Exe SC RS200 SW Ugly Tour event 9^th Sept sponsored by Westcountry Boat Repairs

A forecast, that being completely honest, wasn’t suggesting a champagne days racing, certainly stunted the turnout at a very sunny Exmouth. However, eight boats did arrive to see whether the weather gods would arrive, and share Saturdays racing with the Contender national championships. After a postponement with the fleet held on shore, we were released, with the understanding we may well be getting towed out to the race area off of Dawlish Warren. With the wind building, the fleet made short work of the sail against the incoming tide and made it to the course area.

Race one started with a 4-5kt breeze, which held a remarkably steady direction all race. At the top of the first beat, John Teague/Naomi Pound from Bristol Corinthian came in close to the port lay to tack in front of James Williams/Catherine Sears from Chew Valley who themselves were just in front of Rose Robertson/Liz Mainwaring from Exe SC, and the rest of the fleet close behind on the starboard lay line. The second beat saw the wind build slightly, with both helm and crew on the side deck, not quite hiking, but a welcome feeling. The final run saw Teague/Pound hold a comfortable lead to the finish, with Robertson/Mainwaring closing the gap on second place but not quite enough to trouble Williams/Sears in second place.

This welcome breeze brought the Contenders out to play, and the fleet sat back to watch them start on the shared course. The breeze dropped slightly in their sequence, and with a 6kt lower wind limit and the beginnings of a right shift their start was cancelled and the 200s had a chance to show them some racing. Now with a big right bias as the wind shifted, the fleet got off the line and were fetching the mark, Williams/Sears leading the pack when ¼ of the way up the leg, the race was abandoned.

Ultimately this was the demise of racing, with the wind slowly disappearing and the Contenders being sent home, a sorry sight having yet to race on what was now the penultimate day of their championships. The 200 fleet hung around soaking up a few rays of sunshine or had a blast swimming around the RS200 diving platform, not a bad place to be on the hottest day of the year.  A tow ashore followed, and whilst one completed race wasn’t the best days racing you could wish for, or indeed enough for a proper series, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile day on the water, ended by a well earned pint on the balcony overlooking a sunny Exe estuary.

John Teague