707s at the Nationals 4 Sep 2006
The boats were launched and tuned ready for Wednesday’s racing although Baby Beluga’s mast took a little longer than expected -windex issues !
The first race began in a very surging Solent tide which continued to test all throughout the week but the wind conditions were perfect, 20-25 knots in warm sunshine. The first race began with three OCS’s (incl Baby Beluga), an early warning to tame an eager fleet. An even upwind track gave no advantage and was tightly contested with Cacciatore winning 35 seconds ahead of Doh! 2nd and Eh! 3rd.
Day 2 produced very similar conditions, the wind picked up to 30-35 knots for days three and four, which provided some very exciting mark roundings and plenty of slam tacking and gybing. Marlin’s Mark Rainbow tried his hardest to get rid of his crew slam gybing twice in five seconds, pity there was no boat within fifty metres of him!
Aquaholic pulled an interesting manoeuvre approaching the leeward mark when a 40ft cruiser with bowsprit decided to sail straight through the downwind pack at speed; the fearless white in Stuart Mears’ eyes as he ‘took him on’ at jousting was quite something. There were plenty of contacts and multi boat pile-ups approaching marks, but all came away largely unscathed, (except a few rigs which were forcibly adjusted) and apologies over pints after racing settled any problems amicably.
There were 3 races completed each on the four days, giving the full two discards.
The Burnham boats fared well throughout, local boat Doh! was crowned National Champion 2006 with four wins, and nothing lower than a fourth counted for them, coming in on 23 points- very well sailed guys ! Cacciatore finished a very strong second place on 38 points with three firsts and no finish out of the top ten- excellent stuff, particularly leaving the fleet for dead in the last race. Scottish boat Eh! took third overall, with Paul Gray’s Beaver Hunter placed fourth half a point behind on 52.5. Aquaholic came in 7th overall, with Marlin and Baby Beluga in tenth and eleventh respectively. Feeling Touchy finished in 16th place.
Well done all East Coast boats who thoroughly enjoyed a lovely week’s sailing and weather- we look forward to next year.