Exmoor Ale and Vandercraft Phantom Southern series review 2010

The Southern series racers sailed eight events for the series.

Throughout the series the competitors received both samples and prizes of the prize winning Exmoor Beast and Exmoor gold beers. Vandercraft kindly supported the event with generous prizes at its conclusion.

The Southern fleet was pleased to welcome a total 56 competitors overall to the series which was a good turnout by any standards.

The series began with the Exmoor Beastie at Wimbleball SC the geographical home of its sponsors with the series contenders laying down their initial markers for the season to come. Taking place in March it was an exciting and chilly opening to the series. Hawkes and Jay set about a season long battle that could have been won by either. Also with great but only brief showings by Tyler Harmsworth and Simon Huesen which with more attendances would have made the series even more competitive.

However the dogged determination and consistency of Simon Hare and Pete Barnstable as with others kept everyone on their toe to the last

The series attracted competitors from Plymouth in the West to Bewl valley in the East and even Dubai in the south , such is the popularity of the series!

 

The next events provided almost every scenario for location from Sutton Bingham, Spinnaker and Burghfield as inland venues to Shoreham, Lyme Regis and Chew and Bewl as the larger inland and sea locations.

 

Spinnaker has to be singled out as a particularly challenging event in a good gusty breeze in a very confined space. Thankfully the minor collisions were kept within the Phantom fleet as the youngsters in Optimists struck up conversations as they were passed not realising that most boats that were zipping about them in close confines were barely under control. This event was a delight as visitors being made welcome at every possible level especially with their wonderful juniors showing committed enthusiasm and considerable skills for ones so young.

Sadly this can not be said of the Phantoms who tipped in, hit marks, hit each other( contact between boats) and generally were made to realise short course racing in a breeze is not a doddle. Jay excelled in this with Orman who has been since known as the ‘Lemming' for giving victories away as if he were Father Christmas coming second having tacked away from the line when all he had to do was travel ten yards across it to win!

For all the close racing and unfortunately contact for which Hawkes has to take considerable blame, the stature and statesmanly attitude of the fleet shone through. No protests, no arguments and rules discussed as a cooperative as they went round. All penalties were taken with the right people being in the right places at the end of proceedings.

Jay was first with ‘Lemming' Orman second and Hawkes Third.

On the 10^thOctober the fleet attended the Chew valley open day. The event comprised two races a handicap in the afternoon and full pursuit in the afternoon.

The significant part was that the Phantoms would be sailing off 1015 the club varied handicap rather than 1035.

This was a tall challenge bearing in mind Chew has a high standard of club sailing especially in Lasers and Flying Fifteens and it was a reasonably open water and the breeze was a good force 3 to 4 with larger gusts. There was a good mixed fleet including Flying Fifteens who also sailed off 1015, a variety of skiffs and a smattering of other classes.

The race got away first time and the Phantoms mixed it with FF's all the way round

This certainly took the Phantom dominance away with only 3 boats in the top ten and highest placed being Simon Hawkes in 4^th.

In the afternoon a full length pursuit took place in gusty conditions using the vast majority of the lake. Hawkes got away from the starters in the first two legs and was never caught with Ian Jay and Simon Huesen putting in a good result at 7^th and 8^th respectively.

Burghfield provided the finale in company with other classes but with very pleasing twenty boat turnout. The day was superb with a beat set the length of the lake for all three races in winds ranging from force two to four with some occasional gusts higher.

Hawkes dominated the first two races with Jay in second overall and Orman close behind. Numerous close battles ensued with all enjoying good racing throughout the day.

The series goes from strength to strength next year retaining Exmoor Ales generous sponsorship and the inclusion of Frensham Pond, Cotswold and hopefully Royal Plymouth Corinthian which was cancelled due to the Royal Navy realising in this case they needed room to manoeuvre.

As things stand a superb base to encourage the growing number of Phantoms to fleet racing in the south of the country.

No doubt you will see numerous Phantoms at the winter handicaps and realise what a friendly and competitive class at all levels this is. Come and join us in 2011!

Overall

Sailed: 8, Discards: 3, To count: 5, Entries: 56, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank	SailNo	Club	HelmName	Beastie	Sutton Bingham	Bewl	Shoreham	Lyme Regis	Spinnaker	Chew	Burghfield	Total		Nett
1st	1351	Wimbleball SC	Simon Hawkes	1.0	1.0	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	3.0	1.0	1.0	178.0	7.0
2nd	1194	Sutton Bingham SC	Ian Jay	(2.0)	2.0	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	2.0	1.0	2.0	2.0	125.0	9.0
3rd	1189	Oxford SC	Simon Hare	11.0	8.0	5.0	10.0	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	7.0	(13.0)	168.0	41.0
4th	1383	Dubai SC	Nick Orman	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	57.0 DNC	7.0	2.0	4.0	4.0	245.0	74.0
5th	1160	Castle Cove SC	Pete Barnstable	10.0	4.0	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	4.0	5.0	57.0 DNC	251.0	80.0
6th	1275	Lyme Regis SC	Simon Heuson	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	(57.0 DNC)	3.0	4.0	57.0 DNC	3.0	57.0 DNC	295.0