an old sailing mate to come for a gentle sail! 

At the start the wind steadied at a good 24kts ensuring everyone had one reef in the main and balancing with the jib.  After a clean start it became obvious the heavy finned Delta was in her element powering through the steep Southwest swell to the Bell Buoy, behind the Hurley and Swift were evenly matched for a time until getting into stronger wind towards the Bell the Hurley’s weight paid off and JC and Kippsy found out why the high aspect main on the Swift has two reefing points.  Interesting tactics at the Bell with the Delta heading right in under the Herring Tower, was this a rendezvous with the infamous Basking shark to make some pagan donation or just cowardice in gybing on the Bell in 10 foot swells?  Both following boats definitely decided on the more direct route and quickly gybed being rewarded with a real planing sleigh ride toward the Sandwick Mark, with the Swift rolling out more headsail to claw back yards on the Hurley.  Unfortunately any thoughts that Q had broken something were quickly dispelled as the Delta flew down to the mark rounding in first place and that was the closest and last time any of us saw them for the rest of the race.  The Sausage leg saw the wind drop allowing the Swift to unfurl the full Genny and catch the Hurley but this brief interlude of 17kts was quickly a distant memory as the wind strengthened to peak at 26kts for the final triangle.  The Hurley obviously relished this with what looked a very steady sail whereas the Swift was regularly on her ear being pushed sideways, (cool helming kippsy). 

At the hooter Q was first finisher by a mile, even coming out for a play to rub it in, the Hurley and Swift kept close company with ony three seconds between them but the Hurley’s better handicap proved decisive.  

Congratulations to JQ in his first outright win and a bullet, it’s been a long hard Catastrophic journey for this win.

For rull results see the results page.

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: