2ndhanddinghies RS200 Ugly Tour at Thornbury SC – of local hero, 8 year old and cakes.

It was a new venue for the 2ndhanddinghies RS200 SW Ugly Tour when 12 visiting boats joined the 7 home boats for round 4 of the 2016 Ugly Tour at Thornbury SC on Sept 10^th. Thornbury SC is a delightful sailing Club on the Severn Estuary 3 miles of the old Severn Bridge. Interesting tide  with the need to play chicken with how close you went to the shore at times as this reporter found to his cost when wedging himself aground in race 1 much to the amusement of those in the club house.  Thornbury were to prove the most friendly of hosts.

The wind never played ball as per the forecast staying annoyingly on the light side from the north but race officer Paul Craig did well to get 3 good races in. Race 1 and 2 were held in 4-7 knots with the beat with the tide which saw a few boats being swept over the line to OCS’s. It was a balancing act on the run to get in against the shore and cheat the tide but with less wind or stay further out in the better breeze. Race 3 and the tide had turned, the wind threatened to fade to nothing during the race leaving the fleet short tacking up the bank before they said hello to the Severn Bridge! Fortunately enough breeze filled back to bring the fleet home.

Local heroes Nick and Indigo Smith showed remarkable down wind touch and feel to win the first two races in fine style. They finished second in race 3 to James George and his 8 year son Harry who could well have provided an overall challenge if it was not for OCS score in race 1. The consistent Roger/Lucy Phillips and John Teague/Kerry Pinker (another to run aground) were tied in second overall with the Phillips taking the tie on better last race. 4^th overall was young Harry struggling to hold all his prizes. First in silver was another local hero John/Sally Harvey in 6^th overall. Victoria Upton/Jess Harding just won bronze from Sue Brannum/Mike Provan.

After sailing a very nice lady walked around the dinghy park to tell us all there was free tea and cakes.  Now anyone who knows the reporter will know he has sampled plenty of cakes and what  a spread this was to prove (coffee and walnut particularly yummy!); Exe SC north face of the cake mountain you now have serious competition!!

With two events left on the 2ndhanddinghies Ugly Tour it is all to play for. Ed Whitehead/Kate Allam are still sitting pretty in first overall but three boats can still catch them. In silver it is a tight Thornbury fight with the Harvey’s only 2 points ahead of the Smiths. The bronze is equally tight with Pete/Flea Hadderall 4 points ahead of the youngsters Victoria and Jess. So it’s to Starcoss on Sept 24^th.

Pete Vincent