Seasalter Sailing Club

Affiliated Club

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Open Fowley Race Report 2007

Written By Phillip Hadaway (Miracle 2992)

This Years Annual Open Fowley Event was Well attended, with approx. 10 boats coming over from Whitstable.

The Weather conditions were favourable for this race as it was a long distance race. Wind was at a force 4/5, however the sea state in the channel could have been better!

I got my Miracle out and rigged very early, wanting to make sure I had everything, and also to rig the spinnaker as it had not been out since last season.

Just before the race start 10, or so , boats arrived from Whitstable Yacht club, one of which was crewed by our very own Kevin Dutch.

The Race got started on time, the first leg of the race, (up to Fowley island) was Testing for many boats, and subsequently some dropped out, how ever my crew and I carried on regardless of the others. We were ploughing our bows into every other wave, even when we where not in the channel it was hard going.

The only other boat in the slow handicap class had to pull out when they got to the sand end buoy.

Dave Lincoln and his crew Ben Saunders in their Fireball, Had managed to loose there rudder pintle. This was practically mirroring there efforts in the club Fowley race, as they lost the rudder gudgeon!

Just as we passed Harty Ferry, we had not only all the cruisers and the heavy sea to contend with but also the returning boats from the island. We eventually arrived at the Fowley Spit Buoy at High Water. On our way up the inside of the island to the race mark at the far end, we had some close encounters with some 30ft Cruisers also trying to make way against the now strongly ebbing tide.

45 minutes later we rounded the orange mark, and were reaching back out into the rough channel. When we turned onto the run and put our spinnaker up, the channel did not seem so rough.

After 2 hrs 20 min it was nice to be able to surf the waves rather then plough straight into them!

As soon as the spinnaker was up we accelerated away on a dead run aiming roughly for the club house.

After another hour we crossed the finish line (that shows how windy it was) to a roaring cheer from the rest of the fleets who finished along time in front of us.

The Patrol Boats were kept busy, Steve Willis went over board and that was quickly followed by Joan Capsizing their Dart 18 while trying to pick Steve up (while in the channel).

Also the other patrol Boat was asked to tow The Red Rib back after the Engine/prop shaft appeared to have snapped, now known to be the cable that connects the engine to the controls.

Thanks Have been well earned by all the Patrol Boat Crews and The race officer. Not forgetting Lesley and Her Helpers Serving Food from the Galley

The results are as follows:

Fast Handicap Fleet

1st –Wayne & Trish Dixon in their B14

2nd –David Figgis & Richard Lamb in their Tornado

3rd –Huw Reynolds & S. France in their F18

Slow Handicap Fleet

1st - P.Hadaway & T. Leanard in Miracle 2992