ISLAND BARN TOPPER OPEN 

SOUTH EAST TRAVELLER 13

Light winds lead to more controversy than all other conditions.

Should we race or not? Big wind shifts. Illegal propulsion. Time limits. All elements that we would all rather avoid but which we all face from time to time. This Traveller was one of those days. A wind that alternated between flat calm and faint puffs and round the clock shifts converting well laid starting lines to dead runs in the last two minutes of a starting sequence. These were the ingredients handed out to the sailors and race officer.

Fortunately enthusiasm abounded on all sides.

The first race started in the day's worst conditions, with a running start followed by a flat calm. A full array of illegal propulsion techniques were on display and the race officer abandoned the race - a decision that was not without controversy. The abandonment was unfortunate to newcomer-to-the fleet Harnish Streeter, from Hayling Island, who was leading at the time.

After lunch the puffs were stronger, lasted longer and were fairly constant in direction. Bliss.

3 one-lap races were completed before the reservoir returned to a mirror like state.

The result of South East Traveller Series would be decided at this meeting. Clive Jackson needed a good result to win the Series.

He started badly. Over at the pin end, he needed to round the end to honour the I flag. Felix Crowther from Queen Mary made an excellent start, read the shifts well, rounded the windward mark first and maintained his lead to the finish. James Skulczuk from Medway held off Harnish Streeter to take second.

Jackson stopped the rot in Race 2, made a perfect pin end start and led from start to finish. Oliver Machell from Papercourt was second, while Harnish Streeter scored another third.

With one race remaining any of the first five could win the event. Harnish Streeter started brilliantly at the pin end and picked up the left hand breeze, which took him to the windward mark in first place, which he held to the finish. With a discard, this gave him 4 points. Jackson was on 7 points prior to the last race, but with a 6 to discard if he finished well. Felix Crowther gave him a good tussle on the beat and continued to hustle on the run. But Jackson held on to his second to score 3 points overall and take the day.

Harnish Streeter tied for second overall with Felix Crowther, both on 4 points, but Streeter's last-race first broke the tie.

So Jackson converted his shaky start into victory and thus took the South East Traveller Trophy. He is probably the only adult to achieve this in recent years, and what is more, he did so in an old boat.

Mike Jones 21 09 09

 Selected Results