Phantom class at Burnham Week

Over the Bank holiday weekend 11 Phantoms joined in Burnham Week on the River Crouch with 3 local sailors arriving in style, sailing in from Creeksea under storm clouds on Friday evening.

Day 1

Race 1 saw the usual Burnham Week courses, i.e. ;ong and hard work with plenty of fast reaches and short tacking. Matthew House on the money ahead of Ian Sullivan who just took Chris Roberts on the last tack to the line.

A shorter course for race 2, or so it seemed, but ebbing tide meant hard work taking back up river to the finish. Ian winning from Matthew with Ian "windy" Miller in third.

Very proud of the Creeksea boys who made a good show and hung in - especially Trevor (what me, in the lead?) Wysling and Graham with his champions sail.

Tired legs, arms and brains. How much did Windy pay to have his name on the outer distance mark ?

Day 2

Lighter winds but from every direction at times and always fading away as marks were approached. Great racing though and hard work again.

Race 3 saw the fleet running en-mass to Holliwell and John Torrance getting around the mark first - letting everyone know that this was "one for the fat blokes" apparently...

Despite getting through John on the beat up the Roach Chris blew it and let House through who spotted that the following "sage of the river" (JT) had headed for the East Bank formed a queue with Windy to head across the river to Redward and a difficult beat back in a dying breeze.

Race 4 saw pretty much more of the same with House (after releasing his rudder downhaul) being bolder than Roberts in sailing over Branklet spit to take the lead half way through. Four boats, House, Miller, Sullivan and Roberts then had a desperate short taking battle along the north bank to the finish. House evaded capture, Roberts fought off Sullivan's challenge and just when Windy thought he had got past Sullivan and needed one last good tack - he didn't get one. The resultant capsize was a mast in mud affair and a discard for the series.

Matt's looking good in the lead, Sullivan is looking fast upwind, Windy is looking muddy but content - and everyone is aching after 4 hours racing

Day 3

With a forecast of strong gusty winds and a weather warning for rain, flat sails were dug out of retirement for the hardy souls in the running for the top spots. The remainder of the fleet took the opportunity to pack away in the dry.

The wind failed to materialise for race 5 leaving the 4 four leading contenders to fight it out in a short tack battle against the tide to Redward. Roberts came out ahead closely followed by House. Pulling away up the roach as Ian Sullivan took a gamble which did not pay off and continued tacking towards Holland. The lead pairing stretched the lead as the weather closed in.

The 2nd place for Matthew House sealed the overall win. The aching legs had had enough and he sailed through the line and led Roberts and Miller back to shore.

Sullivan was out of sight and finished a few minutes behind.

Once ashore the remainder of the fleet scoured the gloom looking Sullivan, "was he ok", "maybe he's broken his mast", "we have not seen him for 1/2 an hour". Rather than arriving under tow he sailed in announcing "I sailed the last race on my own and persuaded them to shorten the course after one mark"! The first time the fleet has ever been shortened at Burnham.

So the report for race 6 Ian Sullivan went to Redward and came back alone securing second overall. His cupcakes will be on short ration at the Nationals in two weeks time as a penality.

Photos can be found at www.eastcoast.photos/-/galleries/burnham-week/-/medias/2100206c-b50b-4abe-bb23-d16230eb55d9-burnham-week

Overall Results: