Bough Beech , RS300 Open Meeting

Bough Beech Sailing Club hosted its 3rd RS300 open meeting on Saturday 23rd September 2006. Six boats took part in the racing including visitors Tim Hazel and Martin Hutchings from Warsash SC (AKA the White Mast Brigade), Barry Steel from Aldenham SC and three club boats. The RO set a triangle with a sausage. Just before the start gun on the first race the wind filled in from the North East giving Barry Steel the opportunity to be first off the line closely followed by Martin Hutchings. With the wind swinging from the North East to South East the fleet quickly split into two with Tim Hazel, Martin Hutchings and Barry Steel taking the left hand side for the beat and local lads Alastair Wood and Richard Eperon taking the right hand side. Steel was first to the windward mark closely followed by Hazel and Hutchings. The left hand side paid, however, with the swinging wind this characteristic was to change on each beat throughout the day. Steel capitalized on the run and battled with Hazel to the end, only for both to be disqualified for not passing through the gate on the first lap giving Wood 1st, Hutchings 2nd and Eperon 3rd. Race 2 saw the wind gradually die off and shift back to the South East. Again the fleet split into two but this time the right hand side was favoured. The swinging winds at the wind ward mark left what was a great beat for Hazel in some trouble. Again Steel was in front closely followed by Hutchings and Eperon was snapping at the heals of Wood. The close positions in the fleet meant each boat was trading positions regularly giving the result of Steel 1st, Hutchings 2nd and Hazel 3rd. Race 3 saw the wind fill back in and swing through another 90 degrees and the RO re-laid the course. The fleet stayed closed packed on the first lap. The second lap saw Hutchings break away from the fleet closely followed by Steel and Wood resulting in Hutchings 1st, Steel 2nd and Wood 3rd. Race 4 saw the wind fill out to perfect racing conditions for the 300 with Eperon leading the fleet to the windward mark (with the words �Go Ritchie, go on my son!� from Barry Steel ringing in his ears!). Eperon distanced himself from the rest of the fleet on the first reach followed by Hutchings, Steel, Hazel, Wood and Cook. Hutchings went higher than Eperon on the second reach gaining more ground and an overlap at the mark, but back on the beat it was anyone�s guess which side to take. Steel went to the left and it paid off taking the lead. On the final run a gust came through which Eperon caught early to gain ground on Hutchings. The gust caught Hutchings unaware and capsized at the last mark giving Eperon a chance to regain second place. A super quick recovery let Hutchings to go on and skillfully cover his position to take second. The results were Steel 1st, Hutchings 2nd and Eperon 3rd. Overall results for the day were Barry Steel 1st (Aldenham SC), Hutchings 2nd (Warsash SC), Wood 3rd (Bough Beech SC), Eperon 4th (Bough Beech SC), Hazel 5th (Warsash SC) and Cook 6th (Bough Beech SC). The club wishes to thanks all those that supported the open especially those who traveled for the event. We hope to see you next year.