2014 Comet Trio National Championship sponsored by Noble Marine
Exe Sailing Club 22-24 August 2014
Exe sailing club was pleased to see 7 visiting trios attracted to the Nationals. With 15 home boats (of
which 2 were charters) the fleet totalled 22; Comet Trios are still alive and kicking. Over 3 days race
officer Tim Graham and his team ran 7 races. All were triangle sausage triangle courses with a lead
boat time of roughly 45 minutes. The weather was kind, cool temperatures for August and a few
showers but no rain. The wind ranged from near calm to a fresh 16 kts but fortunately the strong
winds were from the NW and also being just pass neaps there were no big waves. Exmouth bay
really was a nice place to go sailing.
Here is a compilation of the race reports submitted by those placed 4th and 4th from last in each race,
as agreed at the initial briefing.
Race 1
Front: NW 4 with broken cloud. As the fleet arrived down the channel the course was already set
only for a 20* backing shift to cause a postponement as the course was re-laid. At the gun the pin
end was the place to be and Andrew and Caroline, and Iain and Charlotte popped out of the line to
establish an impressive early lead. Those with compasses were working overtime coping with the
shifts associated with the passing clouds. We were 8th at the windward mark. Then for some
exhilarating reaches and we gained a few places. In contention with Frankie Upton and Rosey Davies
on the next beat but fortunately we managed to gain on one big shift. At the windward mark
unfortunately Fred Woodcock on port had a senior moment and crashed into Symon Garratt on
Starboard. By going deep and playing the shifts on the sausage run we gained more places. On the
last reach of the second triangle we screamed towards the leeward and nearly caught Symon who
had to luff. We were well pleased to gain a 4th.
Guy 428
Back: Being our first nationals we approached the start with caution, however the lighter airs
resulted in a clean get away. Being near the back it gave us a good view of the lead boats reaching
the windward mark well ahead of the back leaving the field spread out. The rest of the race from
our perspective was fairly uneventful. We crossed the line happy to have got around successfully
without mishap or crew mutiny.
Symon 364
Race 2
Front: 4th was Martin Luce 446 no report (should he disqualified?).
So here is how Guy 428 saw it: A bit more wind. Hotly contested pin end lead to a general recall and
out came the black flag. Clean away at the second attempt and the pin end again was the place to
be. Bill Gott and Graham Sykes were right there and they were first to the windward mark chased
by Andrew and Iain. We were 9th and the last of the front group, there was a gap before the next
bunch. We caught up a little on the reaches. Another hard beat. On the sausage we went deeper and
got inside Mayniac at the leeward mark. We then lead him up the beat only for him to sail over the
top of us on the next reach, well done Sam. Fortunately on the second reach we took off and passed
Sam and Bill to finish 7th. Bob and Colette got 3rd place.
Back: Pass the soap; this was the only thing missing during frequent sprays of sea water on board. It
was all very exciting. Many trios got a good start only to have a general recall. A black flag was
hoisted for the second start. Symon and Lou 364 from Cotswold capsized at the windward mark but
smartly righted her, although a water bottle floated away. They only took possession of their trio 6
weeks ago. There was inter family rivalry between the Horlocks with Iain showing his parents a clean
pair of heals. Keith and Hazel Lawson in Daisy 14th also had competition from son Dale 11th/ Well
done everyone for surviving.
Ian & Mary 429
Race 3
Front: Left the beach at 10.15. The course was set SE of the safe water mark to avoid all the boats
going to the Dawlish air show. The wind was a gusty 4 at 325* with a few showers. A timing error
caused a postponement but we got away at the second attempt. Started at the committee boat end
and managed to tack onto port early into clear air and it was looking good. Then the wind started to
ease. Bob was well up on the port side followed by Andrew, and Iain was up with me. The wind
eased even more and there was congestion at the windward mark with Keith and Hazel parked up
on the buoy. We were 9th. Picked up 2 places on the reaches. At the leeward mark went outside a
group including Symon. Bizarrely the wind went very light and backed. This must have been a sea
breeze trying to kick in but the cloud cover stopped it. We struggled to get around the windward
mark. We overtook Ariel to leeward by off setting the tide. We Struggled to the finish in 4th place.
There was a big gap before the next big group struggled over the finish line with Ariel placed 5th.
0
Guy 428
Back: The race started as per normal with us watching the fleet disappear off into the distance.
During the whole of the first lap the wind remained strong and a struggle ensued to exchange the
last places. But as the race progressed the wind died and many were almost becalmed. On the final
beat we took advantage of the light wind and joyfully passed 3 boats only to land ourselves with
having to write a report. Pleased to have moved off last place. See you next year.
Helen 335
Race 4
Front: Lovely wind, good starts by Piglet, Exe-t-sea and Red Alert who got away on starboard tack at
the pin end. Creeping up on them on the inside track were Tony Brewster in Tamsyn 2 and Frankie
Upton in Pebbles. At the windward mark Tony and Frankie tacked on to starboard as Piglet appeared
on port. According to Andrew, Tony and Frankie appeared from nowhere very quickly and he had to
avoid Tony’s transom but what about Frankie who had to take evasive action. Consequently the fleet
watched with interest as Piglet did her 720 and then climbed back up the fleet to finish 7th. As for the
rest of us it was a procession to the finish with Iain and Charlotte 1st, Bob and Colette 2ns, Tony 3rd
and Pebbles a good 4th.
Frankie 484
Back: Wind 15 kts gusting 20 kts. Start line crowded on the left hand side, took an early tack to get
some clear wind. There was a collision between Woozle and Daisy at the windward mark. Rounding
the wing mark we had to avoid Wild Thing. Then the race went well in a battle with Ariel to the
finish.
Out of the Blue 394
Race 5
Front: W - NW 15 kts. Andrew got away to a good start from the pin end whereas Symon Garratt
started at the committee boat end and surprisingly was second at the windward mark, followed by
Iain (we think), Tony and Bob. There was a good steady breeze throughout the race and Andrew held
on to win with Symon holding Iain in a close battle for second with Tony in 4th place closely followed
by Bob, thus splitting the Horlocks.
Tony 475
Back: This was the race when we were serenaded by the Red Arrows doing Dawlish air show. Some
crews didn’t have time to look at them, but they couldn’t be ignored when they roared overhead
and in Ariel we enjoyed watching them. The wind was a lot steadier than it had been in the previous
race, but even so there was the occasional gust such as the one that caught Kingfisher as she was
tacking up to the windward mark on the last lap, she then turtled but was able to recover without
the need of any assistance from the attending rescue boat. Another gust, or was it just pure strength
from Graham Sykes, broke a shackle on Bill Gott’s boat Woozle, luckily it didn’t stop them
completing the course. Initially we were to do 4 laps, but in the end that was shortened to 3. That
was a relief as the longest beat of the day was about to start- returning to the club. After that a cup
of tea and a piece of cake was very welcome.
Ariel 365
Race 6
Front: A glassy estuary awaited the competitors on Sunday morning but after holding on the beach
for 40 minutes they made their way out to sea on a gentle southerly breeze. Once the wind settled,
the course was set close in to Dawlish Warren and the fleet set off in a shifty 6 kts on the by now
familiar triangle sausage triangle. The start was clean and pretty much square to the wind. Guy and
Marilynn despite having to duck starboard boats twice half way up the beat, popped out into the
lead and were first to the windward mark by a big margin followed by Bob and Colette. Overnight
leaders Andrew and Caroline and second place Iain and Charlotte were buried in the chasing pack.
Guy and Marilynn sailed away to take the race victory but Bob and Colette were overhauled on the
last beat, first by Martin Luce and Mark Osborne, who took second and then, inevitably, By Andrew
and Caroline who took third and with it clinched their 5th Trio Nationals title.
Bob 394
Back: The start was delayed until the sea breeze kicked in. Light winds which we struggled in. The 4
laps signalled were shortened to 3. Shifty and gusty wind. Couldn’t see much of the race from the
back of the fleet.
Triple Exe 426
Race 7
Front: Wind 180* 10 kts. Andrew was first around the windward mark. He then had a senior
moment and started to lead the fleet astray heading for the wrong mark. Some including Godfrey
Ayres realised the error and rounded the correct wing mark and so to their surprise were unusually
well up. However the windward mark had started to drift so the race had to be abandoned. On the
restart Andrew led round the windward mark and never looked back. Guy and Marilynn enjoyed the
lighter winds finishing 2nd, followed by Iain, Tony, Bob (splitting the Horlocks again), then Symon
Garratt and Peter Labdon.
Tony 475
Back: The wind filled in giving a slight bias to the committee boat end. Rather chaotic queuing, then
the McAuslands lead the fleet to the wrong mark, also the windward mark cut loose and so the race
had to be abandoned. The restart was orderly with the usual suspects arriving late at the windward
mark. An enjoyable sail around with the gentle breeze and flat sea. A few battles between friends
with Woozle losing out. Great fun and thanks to all the organisers and helpers.
Woozle 450