Stone Sailing Club Report

Okay, writers cramp and writers block are now setting in and I can't face the prospect of writing up the Creeksea Report yet but here's the Stone Report...

Stone Sailing Club Phantom Open Meeting

The sixth event in the JJ boats / Tempera-Tec sponsored Eastern Series took place at Stone Sailing Club on 27th / 28th June.

Twenty-one helms assembled on Saturday in glorious sunshine at Stone but were dismayed to see little wind on a serene Blackwater dotted with stationary yachts. A short postponement allowed much banter and ample time for sail measurement and boat tweaking.

When released from the shore around midday the fleet was pleased to see that the breeze whilst somewhat fickle was good enough to allow a good course to be set by Wendy Robinson and her delectable team of helpers.

The first race of the day saw the fleet beat with the tide in close order to round the windward mark and split to both sides of the course in an effort to cheat the flooding tide. Lawrence Crispin and several other boats chose an alternative option of going for pressure down the rhumb line and gave an object lesson in the benefits of sailing the shortest course by rounding before the fleet converged from the sides of the course. Crispin went on to win but was intriguing followed home by visitor Richard Parkin from Hunts. More accustomed to inland venues but with a reputation for being a light weather ace Parkins result may not have registered on some at that time.

The second race win by Parkin over Crispin was however telling and a win by James Jarvey from Hickling Broad (another acknowledged light weather ace) made things look distinctly interesting by the end of the day.

The evening festivities started with a meal consumed by the fleet whilst both Wimbledon and the days rugby results were equally digested.

Moving on to the bar the fleet clicked up a gear to join in with a sing along conducted busker style as part of the Cancer Research Busking Week by a local musician and Laser sailor. Perhaps emboldened by excess alcohol the fleet proved that there is no correlation between sailing ability and singing talent.

Sunday started in a similar manner to the previous day with a mist over the Blackwater obscuring the multitude of catamarans trying to complete the Three Piers Race.

Sensibly, sailing was postponed until a sea breeze developed and this strengthened throughout the day.

The three races were again run over a triangular course that needed frequent adjustment to the windward mark position as the breeze swung and the impact of a flooding tide was felt.

Parkin again showed his prefence for the lighter conditions of the first race of the day, winning from a delighted Simon Fielden (not noted for his love of light weather sailing!).

Crispin dominated the second race of the day winning from local hero Neil Fulcher and Ian Miller from Alton Water.

The last race saw past Eastern Series Champion John Wayling find his form with a deserved race win ahead of James Jarvey and much scratching of heads on the run back to work out the results after Parkin scored a sixth and Crispin a fifth.

With a single point between them Parkin had successfully taken the result from past champion Crispin and amused the fleet by acknowledging how much he now looked forward to returning next year. It was not long before the fleet pointed out that next year Stone would be the venue for the National Championships and winning that might be a touch harder!

The seventh event in the Eastern Series is planned for the following weekend allowing the fleet to deposit their boats in readiness for the next weekend - and enjoy a drive home without the burden of a trailer.

Results.

1st Richard Parkin Hunts SC
2nd Lawrence Crispin Stone SC
3rd James Jarvey Hickling Broad SC
4th Neil Fulcher Stone SC
5th John Wayling Northampton SC