ISO Open - Plymouth Final Fling, Mayflower SC (9th & 10th October 1999)
Once again Mayflower sailing club gave careful consideration to the classes based on entries received and on the asymmetric front and split the production and development classes. This led to much relief in the dinghy park at not having to race the cherubs etc, and led to a virtual ISO/Laser 4000 shootout.
Saturday dawned with a 20 knot easterly, combined with a good swell outside the breakwater and the prospects of some exciting sailing.. In the first race Phil Harrison and Hooper in Spinnaker International got a flying start crossing the fleet on port and led the 4000's round the first mark and down the run. Disaster however struck when a slipping Spinnaker Halyard led to a very wet and twisted spinnaker. Dave Rhyeng and Robbie Mcdonald in Artic fox then took up the ISO challenge and following a bit of tweaking with barberhaulers etc pulled back his time to beat the leading 4000 on handicap. Unfortunately Mike Roberts ISO mast parted on the second run, which led to a slow sail back to Mayflower under jib only to watch the England New Zealand game. While Spinnaker International followed suit after Race Two to save their kite anymore punishment! With the wind picking up for Race 2 and 3 the 4000's had the edge picking up and planing upwind and Artic Fox did well to stay in contention with the leading 4000's, only being narrowly beaten by Phantom Menace.
There was much talk in the dinghy park of Artic fox's tremendous upwind speed on Saturday, which the rest of us put down to the temporary crew arranged for him. Certainly the ability to carry wings with a 6'6" crew weighing in at 12 stone may have had something to do with it. Our suspicions further confirmed by David's apparently boundless energy in the festivities that followed. With the majority of the fleet packed away in time to see the second half of the rugby, the afternoon soon turned into the evening with the compulsory beer, curry and memory loss "where did we go then".
Sunday's early start saw a number of crews taking advantage of the large, reasonably priced fried breakfast's at the club, to settle the stomachs for the final three races with the wind now down to a pleasant 15 knots. The previous nights exploits, less wind and no rugby to watch saw the return of Spinnaker International to the fray, gaining line honours over all the 4000's in the second race and rapidly moving up the leader board. Spinnakers recovery despite a bullet in the last race by Artic Fox put them out of contention for the lead and gave the L4000 Phantom Menace a moral victory over the ISO's. It certainly made it interesting racing the 4000's and out of six races, the final score was ISO 3 victories L4000 3 victories, in 15-20 knots, not ideal ISO handicap conditions.
In closing the race management and hospitality by Mayflower SC was superb, with well laid windward/leeward courses, the sailing water is fantastic with flat water to launch from inside the breakwater and superb waves outside. There are a number of clubs capable of holding events in Plymouth if there is the interest within the class. Plymouth has recently seen the opening of the first of the RYA's multi million pound centre of excellence at Mountbatten, with superb facilities and reasonably priced B&B at
