Page 10 - Salcombe Masthead 2020

8 Fleet Reports
REAR COMMODORE
SAILING REPORT
If I had to choose one word to describe the 2019 sailing season it would be breezy. Days spent doubled-up in the middle of the boat, trying to ghost through the Bag have been mercifully few this year. Instead we have been treated to a host of days when the wind has been in the 10-20 knot range and the sun has shone.
Even the Wednesday evening races have seen decent breezes (or the ones that I have sailed in, anyway). On the subject of Wednesday evening racing the earlier start time of 6pm, introduced for this season
by Andy Savell, has been a great success. The earlier start time generally results in more wind and has proved particularly popular with our junior sailors. We regularly see 10 – 20 boats on the start line with 22 the record turn-out. The post-race sailors’ supper in the Club afterwards has also been well-received with everyone sat at one long table in the bar enjoying one of Jo’s very reasonably priced meals – just what the Club should be about.
The May Bank Holiday Opens were
THE EARLIER START TIME GENERALLY RESULTS IN MORE WIND AND HAS PROVED PARTICULARLY POPULAR WITH OUR JUNIOR SAILORS.
generally a success with the weather at
the first being uncharacteristically more benign than at the second. At these events next year, in response to feedback from competitors, we are going to run back-to- back races for all classes on the middle day of competition with a late lunch back at the club. Please note that the date of the first
May Bank Holiday in 2020 has been moved to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day. The Bank Holiday will be on Friday 8th May. We will change our racing schedule accordingly so the first race will be on Friday afternoon, with two back-to-back races on Saturday and a final race on Sunday morning. Club racing will remain on Saturday afternoon as usual.
The Merlin Rocket class continue to
be great fans of Salcombe and both the class events – the Silver Tiller in April
and Merlin Rocket Week in July – were oversubscribed, Merlin Rocket Week heavily so. The Silver Tiller saw some good sailing conditions whilst a big high-pressure
THE MERLIN ROCKET CLASS CONTINUE TO BE GREAT FANS OF SALCOMBE AND BOTH THE CLASS EVENTS...