Phantom Open at Bowmoor Sailing Club

 

On 13th April 2024, Bowmoor Sailing Club greeted a 17-strong Phantom fleet to start the midlands first open meeting of the year.

With 4 races planned, the race committee set what was effectively a double sausage course with fast reaches interlinking them in an X like pattern. Two races back to back in the morning with the wind increasing over lunch into 2 races back to back in the afternoon.

Race 1 - Sailing in pressure coming down the course paid off and an early pack of five boats separated from the fleet after the windward mark, Bowmoor sailor Charlie Samson took the win followed by fellow Bowmoor Chris Jenkins and Duncan Adams in 3rd.

Race 2 - A busy first windward mark and a very questionable port approach (early season rustiness?) from 3 out of the top 5 boats within a boat length of the mark meant right of way boats tacking off to avoid collisions and those that sailed out from this cleanly managed to separate from the rest of the fleet with Chris Jenkins taking the win followed by Charlie Samson and Sam Coxon in 3rd.

Race 3 - More wind after lunch meant a chance to rake the rigs back upwind and what followed was plenty of action and leaders capsizing. Firstly, Duncan Adams capsizing on the reach, see www.facebook.com/797190205/videos/417075264299890 (Video credit from Olly Hopkins) after the first beat, Ben Dancer took the lead but two laps later suffered the same fate when eagerly gybing down the run to find pressure allowing Charlie Samson to take another bullet, Sam Coxon in 2nd and Mike Tustin in 3rd.

Race 4 - Sam Coxon and Ben Dancer exchanged leading the fleet early on. Firstly Sam capsized on the first lap which allowed Ben to sail in front again, but up the second beat, Ben capsized during a tack, allowing Duncan who was sailing fast behind to convincingly pull away to take the final win, followed by Charlie in 2nd and Ben in 3rd.

Overall Results:

1st Charlie Samson (Bowmoor SC) 4pts

2nd Chris Jenkins (Bowmoor) 8pts

3rd Duncan Adams (Burton SC) 8pts

4th Sam Coxon (Chasewater SC) 9pts

5th Ben Dancer (Llandegfedd SC) 14pts