Collett steals Flushing race it in calm winds (From Falmouth Packet)

Collett steals Flushing race it in calm winds

10:25am Wednesday 17th June 2009

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From my mooring at Flushing I could see rain falling at Longdown and the heavy grey clouds threatened to do the same on us, writes Harold Martin.

The very light south westerly meant that spinnakers were needed to get down the harbour and cross Carrick Roads to the committee boat moored close the St Mawes shore below the water tower.

Many boats were towed so that they could arrive in time. I switched off my engine about a quarter of a mile from the start so that I could goose wing down wind but the light breeze disappeared and I arrived just about on time for the start but the slow moving tide kept pushing us over the line and it was difficult to get back to the correct side.

I had a good start at the pin end of the line following Mike Rangecroft over the line but the the rest of G class quietly overtook me, my two sails could not compete with their four.

The wind remained very light for the first twenty minutes and the rest of the fleet disappeared towards the first of the two mark course. Roger Hollingsworth the OOD wisely set short courses hoping that everyone would get round and he shortened our course to finish at Trefusis to avoid the long crawl up the harbour against the falling tide.

To add to our problems a cruise liner decided to leave at the top of the tide escorted by the harbour master’s launch down the deep water channel.

Poor Geoff Davies in Scorpion found himself stranded in exactly the wrong place with no wind at all and the flashing blue lights and repeated horn signals left the skipper with no choice but to start his engine and get out of the way. He may be one of the few people in Falmouth who is glad that the grant to help finance the dredging of the deep channel has been stopped. The thought of many more and larger cruisers coming in would give him nightmares.

As usual in such light airs the large working boats went well to windward at the start pointing high and slicing through the flat water at a very good pace.

Peter Collett the skipper of the winning Mabel commented that perhaps the theft of two tons of lead from his ballast helped him win in such gentle conditions but he may not be so happy when the wind freshens.

Good helmsmen seem to make their own luck but it was a great surprise to everyone when after a long windless spell suddenly the breeze was seen coming down the harbour rippling the surface as it approached from the west.

Those over that side of the Roads praised themselves for their wisdom and those on the St Mawes side, me included cursed our bad luck. It was a very tricky evening because the variable breeze and increasing foul tide but the well chosen courses enabled all the starters to finish and get back to the clubhouse to enjoy a pint to wash down the tasty suppers on offer.

B class: 1, Mabel - P. Collett; 2, Winnie - A. Williams; 3, Grace - C Jeffery G class: 1, Polly - B Lawrence; 2, Miss Agnes - M Rangecroft; 3, Clementine - Perham/Franks U class: 1, Mary Boon - J Cruise; 2, Redgauntlet - W Hunt.

Q class: 1, Sweet Friday - L Cheshire; 2, Wild Child - N Chamberlain.

V class: 1, Clary - T Holm; 2, Saucy Sally - J Lowry; 3, Whimsy - C Perkins E class: 1, Moonlighter; P Collins; 2, Popincoota - A Grose; 3, Amneris - P Hackett.

J 24 class: 1, Jethro - P Samuel; 2, Just Wind - J Peters; 3, Jitterbug - J Hicks/R Wotton.

A class: 1, Macavity - J Murrell; 2, Rif Raf - M Sharpe; 3, Longshot - D & P Tregaskes.

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