TOMs Sail and Race Training doesn’t get much better than this!
On Saturday 17th February, a group of CBYA members set out on a fleet of TOMs for some sail and race training, with the option of racing if the weather proved fair. The weather indeed proved more than fair, with a steady 12 knots with occasional gusts, and wow! What a day! The crews were divided between the boats so that there was equal experience on each one.
Hugh Epsom skippered TOM 1, with Richard Pipkin, Mary McGrath, and a new TOM entrant, Frank Newman.
John Mackney skippered TOM 5, with Chris Engels, Ben Woodcock and another newcomer, Jeffrey van der Borght.
Allen Bradley skippered TOM 6 with Connie and Simon Forster, and Ian McKay.
After a few trial tacks and gybes, buoys were laid, … and relaid, … and laid again, until a good windward/leeward course was created with enough length to test the crews in the gusty winds, and then the crews began to race. With such a good wind, the crews were able to hold 3 races of 2 legs each. The first race showed TOM 5 make a perfect start and go on to lead from start to finish. TOM 6 finished second, and TOM 1 came in third.
The second race saw all the boats in some degree of disarray just before the start, but TOM 6 hit the line right on the gun. TOM 5 managed to pull back the lead at the first mark, and lead at the end of the first leg, but due to some clever use the wind shifts inshore. called water on TOM 5 and the took the lead at the second windward mark. There followed an exciting gybing match to the finish, with TOM 5 just taking the finish gun.
The third race saw all three boats over the start line at exactly the same time, but different tacking tactics saw TOM 5 one again taking the lead and finishing first once again.
So 3 wins to John Mackney and his crew, 2 seconds and 1 third to TOM 1, and 1 second and 2 thirds to TOM 6.
Afterwards the crew retired to Dracula’s Restaurant for some well earned pats on the back.
If you would like to learn to race a yacht, why not sign up for Saturday TOMs sail and race training?
