Up at 05.00am and set off At 06.10 on the 170 mile trip to Beccles on the River Waveney in Suffolk. A good breeze was blowing, from the south, and there were clear blue skies. Some 3.25 hours after starting out, and including a comfort stop,
we arrived at Beccles to be informed that the briefing would be at 10.00am (45 minutes later) and race one starting at 10.30am. It was a bit of a rush to get unpacked, rigged, and changed in time but we made it.
I must tell you that I got into trouble with my last report – posted on Yachts and Yachting – for failing to note that it was a Pinnell and Bax sponsored Streaker Southern Area Paddle event, which this one was too. My excuse is that I pinched that write up from my own blog which is not sponsored by anyone in the commercial business.
The meeting was held jointly with the Enterprise Class, with the eight Streakers – 4 home boats and four visitors – having the first start. Launching was none too easy with just a single small slipway and the wind by then a good force four making the near bank a lee shore. The locals paddle to the far bank and rigged easily from there – they had to be ferried back to the club after the races by the club safety boats.
The course was fairly straight forward, up river and to windward to the mark, nearest the bridge, which was left to starboard and the down-wind to marks No 2, No 4 (downriver) and then back past No 3, all to port, with the start and finish lines across river from the starting cabin.
First away in Race 1 was Mark Langston (Beccles ASC) at the leeward end of the line with Ian Bradley (Ouse ASC) just upwind and Gary Hogan (Emberton Park SC) to windward of him. Alan Simmons (Lancing SC) was 5th or 6th behind Rowan Curtis (Beccles ASC) and Charlie Folkard (Beccles ASC). Right at the back were Dave Moriarty (Beccles ASC) and finally Veronica Falat (Waveney and Oulton Broad SC) who had some problems during rigging and was still bankside ahead of the line when the gun went.
With a few sharp gust and shifts by the time the leaders got to the windward mark Ian.B was in front with Rowan,C second and Alan. S third – if only he had rounded it in the correct direction - leading to him losing two places. By the time the fleet began to round the bottom mark (No 4) Ian.B was unchallenged way out in front. A collision at the mark between Mark.L and Rowan.C allowed Alan.S back into third place and challenging for second but he slowly lost ground finishing in 6th place. Meanwhile Veronica.F recovered from her very late start and climbed through the fleet to finish in second place – a remarkable feat in the circumstances. Mark.L was third, Rowan.C came 4th, Gary .H 5th, Charlie.F 7th and Dave.M 8th.
At the briefing it was intended to have the first two races back to back but in the event all came ashore before Race 2 started.
Waiting on the bank was a familiar face, none other than a past Steaker Association Secretary, Vernon Penketh. He lives not far away at Horning, and we had a good old chat and reminiscence – he asks to be remembered by all who knew him in his Secretary days. He reckons he has now given up all his previous sailing club and class officialdom, sold his last boat recently and is now available as crew.
Waiting on the bank was a familiar face, none other than a past Steaker Association Secretary, Vernon Penketh. He lives not far away at Horning, and we had a good old chat and reminiscence – he asks to be remembered by all who knew him in his Secretary days. He reckons he has now given up all his previous sailing club and class officialdom, sold his last boat recently and is now available as crew.
Race two got underway with Veronica.F first away at the leeward end of the line with Mark.L next up but on the windward end of the line this time and Ian.B between the two. Gary.H although he had moored on the far bank did not get back to his boat in time to rig fully before the gun and so was right at the back of the fleet. Veronica.F started to pull away from Mark.L and Ian.B. Alan.S was lying 5th at the windward Mark (No1) behind Rowan.C.
The gun went with Mark.L first away at the leeward end once more with Rowan.C to windward of him and Alan.S above Rowan. Ian.B was seen to be a bit on the late side going back across the line as the gun went. Similarly Veronica was over the line and had to return but was soon back in the groove. By the time the fleet came to turn the bottom mark (No4) Ian.B was out in front ahead of Mark.L and Alan.S just failed to turn the mark ahead of Veronica.F. On the next upwind leg Veronica climbed up to second place but was unable to catch Ian.B who extended his lead. Mark.L was 3rd home followed by Charlie.F and then Rowan.C. Alan came home in 6th place ahead of Gary.H. and Dave.M.
Results:-
| Series Place | Sail No | Boat | Helm | Club | Series Points | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 |
| 1 | 1817 | Binky | I Bradley | Ouse ASC | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1654 | Skippy | V Falat | WOBYC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 1664 | Rehab | M Langston | Beccles ASC | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 1449 | White Riot | R Curtis | Beccles ASC | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | 1293 | Go Bananas | C Folkard | Beccles ASC | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 1757 | Sparks | G Hogan | Emberton Park | 12 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| 7 | 1700 | Last Bash | A Simmons | Lancing | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 8 | 1259 | Bare Necessity | D Moriarty | Beccles ASC | 15 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
Although these races took place on somewhat restricted water and there were eleven Enterprises afloat and quite a bit of fleet crossing there was plenty of give and take and no reported clashes and generally lots of give and take between the fleets - even the Broads Hire cruisers behaved though fortunately the through traffic was not heavy.
Alan.S 1700PS. For the official report follow this link to Y & Y - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/170188/Streakers-at-Beccles
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