FOUR Ilca 6s were out on Saturday enjoying the spring weather for the Salcombe Yacht Club short-race handicap, writes Steve Walter.

Andrew Groves rounded the windward mark first closely followed by Steve Walter. The long downwind leg gave Allan Wilcox chance to pick Steve off where he went from 20 boat lengths behind to 20 boat lengths ahead whist also managing to introduce himself as he overtook!

Some tricky shifts in the harbour tested the fleet but Andrew held onto his lead to seal the win.

Meanwhile, race three of the Springs Series saw six double-handed teams take each other on in the Fast Handicap fleet, reports John Burn. The lone 505 was up against two regular Merlin Rockets and three Red Fleet Salcombe Yawls.

A light and patchy ENE breeze, combined with a spring low tide, gave Race Officer Andrew Squire little option but to keep the fleet looping in the main stretch of the harbour on a 3-1-3-1-3-2-3 course… at least it was sunny.

Despite being the only 505 on the water, Peter Colclough and Alistair Morley found themselves locked in battle with the two Merlin Rockets. Fran Gifford and Frankie Burn got out in front early and began to stretch their legs, opening up a gap on the Merlin Rocket of John and Katy Meadowcroft.

While the front three ‘faster’ boats fought it out, the three Yawls — 145, 170, and 174 — were also enjoying close racing. Each took turns leading the group, only to fall foul of a shift and drop back, before fighting through again. This pattern continued throughout the afternoon, with no one able to break clear for long.

In the end, it was John Burn, crewed by Simon Dawes, who emerged victorious. Despite inevitably slowing each other down, the Yawls were still quick enough on corrected time to secure all three podium positions.

Finally, a small Solo contingent (three) were languishing in the colonies so Solo numbers were slightly down this week, writes Graham Cranford-Smith. We are never short on quality though; nine boats made it to the start line on a sublime Salcombe spring day.

We were confronted by a light north easterly breeze and it being spring tide low, not much water. Nevertheless, the conditions did allow a simple windward/leeward course between Mark 3 off Scoble Point, Crossways and Mark 1 Blackstone. Thank you to AJ and team for this.

Against the last of the brisk ebb the fleet got away cleanly, all that, is except for Cleaves who must have been asleep at the gun.

Mark Watermelon made the best of the conditions and aced the first beat though at least six boats were in contention for the ensuing run. Watercloset maintained a narrow lead at the leeward mark edging variously, Will Henderson, Yotter Yates, and Malcolm Mackley.

We all enjoyed an expansive beat back to Mark 3 with shifts in play. Waterworks, sailing well, was attacked strongly by Yates and Robin Hodges.

The second lap was a broad repetition of the first with at least six boats in direct contention for the lead. Waterbutt remained well up throughout. Though there was scope, he did not fluff his lines badly. His trusty pink Solo named: “I said ‘blue’!” was well on the pace. Well on indeed.

The final lap consisted of a run to Mark 2 off Millbay after which Will Henderson, who had not meaningfully led the race at any point, nosed in front and took the win. Waterfeature: second, Robin Hodges third, Yotter fourth, Cranford Smith fifth.

Cleaves brought all his prodigious skills to bear, to be a faint seventh. Extremely amusing.

Photography by Lucy Burn.