Crouch Log
6:47pm Tuesday 6th May 2008
At the weekend the river was awash with boats racing in all classes. Perfect conditions of sunshine and breeze kept the many different fleets busy and happy over the three day.
The Squibs had their Gold Cup which was well supported with eighteen boats including two visitors. There were windward leeward races over the three days in the vicinity of the Roach. With 6 different winners over 8 races it is clear to see how competitive the racing was. Peter Marchant was leading the series, needing a third or better going into the last race. He could only manage 6th which left him third overall. Paul and Sarah Buckley in Electra were the eventual winners brining the Gold Cup back to Burnham after an absence of four years. They won with three firsts and also managed a special' prize for last in race 6 having run hard aground. Nigel Grogan, with son Jack in Navy Lark was second - a welcome return to the fleet for him. The Squibs have their special 40th anniversary week of sailing starting on June 7 with over 60 boats taking part. Anyone interested in this event can telephone the Royal Corinthian on 01621 782105 for further details.
The Hunter 707 held their East Coast Championships attracting 11 boats. It was extremely close racing and although Baby Beluga, John Lewis had three firsts over the 6 races, he was second to Richard Barns in Cacciatore, by one point with Beaver Hunter, Paul Gray 5 points behind him.
The Royal Burnham One Design fleet were racing for the Chandler Candlestick - a much cherished trophy. Again, the competition was tight amongst the five competitors with three different winners. The first two shared equal points but Tim and Cathy Herring in Red Jacket were the winners on countback with Annette, Tony Chambers second and Mandarin, Willy and Barty Dallimore third.
The Crouch Yacht Club ran the Harrison Shield which was three races over two days. The ten competitors were keen and the starts were most impressive according to Mike Harrison in the start box with Russ Smith in Zipper having a perfect start in the first race - bang on the line going at full speed. There were different winners in each race - Inn Spirit Alan Bartlett in the race one, Zipper Russ Smith race tow and Amazon Tony & Chuffy Merewether in race three. The winner of the Shield overall was Amazon.
The Royal Burnham Yacht Club held their open dinghy series with around twenty entries with classes for Optimists and Handicap. Winner of the Handicap fleet was Ella Brown in a Laser Radial and the winner of the Optimist fleet was Oliver Wastnage News from the rest of the week: on a soggy Tuesday evening eleven operators of the boats in the HDRC club togged up in foul weather gear and enjoyed an evening of 8 close races with 7 to count. Nick Milton stormed in on 11 points, with four firsts and two seconds, ten points ahead of Neil Fulcher and John Torrance. Pete Hutchings, last week's winner, had mixed fortunes winning in the first and last race but only managed a fourth overall and Kevin Butler, who only started last year was fifth some ten points behind him. After two evenings, Pete Hutchings and John Torrance are both on 5 points and the racing has been extremely competitive.
Wednesday's weather was blustery and threatening with rain filled clouds all around but nevertheless the evening afforded some exciting and close racing to competitors in the evening racing from the Burnham Sailing Club. In the blustery conditions, competitors were sent down river with the wind slightly aft. Only Quencher attempted to use her spinnaker on the first leg and this proved not to pay as she struggled to hold it chasing the rest of the fleet along the south shore. There was a beat between Redward and Jubilee with the faster classes doing this leg twice. Returning to the finishing line, the menacing black cloud sitting over Canewdon and stretching across the river looked like the boats were sailing into the end of the world but surprisingly crews managed to get ashore dry.
Congratulations to David and Lucy de Boltz of the Corinthian Otters who have both qualified separately to represent Great Britain in the International 420 class open worlds and junior European champinships taking place in Athens and Croatia respectively.
Burnham Sailing Club Ferryman Insurance Evening Spring Series Race 4.
Sports Boats Hunter 707 3 starters: 1 Baby Beluga J Lewis 2 Racehorse R Bavin 3 Joe Blob J asunders/Rtaylor/G Walker.
Class 1 2 starters: 1 Eclipse C Cherry 2 Quencher R Noble Class 2 2 starters: 1 Zippper R Smith 2 Cheetah of Burnham H Croker Class 3 3 starters: 1 Adarin M Bradley 2 Stileetto C Petrie 3 Chorus Line A Heel Squibs 4 starters: 1 Lady Penelope M Hutchings 2 Spoof S Griffin 3 Trophoblast C Goodfellow.
Handicap 7 starters: 1 Feva Tom Adams 2 Terra Joshua Aldridge 3 Feva Sarah Bell Toppers 7 starters: 1 Robbie Hooper 2 Oliver Julien 3 Isobel Turbin Optimists 9 starters: 1 Stirling Taylor 2 Hannah Harden 3 Jake Braybrook Hunter 707 East Coast Championship 11 entries: 1 Cacciatore P Barnes 2 Baby Beluga J Lewis/N Tressida 3 Beaver Hunter P Gray Squibs Gold Cup 18 entries: 1 Electra P&S Buckley 2 Navy Lark N Grogan 3 Tears for Fears P Marchant Dragons 1 Flame Again D Hall 2 Scorpio I Gray 3 Spindrift G Harrison RBOD 5 entries: 1 Red Jacket T&C Herring 2 Annette T Chambers 3 Mandarin W &B Dallimore RCOD 4 starters: 1 Corinna R Melville 2 Corpo Santo J Heathfield 3 Coram W Wallis RS Elites Saturday 5 starters: 1 Oink Squeal D Wood 2 Aelous D Brown 3 Matterhorn Jack M Patten Sunday 7 starters: 1 Matterhorn Jack M Patten 2 Oink Squeal D Wood 3 Flo A Bates RBYC Clare Series: Handicap 15 entries 1 Laser Radial Ella Brown 2 Laser 4.7 Ben Harden 3 RS Feva Anna Musto and Natalie Aldridge Optimist 8 entries: 1 Oliver Wastnage 2 Arthur Brown 3 Hannah Harden.