Racing reports - 25th May 2014

The RYA's "Push the Boat Out" fun day resulted in a great turnout at Shanklin, with over 70 visitors taking to the water during the 6 hour period. Luckily the weather forecast didn’t materialise as predicted and conditions were near perfect, Shanklin’s vice commodore Liam Thom recorded a distance of 19.9 nautical miles on his GPS in the 5 hours 58 minutes that he was taking people sailing.

The Thursday evening race attracted 8 starters in virtually nil wind conditions, Erling Holmberg managed to get to the first mark just before the 35 minute time limit rule came into force which would have meant that the race would be abandoned, Holmberg was first with Paul Grattage second and Liam Thom third.

Sunday's first race was the third in the ritualistic humiliation race or as is known to some, the pursuit race, this requires that the eight helms who entered start at different times depending on so called "ability" with the theory that they all end at the finish line together. Just to make things even more ridiculous, everybody starts from the beach trying to sail out through the surf (waves that is, not washing powder!) and in strong force 5 wind conditions this presented a few problems, but with everybody sailing merrily it was the turn of the rescue boat crew to go to the aid of the "fallen". Final positions being first, Keith Newnham, second Stuart Pierce (subject to race scrutiny report on his boat) and third Liam Thom.

The cadet section were obviously enjoying themselves immensely, capsizing all over the bay, there were no finishers in their race.

The second race for the Sprint 15s was the Preston 4 event, only attracting 6 entries, a close battle ensued between Liam Thom, Stuart Pierce, Mark Pritchard and Newnham but on the final beat to windward the very lucky Liam Thom took the honours with Newnham second and Pierce third.

Arthur K Newnham