All About Boats

The fleet initially beat into the flood tide to Pluckington before running to Dingle and then reaching to G3 before commencing an 18nM beat to the Bar buoy. Richard Baldwin in his Superseal Tango led the fleet at G3 closely pursued by Rod Darling in his Sigma 33 Lezayre. After 4nM Lezayre had managed to gain a 15m lead and slowly increased this to 80m when the Queens channel was reached 7nM later.

Different tactical choices over the next 7nM beat saw Tango approach the bar with a 15m advantage. Dave Hardy sailing his International H boat Hocus Pocus managed to keep a couple of boat lengths ahead of John Myerscough in his Sadler 32 Catch 32.

For much of the 3nM white sail reach to Spoil Tango and Lezayre were beside each other with only a couple of meters separating them. By Spoil Lezayre had managed to establish a 40m lead. On the 4nM run to BT Tango was the first to have their spinnaker up. Wave and gusty conditions made broaching very likely and in one of these Lezayre’s spinnaker was blown out. By BT Lezayre’s lead was down to 5m.

Tactics proved crucial on the 2.5nm beat to Bar half way Tango crossed just in front of Lezayre on a starboard tack which they maintained to the Bar however Lezayre held their Port tack for much longer such that Tango rounded the Bar some 200m ahead…

Full story: Sail-World.com