Douarnenez Report 30 April - 2 May 2008

Coupe Internationale de Bretagne

The UK contingent showed up in strength with 12 boats, second only in size to the French (there was one other boat displaying GBR sail numbers but it was a recently purchased boat by a European owner). Russia came close behind with 10.

Race one and we could not believe our luck, had summer really arrived? It was a glorious warm day, sun shining and blowing 10Kn. from the SW. The British did not put up a very good showing and certainly no indication of performances to come. Tim Tavinor, sailing a brand-new boat, which was being handed on to Vincent Hirsh after the event, GBR 734 aptly named “Billy the Kid” for the event, managed a respectable 11th. The most disappointed person was Quentin Struss sailing GBR 723 who was OCS for which he looked for redress to no avail, but for this result he could well have finished 3rd overall.

In the evening a Buffet was set up in the main marquee and as much wine as you could drink and I am sure a number of people took to the water next day with thick heads

Day two and we were not so sure winter had passed, mist had enveloped the bay, we were held ashore for an hour and when we were sent forth. Unfortunately nothing really improved as we wallowed around to early afternoon before a decent sailing breeze kicked in. Race two was finally underway about 14.30 hours after one false start. The race was won by DEN 375 “African Queen”. GBR 723 “ (now called “Gorgeous Worgeous”) Quentin Struss finished 11th and David Palmer GBR 700 “Princess Jalina” 12th It was 16.30 before we lined up for race three and it again took a black flag before the fleet got under away. DEN 375 again took the winner’s gun, but Quentin was close behind finishing second, “Elusive” GBR 565 Ivan Bradbury third and Tim “Billy the Kid” GBR 734 eight.

Day three and there was again a delayed start, this time from a torrential rain squall that came through with an accompanying wind shift and then a person on the committee boat slipped, breaking a rib, which required him to be transported ashore. When racing did get under way about 1.00 we had two cracking races into a 15kn. westerly breeze and the Brits showed up well again, even better than the day before! Race 4 one false start, then the black flag before we were away, the fleet splitting to bang the corners of the course with three British boat arriving at the first mark in the top 5. GBR 723 finished 3rd, Robert Campbell (our own IDA chairman now recovering from the illness that beset him on the first day) in GBR 688 “Quicksilver III” finished 4th, Mike Holmes GBR 684 “Hand Of Fortune” 8th and David Palmer GBR 700 “Princess Jamlina 10th.

The 5th race was sailed in very similar conditions to the previous one, and again needed a black flag before the fleet got away at the second time of asking. Tim Tavinor led at the first mark and very nearly maintained that position to the finish, but GER 1013 who was close on his tail took the opposite buoy at the bottom gate and beating Tim to the line by half a boat length in the short beat to the finish. The rest of the British contingent put up a sterling performance with a total of 4 boats in the top 10. “Elusive” GBR 565 3rd, “Georgeous Worgeous” GBR 723 5th and “Quicksilver III” 7th.

With all races to count this left two British boats in the top 10 overall, Tim Tavinor with Nicky & Thomas Wilton crewing 4th with 49 points, Ivan Bradbury 7th with 65 points. As I have mentioned it should have possibly been 3 if Quentin Struss had not suffered from an OCS. As for other boats with British interest, Stavros was again crewing for Ted Sawyer in USA 310 and Ted had 8th and an even more creditable 4th but suffered in the overalls from an OCS.

Grand Prix Petit Navire

The fleet had now increased in size to 82 boats for Grand Prix and while there was one extra British boat (“Warrior” John Thornton) making 13 the Russian fleet had increased by 6 to 16 making them the second largest participants. It proved not to be as good event for the British contingent except for some flashes of brilliance.

Unfortunately the first day’s sailing was cancelled due to high winds, Douarnenez Bay looked glorious with the sun catching the breaking waves, but it would have played havoc with the Dragon fleet.

Thursday morning and we were woken by a very heavy rainsquall, but the weather improved steadily after that. The first race of the day proved to be the best performance for two British boats of the series with GBR 723 Crispin Quentin in “Gorgeous Worgeous" finishing 3rd and Tim Tavinor’s GBR 734 in fifth. In the afternoon “Gorgeous Worgeous” rounded the top mark in 10th along with Mike Holmes GBR 684 in 8th, when they and about 6 other of the other leading boats headed off for the wrong mark, which I will talk more about below. For the rest of the “Brits” David Palmer, not fooled by the confusion of buoys, finished 10th in “Princess Jalina” followed by GBR 633 “Fei-lin’s Flirtation”, Ron James in 17th.

This second race was the really interesting and controversial one of the series, which resulted in the Race Committee being asked for redress by a number of competitors. The first mistake was that after a general recall they then postponed the race by hoisting the answering pennant, but instead of then proceeding with the 10 minute starting sequence, went straight into the preparatory signal, but worse was to come. Moments before the starting signal a wind shift of some proportion meant that it was difficult to cross the line on starboard. Those lucky enough to get out on port tack prospered wherever you started on the line, and with no great surprise the wind backed half to the first mark. These wind shifts we certainly larger than the IDA recommendation of 25% for abandoning races and starting again. Even worse for some competitors was to come. The racing rules state that after a change of course that the committee would use orange buoys as replacements for the yellow buoys. Unfortunately the windsurfers were using orange buoys and a committee boat flying a simulate flags to the Dragon class, and a number of the leading boats headed for this buoy. This included GBR 723, GBR 684 and IRL 2002 whom all put in protests for redress. The wind fluctuations did not finish there. On the next beat those that had tacked on to port soon found that with another wind shift were now above the lay line when tacking back onto starboard and set off reaching for the buoy, but within 10 minutes, or half way up the leg the wind shifted again and these boats were again hard on the wind and most having to again tack for the buoy.

The boats that put in for a redress were granted their request, but on the following day we come ashore to a notice that the Jury was reopening the enquiry under rule 66, receipt of new information. The only problem was the information was incorrect, a race official thought he had the mark roundings at the first buoy and this suggested that the boats granted redress were being given an unfair advantage, until it was pointed out that this information must have come from subsequent marks, as the said boats had all reached the first mark in the top 10. It took a good deal of “hanging around” before they accepted their information was incorrect.

Friday morning and a gentle breeze greeted the fleet as they sailed to the starting area, which gradually built to about 12 kn by the time of the start. I am now getting a bit bored in mentioning that the fleet did not get away at the first time of asking, but only when the black flag was introduced. Typically of Douarnenez a wind shift at the starting gun meant it was imperative to get on to port tack and for those that failed they were buried by the first mark. GBR 684 had picked the shifts after ducking boats to get out on port arrived at the first mark in 6th only to lose 15 places on the run, by not finding a good wind vane. But playing the shifts again on the second beat recovered to 7th and held this position on the next run before taking two boats on the short beat to the finish. GBR 656 “Elusive” Ivan Bradbury was next best in 19th followed by Tim Tavinor finishing 21st. As ever with Douarnenez when you think you have the place “sussed” you are made to look silly and “Hand Of Fortune found her self back in 36th place her worse result of the series. “Feilin’s Flirtation” was best British boat in 17th position and “Billy the Kid” was at least consistent and finished 19th. Next was the IDA chairman, Robert Campbell in “Quicksilver III” with his best result of the series in 21st position.

The grand draw prize dinner is now on the Friday night and this year held in the tent on the Quayside rather than the in the local sports hall, which is about 2 km away. As ever a great food and the wine was included. Two British competitors made the last nine for the 4X4 jeep Crispin Quentin and Norman Blowers but, unfortunately, we had nothing to celebrate as a Russian won it again!

Having lost the first day the race committee put an extra race into the programme for the Saturday, and started the racing an hour earlier at 10:30. Wind conditions again started very light and built to about 12kn by midday. The first race again had its now obligatory general recall, on the second time of asking the fleet split with the overnight leader and a number of the other “hot shots” taking the left hand side of the course where they fell into a hole resulting they were fighting for last place at the first mark. On the other hand GBR711 “Leah” Woody went right and was in the top 5, he went on to do even better by the finishing third the only second “Brit” boat to get on the stage to collect a prize in the event. “Elusive” was the next best British boat in 10th .Quicksilver III was black flagged and decided to head for home and miss the last race.

The last race started about 12:30 and although the wind was steadier it proved no less of a tricky a sail. This race saw the only real damage of the series, when USA 310 Ted Sawyer coming into the first mark on port hit RUS 44 “Red October’’, taking her mast out. Red October was given redress allowing her to win the series. “Geogeous Worgeous” best of the home fleet was 19th followed by “Hand of Fortune” in 25th neither results were anything to shout about.

Despite losing a day it was a good week and the hospitality again was second to none. Of the British boats “Billy the Kid” Tim Tanvior was top performer in 14th followed by a gaggle of three boats in 17th 18th & 19th “Elusive” “Gorgeous Worgeous” and “Hand Of Fortune” Next came “Leah” in 29th. The full results can be viewed on the Douarnenez web site.