Rush - elapsed time 3 hrs 23 mins 04 secs
corrected time 3hrs 42 mins 25 secs 1st
Karibia Breezes - elapsed time 4hrs 09 mins 00secs
corrected time 4hrs 09 mins 44 secs 2nd
Report from Ken Lees:
Karibia Breezes & Rush agreed a 11-15 start & Finish line as 325° from the old South Foreland light (Start was actually 11-22 when both boats were on the line ) Course - Start , Deal Bank stb – Goodwin Fork prt – Downs prt – Deal Bank prt – Finish . Wind was SW 17 Knts both boats set of in a stb Run towards the St Margaret’s foreland Rush set a spinnaker and established a lead from Karibia, once round the foreland Rush gybed onto prt maintain a course for Deal Bank ,Karib also gybed onto prt and chose the inshore course setting up as more of a broad reach to the Kingsdown Shore , Rush dropped the spinnaker at the Deal Bank buoy and gybed back onto stb towards the Goodwin Fork meanwhile
Karib had also gybed and gained some ground on Rush , the leg from the Goodwin Fork was a harden up and a fetch to the Downs, Karib still appeared to be gaining on Rush ,at the Downs it was a harden up onto a beat against the tide Rush chose the inshore course to the Deal Bank (heading towards the Deal Pier) Karib tacked at the Downs and choose the offshore route to Deal Bank ,Rush was over pressed and reefed approaching the Bank Buoy ,Karibia continued to hold everything and seemed to be holding a better pointing line .,Rush tacked inshore at the Bank Buoy and was heading into the Downs Sailing club dingy event course (one of the Downs committee boat Ribs positioned himself between the dingy fleet and the fast approaching Rush) Karib rounded the Deal Bank and continued to keep offshore which may have paid as the wind inshore eased and Rush tacked and shook out the reef . Rush kept to the tactic of tacking inshore to keep out of the tide ( much to the concern of the crew who had to keep tacking the boat) Karib was doing well offshore but off St Margret’s had to come inside to make the finishing line, this led them into the easing wind which appeared to have dropped a little more Rush crossed the line with Karib still tacking inshore in lightening wind conditions and finished some 30 mins behind Rush.
It was a good Race with the conditions ideal for club racing it a pity there were not more boats enjoying the sailing which this year has been spasmodic because of the SW weather we have been experiencing.