Streaker Southern Paddle Open at Bough Beech Sailing Club

hosted the Southern Paddle Streaker Open Meeting on Sat 31st March. Seven visitors joined five local helms including Four ladies competing in the event. The Race format was four races with three to count, with first three races counting towards Southern Paddle Series. The course for all four races was a figure of eight followed by a sausage leg course.

The Streaker Open was jointly run with Laser Open Meeting. The Laser’s started off first, followed by Streakers five minutes afterwards. Unfortunately the recent warm sunshine had deserted us for the day, but gave us a moderate breeze to enjoy a day’s racing.

Race 1 started in fickle & veering N-NE wind condition. An over long start line, separated the fleet with some starting by Committee boat while the rest opted for the Pin end of start line which turned out to be an advantage, beating to first mark. Ian Bradley led at the windward mark, followed by Alan Simmons and Veronica Falat. By the second lap Ian had stretch his lead at front with battle for second place between Veronica & Alan. The first three boats stayed in those positions til the finish line, With Ian Mansfield winning battle to overtake Jerry Ledger and claim fourth.

Race 2 which were run back to back, was delayed while the course was adjusted, as the wind direction became a Northerly and filled in to a Force 2 breeze. The race started with the fleet starting more bunched together towards the pin end of starting line. During the race Veronica & Ian B pulled out a lead from rest of fleet with the next four boats of Sandra Hill, Steve Garrett, Ian M & Alan enjoying some close racing with positions changes between them. Veronica won the race from Ian B with Ian M claiming third & Steve fourth.

Race 3 started with the Northerly breeze freshening to a force 2-3 with occasional gusts to force 4. Ian B was first at the windward mark followed by Veronica and Jerry. Ian and Veronica again pulled away from fleet and had a personal duel changing places with only a few boat lengths between them throughout the race. The increasing wind had caught a few out early on with only nine completing the race. Ian B held on to win race from Veronica with Ian M claiming another Third with Steve & Jerry finishing Fourth and Fifth.

Race 4 with all to play for Veronica required winning the race, to win overall from Ian B. Seven boats took to the water for final race. As the race commence Veronica led from Ian B with Ian M, Steve and Chris Smith closely behind them. Veronica and Ian B continued their personal battle with only a few boat lengths between them. As the race came to closing stages with Veronica still leading, Veronica tacked only to get her tiller extension caught under thwart. This cost Veronica the lead which Ian B held to finish winning the race by Five seconds. Ian M, Steve and Chris Smith finished closely behind in this order respectively 30 secs behind leaders.

Congrats to Ian B for winning Overall with three wins, thou were pushed all the way by Veronica in Second and Ian M collecting Third overall with three third results in the races. Steve G was presented with a Streaker Burgee in Fourth place; The Burgee is a Class Association prize, to be presented to the 1st boat at all Southern Paddle events that finishes just outside the host club prizes. But sailors can only win this once so chances are if you are a regular at the Southern Paddle open meetings the prize will come your way.

Lastly, I would like to mention the outstanding build quality and appearance of the two new boats seen at the open meeting; both wooden boats have been built from the new kit build plans available on a CD. Streaker 1770 has been built by Chris Smith, and 1780 by Jerry Ledger, with many admirers looking at the boats.

Overall Results: