John Waples wins the Early Summer Series 8 Jul 2014
Eight RCODs took part in this series for the Singapore Cup, the largest number on th water for some time. Work commitments meant that a couple of boats only appeared once and two or three boats popped back ashore for extra maintenance. With other boats about to be launched, the numbers are slwoly increasing in a very satisfactory way…
Race Five of the Early Summer Series for the Singapore Cup
With overcast conditions and black clouds threatening rain, wind strength top end Force 3/4, two of the four starters sailed off the moorings with reefed mains.
Justin made a good start, sailing Cormorant, kindly loaned by Gary Harrison. Son and daughter, Albert and Martha, completed the crew enabling a claim for the youngest RCOD combined age record – a mere 76 years! Cormorant slipped away quickly as Barry in Corindelle caught John, Corpo Santo, on starboard on the line, while Peter watched from behind.
The first mark was Cliff before Cross Rail. Justin lead until approximately buoy no13 where John caught him, just as the wind went a tad light at the point. Justin noted he’d reefed so with less sail,was limited for speed.
Justin, showing brotherly love, didn’t put a covering tack in earlier when he’d had the chance (!) so let John gently roll over him. Once passed, John smiled back while Tracey very graciously waved and took the lead to Cliff.
Barry, having shaken out a reef on the way to Cliff had slipped back, and Peter had had to retire with a halyard problem.
At this point, Justin found some better shifts, Martha gave a loud shout of “Starboard” to Uncle John, then led by 200 yds at the Crossrail buoy, or so we thought… We had all sailed to the only other mark up there – a good 3/4 mile further than we’d planned. The Crossrail buoy was spotted as we were running back on the south shore up on the mud!
John hoisted his kite at Crossrail, while Justin decided with black clouds all around that safety with a young crew on board was possibly the best decision so John steamed past, never to be seen again!
And that’s how it finished, John 1st, Justin 2nd and Barry 3rd although Mike, John’s crew, did spend the leg back from Canewdon to the finish, trying to retrieve the spinnaker halyard. As Mike said: “John went to hoist the kite at Canewdon, the halyard went up fine – it’s just the kite was still in the bag!”