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2007 B14 Open Report The B14 fleet headed for the Norfolk
coast over the weekend of the 22nd-23rd September for B14 Travellers
Trophy event 6. As the TT event was to be held on the Sunday those that arrived
on the Saturday joined in the races being held in the afternoon for the clubs
Asymmetric Handicap Open, which was being held over the same weekend. After a
short postponement whilst the wind veered 90 degrees, two races were held on a
race course laid parallel to the beach providing an exciting spectacle for those
taking a stroll. The first race was held in a light to moderate breeze with
crews hovering between the foredeck & the racks. Close racing with much
place changing followed until Mike Bees/Ferret in 771 emerged to take the gun
followed by Piers Lambert/Kathy Sherrat in 774 ahead of Tim Harrison/Jonny
Ratcliffe in 758. In the next race those at the pin end trying to make a prompt
start did not allow for the building tide which was carrying them over the line
resulting in two general recalls. When the fleet finally got away in marginal
planning conditions Bees/Ferret soon built a commanding lead with Harrison/
Ratcliffe finishing second ahead of Dick Roe/Kate Dulieu in 776, Lambert/
Sherrat having been scored DSQ after missing the upwind gate. As the fleet retired to the beach,
late arrivals Gerri Brown & Leaky decided to make the most of the balmy
evening & go for a sail. The fleet then enjoyed a meal in the club house on
the promenade & a Firkin of “Chalk Hill Best” donated by Roe/Dulieu as
well as a selection of lager donated by the Vice Commodore. Winners of the
day’s informal series Bees/Ferret received 2 bottles of wine. Sundays Travellers Trophy event was to be a no discard series of 4 races run back to back. With the wind forecast to build considerably the race officer was keen to get to sea before conditions deteriorated. The first race was held in choppy planeing conditions but in slightly less breeze than was expected before the start with several boats finding themselves under powered. Bees/Ferret started the day as they had finished the day before by winning ahead of Harrison/Ratcliffe with Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons in 775 third. In race 2 as the breeze built & the chop became more extreme Roe/ Dulieu decided that discretion was the better part of valour as Kate was sailing with cracked ribs & headed for the shore. As luck would have it this was a wise decision as when they got to the beach they found their boat full of water & the bungs missing! Meanwhile back on the race course Bees/Ferret were again demonstrating their mastery of the conditions finishing ahead of 768 Seavolution steered by guest helm Alan Davis along with the boats regular crew Pete Nicholson. In spite of halyard problems which had necessitated a capsize pit stop between races Bines/Gibbons managed to finish third. With conditions worsening several crews decided to head ashore for an ice cream leaving the main protagonists to fight it out for the prizes. There was an interruption to the perfect score line of Bees/Ferret in race 3 when they capsized on a gybe leaving the similarly fast team of Harrison/Ratcliffe to win from Davis/Nicholson with Lambert/Sherrat taking third. An unfortunate casualty of this race was the team of Simon Hadley/Tristan Hutt in 770 who broke their starboard wing. As only 2 boats could now win, the rest of the fleet left them to it & headed for an early bath. Bees/Ferret returned to form in this final race blasting around the race course in the now extreme conditions to win the race & the event overall ahead of Harrison/Ratcliffe who took second overall with Davis/Nicholson settling for third overall.
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