Carveth masters the light

A report from the Laser SB3s at the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series

With 22 boats out on the water this week at the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series, Laser SB3 fleet numbers are increasing in advance of the spring championship weekends in April and conditions could not have been more different than the first weekend of racing a fortnight ago. Gone were the dark skies, 25 knots and exciting downwind runs, instead racers had sunshine and a light and variable breeze. The best thing to say about the breeze, was that it gave almost everyone a chance to lead the fleet at one point in the races, but as we all know it is the position at the finish line which counts and to this end it was Geoff Carveth and team in Palava who claimed two bullets in pretty difficult conditions showing the rest, who thought they were playing snakes and ladders that consistency is possible even in such fickle conditions.

The first race started with an "all clear" from the RO with Palava, 3-Some and Bloo making some early ground in the light conditions. With most boats heading inshore to avoid the tide upwind, it was dismay (for those of us who had followed this logic) to see those who had remained in the tide on the second windward leg hoisting kites and reaching to the "windward" buoy and finish line after the RO shortened course as the weak sea breeze began to fill in from the south west turning the course on its head.

The sea breeze looking as thought it would hold so the course was re-laid and the RO went for an optimistic four rounds. With the committee boat looking favoured and much more tide on the course the majority of the fleet headed up the right hand side of the course until a ring of no breeze surrounding the windward buoy knocked off a couple of early contenders including Black Pig when the breeze filled in from the left. Palava, Eau No and Striptease had favoured the left and moved into the lead as the breeze filled in and there they remained for the rest of the race. Conditions remained light and the RO shortened the course after two and a half rounds leaving Palava with an unblemished record of two firsts for the day. A three boat pile up at the leeward buoy was the only other notable event of this race and an early season reminder for all to dig out our rule books before the season's major events get underway.

Back ashore the fleet enjoyed the free beer or two in the sunshine at Warsash Sailing Club, a great end to a challenging and variable days sailing.

Report: Pauline McCracken, Black Pig - GBR 3156

Series results:

	Boat		R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1	Palava	Geoff Carveth	7	9	1	1	18
2	Bloo	Adrian Ward	12	5	3	11	31
3	Pambere	Mark / Nick Gillett / Jones	10	4	11	6	31
4	Impact Promotions	Steve Pears	5	6	16	12	39
5	Black Pig	Pauline McCracken & Jason Pyke	6	7	19	16	48
6	Go Hard Or Go Home	Pieter Heyn	2	32	9	7	50
7	Trouble & Strife	Ian & Clare Armstrong	9	32	4	9	54
8	The Rat Pack	Chris Russell, Ian Duke & Rob Muir	14	10	21	14	59
9	Excuse Me Gents	Ann Jackson	11	8	20	21	60
10	Rumbleflurg	David Cummins	8	32	18	13	71
11	Mustigo II	Stephen Scholefield	16	11	22	22	71
12	Striptease	Edward Dyer	32	32	5	3	72
13	Eau No!	Mark Stokes	32	32	7	2	73
14	Team Touareg	Craig Burlton	1	1	36	36	74
15	3-Some	Mr N Peelo	32	32	2	8	74
16	Here Comes Bod	Richard Mcadam/Whelan/Lyon/Hall	32	32	8	4	76
17	Chilli Chaser	Ian Southworth and Nigel Smith	3	2	36	36	77
18	Millgate Homes	Nick Jackson	4	3	36	36	79
19	Geronimo	Simon Hume	30	32	14	5	81
20	Sbeed	Toby Litton	32	32	6	17	87
21	Skallywag	Rob Day & James Ford	15	30	36	10	91
22	Wet Dream	Robert Dent	32	32	10	18	92
23	Resevoir Dogs	Tony Williams/ Pat Farrell	32	32	15	15	94
24	Vita Spericolata	Lorenzo Volpi	32	32	17	19	100
25	Water Music VI	Jonny Foot	30	32	12	36	110
26	Tba	David Mckay	32	32	13	36	113
27	Chaotic	Nick Phillips	13	30	36	36	115
28	Woosterstock	Luke Wooster	32	32	36	20	120