B14 shootout at the Tide Ride

The annual Tide Ride took place in Hayling Island this weekend

The B14 circus arrived at HISC for the weekend's games at the Holt Tide Ride. As predicted Master of Ceromonies, Tim Hancock, Had some treats in store. With light winds, some fleets were to sail a new style course, slalom rather than gates. However, the B14s due to the rig setup were not and sailed the windward leeward course with two gates.

Following on from the Laser 4000s, the B14s sailed up the harbour off the club on Sandy Bar/Juno course. With only a slight sea breeze and strong flood tide it was going to be a tricky day of snakes and ladders.

Race one and off the committee boat end of the very short line, Seavolution (Mark Barnes and Pete Nicholson) were followed by MJF/North Sails (UK) (Dave Hayes and Rich Bell), Leaky Pipes (Gerry Brown and Chris fermor) and AT&T (Tim Fells and Andy Ramus). With many place changes in the fleet these four were to be regularly challenged. However, Seavolution pulled out to a 50m lead at the finish of lap three and AT&T got the better of Leaky Pipes with CSC (Chris Bines and Dave Gibbons) rolling Leaky Pipes for third on the finish line.

Race two and the two main protagonists off the start line were AT&T and Seavolution. These two were to battle for the lead throughout the race with AT&T getting the better to win by two boat lengths. The real dogfight was going on behind between five boats with no quarter given. Initially led by Leaky Pipes who were to fade in the continuous onslaught. So coming into the finish in third was Blue Marine (Allan Stuart and George Morris) followed by CSC, with Blue Marine getting the nod for third by the smallest of margins.

Race three and with several OCSs to count the fleet held back, bar Leaky Pipes who were OCS. Off the line Seavolution won the committee boat end and CSC the pin. With these two neck and neck up the beat, the breeze backed half way up on starboard. This gave CSC the opportunity they had been looking for. They and 758 (Tim Harrison and Johnny Radcliffe) tacked and cleared the fleet. The other boat doing well was AT&T recovering from a bad start taking a flyer out into the channel coming in third followed by Seavolution. CSC pulled away into a 25m lead with Seavolution getting the better on the run to pull into second only to clip the leeward mark and do penalty turns so relegating them to third. Over the next leg CSC held their lead to take the win and 758 holding onto second. In third and fourth AT&T and Seavolution were neck and neck at the windward mark with Seavolution splitting with AT&T and getting the better of them by the finish.

Race four and with slack tide it all was to play for, Seavolution ended up spinning behind the fleet, AT&T, Blue Marine and 758 were deemed OCS at the pin as AT&T had tried to roll Blue Marine so taking the group over. This was to be a close fought race. Ince&Co (Mark Watts and Tim Rogers) led up the beat chased by MJF/North Sails UK, 753 (Alan Davis and Kathy Sherret) and Leaky Pipes. Down the run the player was CSC recovering to fifth at the leeward mark with Seavolution climbing back to seventh. Up the next beat Ince&Co and MJF/North Sails (UK) raced neck and neck with nothing to separate them. This was to be the case to the finish with a dead heat declared with the PRO unable to separate them. CSC recovered to third followed by 753, Leaky Pipes and Seavolution with Mark Barnes having fallen out of the boat (first time ever) on the kite hoist but recovering to hold on and not loose a place.

So overnight CSC led on 11 points with Seavolution on 12 points with AT&T on 24 points. Velocitek (Guy Whitby and Anna Payne) look as if they have shot their bullet with Anna sustaining an ankle injury.

Sunday and what a day. The fleet launched into a good force three that was building. Race five and many boats struggled to make the pin. However, the boat showing the pace was MJF/North Sails (UK). They led from the start to finish followed closely by a pack of three boats consisting of AT&T, CSC and Seavolution. At the finish AT&T just piped Seavolution who rolled CSC on the Gybe for the finish. The big event of the race was 745 (Rod Boswijk and Sharon Binney) Having capsized being hit by 763 who had Leaky Pipes capsizing on them. The result was the end of 745s event with a broken mast and bow.

Race six and Seavolution was to be awarded average points as crew Nicholson had gone into the water to assist with 745. Off the start it was CSC showing the way with AT&T chasing hard followed by Ince&Co. Over the next two rounds there was nothing to chose between CSC and AT&T with CSC winning the race by a nod. Ince&Co fell in on the last run to let MJF/North Sails (UK) through to third but they recovered to finish seventh.

CSC won the qualification series from Seavolution followed by MJF/North Sails, AT&T and Ince&Co.

The final came and it was all to play for with six boats in the hunt. Off the start, it was 753 who port ended the fleet. They were chased hard by CSC, Seavolution and AT&T. Up the beat AT&T got the shift off to the right with Ince&Co. With so much at stake the fleet changed places throughout the race with CSC working their way to the front with the pack hot on their heels. Ince&Co pulled through hotly followed by Seavolution and AT&T. At the finish, it was Ince&Co who pipped CSC at the finish followed very closely by AT&T and Seavolution.

As the numbers rolled out CSC won from Seavolution on countback from Ince&Co with three boats on equal points for fourth – sixth. Again it was a great event with the fleet having some real adrenalin rush racing and looking forward to the next year’s event.

The next showing for the B14 Circus will be at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston next weekend.

Results to follow.