Yachting World Dayboat open meeting at Bosham Sailing Club

 

The fourteen-boat fleet that gathered for this year's Bosham SC Yachting World Dayboat Open meeting over the weekend of the 17th and 18th May enjoyed champagne sailing conditions. Four visiting boats joined the home fleet for a highly contested four race series which was only decided on the last leg of the final race.

All races were sailed in picturesque Chichester Harbour. The starts were from a committee boat in the Itchenor Reach and, in accordance with recent tradition, the finishes of the last race each day at the iconic Bosham Quay.

For Race 1, the race officer set a challenging course to a windward mark well west of East Head. However, with flat water and a moderate tide the fleet enjoyed the experience and discovered a part of the harbour the home fleet rarely visit!

Race 2 started in a 10kn south westerly and involved shorter legs which gave the fleet lots of opportunities for place changing. DB618 (Richard & Laura Lewis) just managed to lead around the windward mark closely followed by DB653 & DB676.

At the end of the first days racing the overall positions were as follows: first DB676 6pts, second DB664 6pts and third DB597 8pts.

When the sailors came ashore, they were treated to a sumptuous cream tea and entertained well into the night by the top DJ Mark Covell.

Sunday dawned with bright sunshine and pleasant 10 knot south-westerly.

For Race 3 we welcomed back last year's winners Nigel & Isabelle Russell (DB614). They quickly made their mark by being the only boat to sail the left side of the first beat. Most of the rest of the fleet went right and initially DB634 (Peter & Annette Kay looked to have a comfortable lead.

There was everything to play for in the fourth and final race with four boats capable of winning overall and as a result the race proved to be the most highly contested of the series. At the windward mark DB618 had a very short lead ahead of DB676, DB597 and DB634.

Places changed continuously over the next two legs until DB676 made the decisive move. James & William Hewitt sagged to leeward of the group and using their superior downwind speed took a comfortable lead which they held to the finish to take the overall prize. They were followed home by DB621 (Matt & Hugh Straker) and DB634.

Overall Results:

Pos Boat Name Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 R4 Pts

1 Mallory 676 James Hewitt William Hewitt Frensham Pond SC 4 2 10 1 7

2 TiGer 664 Timothy Wilcock Gerry Wilcock Bosham SC 2 4 2 6 8

3 Yellow Peril 597 David MacFarlane Fiona Macfarlane Bosham SC 7 1 4 5 10

4 Vis Vitae 618 Richard Lewis Laura Lewis Bosham SC 5 10 3 4 12

5 DayDreamer 621 Matt Straker Hugh Straker Hamble River SC 9 5 9 2 16

6 Piu Mosso 634 Peter Kay Annettye kay Poole YC 8 6 7 3 16

7 Kerfuffle 629 Nick Crang rebecca Crang RYA 3 7 6 8 16

8 Teazer 620 Ian Wheeler John Mckeand Bosham SC 6 9 5 9 20

9 Mojo 653 Alastair Seaton Jacqui Seaton Bosham SC 1 8 DNC DNC 24

10 Casspiain 614 Nigel Russell Isabelle Russell Bosham SC DNC DNC 1 10 26

11 Daisy 640 Mark Ross Sue Ross Bosham SC 10 3 DNC DNC 28

12 Blanche 615 John Fletcher Rosemay Hanbury Bosham SC DNC DNC 8 7 30

13 Muriel 600 Ralf Nocker Ano Bosham SC 11 11 11 11 33

14 Clementine 624 Robert Long Joanna Long Bosham SC DNC DNC 12 12 39